SEA MYSTERY

Hokitika Guardian, 26 August 1932, Page 6

SEA MYSTERY

RESGUES IN MIDtOCEAN

SYDNEY, August 18,

An - amazing story of the sea was brbught to Australia-this week by the officers'! &f the steamer Lindenbalik* /which arrived several days late laden with phosphates from Nauru. They reported the rescue-of' four natives in mysterious circumstances at sea off the Island |of Timor. Two of the natives were! taken from the sea ana the other two were discovered badiy injured by kqife wounds on board a schooner about three miles away.

ss, Chief Officer Leitch said that at hal-' past six one morning a little more j than a week ago, he was' on watch j when he heard shouts apparently coining from over the side, of the boat.

A search revealed'two natives swimming in the shark-infested waters. The Lindenbank at once lowered a boat and rescued the natives, one of whom was almost exhausted. Captain Dunn was at once faced with a problem as ■to what to do with the men whose lives he had saved. He Knew the complications ttiat would follow if he took the men to an Australian port, and when he spied the schooner it seemed to him providential. : ‘The. Lindenbank was headed for .the: schooner, and when she got near it' -was seen that another native was siting on the bobstay,-seemingly having a cooling dip as. the. schooner eased mi tlffi-sWell. A fourth native, apparently;':as:lßep!| was ; beside the tiller, 1 Neither “’native made any sign as the steamer approached, and subsequently; it was o: fthind that'-the man at the bleeding;- profusely. The Lindeiib’diik’s lifebqat was again lowered, and* the'fellief officer boarded the- Hei'» decks were coveredwith blood, :and the man at the tiller was in a state of coma, terribly cut about. He recovered consciousness while his wounds: ivere being dressed. Meanwhile] the liian who was sitting' on the bobstay was hauled on to.the deck, and it was -seen that his back and arms ibere covered with knife wounds. There was no one else on board/ j

The elderjy native who was found I by the tiller could speak a few words ! of- English. He said he was the sldp- | per ? bf the schooner, and had some (-‘■money. ; stoWed away. They had Some rpassougefs- who joined the crew in a j mutiny “ and nearly killed him. Cap--tain Dunn immediately suspected the j'tWo natives he had resorted from the but the skipper said he had never seen them before. Captain Dunn then -realised’ that tliei situation was beyond him, so he took the schooner in tow a ltd made for Putang in Timor. Dutch 'Officials learned thai the alleged skipped of the schooner was actually a passenger and that he’ -certain' amount :of j-When the Dutch authorities: heard , that* two mnu had been' resbued T lrom the .sea they 'at'i once” seiit an armed ’patppl to the liindejtbaitk’ gnd arrested thejn. Tlie, sdquel'has not yet'beert'tdld-. ---