Blown To Sea

Papuans Drift Across to Solomons

. From a Special Correspondent GIZO, April 8.

AN March 18 a strange outrigger canoe was noticed drifting about off Bagga (Vella Lavella, Northern Solomons), and some of Mr. Binskin’s plantation boys went out to her assistance. They found three very frightened men, whom they had some difficulty in convincing of their perfect safety. They were paddled ashore to Mr. Binskin.

It turned out they were natives of the Lachlan Islands (Eastern Papua), who, whilst out fishing, had been caught by a nor’-west blow, which carried them far out to sea. Not knowing their direction, they had drifted about for seven days and nights at the mercy of winds and cur rents, with only sago, saturated with salt water, and a few raw sweet potatoes to eat. They had to quench their thirst with sips of sea water.

At Bagga the strangers were kindly treated, and at the first opportunity Mr.

Binskin brought them into Gizo, so that they should catch the expected s.s. Weir bank to Rabaul, thence to be returned to Samarai.

A canoe with three men and two women of the Trobriand Group drifted, under similar circumstances, to the same place about seven years ago. They also were terrified at the prospect of coming ashore, and it was only the visible evidence of white settlement which induced them to do so. They were kindly treated in the Solomons and duly returned from Gizo to their home, via Sydney.

About 1906 a large Papuan canoe drifted over in the same way. The local natives brought the men ashore, and, one way and another, they either died or were killed before the year was out.