Native Youth’S Ordeal

Adrift in Canoe for 34 Days

HHHE pious courage and remarkable fortitude of a 17-years-old Tokelau native who was tossed about the Pacific for 34 days when his canoe was blown off its course, was praised recently by Rev. Joseph Deihl, of Apia, Samoa, in his Mission paper Astride the Times.

It appears that the young native be came lonely and homesick while at the atoll of Fakaofo in the Tokelau Group (north of Western Samoa). He dragged his canoe over the reefs, set his mat sail, and steered westward for Nukunono, 45 miles distant: but an adverse wind sprang up sweeping the frail craft in a contrary direction.

Ten coconuts helped to sustain the boy’s life for two days, then followed a long, biting fast relieved only when he caught with his hands a fish that scudded beneath the drifting canoe. There were occasional rain showers, but having nothing with which to catch the water, the native drank sea-water.

Day, nig-ht; day, night; the alternating burning and cool hours passed in seem ingly endless procession. Barely able to keep alive, the youth was carried over two hundred miles south-east for 34 days.

Wretched, weary, covered with boils and in a collapsed condition, he was picked up near the small island of Aunuu off the coast of Tutuila, the main island in American Samoa, from whence he was later taken to Apia.

Miss Broughton, of Springsure, Queens land. arrived at Thursday Island in Sep tember to join the staff of the Torres Straits Hospital.