PEARLER'S ORDEAL

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 392, 29 November 1932, Page 3

PEARLER'S ORDEAL

FOUR DAYS ADRIFT IN BOAT WITHOUT FOOD OR WATER. After Arthur Jones, a pearler, had spent four days in -a small dinghy without foocl and water, and with only a broken oar to steer with, he recently reached land near Shark Bay, Western Australia. Some days later h'e was found by searchers in a motor-launch. On Monday, Octoher 28, Mr. Jones, whose partner hact gone to! Denham, decided to do some fishing, and, having reach a suitable spot, anchored his dinghy. Later a strong south-west gale arose and he decided to return to shore, but when he went to pull up anchor he found the line had parted

and the dinghy had drifted out to sea. He then tried to scull hack to shore, hut in the heavy sea his oar broke. By Tuesday the shore was out of sight and on Wednesday Mr. Jones was suffering severely from hunger, thirst and exposure. Near daylight on Friday he took soundings With his fishing line and found a depth of two fathoms. At dawn he discovered that the tide was carrying the hoat into a thick mangrove growth. Wjeak and exhausted, Mr. Jones staggered on to the beach, hecame delirious, and did not regain consciousness until sunset. While searching for food he found another dinghy, in which.1 were some petrol cans of water. This water relieved his thirst, and he rolled himself in seaweed and spent Saturday in delirium and sleep. On Sunday, finding his strength returning, Mr. Jones went in search of food and found a few sand crabs and wattle heans. That afternoon a searching aeroplane passed overhead, but his frantic attempts to attract attention were unavailing. On waking next morning he saw a launch aneh'ored and, as th'e tide was low, he started walking out toward it. He was seen by those on board and picked up. In the launch was his brother-in-law, Constable Wrigley, who was searching for him.