Only Mystery Is

Lying Walrus

Rarotonga

Only Mystery Is Mr. Tomarchin

By Gordon Russell

THIS is what Mr. Crusoe . Tomarchin’s story looked like from Rarotonga, Cook Island: Early September, intriguing ink igs from an unknown source tilt ed through of a lone castaway on enderson Island, an uninhabited [and that lies 100 miles north of tcairn.

Baying excitedly, the world’s news unds moved in; soon the Pitcairn irotonga radio link was run ng hot, and someone on Pitcairn sked set for a handsome offer on elusive rights for genine Robinson ■usoe material.

But the bits and pieces were hard extract and piece together; the ae castaway had been sighted and

reported by the Corinthic; later the Pioneer Isle had carried two surf boats from Pitcairn to Henderson to transport him to Pitcairn; Tomarchin was his name, an Ameri can.

He had landed there from the ketch Flying Walrus; as man Fri day he had a chimpanzee; he would not take passage on the Poineer Isle because they would not carry his monkey.

Pitcairn’s information was obscure, conflicting, dilatory. He had been there since July, or was it August?

The Flying Walrus had promised to pick him up in four days; or had it?

Days went by and the rumours grew. The man had been marooned; there had been foul play; where was the Flying Walrus, not reported since. August?

There was really nothing to bite on; the press switched to more tangible scoops, and there were no “exclusive rights” for Pitcairn.

On September 19, the Flying Walrus showed up at Rarotonga and no one was more surprised to learn of all this hullabaloo than the owner, John Wells, and his wife, Diane.

There was no mystery, they said.

Tomarchin had approached them in Tahiti and made a handsome offer to convey him and his chimpanzee to Henderson. He had been there before and took ample stores to see

him through until the Pitcainers called, which he knew they did every three months or so Mangareva, landed Tomarchin on Henderson, moved on to Pitcairn, reported movements there, and re turned to Mangareva, where they

“Flying Walrus" at anchor, Rarotonga.

had spent three weeks before going on to Rarotonga.

Tomarchin?

Quite a‘pleasant person, well-to do, and seemingly quite normal.

And why Henderson?

Maybe he wanted solitude to train his chimpanzee.

Was it worth training?

Oh, yes! Very intelligent. Only 7 months old and it could walk erect and eat and drink with the best table manners.

Tomarchin, according to the Wells*, had spent some time in animal laboratories and chosen this youngster by reason of its parents’ high IQ. He was training it for tele vision.

Maybe this was just a publicity stunt to get a contract?

Maybe It was.

Publicity is the last thing that the Wells’ want. These young people, schoolteachers both, are on a long term honeymoon in Flying Walrus, a roomy, well-equipped, ex-Canadian tuna trawler, fitted out by them selves, and very handsomely. New

Zealand bound, they may settle there.

Robert Tomarchin is now at Pit cairn, plans unknown. Time will tell whether the chimpanzee will manage its affairs better than its owner. If its IQ is pushed far enough, one can imagine the day coming when it. w 7 ill say, “Look, Tomarchin —let me organise you for television.”

Every lonely atoll story seems to have a Hollywood twist these days.

Owner John Wells.

Photo: Fiji Public Relations Office.