Waterspout At

Mangaia

Tense Moments in Cyclone Weather

From Our Own Correspondent MANGAIA, April 30.

THE island of Mangaia, though short on luxuries and communication, is exceptionally lucky where hurri canes and similar wind-worries are con cerned.

The cyclone of March 10, which wrecked neighbouring Rarotonga, only ruffled the feathers of Mangaia. True, certain unimportant edifices emulated the walls of Jericho; but the main build ings stood bravely to the aeolic storm troops, and no Mangaian lacked where to lay his head.

However, nature never lets man throw a chest for very long. On April 17, we Crusoes “got ours,” so 1o speak—well, almost, anyhow!

That was a windy day; and some fish ing canoes were out on the briny, plying their lawful occasions.

Suddenly there was heard the very deuce of a roaring and pouring, and round the southern sea-corner of the isle rushed something like a giant’s peg-top, composed of united cloud, wind, and sea.

The fishers ceased hastily to fish, and headed for the reef with speed.

The Devil’s Plaything hesitated; man oeuvred a bit; and, then, decided to fol low! Its hesitation, however, gave the anglers time to make the reef (at the Olympic Games their style would have gained Mangaia world fame) without casualty, save that one Ugatumariki cracked the side of a borrowed “waka” in his haste to debark. Everyone rushed up the beach.

The vacillating Horror remained in view, pouring down tons of seawater in a twining column, and then it made a sudden decision, and headed for the reef also. Within ten yards, the Thing sud denly reversed engines, and peg-topped, spinning faster and faster, out to sea.

Soon it was out of sight. Mangaia began to breathe again.

But there were no fish for tea that night: and those who, on the Monday went down to the sea in one-man canoes were more watchful of the horizon than of their hooks. For scalded cats fear cold water, and Mangaia had realised that in hurricane-time almost anything is rather more than likely to happen.

My friend Panako wants to take his shot-gun to sea, just to be safe. It has long been a popular belief that a water spout can be smashed and collapsed by firing into it a small cannon, or a charge of shot. But has anyone a few spare cartridges?

Mr. C. H. G. White, formerly of the BSIP Government Medical Service, and lately seconded to the New Hebrides Government Service, was married to Miss Winnifred Christie, recently in Sydney.

Miss Christie comes from the well-known Blacktown (NSW) family of that name.

The marriage of Miss Joyce Constance Kearsley, third daughter of Mr. and Mrs.

W. Kearsley, of Suva, Fiji, to Captain E.

C. D. Scherer, United States Army, was celebrated at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Auckland, on May 3.

Pilot-Officer Henry Maurice Scott, son of Sir Henry Milne Scott, of Suva, has had many interesting experiences in a Hurricane fighter in North Africa, and has come through unscathed. He is now in another theatre of war.