IN HANDS OF BLACKS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19269, 5 September 1924, Page 7

IN HANDS OF BLACKS.

DOUGLAS MAWSON SURVIVORS TWO WOMEN STILL ALIVE,, PrsM i.*aoeiation—By Telogroph—CopyrigM. MELBOURNE, September 4.;Private advice received from. Darwip states that the -whereabouts of the missing women from the Douglas Mawson haa been established. Both are still 'alive. STORY CONFIRMED. WOMEN SEEN A WEEK AGO. t . < MEI.BOXIRNE, September 4. , (Received Sept. 4, at 8 p.m.), - The Minister of Home Affaire (Senate? Pearce) has received an official message supporting tlve Eta-tement that the women from the Douglas Mawson are still alive. The message says that three Arnheitß- ; land natives stated that they had recently seen two white women, mother and dfuighter, alive amongst the Arnlveim tribesmen. The report from Darwin says that a ■ black boy from the scene of the- wreck of the Douglas Mawson brings the story of four men in a motor launch who landed from the wrecked steamer. Finding the locality unsuitable, they put to sea again. Tlve boat capsized, and all were drowned. Of the other survivors who reached tha shore all the males-were speared by the* blacks while they were asleep, and tb« two women were taken captive. The boy declared that he had seen these women alive about a week ago. ’ v ; EXPEDITION ARRIVES. FRIENDLY OVERTURES TO BE TRIED. MELBOURNE, September i. (Received Sept. 4, at 10 p.md One member of the Mawson rescue e*» pedition accompanied by several native?, hae gone into the locality where the wiomm are supposed to be captive, with a view to negotiating for their release. If friendly overtures fail the expedition will proceed • to search the country. In July last an unconfirmed story re- ' garding the fate of the crew and passenger* of the missing Douglas Mawson was told by the crew of the ketch Maakee. They stated that while they were at Cape Wu* berforce a- native informed a native member of the crew that the Douglas Mawson sank in a big storm, and that 1 the crew and passengers, including two white women, landed, and the men were speared and buried on the beach by blacks, lift women were taken captive. It was further stated that two white men later visited the blacks, and after taking a large sum of money which the blacks had taken from v the stranded people they departed, telling the natives not to talk, on- there would be trouble. A relief expedition, consisting of 20 men, under Colonel Storey, left Darwin in the Huddersfield on August 6, but made extremely slow progress, taking a week to • cover 200 miles. ' ‘