Hoodoo On Yachts

Accidents In Eastern Polynesia

From Our Own Correspondent

Papeete, Feb. 10.

Superstitious people are becoming firmly convinced that some malig nant spirit broods over the waters or lurks under the sea in the South Pacific, in wait for yachts. Whether it be a Tuputupua (demon of the Night World) or Tuaraatai (the shark god) or old Neptune Ruahatu himself, they do not know.

It is certain, however, that when a vacht enters these latitudes something like this usually happens.

The yachting party breaks up in an explosion of wrath and fury; The crew becomes mutinous; Some structural defect develops which compels a long delay for re pairs; Someone aboard breaks an arm or a leg; The funds give out and the boat gathers barnacles in Papeete Har bour; The yacht leaves her bones on some coral reef.

Not long ago, the ill-fated yacht “Mal abar” was wrecked on the Tuamotu

atoll, Kaukura, and her passengers ex perienced some of the privations of Robinson Crusoe, until rescued.

Word has just been received at Papeete that another yacht, the “Nani”, a smart little craft belonging to Doctor Audemard, of Papeete, has gone ashore at precisely the same spot and is being broken up by the waves on the Kaukura reefs, be side the remains of the “Malabar”.

Mr. D. Odegard, of the Cook Islands Trading Co. Ltd., arrived in New Zea land recently by the “Matua” from Rarotonga, en route to Norway to visit his father who has been seriously ill.