▁of ▁the ▁Col on ist ▁The ▁salv age ▁operations ▁comm enced ▁almost ▁right ▁away ▁on ▁ 1 3 ▁July ▁ 1 8 7 0 ; ▁the ▁k etch ▁Com et ▁depart ed ▁Sydney ▁to ▁salv age ▁the ▁cargo . ▁This ▁was ▁sol low ed ▁by ▁the ▁sch oon er ▁Scot ia ▁almost ▁a ▁fort night ▁later ▁to ▁assist , ▁and ▁by ▁mid - Se ptember ▁the ▁Com et ▁had ▁again ▁proceeded ▁back ▁out ▁to ▁the ▁site . ▁ ▁When ▁the ▁Com et ▁left ▁the ▁re ef ▁in ▁late ▁September ▁to ▁return ▁to ▁Sydney ▁with ▁salv aged ▁cargo ▁it ▁left ▁its ▁captain ▁( P aget ) ▁out ▁on ▁Elizabeth ▁Re ef ▁with ▁two ▁car pent ers ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁ca ulk ers ▁and ▁rig gers . ▁At ▁this ▁stage ▁they ▁had ▁already ▁partially ▁succeeded ▁in ▁getting ▁the ▁vessel ▁off ▁the ▁re ef . ▁ ▁By ▁November ▁the ▁k etch ▁had ▁again ▁returned ▁from ▁the ▁w reck ▁site ▁with ▁cargo ▁from ▁both ▁the ▁Col on ist ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁Douglas , ▁and ▁the ▁scene ▁was ▁described ▁as : ▁ ▁... m asts ▁and ▁yards ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁h ull ▁of ▁the ▁Col on ist ▁are ▁as ▁sound ▁as ▁the ▁day ▁she ▁was ▁built . ▁She ▁has ▁been ▁thoroughly ▁ca ul ked ▁from ▁ke el ▁to ▁covering ▁board , ▁and ▁is ▁now ▁quite ▁tight , ▁her ▁rig ging ▁has ▁been ▁ref itted ▁and ▁s ails ▁bent . ▁The ▁t ides ▁have ▁been ▁very ▁bad ▁l ately , ▁but ▁not with standing ▁she ▁has ▁been ▁flo