“ISLES OF DEATH”

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 974, 17 May 1930, Page 30

“ISLES OF DEATH”

AMBITIOUS SCHEMES TO DEVELOP THEM GROUP IN INDIAN OCEAN Ambitious schemes to develop the resources of the romantic and historic group of islands 300 miles from Mauritius, known as the Cargados Carajos Islands, formerly the “Isles of Death,” are under way by Commander J. E. Capstickdale, who, during the last two years has been acting as general manager and administrator of the islands. Commander Capstickdale has left for England, where he is to buy a trawler to help him in his plans. Cargados Carajos Islands are a coral group, a dependency of Mauritius. Pirate Activity

“The group lies on the old southeast trade winds track from the ancient lands of Ophir and Cathay,” explains Captain Capstickdale. “This route was traversed by' the early treasure fleets of the Portuguese, Dutch and British navigators, and so the islands acquired a sinister reputation. Pirates of every nationality made them a base of operations from which they preyed upon the treasure fleets in what was the Ethiopic sea of those days. “The islands thus became known as the Isles of Death. Many a scene of carnage -was enacted on their beaches and fortunes in looted treasures were cached between the coral pinnacles. “More than 100 argosies of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries came to grief on the coral flanges of this thirty-five-mile reef, which remained uncharted for over three centuries, and trading ships to almost the same number have since left their bleached wreckage to the mercy of the pounding trade rollers, which break on the weather edge after their drive of 3,000 miles. “For more than a century these isles have been the scene of a spasmodic turtling and fishing industry, but it is only within the last two years that the industry has been systematised. The leasehold of the islands fell into the hands of the Raphael Fishing Company of Port Louis, of which I am fishing manager and partner and since then the property has proved a valuable asset to Mauritius. Steam Trawler to Be Used "The trade has developed beyond the capacity of the old ‘white swan’ ships to deal with, and a steam trawler is now being bought for its more expeditious exploitation. The government of Mauritius has realised the possibilities of its dependency and is supporting the proposed scheme by a loan.” Commander Capstickdale holds out. the hope of an abundant supply of turtle for the cape. The St. Brandos Islands, to give them their local name, are the haunt of large numbers of

turtles, both the edible and the tortoise shell variety. The isles are the only outcrops of land iu an area of over 250,000 square miles, and are, therefore, the only places where the turtles can lay eggs for the sun to hatch. The commander added that there has been a dearth of turtles during the last two years, but, he said, they have now returned in greater numbers than before. There will be a large supply available for the next seven years, he declared. The islands are the home of great game fish. Dolphins, swordfish, tuna, kingfish and sailfish with dorsal fins sixteen feet in length have been seen in the waters surrounding the group.

“St. Brandos,” concluded the commander, “is now assured, after all these years, of a place on the map.”