AN ISLAND ROVER

Feilding Star, Volume 3, Issue 553, 30 December 1925, Page 7

AN ISLAND ROVER

FOUR DAY’S ENDURANCE SWOLLEN FEEtT BUT STURDY HEART '■ Suva, Dec. 12. ■ Tossed about for four days in a tropical suit with swirling water about his feet all the time and without food of water was th© plight of a Fijian a week or two ago, yet with gallant endurance he fought out and Avon. Such Ayas tho unenviable experience of a Fijian native employed by Mrs \Y 51. Caldwell .on her island "estate of .Vatuvara, ail island in the eastern, most group of. Fiji. Some two or -i three weeks ago this mail, Mariko, accompanied by another named Lai-' C cani, went out fishing in a small 1G feet punt. But the wind rose, and, do all they could, the two .men Avere swept away, to sea, and next day found them ashore oil a reef encircling a small atoll close to the ■ small island of Yacata, lying 12 miles north from 'Both men got v ashore, but Mariko did not despair of getting home, and, seeing the print lying on the reef, he set off y trying. to bring it ashore. He swam to Fhe punt, and, after some trouble lie. refloated it, but as he avus making for an opening in the reef tho w ind rose and book. them further and further away from his mate and the .atoll. Resigned Mariko set to work to keep his crazy, craft afloat as the seas were heavy. This task kept him going from cockcrow, and sleep was'at a discount.

All around him avus a AA'uste of w'ater Avitli here and there in .the 'distance the blue shadowy outlines of. small islands dotted the hue of vision, but all too far UAvay to expect help to be forthcoming. Yet the bravo- fellow did not despair, and ho\y lie managed to. keep the boat afloat will uever be known. But he did so, and on the fiflTi day at the cockcrow he found himself opposite the large island of Koro, just 70 miles from Yacata. With great difficulty lie struggled ashore and lay exhausted.- Happily, some iiaLives came along and carried him to their koro, and later conveyed him to Levuka and then to Suva. 51 r Caldwell has taken Mariko home to Yatuvara, Avhile he has' sent a cutter to look for Laicani oh the atoll. Mariko .suffered terribly, his feet .and hands being badly swollen by being sol long in the salt water;—Auckland Star’s special. ■ l ’. ' ; ■■ ■