A STRANGE FIND.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 453, 1 April 1909, Page 4

A STRANGE FIND.

The Bluff correspondent of the Otago Daily Times reports the following from Stewart Island : A mysterious discovery has just been reported from the vicinity of the Murray river and Saddle Point, on the Foveanx side of Stewart Island. An island cutter was round in the neighbourhood fishing. One of her crew, an Austrian, went on shore in the dinghy. In exploring about he discovered a solitary individual wandering amongst the rocks. On being communicated with, the stranger was found to be a foreigner, who seemingly, did not understand a word of English. After a time it was discovered that he was a Frenchman. To all appearance the man was in depth of distress, both as regards food and clothing —-indeed it was found he was collecting shellfish for his subsistence. The Austrian was able to make him understand a few words but not sufficient to explain the circumstances. What he could understand was that the stranger was in no need of assistance and that he was mainly desirous of being left alone; indeed he seemed to resent interference and therefore the cutter people left him as they found him. No one on the island knows anything about him, neither as to who he is or the circumstances under which he came to be where found. The matter was reported to the police, and no doubt steps will be taken to probe the mystery further.