A TEMPESTUOUS VOYAGE.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19667, 10 July 1929, Page 17

A TEMPESTUOUS VOYAGE.

SCHOONER'S CRUISE TO SUVA. HURHIIMNES ENCOUNTERED IN PACIFIC. ITHE PBBBB SpaeUl Senriee.j AUCKLAND, July 9. With the experiences of their tempestuous voyage now only a memory, but not a very happy memory, two women who left Auckland in the schooner-yacht Valkyrie on May 20th, Mrs E. Scott Shaw and her daughter, Miss C. Scott Shaw, returned to Auckland from Suva by the Tofua. "To say that we are glad to be back in Auckland would be to put it very mildly," Mrs Scott Shaw said. "For five weeks we seemed to run out of one hurricane into another. Our supplies of water had to be rationed, and altogether it was a most terrifying time." They were the guests of Captain Ernest Gilling on the Valkyrie, which left on a 6000-miles cruise in the Pacific. They expected to reach Suva from Auckland in about eight days, but the voyage occupied five weeks. Barely had the New Zealand coa*t slipped behind the horizon when the little vessel, of 44 tons, commenced to roll and pitch into the teeth of a heavy head wind. At the end of the first week the Valkyrie was only off Cape Brett. After another week it was intimated that the vessel had travelled onlv 200 miles. Incidents occurred almost daily. One day they tailed through a large area of pumice floating on top of the waves. It was thought an island had been thrown up by some submarine disturbance, and the crew and passengers stayed up all night, while a strict look-out was kept. In the course of a few days the stout timbers of the Valkyrie were tested by ! two hurricanes, and in the second the vessel struggled for 20 hours in the I centre of a storm. The wireless aerial was torn away, taking from the little party its one means of keeping in touch with the world. Sleep during these 20 hours was impossible. The engines were kept running in an attempt to drive the ship out of the storm, and when finally she reached j comparatively calm water the stock of petrol was sadly depleted. During the height of the storm, Captain Gilling remained on watch for 12 hours without a break. He said it was the worst weather he had experienced. However, the only damage don« was to some of the fittings of the »hip. The ship's chronometer fell and was damaged slightly, destroying ite acenracv. "Just before that storm there was ft sunset, horrible, and yet fascinating." Mrs Scott Shaw said. "Heavy clouds on the western horizon were stained blood red, and at intervals they were pierced hv vivid flashes of lightning. When we" were clear of the storm we were 200 miles off our course, and thought we were near the Kennadeca. Once we thought we saw land, but it was only a cloud low down on the horiaon. Our hopes sank, for there was not one of us who did not want to feel the tread of solid ground. "We had filled our water tanks at Kawau after leavinc Auckland, and j after the first week it was realised that our Replies were getting low. We had plentv of tinned food, but our drinking wat?r had to be rationed, j while each member of the party ronld have only a cupful a day for washing purposes. The vessel was'headed again for Suva, but after making good headway for a while she was hcnlmed off and on for thrre days, pitr-hms in a heavy swell. Then another hurricane vaa experienced and for days th« Tea-

•el, now within 300 rat lei of Sara. «u tossed like a cork on the top tf the wares. When the tvurna abated it was found that the Valkyrie wa» right off the steamer route. ah* had to ?nil to Sura right round the coaxt of the ro.iin island. The little vessel swung ber way into Sura on Jnne 23rd, and we lost no time in getting ashore." Mrs Scott Shaw Raid: 'lt w»* the pnd of the worrt five weeks of my life. Everyone in the partv was fe*elim% the straia. My daughter and I

had intended to accompany the parlor aboot two month!, wat after theestorms »♦ took the fiist opport on" ■ to return to AocsJaad." Mrs Scott Siaw paid tnbui* to u<sea worth iota el «• VaTfcyne wbw stood up well to all ti* storms an* to the esesilest way in which »L* was handled under the great eat di* cultiea by Captain Gtllinj «* d other nartg\tcr in the crew. Cap**'"' Townaend. They bad worked V^~* throughout ihe crnwe »ad had te'ag"* eTetj storm ifea* ••cuwisssW