CRUISE IN TEE ISLANDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19379, 14 July 1926, Page 13

CRUISE IN TEE ISLANDS.

CREW OF RUAMANO RETURN. AN ENJOYABLE HOLIDAY. CALL MADE AT LEPER STATION. After a cruising trip in the Fiji Islands, iu the launch Ruamano, Messrs. A. H. Court, P. B. Ross, Geo. Hodgson and John Kelly returned to Auckland yesterday by the Tofua, Although they cut their cruise short by a month, the members of the party stated they had had a wonderful experience and the cruise was in every way a success. With the Ruamano resting in chocks on the deck of tho Tofua, the holidaymakers left Auckland on May 22, disembarking ttt Suva, where stores and benzine ■were placed on the launch, Suva was made the headquarters for the cruise. The first trip was to Mbenga, tho island where fire-walking has been reduced to a fine art. A very hospitable reception was Recorded the party by the bulli, or chief of the local tribe, the bulli himseU acting as pilot to the best fishing grounds in the vicinity of the island. After replenishing stores at Suva and adding Sir Maynard Hedstrom to the party, a visit was made to Levuka, the time being spent in fishing, swimming, and paying visits to the plantations. Cruises also were made to the Yasawas and to the leper station at Makogai, where the tourists were able to give first hand news of the Dominion to the New Zealand patients. Another interesting island visited was Wakaya, made familiar to New Zealanders by the capture there of von Luckner after he and some other German prisoners had escaped from Motuihi during the war. The capture of swordfish vms one of the principal objectives of the cruise, but none came the way of the party, although some good sport was obtained with sharks. It was because of the dearth of swordfish that the cruise was cut short. Throughout the journey favourable weather prevailed, the only rough day experienced being that on which the party left Suva to return to Auckland.