WRAPT IN MYSTERY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 213, 8 September 1923, Page 12

WRAPT IN MYSTERY.

AN AMERICAN SCHOONERIN THE COOK GROUP. H. K. HALL HAUNTS PORT. A passenger iby the Maunganui, which arrived at Wellington from San Francisco yesterda3' states that when the ] mail steamer called at Rarotonga on I her voyage from San Francisco to New ' Zealand, the residents of the island ■were I much intrigued re<rardin,3r the strange I movements of the 11. K. Hall, a thoueandton American five-masted schooner, which some weeks previously had recruited a considerable number of Rarotongans to load guano at Maldern Island for Dunedin. It was reported that the vessel had struck a reef on the voyage and was supposed to be damaged :to some extent. Anyhow, she returned to ißarotonjra. For some unexplained reason, however, she made no attempt to communicate with those on ehorc, 'but > cruised on and off the port for several , days. i Just tefore the Maunganui resumed hei , ; voyage to Xew Zealand, the H. K. Hall 'sailed in towards the liner, nnd it was generally assumed that the mystery was about to ibe solved. When ehe was , within a few chains from the Maunga- ' uui a 'boat from the shore was sent out ito meet .her. The sailer ran up into the I wind, but was not actually hove to, and consequently the small iboat could not ■get alongside. However, the oarsmen doggedly etuck to their task and followed the big vessel for some miles. Suddenly the latter was seen to square away, and the occupants of the boat were left several miles from shore. Their feelings and language may : be left to the imagination. Some of the passengers on the I Maunganui, w.ho were keenly observing i the movements of the H. K. Hall through j field glasses* assert that they saw a man they presumed to I>c the captain, I wave Wβ ami as the small boat apiproached, and, from his movements, he gave the impression that he was in a state of great excitement. Men who from their knowledge of seamanship were entitled to express an \ opinion on the point state that the man ', at. the wheel could easily have allowed the 'boat alongside as there wae a stead y \ light breeze blowing- and ample searoom. Some of them were under the impression that the men in the email boat were deliberately enticed further I and further from the island, while others I thought that there might be some truth ;in the rumour that the captain was no longer, in charge of the vessel. Probably 'T>y the time the next mail ■ {arrives from'Rarotongathe mystery will be disclosed. Meanwhile there arc naturally rumours of labour troubles on board. If there is any foundation for such rumours the members of the crew and the Rarotongan labourers appeared to be quite happy about it, as in response to greetings from Maunganui passengers, the natives on the sa-iler 'cheered lustily, and gaily waved their I hats and .handkerchiefs.