WRECKED OIL SEEKERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 87, 12 April 1922, Page 5

WRECKED OIL SEEKERS.

(Received 10.JJ0 a.m.) PORT DARWIN, this da,v. , An nil-searching party was wrecked at Point Pearee. The two missing members. lran>uton fawner of the lugger) and ■ Fernie (drilling expert) wore last seeti j swimming in a tempestuous sea. There ' wore five survivors, including two EiiroTieans, iiuir.nl Kandfl and Bestwick. tfhe latter had thrilling experiences, (icing cast ashore at the foot of towering cliffs, which they managed to scale. They i i rcu.uht.-d the shore without, clothes, boots, '■ 'or food. They met ft tribe of wild, fierce looking natives, who, however, treated. them well and supplied them with foprt. They then started to walk to Port Keats, 50 uiilea distant, taking thre« days. Their only food was shellfish and a bag of Hour found on the beach. They were terribly tortured in their nu<le condition by myriads of mosquitoes and other insects. I Failing to secure help. !-fands walked hack to Point Pesirce, but Bestwick was too exhausted to make the journey. Sands induced thp skipper of a Malay launch ito return to rescue A. and J XX fable.)