A WILD GOOSE VENTURE.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 116, 17 May 1924, Page 15

A WILD GOOSE VENTURE.

T SEEKING A PACIFIC HOME. ' ■ . ■ (From Our Own Corre»pond>_t.j LONDON, April 3. Just two years ago the 100-ton yacht, Wild Goose, manned by a dozen of a crew under Commander David (a , Merthyr-tydvil man), Royal Naval Reserve, left the little port of Buckie, Banffshire, Scotland, for the Pacific on an adventure which apparently promised well, but which eventually did not come Up to expectation. The adventurers were- all ejt-officei- of the Navy or Army, who had served in the Great War and were studying at Loughborough College when the venture was ! first mooted. The venture, in short was one in the pursuit of "the simple life" on a Pacific Island of Arcadia on which it was stated the syndicate held an option. The name of tiie island was kept strictly private. The Wild Goose, well found to every respect, promised to safely cover the 10,000 odd miles which lay between Buckie and Arcadia. [ Unfortunately, the yacht encountered Jvery heavy weather in the Bay of ' Biscay—across which She stood for Panama Canal—and eventually was 'blown into the Tagus much the worse for wear and tear. At Lisbon, ComI mander David and his colleagues sold j the Wild Goose and purchased a larger and more suitable ship in which the voyage was pursued. Tahiti Was their objective, and after quite an adventurous voyage they made their land fall within six months from the date !of their departure. The adventurers had obtained a concession on an island of the group and proceeded to develop a cocoa and fruit plantation on commercial lines which bade fair for Success. Unfortunately, the plantation did not come up to expectation and among other misfortunes Commander David, the leader of the expedition, fell ill and has just returned home, very much impaired in health, to tell of the adventures.' Three of the students, however, chose to remain on the island and are still there. fhe island is of the dozens of islands in the Society . group—and up till its occupation by Commander Lawrence David »_** his companions, was uninhabited in human memory. The climate is ideal, the ground apparently fruitful and suited to such an adventure- In all, the adventurers voyaged some -0,000 miles to and about , Ouf up till the homecoming of Commander David. A recurrence of an old attack of malaria, was the cause of his breakdown in health.