American Submarine At Papeete
p. 26 · Read in the full issue
From Our Own Correspondent
Papeete, Dec. 10.
HE people of Tahiti had their first sight of an under-water craft when the submarine “Pompano”, of the
United States Navy, anchored in Papeete harbour early in November.
Men. women and children came from the districts and from Moorea to inspect the submarine. One old lady (other transportation being unavailable) walked a prodigious distance, in unaccustomed shoes.
This reminds one of a portly old native chief of the Tuamotu Islands. The of the United States Navy was at Papeete with three of his ships and a flock of air planes in
1925, and the old chief voyaged from a distant atoll on his little cutter, to see the strange ships of the sky. An avia tion officer, seeing his intense interest,
packed him into the cockpit of a plane and carried him aloft over the moun tains of Tahiti.
On landing the old chief breathed a Nunc Dimittis;—“Now I can die happy lor I have had my wish”.
The old lady did not go quite as far as that. She did, however, consider her view of the “Pompano” ample compen sation for a tired body and two very sore feet.
The “Pompano” sailed for Pago Pago on November 6.
An official photograph of the U.S.S. “Pompano”.