TRAGIC VOYAGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22538, 1 October 1936, Page 12

TRAGIC VOYAGE

HUNGER AND THIBST SCHOONER LOSES BEARINGS MARSHALL ISLANDERS' PLIGHT ARRIVAL AT NAURU ISLAND With her complement of 22 Marshall Islanders verging on collapse from starvation and thirst, and tortured by the ravages of scurvy, n Japanese schooner, which had lost her position and had been vainly sailing in the oquatorial region for nearly eight weeks in search of land, reached Nauru Island on September 6. Particulars of the tragic voyage were contained in a letter from Nauru Island received by an Auckland resident yesterday. How the schooner set out from Kwajalong, an island in the Marshall Group, for the neighbouring island of Wattho, missed her # destination, tried to find another island near by, but missed that also, and then sailed on day after day with food and water rapidly diminishing and her crew desperately sotting a course by their only navigating instrument, a compass, reads more like a hardy old venture of discovery than the passage of a modern vessel. Owned by the Nanyo Boyeki Kaisha Line and named the Regina, the craft left Kwajalong on July 7 with a number of passengers, including three women and four children. She was to have landed the passengers at Wattho and returned with a cargo of copra. Food and Water Rationed When it was realised that the island of Wattho had been passed, the master, a Marshall Islander, decided to try and find the island Ujae. No land was seen and the Itegina was headed back for Kwajalong, which was sighted two days later. Bearings re-established, the Regina was then headed for the island of Lae, but this also was missed. It was then agreed to proceed on a southeasterly course in the hope of striking one of the Northern Marshall Group. Days merged into weeks, and still no land appeared. Food and water was rationed, and as the supply became smaller so the rations were reduced. On August 27 all food and water was finished. The winds were light and taunting. Little headway was made and the heat was merciless. Tarpaulins and sails were rigged to catch every drop of moisture, but showers of rain were meagre and scarce. Heroic Sacrifice One of the islanders, in order to try and save his two adopted children, refused to eat or drink. His rations probably saved the children's lives. He died soon after arriving'at Nauru. It was about sunset on September 6 that a schooner was seen making her way toward the Nauru Island anchorage. A launch was sent off and towed the Regina to a berth. Two of the men and a woman were immediate]}' landed and admitted to the Government hospital in a critical condition. Food and water was at once put on board and rationed out to the craving crew under the supervision of the medical officer of the island. The schooner's crew were then housed in the quarantine station, where they are now slowly recovering. Those who contracted scurvy had to be treated with special care. Communication has been established with the schooner's owners and the Japanese company is going to send a steamer to Nauru Island tc tow the Regina back to her home port.