AN ADVENTUROUS JOURNEY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10210, 21 February 1919, Page 6

AN ADVENTUROUS JOURNEY

Miss.B. A. Clarke, of Merivale; who left Christchurch in November, with the object of going to India, to inspect and study the leper hospitals there, arrived back in ChristohurcJi on Thursday, after a journey as full of incident as a journey of its kind could well be. Miss Clarke left New Zealand in the Manuka, and on her arrival at Sydney the ship was quarantined. "''After considerable delay, Miss Clarke"left Sydney in the Dutch steamer Houtman, for India, via Torres Strait. They enjoyed perfect weather, but after- passing the Great Barrier the ship struck Heat's Beef, within'fifty yards of the lighthouse, and stuck hard and , fast aground for two weeks. The day following the mishap, in answer to wireless, the Nikko Mar'u cams in sight, and stood by for a day and a half. The passengers of the Houtman—who 'had -been warned to put what valuables they could into a suit-case, in view of the possibility of having to take to the boats—were given an opportunity to tranship, but Captain Goldhouse had shown them so much consideration and had so inspired them with confidence that .they agreed..to stay on board the Houtman, with the exception of Miss Clarke, who could not atford anr further loss of time. The Nikko Maru having tried in vain to tow the Houtman off the reef, finally steamed for Thursday Island, where Miss Clarka was able to cable to her friends Upon making inquiries she was told that if she proceeded by way of H Singapore and Calcutta she would certainly again b» quarantined in both places, as the epidemic was very severe there. She therefore decided to give up her mission to India for tho time being, realising that further delay would mean that she could accomplish nothing before the hot season commenced. So after some interesting experiences amongst, the islands of Torres Strait she had the luck to get a oassago in a coastal boat back to Syd-ney-only to bo again held up-thistime hv the shipoing deadlock. However she has finally returned to New- Zealand for the time being, but the interest sho feels in these hospitals and the mission generally is so great that her visit to India is onlv postponed—not abandoned -and she was fortunate in being able, during her enforced 'stay in Sydney, to rouse much interest there.