SECRET OF LONG AGO

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume XLV, Issue 3191, 7 February 1928, Page 7

SECRET OF LONG AGO

UNEARTHING A SKELETON.

Noticing that historic Cuttle Cove in Preservation Inlet had recently been visited by a party of tourists, brought to mind another trip made there ~in 1892, says a writer in the Southland Times. The writer, in company with a friend from Nelson, landed at the Cove for the purpose of locating an old Maori pah, said to have existed at one time in the vicinity. Before setting out overland, a search along the fringe of the bush was made, and, noticing a slight depression in the soil on a knoll overlooking the Cove, a shovel and pick were requisitioned. After digging down about 2ft. through accumulated mould and earth, a layer of pungaswas found. Upon lifting this layer, the skeleton of a man was revealed with a short piece of knotted ropß round the neck.

The only opinion that could be formed by the unwitting desecrators was that the bones were the remains of

some early whaler or sealer, who had offended against the laws of God and man, and had been brought to this early-day rendezvous of whaling ships, there to meet his fate. This is only conjecture, but the writer has on more than one occasion heard it stated by old-timers that the little islet, situate in the centre of the Cove, was used by whaling ship captains as a prison for refractory seamen. After carefully and reverently replacing the earth in the grave, the explorers proceeded on their way.