MYSTERIOUS LAUNCH.

Marlborough Express, Volume LI, Issue 230, 28 September 1917, Page 3

MYSTERIOUS LAUNCH.

MANNED BY FOREIO. iv-irf

ARRIVAL AT COOK ISLANDS

SUSPICIOUS Oi KCJI DISTANCES

I A telegram published on Friday last made rctorence to a mysterious launch which had arrived at Aitutaki, Cook Islands. The following additional information is supplied by the Aitutaki correspondent of the Auckland Star in a message dated August 31: — A stir of excitement was caused in this island to-day at noon by the arrival of a mysterious; craft, a motordriven launch, bearing no name and flying no colors. The launch was met at the wharf by the Resident Agent, several European traders, and a crowd of natives. Two men in khaki suits and helmets then landed, and informed the Resident Agent that they were Americans, and had left Honolulu on July 28, and that they were making the trip to these islands and back for a bet of £1500. They also stated that they had called at the Island of Atui, in this group, yesterday, and obtained there a few ripe bananas, etc. The Resident Agent invited one of the two men in khaki, who were evidently the officers of the expedition, to his house, at the same time asking Mr Low, a trader here, to entertain the other. Upon being questioned shortly after by two of the European traders, the Resident Agent admitted that the party (six in all) had produced no papers or passports of any kind, whereupon the two traders sent a letter to the Resident Agent pointing out that it would be advisable to make a thorough examination of the bona fides of the party that had arrived by the launch. In the meantime feeling had been growing strong among the natives that all was not as it should be. Between 3 and 4 p.m. i the Resident Agent went down to the | end of the jetty and held a cursory • examination. Onlookers allege that the only paper of any kind produced was a partly written diary or log book. While this was going on a ( young native returned soldier, who is at pre- ! sent on a visit to his home, having been gassed at the front, told the Resident Agent that the party looked like Germans, and asked that the boat be detained a day or so and a thorough investigation made. Influential natives, namely, Rum (an Ariki and member 'of the Island Council), and John Rota, also visited the Resident Agent at his office and voiced suspicions as to the character ,of the launch party. However, the launch was allowed to leave at about 5 p.m., after a stay of five hours, although on first arriving .some of the crew said that they would 'be staying overnight. Your correspondent asked a member of the crew who, in company with another one, was in charge of the launch, while the other four were ashore, a few questions as to where they were from, etc., and was informed that the party had left Honolulu on July 27 last, and were "yust" (just) doing it on a bet. The sailor then became the interrogator, and asked how many Europeans were on the island, what the population was, and if there was a wireless station at Rarotonga. Upon j your correspondent feigning ignorance of late war news, and asking the sailor for some, he was informed that the Germans were building very big submarines, that England was nearly starving, and that America, could not get her troops across owing to ; a shortage of ships and the submarine dangers. The crew of the launch claimed to bo Norwegian-Americans; they certainly, from their accent, were very hyphenated ones of some sorb, one of them apparently understanding no English at all, as he conversed with the others in a language which was not English, neither was it French, as your correspondent has a working knowledge of the latter language. As far as the writer knows, no bill of health or clearance fsem Honolulu was showH. . I The two officers were dressed in j khaki, and were clean shaven. The four sailors had a distinctly smart naval appearance. The launch was a capable4o<jlving boat of four or five tons, with whaleboat stern, cutterrigged, with mast set up with wire rigging. As several native ex-sailors, also a European seafaring man, pointed out, she was beautifully clean Under the water and out of it. The white paint on her topsides was quite j fresh looking, and she had the ap- j pearance of having only been a day j or two in the water .rather than the thirty-four days claimed. She was ] an open launch, with a fender all j round her gunwales and a canvas ; covering that could be laced in the middle. The men did not appear j blistered by the sun, nor travel worn, being, on the contrary, fresh-looking ! and clean. "When one considers the j long sea-voyage of thirty-four days in ' the" tropics, crossing the line in the course of it, this is distinctly curious, j It is to be hoped that the proper authorities in New Zealand will communicate with Honolulu and ascertain if the party really did leave that ' place. It is also to be hoped that j the Resident Commissioner at Raro- j tonga will be directed to obtain from \ the Resident the exact details as to what passports and other official papers they actually produced to him, ; and any other particulars he can fur- J uish as to tha party. : It certainly appears very curious that a launch should have come to these little-known islands instead of to Rarotonga, the principal port cf the- group, or to Tahiti, Fiji or Sa- > moa. From any of the three latter j they could have "wirelessed" to i Honolulu their arrival—if they want- ' ed to.