AMAZING STORY

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 4726, 24 January 1946, Page 4

AMAZING STORY

ADRIFT IN CANOE CAST ASHORE AFTER SEVEN MONTHS The most amazing “escape story” of the war must surely be that of a Gilbert Island native, sole survivor of seven of his kind, who was cast ashore on Manus Island after being adrift in a canoe for seven months and covering more than 1300 miles from Ocean Island in the Equatorial Pacific. During their occupation of Ocean Island the Japanese removed most of the natives to Nauru Island, but those who remained were treated abominably and many died. About a year ago seven natives, all Gilbert Islanders, who had been employed by the British Phosphate Commission on Ocean Island, succeeded in making their escape, despite the vigilance of their Japanese guards. The natives put to sea in three tiny canoes, their onlj provisions being a few coconuts and some fish. The canoes, about 14 to 16 feet in length, were built of pandanus wood planking, laced together with coconut fibre. They were indeed frail craft in which to undertake an ocean voyage. The nearest land in any direction not in enemy occupation was some hundreds of miles distant from Ocean Island. After getting well away to sea, the canoes separated. One was not seen again, but the other two rejoined company later and were lashed together to give them Increased stability. And so, day after day, they drifted across the vast expanse Their only food was a few fish - they were able to snare from time to time, bits of drifting seaweed, and a very occasional seabird. ARM TORN OFF BY SHARK One by one the natives died till only two remained, and they were in a bad way. Then a prowling sharp attacked and tore off the left arm of one of the two survivors. He lived for two oxthree days, but one night a squall capsized the canoes and the man disappeared. His companion was too weak to give any assistance, and it took all his feeble efforts to right the craft.

Nevertheless, he kept alive, but only just alive, while the lashed canoes drifted, month after month, in a westerly direction. Finally, about five months ago the stai-ving sole survivor, little more than skin and bone by this time, was cast ashore on Manus Island in the Admiralty Islands. He had been adrift for seven months from the time the canoes had left Ocean Island, which, in a direct line, lies about 1320 miles to the eastward of Manus Island, He was found in an utterly exhausted condition, but with skilled medical attention and careful feeding he rapidly put on weight and in a few weeks was completely restored. This simple, carefree Gilbertese native subsequently volunteered to go back to his job with the British Phosphate Commission. He looked none the worse for his seven months’ drifting voayge when he was seen on Ocean Island at the beginning of this month by a New Zealand naval officer, who was present at the surrender of the Japanese garx-ison of the island. The experience of this native i-ecalls the story of the Chinese steward, sole survivor of the British steamer Ben Lomond, who was adrift on a raft in the Atlantic for more than 130 days—from November, 1942, to April, 1943. He was finally picked up by fishermen and landed on the coast of Brazil. After a quick recovery from the effects of exposure, he returned to England and found another ship.