Treasure Hunting in the Bahamas 1687

[Arturo]

Turks & Caicos Islands issued a 3c stamp in 1973 which shows what must be one of the earliest "diving bells," circa 1700. It resembles nothing more than an inverted wooden barrel with two eyeholes and the diver's bare feet sticking out below the botton of the "bell."

This stamp design is based on the first successful underwater treasure hunt, when over half a million pounds in gold and silver was recovered from a sunken Spanish galleon in the Bahamas in 1687. A ship's carpenter from Bristol, Maine was the organizer of this feat-his name: William Phips. Phips was one of 26 children by the same Puritan father and mother. Phips learned to read and write at the age of 42. When he heard of this sunken galleon he used his new-found knowledge to get up a prospectus, then sailed to England in l684 to raise money. He met the second Duke of Albermarle who took him to the King, Charles II. Charles was impressed by the persuasive tongue of Phips and loaned him the frigate Algier Rose.

This expedition was unsuccessful and Phips returned to London. By this time Charles II was dead, but the Duke was still as keen as ever and raised L800 among his friends to set up a second expedition. This consisted of two ships, the James and Mary and the Henry, which sailed for the Bahamas laden with roods to sell to the Spaniards. On arrival, the pilot, John Smith, took Phips oat in a big Indian canoe which could negotiate the very dangerous coral reefs. They were lucky enough to find the wreck within three days. Native Bahamian divers were sent down to the wreck to commence work, while Smith and Phips built a crude diving bell, as shown on the stamp. In three months the three native divers and sailors in the bell had lifted literally tons of gold and coin. Phips sailed for England and arrived in the Thames triumphantly in September 1687.


Turks & Caicos Islands 1973, S.G.?, Scott: 259.

Reference: James Dugan-Man Ekplores the Sea