A MYSTERIOUS FATE

Interest in the mysterious 'disappearance some years ago. of Pelorus Jack, the only fish in the world'to form the' subject matter for an Act of Parliament, has been revived by the presentation of a framed portrait of the famous fish to the aquarium at Taronga Park Zoo, : Sydney. The portrait of the guardian of the French Pass was received recently by Colonel Spain, on behalf of the park; trustees, from the Commissioner (Mr. L'.-J. Schmitt) representative of the Dominion Governmeint. "There may be many Australians who recall memories of Pelorus Jack, if they had the good fortune to witness his unique natatorial performances," said "Eriki" in an article in the "Sydney Morning Herald.'- 1 "This fish escorted the steamers in that turbulent sheet of water. which separates the two principal islands of New Zealand. There may even be other Australians who nowadays doubt .Jack' 3 existence; one could not blame them. So much that is legendary, has since arisen round his world-famous name. Jack certainly lived. How he died is a mystery. •-: "It was the custom of this fish, a member of the dolphin family, whose usual habitat, I believe, is in the North Atlantic, to leave: his home at the northern end of that forbidding, rocky islet that bears the name of the navigator, D'Urville, in Cook Strait, and meet the steamers on their way from Wellington and. other ports; Through the French Pass Jack would accompany the vessels. For thirty years he did this! Travellers came from all parts of the globe to. make Jack's acquaintance, so that, on their return, they might regale their stay-at-home clubmates with this extraordinary exploit. Jack's name was known in every club from China to Pern. . . . ~ "One daysbme.foolishpassenger, an oversea traveller, took a, pot shot at Jack. He was almost lynched. That the incident took place oh the steamer Penguin,; which .someVyears later was wrecked near Wellington Harbour with appalling loss of life, was once suggested. Such a sequel would be well in keeping with Maori lore. To attempt an ignoble blow.at the mana, the prestige, of Pelorus Jack was certainly tempting the wrath of the gods.- • ■ ■ • "The Government was so. alarmed, however, that an Order-in-Council.'wias passed without; delay. \ The V penalty was a fine of• ore hundred pounds for any attempted interference with this, the strangest creature in all the Seven Seas. From 1904, the year his name first appeared in a Parliamentary document, Pelorus Jack escorted the vessels through the Pass. Sometimes he would appear in broad daylight. At times passengers •" would 'be aroused from their slumbers to. catch a glimpse

Wliat.'Caused;tli^:-Death', of /;/.-,:..... _Beloras';Jaek?:. ? ~:-. /-■

of the silvery fish in the.'., swirling black =v- waters;, of that inhospitable coast; - ' .'■""', -

"The year 1916 was one of the most trying of the Great War,. and, therefore, under the. circumstances, Jack's disappearance from the French; Pass did not "warrant" the public Interest that otherwise would, have been aroused. Pfelbrus"' Jack, the greatest publicity agent" the New Zealand Government has''ever'known, went out, as the ,Americans ' say', .with, 'a poor press.' The mystery of his passing will never'be solved. " ■

"There was a suggestion that an Italian fisherman, possessed of a better aim than the former assailant, ended Jack's life with a bullet. The story was never confirmed, and I; for one, doubt it."

In the course "of subsequent correspondence in the "Sydney Morning Herald,'? A. J. Aucher, who was, in the service of the Union Steam S»ip Company with Captain "Bob" Stewart and other captains, wrote: '' That he died has never been proved, because two years after his supposed' disappearance he was in the Taranaki Bight below Cape Egmont, and was seen by-the master' of the Paparoa and the writer; who was on, board at that "time." : Mr. John Brine, writing to a Wanganui.paper a few days ago, says:—"^ou publish: a letter written-by a< lady to the ■' Sydney Morning. Herald,' in which it states that the lady saw ,the second mate of the ship fire a revolver shot at 'Jack.' If the writer is inferring that an. officer of one of the-regular vessels plying between Wellington and Nelson at that time committed this dastardly act, then I can emphatically assert that the statement is a malicious ; slander and grossly untrue. For a long time it was thought I was. the last person to.'see 'Jack' alive.) On the last occasion recorded that 'Jack' gave his' exhibition, I am certain there was no lady on the deck of the vessel between 1 and 2 a.m. that morning. A steward brought me a deck chair to 'watch 'Jack' play about. It was a beautiful moonlight morning. I 'watched that fish until we 'were well clear of the French Pass. No officer a shot I am not certain now whether it was the Pateena. or Arahura. "I went by one and came back by the other. Two days* later'the- ''Nelson • Mail' stated that 'Jack'had not been seen for the two occasions-he was expected. I mentioned the matter to several prominent men. They said I must, have- been the last person to see 'Jack' alive. Some days later a large 'white fish' was found washed ashore in the Sounds and was thought :to be the remains of poor 'Jack.' If 'Jack' was-shot at all;and the lady really did see the. shooting, then it must have been from the deck of one of the foreign whalers known1 to be in the vicinity at the time."