SOUTH SEA MYSTERY

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 September 1934, Page 4

SOUTH SEA MYSTERY

THE ISLAND THAT VANISHED. When, about, a year ago, 1 was travelling from Capetown Io Sydney by a, Norwegian tramp si earner I was struck by two remarkable facts relating to our course. One was that instead of going due cast,, or rather, Fremantle being the first port of call in Australia, slightly north of cast, we went so far south as nearly to toiich the. northern limits of drift ice. The other was the enormous number of small islands dotted about the Southern Ocean which never appear on ordinary maps at all (writes R.L.T. in the Manchester Guardian). The first is simply explained. In the neighbourhood of the ‘’Roaring Forties,” that is, 40 degrees south latitude, there is not only a prevailing wind west but a current favourable to ships proceeding east. Also, as the globe rather than a map on Mercator’s projection shows at once, a considerable advantage is gained by making use of the curvature of the earth. One is really taking a short cut by apparently going far out of one’s, way. I wondered at the skill of modern navigators in being so certain of their whereabouts as to avoid running down in the night, an island like the'solitary, lightless rock of St. Paul. (We passed within twelve miles of it.) I also asked the captain Avhat he thought of tho dispute proceeding at the time between Britain and Norway* as to the ownership of Bouvet Island, but the douce Norwegian was not to be drawn. The conversation led on from Bouvet Island to its mysterious neighbour, Thompson Island, which had just previously been officially declared not to exist, a thorough search having been made by Norwegian whalers and one or two naval units from Simon’s Town. And yet at least two vessels have sighted and given a most circumstantial description of Thompson Island at wide intervals of time. Even the disputed property of Bouvet Island was believed foi’ many a year to be entirely mythical.

BOUVET ISLAND. Bouvet Island is the loneliest spot in the world, being 1,000 miles from, any .other land whatever. It -was discovered in 1739 by a Frenchman called De Lozier, who thought it formed a part of the Great Southern Continent which was believed by explorers to exist. Actually it is only five miles across. He fixed, its position as nearly as a, navigator could in those days as 54deg. south and 9deg. east. James Cook looked for it in 1775, hut without success, and the year previously I-I.M.S. Adventure had made a similarly fruitless search. It. was not until October, ISOB, that Bouvet Island was seen again. This time two English sealers found it, but they were not believed. Then, in the following twenty years, an American landed there (but was also treated as an impostor), followed in 1825 by two more sealers, tho captain of one of them, Norris, formally landing and taking possession in tho name of George JV. During the ton. days or so that Norris was in the neighbourhood of Bouvet ho discovered a second island. According to his account (and there is no question of his good faith) it was small and low-lying, while throe miles to Iho south-east, was a. small cluster of rocky islets, and still farther off, in The same direction, a solitary rock. Norris gave the island iis name and called the three islets the "Chimneys.” According to his calculations he was sixty miles.or so north-east of Bouvet.

The great explorer Ross, in 1843, failed to find either Thompson or Bouvet. So did another naval officer in 1845. Both islands, nevertheless, were placed on the Admiralty charts in 1853. Several Americans reported seeing Bouvet, in 1878. 1882, and 1893. Tho last of these, a, man named Fuller, also reported that he had seen Thompson Island, to the north-east of Bouvet. No one has ever seen it again. Within the last, ten years many searches have been made, and soundings of 1,270 and 718 fathoms have been taken over the position on the charts where the island should lie. No one doubts the good faith of either Norris in 1825 or Fuller in 1893, but both were plain seamen, whaling captains, who did not keep either a meticulously careful log or possess the latest modern instruments. Norris, though circumstantial, is confusing in his particulars. Yet in. spite of the search made within the last two years, an island so small, with, such uncertainty as to its position within a, hundred miles, may easily ho missed. Cook, for instance, passed almost within sight of Bouvet. It may acluallly have existed and been submerged by an upheaval of the sea. bed. Or one oi these days it may be "discovered” again. In the meantime it is officially a "myth,’’