Dramatic Message By Albatross

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31862, 14 December 1968, Page 23

Dramatic Message By Albatross

(Contributed by the Canterbury Museum) Late last century the sea washed a message ashore. On September 22, 1887, a small group of people gathered on the beach at Fremantle, Australia to stare at a dead Albatross on the water’s edge. On a small piece of metal around the dead bird’s neck was scratched a message in French. The viewers, unable to understand French, took it to someone who could. Translated it read: “Thirteen shipwrecked men took refuge upon the Crozet Islands—4th August, 1887.” The startling find set in motion rescue operations by two nations. The Governor of Western Australia lost no time in informing the British Government of the message. They in turn instructed the British Ambassador in Paris to inform the French Government. Desolate Islands The French Minister of Marine immediately sent orders to the commander of the French Naval Forces in the Indian Ocean to send, as soon as possible, the transport Meurthe to search for the castaways. The Crozets, five tiny islets spread over almost 100 miles

port Meurthe, however, that first returned with news of the strange sequel to the message received at Fremantle by “albatross post.” The Meurthe reached the Bay of Diego Suarez in North Madagascar on January 6, 1888. Immediately her captain handed the French authorities a report of his voyage. ■ The Crozets had been reached with all speed, and on the first visited, the little island of Cochous, the French found a cairn of stones. Inside was a message which said: “The iron ship, Tamaris, of Bordeaux, with

tross and attached the message no-one will ever know. The only fact in hand is that many albatross visit the Crozets to breed, and it could be possible to trap one. The 13 men probably felt there were greater opportunities for gathering food on Possession Island—the largest of the group. Possibly they also reasoned there was a better chance of getting picked up there by some whaler. But they never reached Possession Island. The Meurthe immediately sailed for Possession Island. Despite a thorough search, her crew found no trace of