Another Strange Ship

French Adventurer Builds Another Strange Ship Capt. de Bisschop to Continue His Research Work in Pacific

ANOTHER unusual craft to sail the South Seas is being built in Hawaii by Captain Eric de Bisschop, the French adventurer, who with a companion, Mon sieur Joseph Tatibouet, has been study ing ocean currents in the Pacific for the last three years.

It will consist of two 30 ft. canoes joined by decking, on which will be two masts. Bach canoe will contain a small cabin. The ship will be propelled by bat wing sails not unlike those of a Chinese junk.

The ocean rovers previously used a queer junk-like craft called the Fou Po, in which they sailed from Papua to the Marshall Islands and thence to Haw'aii. where it was lost in December last. Their arrival in Hawaii was almost a tragedy.

After suffering for 15 days from lack of food, they came in sight of Molokai. Then a sudden storm wrecked the vessel, des troying their books, instruments, records, manuscripts, charts, and specimens. The two Frenchmen managed to get ashore, and eventually were taken to Honolulu.

The cost of the new ship is being met partly by a prize of 6,000 francs awarded to the travellers by the French Geographical Society for their research work. When the craft is completed the two Frenchmen will sail again for the South Pacific hoping to throw some light on one of the greatest mysteries of the

South Seas —the origin of the Polynesian race. Capt. de Bisschop will attempt to prove his contention that the Polynesians did not come from Asia.

Captain de Bisschop bases his ethno logical theories largely upon a study of ocean currents. His research in the Pacific has convinced him, he said, that the prevailing currents are from east to west. The currents move with such force, he stated, that it is impossible to sail directly against them. They can only be circumvented by the intricacies of modern navigation. It is chiefly upon this general observation that he believes the Polynesians migrated with the cur rents, east to west.