of Rarotonga

The Haunted Tree of Rarotonga

From Our Own Correspondent

Rarotonga, Feb. 21

rE main topic of conversation in Rarotonga for the last week has been the “Whistling Tree” of Arorangi.

From among the roots of an innocent looking, flamboyant tree standing by the roadside in Arorangi village, are de clared to have issued wierd sounds of whistling, chirping and hissing. The sounds were said to be most pronounced at night when large crowds of natives, curious but a little nervous, gathered to listen in.

Many theories and stories were soon in circulation. Some declared it to be a vicious snake (although there are no snakes in the Cook Islands); some said it was a signal from the spirits to draw at tention to the fact that ancient treasures were buried beneath the tree; others that it portended the death of an Ariki. The Or sen Welles type announced that it was the first stirrings of an awakening car nivorous giant about to burst forth and devour us one by one (I bet he would get

indigesti9n).

Native elders held conferences. There were proposals to bless the tree, blast the tree, burn it up, chop it down.

By the time European investigators had heard the story and arrived on the scene the sounds appeared to have ceased. The only result of their midnight vigils was the deceptive whistles and croaks of small boys on the outskirts of the breath less crowd out to make the most of the opportunity. The strange noises ■are said to have ceased following a certain amount of chopping at the roots and pro bing with crowbars.

One European theory is that the sounds described could have been caused by escaping air compressed in some sub terranean passage by the action of the distant sea. The “whistling tree” inci dent coincided with a period of heavy weather caused by a passing cyclonic storm.

Some remarkable freaks of this nature are sometimes encountered on coral girt-islands, in some cases operating at surprising distances from the ocean.