THE MISSING WARATAH.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2581, 16 August 1909, Page 5

THE MISSING WARATAH.

CABLE NEWS.'

A DISQUIETING REPORT.

RUMORED DISCOVERY OF BODIES.

tJfciTKD Press Association —Copyright LONDON, August 13. The cruiser Hermes is.searching for the Waratah in the south-eastern area already covered by the Pandora. CAPETOWN, August 13. The liner Insizwa reports passing four supposed bodies off the Bashee ..river, 80 miles north of East London.lt is also reported that bodies are being washed up at the Great Fish river, 100 miles further south. LONDON, August 13. Owing to the disquieting news brought to - Capetown by the steamer Insizwa, the reinsurances on the Waratah have risen 90 guineas. A steamer has gone to the Bashee river to search. MELBOURNE, August 14. The Tyser steamer Marere, which was in the vicinity of the Cape about the same time as the Waratah, reports that gales raged with great violence, and mountainous seas swept the Marere’s deck. \ AUCKLAND, August 14. A private cable states that Mrs F. Norris and Mr G. Norris who hooked at Napier for Capetown, and were passengers by the missing steamer War a-. tab, left the vessel at Durban. f

DISCOVERY OF BODIES DENIED. OBJECTS SEEN MERELY DEAD WHALE AND SKATES. (Received August 15, 5.5 p.m.) v CAPETOWN, August 14.

The reason of the Insizwa’s not investigating the supposed corpses was the roughness of the weather and a heavy deck cargo. The captain of the Insizwa, interviewed, said he was satisfied that what he saw were human bodies. Two were dressed in white and two in dark clothing. He thought it undesirable to pick them up on account of having lady passengers aboard. It is officially stated that the rumor that bodies were seen off Great Fish River is unfounded.

LONDON, August 14.

Reuter reports that vessels which arrived at East London saw pieces of a whale yesterday, off the Bashee River, followed by flocks of birds. A tug sent from East London in search of the supposed corpses off Bashe© River has returned, and reports that off Mazeppa Bay she observed birds over floating objects, resemhling bodies. Investigation revealed that they were dead skates. Otherwise nothing was seen. The police are patrolling the coast. (Received August 16, 1.10 a.m.)

EAST LONDON, August 15.

The tug’s search was fruitless, except for seeing in Mazeppa Bay floating objects of a most deceptive appearance, resembling bodies of"women, and men attired in dressing gowns, and which on investigation '''proved to be dead skates.