FIVE MEN IN A BOAT.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 241, 8 October 1920, Page 6

FIVE MEN IN A BOAT.

SPEND NIGHT ON RANGITOTO. 1 Five of the patients at the Narrow Keck 'Military Hospital spent last night in the open on Rangitoto' Island under conditions, which .despite their war- experience, could hardly be said ( to bo comforting, considering the cold wind that blew during a moonless and almost starless night. 1 It is customary for parties of patients from the hospital to hold picnics on the island during the summer months, setting off by open boat in the morning and returning at night. When the party set' out with a hamper in their possession I the promises were for a pleasant day's | outing, but when the time, arrived for! returning wind and eea had increased. and water, finding its way on the top of the waves into the boat, swamped it. After several more unsuccessful" attempts to leave the island, the boat beins; swamjied on each occasion, the party decided to settle A down for the night, using the sail from the boat as a cover. In the • meantime some anxiety was. being felt for their safety'by friends on the other side of the channel, and the Devonport police at six p.m. set out in a launch to search for the band of exeervice men. While the marooned picnickers , eausr-Vt sight of the launch, those aboard it could not land on account of the heavy sea running, and the men from the hospital had to settle down to a nirfit's frest" out of the blankpts. Thoy woke early, and, the sea having settled down, they pet out from the inland at six and reached their destination about seven. Inquiries made at the hospital this mominsr elicited the information that, without exception, the men have not suffered as a result of the outing.