Cyclones—Enemy of Pearling Fleets

Pearling Fleets

THE pearling fleets of the northern Australian waters have suffered as much destruction from cyclones as any other form of shipping.

Since the establishment of pearling, it is calculated more than 220 pearling vessels have been smashed by cyclones, with a death-roll of 1,280 men, including whites, Japanese and aborigines.

In December, 1869, thirteen pioneering pearling boats were destroyed by cyclones off the north-western coast of Western Australia, with a loss of 73 lives. Prac tically every year since, cyclones have killed pearlers and destroyed fleets.

March of 1946 is the 47th anniversary of the worst pearling disaster in Aus tralian history. The cyclone struck on Saturday, March 4, 1899, off Cape Mel ville, on the eastern coast of Cape York Peninsula. By sunset, five large schooners and 73 pearling luggers were anchored near the Cape. On those boats, all told, were about 350 men, women and children (including natives and whites). Shortly after sunset, steady rain began to fall; a breeze sprang up from the south-east, and the water in the bay got choppy. This was the forewarning of two terrific cyclones—one coming from the centre of the South Pacific, and the other from the Arafura Sea.

Towards midnight the wind increased, and waves rose to mountainous heights.

Soon, the two cyclones met in Princess Charlotte Bay, smashing, in their course,

77 boats and destroying 12 white people and 295 natives.

The storm raged for 10 hours and caused a tidal wave, which flooded the adjacent country for some three miles, leaving debris of human bodies, dead fish and animals.

The only boat to survive was the appro priately-named schooner “The Crest of the Wave,’’ owned by Captain Porter. His wife and baby were with him during the long hours of terror.

This narrative would be incomplete without the story of Muara Lifu—the heroine of the storm. She was a young native of Darnley Island (Torres Strait), and her husband was a diver on one of the luggers. She saved the lives of white men, displaying remarkable fortitude and endurance. Supporting them, she swam for five hours against terrific seas and got them to the shore nearly two miles away. Over her grave in Thursday Is land cemetery, where she was buried some 13 years ago, is a striking memorial. It is made of ground coral, and stands as a tribute to the bravery of Muara Lifu, whose heroism earned her the gold medal of the Royal Humane Society first coloured woman to be awarded the dis

tinction.-

J. H.

M. Fourcade, who has successfully filled a number of important administrative posts in the Hebrides and New Caledonia since he arrived with Admiral d’Argenlieu in 1941, has been appointed Chef de Cabinet to Governor Tallec. He succeeds M. Guedes, who has received a New Hebridean appointment.