For over a century, the sea continues to return part of the cargo of the French merchant ship Le Tage to the shores of Kurzeme, which sank in the Baltic Sea in 1894, reports the program "900 Seconds" ([TV3](https://tv3.lv/dzivesstils/celotprieks/kurzemes-pludmale-joprojam-atrod-dargumus-no-pirms-130-gadiem-nogrimusa-kuga/)). After strong storms, pieces of mahogany reappear on the shore, which locals collect and use to make jewelry, souvenirs, and other products. The owner of the "Jūras rotas" shop, Ingrida Jansone, recalls that about ten years ago they found such a large piece of wood that they had to saw it right on the beach. > "What we found was so big and heavy that we cut it into three pieces to be able to take it home," she said. It later turned out that such finds have long been known to the residents of Pāvilosta. Gradually, it was established that the wood comes from the French sailing ship Le Tage, which was carrying a cargo of mahogany from the island of Haiti to Liepāja. In the late 19th century, this wood was used at a local factory for dyeing fabrics. However, on October 24, 1894, the ship sank off the coast of Latvia, and its cargo still remains on the seabed. Today, mahogany still occasionally washes up on the shore. It is made into wine corks, jewelry, and other products that are in demand among tourists. According to Ingrida, the best chances of finding such fragments arise in the autumn and winter when the sea washes wood onto the beaches after strong storms. Archaeologists confirm that the story of the French ship Le Tage and its unusual cargo is based on real historical events and is not a local legend.
