[?]Xplain

Can Anyone

This Queer Case?

Letter to the Editor )URING my sojourn in the Islands I have heard of many cases of mental telepathy; but nis is the first occasion on which have been an interested spectator, •.ere are the facts: The BSIP’s Kurimarau was en aged in repatriating labourers i*om Honiara to northern Malaita prts—Malu, Makwana and Tai (.goon. Leaving Honiara, we called rst at Tulagi, to take on diesel iel, leaving there again at 9 p.m. :i April 24 to make an overnight m east of Gela, up Indispensible trait, to Cape Astrolabe.

At 11.30 pm. the head boy came • the bridge and reported: “One :>y Mailesi b’long Makwana him e finis.”

I proceeded to the lower deck id satisfied myself that death had jcurred and that there were no arks of violence on the body. I Id the head boy I would go to akwana first to land the body.

We came in sight of Makwana at 15 am; most of the labour on the wer deck having breakfast of tea id biscuits at the time. There was » waving of hands or calicos; there is no shouting—and I did not

have any flags flying. Yet, when I dropped anchor, five small canoes stood off about 20 yards and a big canoe came straight alongside the ship and asked for the body. In the bottom of the canoe was a piece of plywood fitted to keep the body clear of the bilge water, and a folded white shroud.

My Mate, Henry Wilder, came to me and said: “Hey, Skipper, that’s funny! How did they know there was a dead body aboard?”

I said to him: “Well search me, Henry, I don’t know!”

Probably some PIM reader can tell me, I am, etc.,

N. W. Macdonald,

Master MV Kurimarau.