ISLAND VENTURES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23115, 13 August 1938, Page 19

ISLAND VENTURES

MACQUAEIE HISTOEY PENGUIN OIL INDUSTRY RESCUE OF THE WORKERS Ventures to tropic isles recall to the mind of an old Auckland seafarer, Mr. Jack Pierce, fc.rmer efforts to exploit islands in the far south. "Some time prior to 1910," ho said, "a Bluff concern started a penguin oil industry on Macquarie Island, which lies about 850 miles south-south-west of that port. A party of 12 men was taken to the island in the schooner Jessie Niccol, with provisions for two years. On the rugged island penguins come ashore in countless thousands to breed, and their oil, I understand, is of exceptional value for the lubrication of fine machinery and instruments. "Strangely enough, the party later found an inhabitant on the island, which is owned by the Government of Tasmania. The inhabitant was a man named Gibbons, a former sailor of the Royal Navy who had sailed to the Antarctic with Shackloton. On the return voyage of that explorer, Gibbons had asked to be left at Macquarie on the imderstanding that he would be picked up when Shackleton went south again. Before then the penguin oil party arrived, and when Shackleton reappeared Gibbons decided to remain on the island, which, perhaps, was fortunate for the party. Schooner Driven Back "About the time appointed the schooner Jessie Niccol sailed to bring back the men and the oil they had produced. She encountered adverse weather and eventually limped back to Bluff in a badly damaged condition. Prompt relief of the men was necessary, and it was arranged that the Government lighthouse steamer Hinemoa, on which I was serving, should do the job. About this time of the year, when the days are very short in those latitudes, we sailed and picked up the men. "They were in a low state of health. For months they had had no flour or sugar; in fact, all the provisions they had taken had been exhausted. They had been subsisting on the tongues of sea elephants. These huge creatures come on to the beaches, and every morning three or four men were detailed to go out on a killing expedition. The tongue was the only part of the beast that they thought was eatable, and by the time the Hinemoa arrived no less,than 500 sea elephants, every one of which was over two tons in weight, had been killed. Low Morale of Party "Gibbons had proved himself invaluable to the party, which appeared to have lost morale. Their clothes had fallen to pieces, but he had made suits for the men out of blankets. When they came on board the Hinemoa all had long hair, which had made for much-needed warmth, and they soon showed the eftects of good food. But, notwithstanding the fact that they were a party, almost every man spoke in a whisper. Certainly they had had two years of solitude, but I have never been able to understand why they Bpoke in whispers. Their own company should have guarded them against the common effects of isolation. "They had rendered down a lot or oil, but we did not wait to pick it up. Their method of getting the penguins was to make races up which a king penguin could lead a mob.' In 1910 the Jessie Niccol, having been repaired, went back to Macquarie in connection with the same venture, but she stranded and broke up on the beach: • She had been anchored in a roadstead when a change of wind made it necessary to shift her, but she missed stays and drifted ashore. Three lives were lost, including that of her master, Captain J. W. Holmes.