By Frigate Bird Post

Rip Ley

[?] Om Polynesia:

NE morning, late in August, Resident Commissioner Nevill, of the Cook Islands, found an raordinary message on his Raro ga office desk. It had come by lio from little Rakahanga atoll, the Northern Cooks, and read as ows: For Your Honour. I am informing: you t a swallow flying overhead at the iement spot yesterday about 11 o’clock r our service while the congregation ching home the bird perched and we ected it and we found a piece of cloth i ensign of French flag on one wing a purse with 30 francs was found t the owner of the swallow was Hape the second was Terii Kati the swallow Tahiti on 33rd August this year and ;hed here yesterday we found a piece etters in the purse that gave us the ie story. Clerk in Charge.” erplexing, indeed but some ioed inquiries and replies, and subsequent receipt of purse and tents explained the matter and olded a remarkable story, he “swallow” was, in fact, a ate bird, and it had arrived, not n Tahiti, but from Raraka atoll the Tuamotu, 1,000 miles south t of Rakahanga—presumably i ports,” as the journey had en six days. Under one wing i a small French flag; under the er the purse with the following s and the 20 francs referred to: 'o Hape at Katiu. Greetings, of Jesus Ist’s name, amen. Hape there isn’t news over here. We are all well, e I received the money this morning, list 33, I would like you to answer little note. I am sending you 30 cs as a little gift. Give my regards lere and Tu. Would yon send back guitar? I remain here, Teri Tapu.” atiu atoll is only 25 miles south ; of Raraka and presumably Teri used his frigate-bird as a der-pigeon before, hough the “postman” mis-read address, the letter has finally

i delivered—by frigate-bird, sea

1, orthodox airmail from Aitutaki Papeete, and finally by inter ad cutter to Hape on Katiu, hat letter, with affidavits at led, should be worth a lot of ars in that land of collectors, United States!