HERO OF MARORO

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 91, 14 October 1926, Page 8

HERO OF MARORO

EVEN THE WAVES KNOW HIM

STOEY OF A SHIP'S COOK,

. An epic story is told in the Sydney "Sun," of the long protracted voyage of the Maroro, fifty-five days out from Gisborne to Australia, and ■which,' eventually turned up at Sydney about .a fortnight ago. I Huge waves broke over the. ship, knocking the seamen from their feet. Fierce westerly gales swept her hundreds of miles from her course. But the men on the little scow Maroro had no fear. They knew that with Bill Law on board and a timber cargo tho elements could do .their worst—that some time, some day, the Maroro would turn up at her destination. "Turn up" they did. They turned up at Sydney 55 days out from Gisborne (New Zealand). Bill Law was singing in his galley' when they arrived—for Bill Law is the cook, and the barometer is set at fair when Bill Law sings. For close 0n.60 years now (Bill is 73) he has been a seafarer, and: though Bill may be in tho midst of trouble it always passes him by. That is why the men of the Maroro pin their faith to Bill. Three times ho has been shipwrecked—'there times ho has come ashoro dry footod. The ships in which death passed him by'were the wrecks of Oscar Kobert at' Kangaroo Isldm?, tho, Natal Queen at' Adventure Bay, and. the AvOn at the'Bellinger bar. And, besides, Bill Law holds the silver medal of the Humane Society.for rescue work at sea. He won it in 1891. The waves all know Bill, the men say—he has been their frioud almost as long as Father Neptune. Though water is breaking, over the ship the waves seldom knOck Bill Law to the deck. Bill says the secret of it all is'.tho sign of tho cross. Thro times and you're right. But he readily admits that he has been floored occasionally. "But tho waves saw that I needed a bath, and Jhe ducking was in pure kindness," he says. Storms caught the Maroro right, from the .outset' She-left Gisborne'"with"i her 200,000.. feet.of. white pine.oa.3o.th'July,, and the tempestrcarriedher;away ..out towards Samoa, to within' sight of the Kermadcc Islands. It was.a hard fight heading west again. Fierce gales held her in their grip, and her decks wero continually awash. Sails were split, and the timber on deck soaked. Six weeks out it was whispered that the water was running low. Bill said he had no substitute for it, so the boys had better catch some from tho top of the house when it rained again. It rained, but tho seas were breaking over the ship. By.and by, however,. their opportunity came, but tho water was brackish, becauseof the soaking tho catchment' area" had received from tho salt sea. • ■'■■■■: ■ . Bill is a little, superstitious. He blames wireless for the Maroro's many weeks at sea. "I've noticed it time and again since man started playing with the atmosphere," ho said. "How else do you account for all them ■ 35 days on"ond?" He reckons;the Maroro must have travelled 7000 miles oil a voyage which is 1500 mile's direct. Bill was'voted a'regular miracle man. Day after day, week after week, month after month he prepared food from a pantry which never failed. Bill says that the sharks were disgusted with the parings he threw; overboard. He gave the crew everything for breakfast oxcept the cricket scores. He had no | chance to replenish the larder—it is said that even Bill has to. do that sometimes. In their long weeks at sea not one steamer was sightod until the scow was near .the Australian, coast. Sometimes the men saw smoke, but that was 'all. '' ■'• ■. ; Bill began to sing when, land'was near—he • smelt the gums away to the north of Sydney. Then there were happy days—the steady current bore the ship southward as though there was an engine in her. Twelve miles they mado off Port Stephens in four hours — just drifting. Bill has his troubles, Ho has withstood tho fads of progress -better than the ships. "Twenty years ago there were 30 or 40 of the Maroro's class knocking about hore, but whero are they now?" he sighs..But the Maroro, tho last of them, is "left, and Bill is thankful for small mercies. • A rusty voice is lifted in the galley in song as tho scow lies snugly in Double Bay— "And now the Storms are over and wo are safe ashore, We'll drink the brimful glasses to the girls who we adore. And still wo live in hopes to sco Sydney town once more, And when our moneys spent and gone, we'll go to sea for more."