COTTER BLOWN OUT OF COUSSE.

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 137, 7 December 1926, Page 9

COTTER BLOWN OUT OF COUSSE.

(From Oir Own Correspondent) "'••■'■ SYDNEY, 2nd December. ,One afternoon recently the appearance of a'32ft cutter flying the French flag and exhibiting distress signals, sail- : ing up the Johnstone Eiver at Innisf ail, Queensland, aroused considerable curiosity. The cutter, which was named the Topsy, berthed at a wharf and an inter-

esting story was told by its master, a

New Caledonian half-casto named En- - more, who had with him a crew of four. coloured men, dressed in loin cloths .only. None of tho crew could speak ' English, but through an. interpreter it was learnt that the cutter belonged to the Australian Guano Company, with ' headquarters at Melbourne, and was en- ■ ' gaged in the guano trade at New Calc- . donia.

■'" On 12th November the party set out ' from New Caledonia for Surprise Island, a journey of about 80 miles. During the first night out, violent weather '''■was encountered, and the small vessel .. •wai blown off its course. Eealising that it was almost impossible again to ■ pick up the bearings, the master dcci- ■ ded to head west, in the hope of strik- ■ ing the Australian coast. Heavy weather and boisterous seas were met with during the first few days, but the lit- ; tie craft battled bravely for twelve days' and nights, and eventually the Queensland coast was sighted, near tho • mouth of the Johustone River. When.tho Topsy left New Caledonia, there was only a small quantity of food ■ aboard, and the necessity to ration this out carefully soon became apparent.

Each member of the party had only one

'.-. small meal and ono drink of water „'., daily, and before reaching Australia ..' the supply had become exhausted. Fortunately the party came across a small island, and on landing found a nest of turtle eggs, which comprised their food for the last two days of the voyage. On arrival at Innisfail the party seem- . Ed none the worso for their adventure, and were cheerful. Upon reaching saf- ■■■..■■ ety their first appeal was for tobacco, 7 which was supplied to them, as well as "'"*, quantity of food, which they partook ;:.;. oi, eagerly.