THE SUPPOSED NEW ISLAND.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXIX, Issue 11125, 10 February 1886, Page 2

THE SUPPOSED NEW ISLAND.

+ (PER UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.) Auckland, February 6. The Star speoial reporters on board the chartered steamer Awhina searching for the wreck or island reported by Captain Savory, of the steamer Herald, telegraphed from Mongonui to»day aB follows;— " We have made a careful Bearch all tho way to Cape Maria Van Dieuian, and are satisfied tbat no wreckage has oome in that dilution, We reached the lighthouse last evening too late to land. This was owing to our detention at Auckland, for, if we had got away as arranged at noon, we should have had ample time to visit the Spot indicated by Captain Savory. Our shore men will havo the beach carefully searched for wreckage or survivors. Sunday was very dark, with occasional iight rain, and this morning the coast is covered with haze, and very heavy clouds are risiug from the northwards, I with every indication of a ohanga of weather. We shall endeavour to reach the supposed island or wreck this mom- ! ing, but the weather may thwart our movoa\ents. Should the object seen bea whale, a waterspout, a fog, or a mirage, aa some people surmise, we shall set all doubts at rest ; and if au ishnd, we are prepared to hoist the British pennant and annex it iv the name of Her _Taj sty. The master of the steamer Fingal, at Awanui, repoxta having visited several places on the East Ooast, and haviug soen no wreckage. Mr Shannon, a runholder between the North Cape and Ahipara, crime into the ktter settlement yesterday, having ridden along the beach be .ween Cape Maria and Ahipftra. He reports no sign of wreckage or upheaval, which the settlors or Maoris on the coast could not fail to have noticed if there had been any there. Tbe Maoris believe that the object seen by Captain Savory is an immense whale lost by them, to whioh they hung on for several hours till sunn down, when the monster was rapidly carrying them out to the Pacific. They then bad to cut ihe line to save themselves, and with some difficulty reached the shore next morning.