Four Castaways

Rescued

Six Months on Uninhabited Tuamotu Isle

From Our Own Correspondent

Papeete, Sept. 29.

SINCE the day of Daniel Defoe, novelists and tellers of tales have filled the world with variations of the story of castaways on an uninhabited island.

Few have ventured to abandon their characters to the chances of fortune without providing for them supplies and implements to aid in their battle with nature.

Robinson Crusoe had his flint and steel, his musket and ammunition. In more modern tales, cases of tinned ox-tongue and of caviare, boxes of vitamin tablets, and magnums of champagne always float ashore from the wrecked yacht to com fort Mr. Babbit and his stranded guests.

Such is fiction. Here follows a storv of the real thing.

Late in July of this year, the motor schooner “Denys”, of Papeete, was sail ing through an unfrequented part of the Tuamotu Archipelago, the vast barrier ot coral atolls and reefs to the east of Tahiti. As the “Denys” was passing a

small coral island named Paraoa, smoke and <^ blg fire were seen on shore. Now, the Denys” company knew that Paraoa has been uninhabited for generations: so they sailed over to investigate.

When they reached the island, they found there three men and a woman whom all French Oceania long ago had believed to be at the bottom of the sea.

Stranded on the reef was the battered hull of the cutter “Saint Pierre”

The three-ton cutter “Saint Pierre”, owned by the Roman Catholic Mission, left Nukutavake (an island of the eastern Tuamotus) for the Gambier Islands on January 16. On board were Pere Stanislas (priest of the eastern islands parish) and seven natives—six men and a woman.

On the 19th, they called at the island of Vananga, and on the 20th proceeded on their voyage. Late that night a hurri cane struck, breaking the mast and cap sizing the cutter. After an hour, clinging to the hull, they succeeded in righting the vessel. The following day, Pere Stanislas and a native died.

It was not until the 24th that the survivors emptied the boat of water.

Three days later they got un to the atoll Teuarunga. Two men, who were stronger than the rest, went ashore in search of water. No coconut trees grow on that part of the island, and the two went farther afield in quest of a water hole. When, after three hours, they re turned. there was no sign of the “Saint Pierre” and her four passengers.

The three men and the woman rescued by the “Denys” have no clear recollection of how they arrived at Paraoa. Winds and currents had borne them to an islet where coconuts grew. Weak and ema ciated, they crept to the shelter of the trees. Fortunately, some young trees, in bearing, were nearby and they were able to get a few niaa (nuts in the stage best for drinking). The sweet water and the nutrient, creamy pulp revived them somewhat.

Their next care was to kindle a fire.

The ancient art of hi’a-i-te-auahi (pro ducing fire by friction) has been for gotten in most of Central Polynesia, but still survives on Nukutavake where matches are scarce. A pointed stick (called the aurima) held in both hands is rubbed quickly and with increasing pressure along a groove formed in a piece of soft, dry wood (called the ’au’ati). The fine wood-dust produced in the groove soon smoulders and glows. Tinder of coconut husk and dry grass are kindled from this glowing dust and blown into flame.

Fish that swarm about coral reefs of uninhabited atolls have not the inherited fear of man as have those in waters about populated islands. Thev swim fear lessly by, in and out of the shallow pools.

The castaways had but to block, with lumps of coral, the channels leading to the sea, and they had at hand an ample supply of fish. Lonely coral reefs also are strewn with shell-fish of many kinds.

As they waxed in strength, the four were able to contrive tackle—by plaiting the fibres of the coconut into fine, strong ’aha (sinnet), as lines for hooks fashioned of iron-hard makimaki wood and bones —for catching deep sea fish.

The coconut palm served them in many ways and gave lavishly. Both the niaa and opaa (the mature nut) provided food and drink in variety such as Islanders alone know the secrets of preparation.

The creamy liquid—rito haari—squeezed from freshly grated coconut and seasoned with sea-water is the favourite sauce to flavour fish and other comestibles. Coco nut fronds, plaited, formed the thatch and walls of the shelters they erected.

For clothing, the coconut also supplied them with the coarse integument (aa haari) which grows about the trunk of young trees.

When the “Denys” picked up the cast

aways, after six months on the island, they were well nourished, strong and healthy and had experienced no sickness whatsoever, save nostalgia for friends and kindred. She took them to Nukutavake whence they had set out nearly seven months before. Their reappearance caused a sensation.

The other two natives, who went ashore at Teuarunga, had built a raft and made their way to the inhabited atoll of Vahanga, whence they were brought by the Government motor-schooner “Tam ara” to Papeete. Here, they told the story of the voyage and the loss of their com panions. When the news reached Nuku tavake, mass for the dead was said and the women of the families of those pre sumed lost at sea cut off their long braids of hair, as is the custom.

M. and Mme. Pierre Jeannin, of Noumea, New Caledonia, arrived at Auck land, NZ, by PAA Clipper on October 24.

While in NZ, he will.undergo an operation.

Dr. N. H, Fisher, Government geologist and vulcanologist at Rabaul, New Guinea, returned to the Mandated Territory in October after an extended holiday in Australia. Late in the month, he left for Papua on a several weeks’ visit.