Page 25 - Loss of the VOC Retourschip Batavia, Western Australia, 1629

Figure 13. Cutting the timbers with a pneumatic chain-saw.
Photographic recording was being carried out at all stagesoftheexcavation,andcoralwasbeingclearedfrom around the timber. Still, no sign of a keelson was found, even though the width of the timber was now almost 6 m. After the cannon had been cleared, it appeared that the extent of the structure aft of the last saw cut of Ute first season was about 4 m.
Progress during this season was very slow, mainly due to the enormous quantity of coral and concretion that had to be cleared in the stem section. Much of the work was in preparation for the third season when it was hoped to recover the remaining timber. A systematic programme of collecting pottery and bricks on the inside reef site was started and quite a large collection of mainly stoneware was made from this area. This work was carried out during times when it was not possible to dive on the main site.
The third season
After removing Ute protective cover from the stem
timber area at the start of the season, the remains of Ute stem-post was discovered. The post, which was carefully recorded and raised, had water-line markings. Work con- tinued on removal of Ute transom lodging knees. This aspect continued to give rise to problems as the cannon ball concretion .extended down the narrow gaps between the knees, frrmly wedging Ute knees in place. Work proceeded slowly as this concretion was carefully chipped out, fol- lowing the use of small explosive charges. The ceiling plaokingonthesideoftheshipwasrecordedandremoved as the lodging knees were raised, thus exposing Ute frames.
Finally, when all Uteknees were freed andraised, itwas possible to raise all the remaining ceiling planking and ribs. As the outer plaoking ran behind the fashion-piece, it was necessary frrst to remove Ute wing-transom, and transom beams before removing Ute fashion-piece. After removing the transom beams, the diagonal transom plank- ing on Ute stem was exposed. The fashion-piece was freed and raised. This was the largest single timber item recov- ered, measuring more Utan 4 m from end to end, and with an estimated weight of aboot one tonne. After removal of the fashion-piece, the outer planking was found to be arranged around the transom in a curious way. The inner layer ofUte strakes was butted up against the inner transom planking, under the fashion-piece. However, the outer plaoking was bent around the transom in a continuous strake. These were removed and Ute excavation of the ship's structure was finally completed.
The excavation work Uten moved into Ute area to the north of the old building block area, between northings 150 and 200, bounded to the east by Ute group of anchors (easting 100) and to Ute west by cannon 10 (easting 109). In the process ofclearing coral in this area, large numbers of coins were found, particularly to the west side in and around the cannon complex. The excavation proceeded forward to about northing 230, concentrating in the gully running along easting 108. A large concretion containing iron and coins was raised from grid reference 160I07. This was brought to Ute field station, at Beacon Island, to be examined. On breaking it up at the field station, an astro- labe was discovered in a fme state o f preservation.
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