AN EVENTFUL TRIP.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 16 September 1926, Page 7

AN EVENTFUL TRIP.

-NORTH' AUSTRALIAN VOYAGE

“LIKE A COMIC OPERA;”-

The costal ship Marion Sleigh recently re turned to Diarwiti, .North Australia., •haying occupied two mouths going to Uooroloola and back. Anticipating a quick voyage, several local women booked passages by way oi a pleasure trip. A passenger in an interview described the trip ia»; “a comic opera.’' The Marion Sleigh went with supplies to relieve starving settlers along the coast, but got stuck on sandbanks so long and so often that the passengers, and crew were themselves on the verge ol starvaation. begging food front the already; starving settlers to make their way back to Darwin. They were fast on a sandbank at Macarthur liner lor 10 davs. and the day after the vessel was refloated she again became fast tor two days. She started for the Roper I fiver with enough water lor drinking only. The cook was injured and the crew went on a hunger strike because oi the bad and insufficient food and water. The captain had gone up the river, but the crew and passengers could not wait for his return, and procured provisions from the Roper settlers, .including food which they had brought for the Rfa-per by the ship. One of the .ladies suffered from sunstroke. The water was so bad that it could not- be used for tea. but. only with strong coffee. ‘‘Then we went to the East Alligator River.” continued the'passenger, “and that’s where our troubles began. A steam launch went up the river with several passengers, but owing to muddy salt water being used in the boiler, the engine continually gave trouble. We became struck on mudba.nks many times. At Oenpelli they stilt a hlaclc gin eight miles for food and the Anglican missioner arrived with 'some. Two days latter we were again stranded; and .sent an aboriginal six miles to fetch a kerosene tin of Water. Returning down the river to rejoin the ship the launch had an aboriginal at the wheel and an aboriginal canoe ahead to locate sandbanks, but the engine failing caused us to drift aground several times. The ladies, blacks and sailors all slept ou a small launch at night, it being impossible to get- ashore owing to great stretches of knee-deep mud. At one place at which "we landed to camp at night we were nearly eaten alive with mosquitos' and red ants. I lay between two smoke fires, hut did not get- w wink of sleep. The captain became ill with worry ancl want of food. ’