STRANGE TALE OF THE SEA

Evening Star, Issue 18690, 19 July 1924, Page 8

STRANGE TALE OF THE SEA

LOSS OF THE DOUGLAS HAWSOH. EATE OE SURVIVORS. MEN KILLED, WOMEN TAKEN PRISONER. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Press Association. MELBOURNE, July 18. An unconfirmed story regarding the fate of tho crow and passengers of the missing Douglas Mawson was told by the crew of the ketch Maskee. They state that while at Cape Wilberforoe a native informed a native member of tho crew that the Douglas Mawson sank in a big storm, and that the crew and pasengers, including two white women, landed, and tho men were speared and buried on tho b'cach by blacks. The women were taken captive. It was further stated that two white men later visited the blacks, and after taking a large sum of money which the blacks had taken from the stranded people they departed, telling tho natives not to talk, or that there would bo trouble. Questioned in tho House, Mr Bruce said that if the news were officially confirmed an expedition would be sent to endeavor to rescue the white women from their appalling fate. [The Douglas Mawson was a wooden steamer of 333 tons. She was built at Bewley Point, New South Wales, in 1914,“ and was owned by the Queensland Government. The vessel left Lurketown for Thursday Island on March 26, and was not heard of again. It was thought in Australian shipping circles that the Douglas Mawson foundered in a. cyclone that" was experienced in tho vicinity of tho Queensland coast about tho time the vessel disappeared. Steamers searched for her without avail. Evidence at a subsequent inquiry showed that the ship had been in perfect order before she sailed from Brisbane.

AUTHORITIES INCREDULOUS. BUT INQUIRIES TO BE MADE. BRISBANE, July 19. (Received July 19, at 10.30 a.m.) While the Queensland authorities generally seem seriously to, disbelieve the Douglas' Mawson story, immediate steps will bo taken to obtain the fullest information from the Darwin police. It is pointed out in official circles that the most careful search was made of the Gulf waters by the State without avail, and only recently police from Darwin traversed the coast in the vicinity, following the discovery of wreckage. One State authority says that many of these aboriginals had worked on the plantations, and wore generally friendly. Ho considers it impossible that such murders could have been_ committed and women abducted without tidings leaking out in a few weeks instead of after fifteen months.