ADRIFT IN A PUNT.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 March 1922, Page 1

ADRIFT IN A PUNT.

TIMELY RESCUE OF FUIAN GIRLS. AUCKLAND Mar«h 21. One of the most remarkable happenings which have occurred in Fiji waters was reported to-day on the arrival of the Sir John Forest from S?vu Savu and Levuka writes a correspondent from Suva under date of March 13th. The captain reports that yesterday (Sunday) about 9.30 a.m. when in Koro Sea between Namena and Koro, and about three or four ni'les from Namona, he noticed an object some distance ahead. As no reef or rock was charted there, he went aloft and with his binoculars made out the object to be a boat or punt, with people in it. The course was altered, and ranging alongside, the captain looked down on a 16 feet flat bottomed punt, containing ten Fijian girls, barely clad in light sulus, their ages ranging from 10 to 16 years. They appeared to be in an exhausted condition and could hardly speak. They and their craft were hove on board and a course shaped for Levuka. First giving the rescued girls spoonfuls of water for a time, which they swallowed with pathetic eagerness the purser finally had the satisfaction of seeing them enjoy a hot breakfast. With their thirst and hunger quenched, they told the following remarkable story: They belonged to the island of Koro, and at daybreak on Sunday rooming borrowed the punt from a Chinese storekeeper and with two 6ft paddles, made for the reef for a morning’s search for sici shell, which is treasured as succulent article of food. They left the punt in charge of two of the younger girls, but like the foolish virgins, the watchers foil asleep, and 1 when the fishers found time to look for their boat, it was gone, and om searching they discovered it floating on the rollers over two mlies out to sea—some of the girls said it wa& three miles away.

Anyway there was one thing which appealed to them to do to retrieve the boat, So the eight mermaids slipped into the water and started off on their long swim. They cohild have swum ashore, only a mile away, but they thought of their mates still lying asleep in the bottom of the punt, and the thought of rescuing them without creating any alarm ashore spurred them to their task. It- was a heavy one, and once or twice some of the swimmers wished to give up and go under, but the strong helped the weak and all took spells at resting.

Finally all safely reached the little craft and got on hoard, believing that their troubles were at an end, but wind and tide opposed them, and the paddles were smnll and the paddlers tired. The sun, too, was very hot, and there was neither water nor food on board. Finally darkness came down on them, and night found a bobbing punt drifting to the open sea, and in it ten very tired and miserable little maidens. When daylight came they could see land many miles away, and were feebly trying to pull thither, when happily tney were rescued, after being 30 hours without food or water under esposed and trying conditions. It was lucky that the steamer picked them up, as within half an hour a semi-gale thrashed the Koro sea, which is famed for its ugly seas, and the punt could not have kept right side up for five minutes.