ADRIFT IN A BOAT.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 December 1917, Page 4

ADRIFT IN A BOAT.

EXPERIENCES OF TWO NATIVES. HESC'UED BY A LAUNCH All fears regarding the safety of the two Maoris, Hapara and Tommy Waka, who went out on Wednesday morning on a fishing excursion, in an open, flat-bot-tomed boat, from Moturoa, were set at rest about ten o'clock yesterday morning, when the men were brought back to port by the launch Sea Wolf. Messrs W. Smith, M. MeKoy, W. Maim and W. Skipper left Moturoa at, about 7 a.m. yesterday, in order to search for the missing men. While searching the flugnrloaves, they caught a glimpse of a sail awny to the north, and at once made off in that direction, and found the boat with two men in it about eight miles distant. After a hearty greeting from their friends, who were awaiting their arrival, and some refreshments, the men appeared little worse for their experience, though they admitted they had had a very narrow escape. The men stated that when they left the harbor there was a light south-east breeze blowing, bnt by the time they reached the Saddleback the wind had freshened so that they decided to take shelter. This they were unable to do, and neither would their anchor hold, and they were carried out to sea. Ultimately, however, the anchor gripped, and the men prepared to spend the night in the boat. They had practically no provisions, and only the sail as a protection against the wind and the sea. In the morning, as the wind shifted, they set sail in an endeavor to reach home. They had seen the dredge during its searching on Wednesday evening, and the Rarawa bad also passed to the landward of them, on her northward trip, the same evening. The men in the boat did not see the launch which effected their rescue until it was close upon them.