Purported discoverers of an Ancient Machine people time capsule on the Antarctic continent.
In January 1909, a crew of 12 whaling pirates led by New Zealander Henry Flint and Te Whai Ao, a Māori navigator, made a discovery that would challenge our understanding of history. While seeking shelter from a storm along the Antarctic coast, the crew of the schooner Nine Lana stumbled upon a large, sheltered capsule that could accommodate their entire group. Curiosity piqued, they investigated further and discovered a trove of artefacts, documents, and etchings from a long-lost civilization known as the Ancient Machine People.
The Nine Lana, a schooner captained by Henry Flint, was on a whaling mission when the crew made their discovery. They were primarily hunting for humpback whales, which were plentiful in the region during the early 20th century.
The everyday life of rogue New Zealand whalers aboard the Nine Lana schooner during the 1900’s was grueling and perilous. The crew spent months at sea, facing harsh weather and unpredictable seas in pursuit of whales. When they found a whale, they would use small boats to harpoon it and then tow the carcass back to the Nine Lana to be processed.
Despite the hazards, the Nine Lana crew found ways to entertain themselves during the long, monotonous stretches at sea. They played card games, told stories, and sang songs to pass the time. They also developed a unique culture, complete with their own slang, customs, rituals and even hybrid language which makes their notes difficult to interpret.
When they weren't hunting whales, the crew explored the icy Antarctic landscape. They were a characteristically curious crew who went on hikes, hunted seals, and collected specimens of plants and animals. Their expeditions frequently brought them in contact with indigenous wildlife such as penguins, albatrosses, and killer whales.
The high number or amateur naturalists and map makers onboard the Nine Lana was slightly unusual for the time. It is thought that Flint and Te Whai Ao may have inspired this sense of natural wonder in their crew.
Life aboard the Nine Lana presented its own difficulties. The cramped living quarters, the monotony of the work, and the constant danger of injury or death could take a toll on the crew's mental and physical health. Nevertheless, they persisted in their pursuit of whales, driven by the promise of wealth and adventure that lay ahead.
In January 1909, the Nine Lana and its crew were caught in a violent storm off the coast of Antarctica. The ship was battered by high winds and heavy seas, and the crew feared for their lives. In a stroke of luck, they managed to find shelter in a remote bay, where they waited out the storm.
When the weather cleared, the crew emerged from their shelter to find that they were not alone in the bay. They saw an enormous, intricately carved bronze sphere half buried in the ice. The sphere was as tall as the top mast of their ship, and it glowed faintly in the dim light of the Antarctic sun.
Curiosity piqued, the crew approached the sphere. As they drew near, a round door in the sphere opened, seemingly of its own accord. The crew was hesitant at first, but their sense of adventure got the best of them. They entered the sphere and found themselves in a strange, otherworldly environment unlike anything they had ever seen.
The crew explored the sphere for several hours, recording their findings in their journals and sketchbooks. They discovered a trove of artefacts, documents, and etchings that appeared to be from a long-lost civilization known as the Ancient Machine People. Despite their initial excitement, the crew was also understandably cautious. They worried about how the scientific community would react to their discovery, and they knew that they were not exactly reputable members of society themselves.
According to the crew's journals and sketches, the capsule contained a trove of valuable insights into a long extinct machine people culture. Objects depicting their beliefs, and wisdom, as well as advanced technological artefacts. These discoveries baffled the crew. The whalers debated over whether to reveal their discovery to others, and keep it a secret for many years, establishing a base near the capsule that they revisited regularly.
Despite their efforts to document and preserve their findings, the crew was met with skepticism and disregard when they tried to share their discovery with the scientific community due to their reputation as rogue whalers. The isolation and intensity of the discovery led some members of the crew to madness, adding to the mystery surrounding the capsule and its contents.