Isle Of Eternal
p. 41 · Read in the full issue
Spring
ON Norfolk Island stately pines, Lift upturned boughs in thanks to God.
New roads of joy—old roads of pain— The coast roads hint of agony.
The country roads knew footsteps free, Each winding to the deep blue sea. (Now airmen trace the fine red trails And know them roads where friendship trod!) Here, where the soothing song of pines, Lulls one to loiter on life’s way.
So mild, and velvet-soft the wind, Each passerby gives greeting kind, In every view a charm I find, A birdnote taunts the sighing breeze, A parrakeet darts through the trees, (The ruins but remembering “This Other Eden” once knew strife Yet every season here is spring!) By “Bloody Bridge” and “Gallows Gate,”
The tourists gossip, Kingstown way; With gratitude they contemplate The Fate that brought this happier day— This isle of infinite hope achieved, With fertile foothills, valley farms, With lush wealth of banana groves; Or where the oak’s mauve carpetings Hedge patterned by Hakea arms.
By lovely roads, now pleasure-trod, The stately pines breathe thanks to God.
Alice Allen Innes.
Norfolk Island, January, 1948.
Recently a Dragon aircraft owned by the Roman Catholic Mission at Alexi shaven (NG), carrying one priest as pilot and one as a passenger, landed on Horn Island (Torres Strait) in heavy rain. Alter tying the plane down to blocks of concrete the occupants went on to Thursday Island by boat. Accord ing to 'Mrs. Thorpe, wife of the civil aviation superintendent at Horn Island, a cyclone then blew straight from the sea and struck the Island. The plane broke loose from the tie-lines and swung its tail round. Although struck by flying pieces of timber and branches, Mr. and Mrs. Thorpe, after about an hour’s terri fying experience, succeeded in securely anchoring the bucking and leaping plane.
The only damage it sustained was a hole through the rudder.