Roebuck's Bell

Constructed as a fireship during the reign of William III and Mary II, His Majesty's Ship Roebuck was provided to the famous 'pirate and hydrographer' William Dampier to explore the uncharted east coast of New Holland.

After rounding New Guinea, Roebuck started to leak badly. Dampier was forced to turn back only a few hundred nautical miles from his destination.

In February 1701, while on the return voyage, Roebuck sank at Ascension Island but Dampier and crew were rescued just over a month later. 

On 15 March 2001, almost 300 years to the day after Roebuck was wrecked, the WA Museum's exploration team found the ship's bell off Ascension Island. It was discovered wedged between rocks recently exposed by the movement of the sand. 

After examination it was found to be inscribed with a broad arrow, the symbol of government ownership and identical to those found on other ships of the period. A few weeks after the museum team left, the sand moved to cover the entire site again. 

This replica produced by Mary Rose Laboratories, Portsmouth.