ISLAND VENTURES

Opunake Times, 16 August 1938, Page 3

ISLAND VENTURES

MAGQUARIE HISTORY

PENGUIN OIL INDUSTRY

Ventures to tropic isles, recall to the mind of an old Auckland seafarer, Mr. Jack Pierce, former efforts, to exploit , islands in the far south.

''Some time prior to 1910," he said, "a Bluff concern started a penguin oil industry on Macouarie 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 inter found an inhabitant or the island, which is. owned by the Government of Tasmania. The inhabitant was a man named Gibbons, a former sailor of the Koyal Navy who had sailed to the Antarctic with Shaekleton. On the return voyage of that explorer, Gibbons had ashed to be left at Macquarie on the understanding that he would be nicked un when Shnokleton went south asrain. Before then the penguin oil. party arrived, and when Shaekleton re.-aopeared Gibbons decided to remain on the island, which, perhaps, was fortunate for the party. Schooner Driven Back

"About tin time appointed the schooner Jessie Niccol sailed to brinn' back the men and the oil th"v had produced. She encountered adverse- weather and pventualb* limped back to Bluff in a h:idlv damaged condition. Prompt relief of the men was necessary, and it was arranged that the Government lisrhthouse steamer TTinemoa, on which T was serving, should do the job. About this time of the year, when the lavs are verv short in those latitudes, we sailed and picked up 'he men.

"They were in a low state, of health. For months they had had no flo.ur or sugar; in fact, all he provisions they had taken had wen exhausted. They had been uibsisting o." the tongues of se.a ■lephaiits. These huge creatures (line on to the beaches, and ■very morning three or tour me.n n-ere detailed to go out on a kill ;ng expedition. The tongue was lie only part of the beast that f.hev thought was eatable.; and

»v the time ihe Tlinemoa arrived 10 less than 500 sea elephants., very one o.f which was over two ons in weight, had bee.n killed. Low Morale of Party

'"Gibbons had proved himself invaluable to the party, which anpeared 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 soon showed the effects of good food. But, notwithstanding the fact that they were a party, almost every man spoke in a whisper. Certainly they had had two vears of solitude, but I have never been able to understand why they snoke in whispers. Their

own companv should have guarded them against the common effects, of isolation. "They had rendered down a lot of oil, but we did not wait to pick it up. Their method of getting the pen-mins was to make races m> which a king penguin could lead a mob." Tn 1010 the Jessie Niccol, haviusr been reuaired. went bark to Macqunrie in. connection, with the same venture, but she stranded and broke up on the beach. She had bee'; anchored in. a roadstead when a change of wind made it necessary to shift her, bul she missed stays and drifted ashore. Thr»e lives were lost, inclndin"' thai of her master, Captain .1. W. Holmes•