IN SEARCH OF PEARLS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 291, 8 December 1893, Page 4

IN SEARCH OF PEARLS.

THE ADVENTURES OP AN AUCKLANDER,

A CAUTION TO INVESTORS.

Individuals having money tor investment will do well to read the following account of facts, which may serve as a warning to those who might be induced to take pare in imprudent speculation:— Last yeai an Auckland citizen was attracted by an advertisement inviting any person haviug capital to join in a peurl-tishing adventure. Ho mot the advertiser, who ia well • known in the colonies and occasionally visits Auckland, where he has friends, and entered into an agreement to provide all money necessary, purchase stores, and tib out a vessel to proceed to New Guinea, and inako a sure tortune out of an untouched pearling ground. All preliminaries being* arranged, the adventurers proceeded to Sydnoy, where the man with tho money bouphb a schooner, engaged a crew, and provided all requisites. Two members of the crew wore introduced by the promoter to bis trusting friend as desirable hands. These two specimens of humanity had, it seoma, been residing with their introducer in Sydney previously to his coming to Auckland and iaying the bait; bub ha took care to keop this [act dark, and to all appearances they were " strangers yet." A few other men ware engaged at wages. They all lived merrily on board the schooner, at the owuer's expeuse, for apoie months, pretext* tor delays of ore kind and another beiug continually forthcoming. At length the uvyner succeeded in persuading his companiou to start on the voyage. Before thia, however, the latter had induced hie capital provider bo bring on board a Bum of £600, wicb the laudablo intention ot securing by purchase- a profitable iglunci. poarl ahell reef end all, nuar Now Guinea. Or. tho representation that thore were two or thrae sets of divingappnratua obtainable on islands near Now Guinea, this exemplary pearling oxpedition leak none with them. Month aftT month was wasted at various? plncoe en route, et>lll ao tho solo and continual expense of the "man made of money." He .iid not understand a tittle ot tho art c." navigation. Yet he had suspicion?, at ono or two of tho islands visited, that the vessel was placed in proximity to dangerous rocks ana roefs, and at tho Iscw Hebrides the position of the schoouer was shitted ••avetai times, resulting in be* beiug eventually Jrivaa on the rocks, which happened whilst the advonturere wero iistjoro and tho vessel short-handed. Advantage was taken of tha confueiuu of tho wreck to change the possession of the £000, .if which tho former owner haa since soon only a lew sovereigns in il.e hands of the French police ac Nttumea. Ho wns able to iduntify them because ho had taken the precaution to mark evory ono of tho 600, and to rotuiu aome sovereigns similarly marked in his own possession. A mon-o'-war, on board which a huibless investigation took place, convoyed the forlorn onoa to Noumea, whore information was given to the French authorities by the shorn capitalist, who bud now, perhaps, become a wiaor, tiiouff'n a sadder, man. Search was made, and a few ot Dlieinaiked coins wore found on the person of an individual who had boen there ; bub not—not the 600. Several Himilar coins had also been passed wl hin ihe precincts of the botol de 1' Europe, and were produced by tho landlord. As the accused were British subjects, no pruaceutiou eventuated, aad the difficulties of following i.be master op scu.-oii the victim from proceeding with it in Australia. Surely prudftnee ii< a re> *rl ()f U'«*'W Pnce than any valuable oyster patch eUunteu nj ■.-inhibits.' Beware •>! bails! (l Ono jjooU (urn deserves auothtr,I'ana " iluswry to nofttß iuelf !"