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

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NATIVE POPULATION MUCH : EXCITED. j The Auckland Herald's Aitutaki correspondent furnishes tho following particulars:—• ! The Resident Agent, Mr Thus, j IXincan, was on the wharf with other ! Europeans to interview the visitors > and ascertain the cause of the visit. They on board said that the launch was the Cocilie, of Honolulu, char- '. tered/ from H. Hackfeldt and Co., of ■. Honolulu, by Mr Sfo'ubharfc and Mr ; Van H out on." The two latter were on board. Mr Southart claimed to be «n American citizen and Mr Van ; Houbcn said he was the son of n Norwegian shipowner of America. The slury was that liio voyage was made in, consequence of a wager made in a Dutch Club at San Francisco thi.t they would not make a voyage from Honolulu to tho Cook Islands land return to Honolulu in. sin oj>en | launch. The crew comprised four Tiicn r who were act forth as three j Norwegians and n Dutchman, wilh <

; Van .Hcifiten as commander and \ Southart atf navigating officer. Boli'i j these men spoke Elngfish with a. I strong foreign accent. They claimed j to have come from San Francisco to j Honolulu in a new steamer named the Vancouver, and left Honolulu m this launch Ceeile on July 28. They also' claimed to have landed at Papeete, Tahiti, and entered that port under the escort of a French torpedo boat. .From there they called at the island of Maupiti, of the Society Islands, where they only found three 1 inhabitants, thence to Rarotonga. They reached Rarotonga at night time but seeing no lights did noc wait until'jnorningy so had no communication with that island. Thence "they went to Atiu, another island of this group, on August 28, then on here. . i Now comes tho mysterious aspect of this affair. The visitors were asked for their log-book, their reply being that it had not been written up for | eight or ten days, and had been blown overboard. Their flag was asked for, but could not be produced. Neither were there any documents to verify their call at Tahiti. No papers whatever could be produced to verify their statement that they had come from Honolulu. The only book that could be found was the log of the vessel, "W. O. Slade," Smith, master, on a voyage from Eureka, California, to /Sydney. On being questioned as to their possession of this book, they replied that it had been given to them by Hackfeldt, of Honolulu, as a guide for their voyage. Their time book—chronometer —was printed in a foreign language, which they said was "Dutch." No name was painted or visible on the boat. When asked for further credentials, they produced a canvas bag of gold, which they emptied out into a kerosene can for exhibition to the onlookers on the ! wharf. There appeared to be about £300 in gold visible. The two men wore khaki coats, with brass buttons bearing an anchor, and white helmets. Revolvers were seen in the lockers. i A Norwegian living on the island spoke to the crew in the Norwegian language, and appeared satisfied that they were Scandinavians. No questions were asked of news of the war, neither were there inquiries made for newspapers. The strangers reported that on their return they would write up a narrative of their voyage for an Americau magazine. Inquiries were made as to whether there was wireless at Aitutaki or Rarotonga. After a stay of six hours, the Cecilie resumed her voyage, presumably to Honolulu, in which ease she probably would call at Walden or Fanning Islands for water. The native population, of Aitutaki was much excited at this foreign visit, being of the impression that the strangers were German spies. Threats were made by certain natives that they would seize the launch, but as therewas no direct evidence against them the visitors were permitted to depart in peace.