Believe It Or Not!

A Real Ripley Story of Torres Strait

TORRES STRAIT, at the beginning of last century, was the scene of a re markable succession of shipping mis haps. according to Robert Ripley, of “Believe It Or Not” fame, in a recent broadcast in U.S.A.

Reference which we have made to the “Australian Dictionary of Dates” confirms the following part of Ripley’s story.

A colonial cutter, the “Mermaid", en route from Sydney to Raffles Bay, was wrecked in Torres Strait in October, 1829.

The crew scrambled ashore on a rocky islet and were rescued, three days later by the “Swiftsure”, a Tasmanian vessel; but disaster overtook her and she, too, went ashore. In April, 1830, the comple ments of both ships were picked up by another Tasmanian vessel, the “Gover nor Ready”.

Misfortune dogged the voyage of the “Governor Ready”, and on May 18 she herself went down, the crew and rescued sailors taking to the boats. A third Tas manian ship, the “Comet”, chanced to come in sight, and the shipwrecked men were taken aboard. Shortly afterwards she, too, was lost. This time, the “Jupit er” was close by and saved all hands.

As the “Jupiter” approached Raffles Bay, and the sailors’ troubles seemed at last over, she was wrecked at the en trance.

Here official verification ceases; but Ripley went on a further extraordinary climax.

The personnel of the various wreck ed ships, he said, were picked up by the passenger vessel, “City of Leeds”.

Next morning, the doctor of the “City of Leeds” inquired of the shipwrecked men if any among them was a York shireman —an old Yorkshire woman on board was dying, and calling for her son.

Peter Richardson, a seaman from the first wrecked ship, the “Mermaid”, step ped forward. The doctor asked him to pretend to be the son. in order to com fort the woman. Richardson did so— and found that the sick lady actually was his own mother!

Ripley added that Mrs. Richardson was so cheered by the reunion that she recovered and lived for another 18 years!