WAIFS OF THE SEA.

Inangahua Times, Volume IV, Issue IV, 26 October 1877, Page 2

WAIFS OF THE SEA.

(SYDNEY 3IORSTIITG HERALD. SEPT. 18.) | During a recent; voyage of the French baique Daphne from tho South Sea Islands to Hong Kong, the captain came across a canoe containing four women. It was a long distance from land, and had evidently been driven out tosca by the force of a storm which the muscular power of its occupauts were unable to resist. i3oth the captain and the women- were completely at sea, for they cou'd not understand each other; but the former, with the characteristic gallantry of his nation took charge of them, and carefully conveyed them to Hong Kong. At that place they were handed over to the French Consul, who got rid of any trouble concerning them by placing them under the care ot the English Consul. That official thought the "best thing to do was to scud them to Sydney, and accordingly did so in the steamer Bowen, which arrived here on Tuesday last. It might have gone very hard with the unfortunate creatures had not the local authorities taken the matter promptly in hand, and attended a little to their comfort, for if they had been set ashore with no one to care for them, they would probably, in thier helplessness have starved to death. An oriental linguist was sent for, who pronounced them to be natives of Borueo, and propably memberf, of a tribe of sea gipsies, and recommended that they should be sent to Singapore, but his theory was completely upset by the opinion of a Portuguese sailor who affirmed that they were South Sea Islanders. This sailor recommended that Captain Fairclough, of the marine Board, should be sent for, as that gentlemm was the ouly persoa Us knew who could speak the same lacg:i« a^e as the women. .That gentlemen, at tho request or Inspector Ferris, of the water police, conversed with the women, and being conversant with their tongue, soon and easily leaned that tlx-y were natives of Mimn, or Hull's Island, in the Kinasmill group. Th.-y were then placed utuler the cure of v p.m-taMe. and con-' veved to 1 lie Hyde-park Asylum, and as they passed through the side streets, iliey attracted a good deal of attontino. They were neally dres.-ed in Chinese costume, and looked perfectly contented and happy as they revealed their snowy tooth, and then- copp'H 1 colt-red too'S were covered with smili-s as they gazed on passers-by. They were not particularly handsome, nkhough one of. their number was rather comely, . and in general t'.ieir appearance cons-eyed the impression that they wero North-Ameri-can Indinn pqnaws. their long black lank hair considerably helping that idea. They will he proteges of the Government until means arise tor conveying thorn to the homes from which they have travelled lundreds of miles in such a novel manner.