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[Ric Gillespie]

The only reference to "corks with brass chains" is in a July 1, 1941 note from Dr. Steenson to Secretary Vaskess, "Those corks on brass chains would appear to have belonged to a small cask."

According Master Daniel Hamer's statement,  Drinking water, traditionally transported in small wooden casks, was included in the provisions sent ashore to the Norwich City survivors from SS Trongate.
"Before leaving camp all provisions etc., were placed in the shelter, but I sincerely hope that no-one will ever be so unfortunate as to need them."
They were "leaving camp" to re-locate to the south side of the island where surf conditions for rescue were less hazardous.  The shelter Hamer refers to was not far from the shipwreck. "Small trees were cut down, trimmed and lashed between four large trees in the form of a square. A trellis of smaller trees and branches was formed on top and over this the two sails were spread. Around three sides a barricade was made to keep out the crabs, leaving the lee side open for the fire, which was soon got under way. The ground was cleared of twigs etc., and then covered with leaves over which was placed a couple of blankets and old canvas which had been washed ashore. Altogether it looked and was fairly comfortable."

Whatever remained of the shelter and cache of provisions, including water, was not far from where the Electra landed on the reef eight years later.  Bevington saw and photographed what he took to be the ruins of the shipwreck survivors' camp in October 1937.

It seems logical that Earhart might have collected a small water cask at the cache and transported it to her campsite at the other end of the atoll, but if a cask survived eight years (1929 to 1937), three more years (1937 to 1940) seems like a short time for only the corks and chains to be left. 

Could the cask have come from USS Bushnell?  Possibly.  The survey party would need water, but there is still the problem of how the corks and chains got to the castaway camp and 1939 to 1940 is an even shorter period for the cask to rot away.

[Bill Mangus]

That's interesting.  For some reason I have always assumed the corks and chains were all that remained of a hat or hats the two of them might have picked-up in Australia.

I used to have one and wore it whenever we went bush-bashing while I was stationed at Woomera, South Australia, 1983-85.

Although most corks were attached with small cords, I did see a few with small chains.

PS:  If they/she did salvage a cask wouldn't at least the iron bands still be lying around the 7-site?  Or remains of the barrel staves?

[Ric Gillespie]

If they/she did salvage a cask wouldn't at least the iron bands still be lying around the 7-site?  Or remains of the barrel staves?

You would think so, but wood rots and iron rusts very quickly on Niku.
 

[Karen Hoy]

Weren't there some rusty/burned metal fragments found at the Seven Site?

Could Earhart have used a cask or casks as firewood?

LTM (who says don't waste a thing)

Karen Hoy #2610 ER

[Ric Gillespie]

Weren't there some rusty/burned metal fragments found at the Seven Site?

Many.

Could Earhart have used a cask or casks as firewood?

Sure.

[Kevin Weeks]

in my reading, it appears by the time the surveys were being done water was being transported in steel barrels of much larger size than a small cask. there is a picture of a small wooden cask as described being offloaded for the kiwi survey party. they had a very large cache of supplies so who knows what was in it.