Cook Is. Notes

No Hurricane This Year.

From Our Own Correspondent.

Rarotonga, April 2.

OCR “monsoon” season is drawing to a close and we can say now, almost without risk of being wrong, that the weather for the next nine months will be free from hurricanes.

The Pacific Ocean, with its thousands of is lands, is becoming more and more an attrac tion to those seeking adventure in yachts and other sailing craft. Like many other Pacific islands, Rarotonga is frequently a port of call for these craft.

Unexpected Visitors.

The first to visit us this year was the yacht “Nahlin,” owned by Lady Yule. The “Nah lin” arrived unexpectedly on March 11, stayed two days and resumed her cruise, making Tahiti her next port of call. As she steamed away to the north-east at sunset, a white sail showed up on the horizon.

Our second visitor turned out to be the schooner “Tagua” returning to her headquarters after an absence of nearly three months at Penrhyn Island. She had sailed out of the lagoon at Penrhyn, although the danger from hurricane had not disappeared for the year and, consequently, met with dirty weather on the way down. The schooner and her captain. Andy Thomson, are rapidly coming into world-wide prominence.

An occasional article appears in the Atlantic Monthly, written by a journalist at Tahiti, Mr.

R. Frisbie, in which the “Tagua” and her skipper form the thread of the story.

After remaining at the wharf at Avarua for two days, during which time the sea laid to be watched almost from hour to hour, the “Tagua” proceeded to Tahiti, laden to her Plimsoll line with copra.

On the 21st another sail appeared to the north-west —the schooner “Aratapu,” bound from New Plymouth (N.Z.) to Tahiti. She ran into bad weather shortly after leaving Auckland and met with head winds the whole way. She reached Rarotonga 29 days after leaving New Zealand. Damage included a broken boom, ripped sails, and crippled Diesel engines (auxiliary).

Sickness also broke out amongst the crew. The “Aratapu” is now effecting temporary repairs here.

The Northern Islands.

Mail advices from Penrhyn, and the other two islands of the northern group visited by island schooners, Manihiki and Rakahanga, disclose that the inhabitants are having a lean time.

There is an absence of sickness and there have been no setbacks from hurricanes, how ever.

The people of Rakahanga (an atoll —a ring of coral encircling a large, almost landlocked lagoon report that they have succeeded in transplanting breadfruit trees sent from Raro tonga. The soil, in places, at Rakahanga is rich—what there is of it. Unfortunately, the magnificent lagoon at that island is not suited to the growth of the pearl oyster, as is the

lagoon at Penrhyn and the one at Manihiki.

The Rakahanga lagoon, being practically landlocked, except for one or two very shallow openings, is not emptied by the tide. The water becomes stagnant and the pearl oyster will not thrive in it.

There are no fresh water streams at Raka hanga. The main supply is rain water, run into large tanks from buildings—the roof of the Church being the chief source of water con servation. Other supplies are obtainable from wells.

The Fame of De Groot.

Amongst the items of world’s news flashed across the Pacific and picked up here (static permitting) we would like to refer to one which pleased many in this group.

The first was in reference to the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. While much must be left to the imagination at this distance, the cryptic account of the opening of Sydney’s immense bridge by Captain De Groot indicated that the proceedings were given an epic-making twist. If this comparatively insignificant com munity is any index to the reception of this piece of news in other parts of the Pacific, then it would be difficult to find anyone expressing himself as dissatisfied with the opening cere mony in the circumstances. Indeed, the ma jority of onlookers from afar out in the Pacific are glad to think that the colossal structure is a symbol of the fine sentiments expressed by Captain De Groot.