Death-Blow That

Missed

Miraculous Escape of B.S.I.

Skipper

IN an article entitled “The Blathering of Jim” (September “PIM”), a review of a recently-published book, “Jim of the Seven Seas”, mention was made of a treacherous attack on a BSI recruiting vessel during which the skip per, lying in his bunk, had a miraculous escape from death at the hands of a Malaitaman. Old-timers in the Islands were asked if they knew the name of the captain concerned.

By last mail from BSI. Mr. C. R. Big nell, well-known planter of Fulakora, Ysabel Island, courteously supplied the

following information:—

“I think the incident referred to took place on Lever Bros.’ auxiliary schooner, ‘Ruby’ (25 tons), when she was recruit ing plantation labour in 1913. The skip per’s name was Louie Appleberg, a Swede.

“At anchor off Uru, Malaita, the ‘Ruby’ had taken recruits on board throughout the day. During that night, the recruits rushed the mate, Tommy Jones, an Aus tralian, who was on watch on deck; and he was killed, though not before accounting for several natives.

“Louie was asleep in his cabin below, at the time, and one of the natives, carrying an axe, crept up to the bunk to deal a fatal blow. On the wild down swing, the axe caught in a beam over head, thus saving Louie’s life; but he received a wound in the shoulder. Jump ing up, the skipper promptly shot the native and then, joined by one of the crew armed with an iron pump handle, he rushed up on deck. In the fray that followed, seven of the recruits were killed, the rest leaping overboard and swimming ashore.

“Appleberg sailed back to Tulagi and reported the attack to the Government, but I do not think anything was ever done about it. After this affair, Louie lost his nerve and eventually went to Sydney—that was the last I knew of him.

“Though personally I never have heard of James Brook, who wrote ‘Jim of the Seven Seas’, he may have passed through the Solomons at some time and got the story from one of the old hands.”