Treasure-Seekers
p. 44 · Read in the full issue
Happy
But Tahiti Is Left Guessing
From Our Own Correspondent PAPEETE, March 21.
THE treasure hunters, whose move ments were noted last month, have returned to Papeete after an absence of 25 days, and many wild stories are cur rent along the beach as to the result of the expedition.
The pessimists, with ever-present re grets concerning hard earned shekels sunk in previous wild-cat enterprises, are betting long odds against the success of this one. Certainly, there were no bars of gold or cases containing pieces of eight to gladden the eyes of the sightseers who gathered about the wharf when the schooner Gisborne drew alongside on Monday last, and nothing but a heap of miscellaneous equipment was dumped ashore.
Nevertheless, it was quite noticeable to everyone that the explorers all wore a happy expression, but whether this was due to the successful achievement of their object, or to anticipations of being once more able to lap up their favourite bever ages in the congenial environment of Bohler’s Bar, we are not yet able to dis close with any certainty.
The expedition was taken seriously
enough by the French Government, and two white gendarmes accompanied the party, but these will naturally give noth ing away except to those in authority above them. It is hard to suppress stories about treasure hunts, however, and we may expect that the truth about this latest venture will leak out sooner or later.
Boiling everything down to bedrock, we suspect that definite evidence as to the existence of this long-sought deposit of buried wealth has at last been discovered, but that more capital and expensive gear is needed for its salvage. The party is leaving for England by the next mail steamer and, it is stated, will return to the scene of operations in June. Good luck to them, anyhow!
Captain Eugen Mathy, who has been appointed representative in Australia of the Nord Deutscher Lloyd shipping line, arrived in Sydney recently by the Fran ken. He was formerly Chief Officer of the N.D.L. liner Berlin, which is engaged in the Atlantic service, and for the last 25 years he has followed his seafaring career. He is a man of attractive per sonality, and comes to Sydney with a highly commendable record of good ser vice with the big German company.