Tongan Flag Flies Over Falcon Island

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 378, 12 June 1928, Page 1

Tongan Flag Flies Over Falcon Island

SCIENTISTS’ EXPEDITION MYSTERY ISLE EXPLORED * The Tongan flag now flies from the topmost peak on Falcon Island, that mystery island of the Pacific whose remarkable appearance from the ocean depths has excited scientific interest throughout the world. Two American scientists recently accompanied the Tongan Prince Consort to the island, and made a detailed examination.

Dr. Ladd, one of the visiting Americans, subsequently stated that the island could not possibly remain longer than 10 years above the surface of the ocean.

All around th© sea level the island, which is largely composed of pumice and other volcanic refuse, is rapidly breaking up. Prince Tugi and Mr. H. Spencer accompanied the American scientists

in the cutter Fetuaho, on their expedition to the “wonder island.”

They were dispatched from Nukualofa with rousing cheers, and made good progress until they reached the outer reefs where a fairly heavy sea was encountered. After a somewhat stormy passage the island was sighted on Sunday evening. “I think we must have been at least three or four miles away from it at the time,” writes Mr. Spencer in an exclusive story for The Sun, “and even at that distance and in a bad light I was very much impressed by th© island’s size. NO LANDING PLACE “For a time the party cruised around the island, looking for a likely place to land. This was by no means an easy proposition as on almost every side —it appeared so from the cutter—cliffs rose abruptly from the sea.

“However, on the north side we saw a likely place. At thi3 point the sea looked fairly dangerous. Yet it ap-

peared to be the only place where there was no steep cliff. The sea here was muddy in appearance, and was free from small particles of pumice.” The visitors launched the dingy and set out. the cutter standing about three-quarters of a mile out. When within 40 or 50 yards of the shore they found it was hopeless to try and land a boat. There was no alternative but to go overboard and swim for it. This was rather a hazardous undertaking as the undertow was very strong. The visitors also had to swim in their clothes, always a difficult proceeding, and, at the same time, keep their cameras dry. Mr. Spencer was the only one who sueccseded in doing this. Eventual^ - , however, all landed safely and commenced their exploration of the island. On the highest point of Falcon Island. Prince Tugi, in the name of the Queen, planted the Tongan flag. The whole island has the appearance, from a distance, of a freshlyploughed hillside. It was covered with deep ravines and crevices, some of which were 30 feet deep. These, apparently, had been washed by the rainfall. LARGE LAKE DISCOVERED The island is circular in shape, and. roughly, is about a mile and a-half across each way. The highest point

is 386 feet above sea level. On the east side is a large lake which covers from 40 to 50 acres. The lake is described as “just like the figure eight.” The water was quite hot. Small showers of stones, mostly of pumice, were continually being shot up from the depths. The water was green in colour near the sea, and yellow in appearance on the land side. The island itself appeared to be composed of ash pumice and a little scoria. There were also sulphur deposits on it. On the eastward side the lake was separated from the sea by a wall of 14 feet or so. Mr. Spencer ventures the opinion that at times the sea must wash across this small dividing line.