SEA MYSTERY

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 321, 7 September 1932, Page 7

SEA MYSTERY

INJURED NATIVE RESCUED BY STEAMER IN MID-OCEAN Freemantle, Thurs. The steamer Lindenbank, which arrived from Naru this morning, re P'orted the rescue of four natives in mysterious circumstances at sea off the island of Timor. Two were taken from the sea and the other two were discovered badly injured by knife wounds on board a sehooner about three miles from the others. At half-past six one morning about a week ago Chief-Officer Leitch on watch, heard shouts apparently from over the side. A search revealed two natives, swimming, and a sehooner nearly three miles away. The Lindenbank lowered a boat and rescued the swimmers, one of whom was almost exhausted. Blood-Stained Deck Captain Dunn was faced with a problem, what to do with the natives and the nearby sehooner seemed providential. The Linderhank headed for the sehooner, and when she got near it was seen that one native was sitting on the bobstay, seemingly having a cooling dip as the sehooner heaved on the swell. Another native apparently asleep, was beside the tiller. Neither native made-any sign, and later it was found that the man at the tiller was bleeding profusely The Lindenbank's lifeboat was again lowered, and the chief officer boarded the sehooner. Her decks were covered with blood and the man at the tiller was in a state of coma terribly cut about. Many Knife Wounds He recovered consciousness whilst his wounds were being dressedMeanwhile, the man who was sitting on the bobstak was hauled on to the deck, and it was seen that his back and arms were covered with knife wounds. There was no one else on board. The elderly native by the tiller could speak a few works of English. He said he was the skipper of the sehooner, and had some money stowe'd away. They had some passengers who joined the crew in mutiny and nearly killed him. Captain Dunn suspected the two natives taken from the sea but the skipper said he had ne.ver seen them before. Captain Dunn then decided to make for Putang, in Timor, which was reached the same afternoon with the sehooner in tow. Arrests by Armed Police Chief Officer Leitch sailed the sehooner to an anchorage. Dutch officials learned that the alleged skipper of the sehooner was actually a passenger. The money belonged to him. Dutch officials then commandeered the Lindenbank's lifeboat, filled it with armed police, and put off to the Lindenbank and arrested the two natives. The Lindenbank then resumed her voyage-