TRAGEDY AFTER DANCE

Hokitika Guardian, 10 July 1930, Page 3

TRAGEDY AFTER DANCE

CAPSIZE, OF FRAIL BOAT

ENGLISH NOVELIST DROWNED

CARRIED AWAY BY TIDE.

Carried away by a strong ebb tide after being thrown from a boat which capsized, Air Crosbie Garstin, aged 43, novelist, of Lamorna, Penzance, disappeared from sight in Salconibe, in Saleombe, in Devon Harbour, under circumstances which • leave no doubt that he was drowned.

The tragedy occurred in the early morning when Mr Garstin was going out to the yacht, Osprey, on wliuh he was staying, after a dance at the Saleombe Hotel. With him \at the time was Miss Pamela Drake, a beautiful film actress, the daughter of Dr Drake, of Hope Cove.

A graphic account of the tragedy was subsequently given by Miss Drake. “During the dances,” she said, “Mr Garstin and a friend joined our party, and about midnight asked us if we would like to look over his yacht. A Air and Airs Illingworth and I said we would and as the ferry had stopped running, Air Garstin shouted to the man on the yacht to come in for us. The boat, when it (arrived at the steps, proved to be a small collapsible one, and as only two at a time could go it was decided that Air Garstin and I should go with the man.

“When we started I remarked jokingly, ‘I. believe I can feel the. water,’ and when we got a little way .(ff the shore I said. ‘I am sure T can feel water coming in.’ Air Garstin replied, ‘lt’s all right, we are. nearly there.’ Then the man said,- ‘Lean Forward. sir, we are shipping water.’.

“The boat sank under us. and we were left struggling in the sea. Tt was pitch dark, and the sea was ver.v choppy and frightfully cold. AJr Garstin caught hold of me, hut I told him I could swim and he said, ‘Swim this way,’ meaning to the yacht. T was very frightened, and answered. ‘We will swim together,’ but lie disappeared into the darkness.

“I turned and made towards the lights of the hotel, but I. had on a long evening dress, and heavy fur coat and felt myself sinking.

•“As a came up for the second time my head struck something ■ which T found was a. boat, and I got one arm over the side.and screamed and screamed, and screamed. I found later I had a wonderful piece of luck, for - the boat had: only been moored there that teatime; ,

ijAlr Garstin apparently had tried to swim to the yacht, hut that was the only boat there, and tbd terrific force of the current must have sweot him out jto sea. ...I did not know until the next morning that he had not been saved. A Air Collins, in the hotel, heard my screams, and, dressed onlv in-T-his, .pyjamas, ran down from bis roqip. He and a Air Heath pulled out i n j.'a boat to where I was. I was absolutely done uo.”'> A long search was made for Air Garstin’s .body, which it was feared had been caught by rocks at; the mouth of the harbour, where it -was impossible tio use grappling irons;

Mr Garstin was the son of Mr Norman Garstin, a painter, and was educated at Che 1 ten ham, Bedford, and in Germany. He led an adventurous life in-various parts of the world. He went to America and Canada, and worked as a horse-breaker on Western ranches, as a thresher and as a sawyer in-the Columbia and North Thompson lumber camps, British Columbia. Later he became, successively, a miner on the Pacific Coast, a ranger in Matabeleland, South Africa, and manager of a cattle' ranch. During the war he served in France and Ireland, and found time to contribute the “Mudlark” series and other articles to Punch. He leaves a widow in Cornwall