LEPER'S ESCAPE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 82, 30 December 1937, Page 9

LEPER'S ESCAPE

. Our Own Correspondent.)

Journey of 150 Milet in North Australia ATTEMPT TO REJ01N WIFE

(From

SYDNEY, Dec. 23. Determined to return to his native country and his young wife, a Melville Island leper named Wannie escaped from the Channel Island hospital at Darwin and apeared at the Bathurst Island Mission. He covered ahout 150 iniles over land and water in 11 days. , Wannie first swam about seven miles, across Darwin Harhour, from Channel Island to the vicinity of the quarantine station. Then, to avoid the township, he travelled direct overland to Gun Point. There he secured a small dugout canoe and put to sea. A storm came up, and the runaway was forced to sholter- in the Vernon Islands before inaking a direct courSe across the open sea to Melville Island. He was unable to find his wife there, and so he travelled on to Bathurst Island Mission Station, where he was reeognised. He will be returned to the leper hospital. Wannie and his wife, Rosie, were originally talcen to Channel Island together, hut Rosie was discharged and sent back to Bathurst Island. Wannie xan away within a week of her leaving.