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The Madness from the Sea
RescuedSeamanRefusesParticularsofStrangeExperience.OddIdolFoundinHisPossession. InquirytoFollow.
TheMorrisonCo.’sfreighterVigilant,boundfromValparaiso,arrivedthismorningatitswharfinDarlingHarbour,havingintowthebattledanddisabledbutheavilyarmedsteamyachtAlertofDunedin, N.Z.,whichwassightedApril12thinS.Latitude34◦210,W.Longitude152◦170withonelivingandonedeadmanaboard.
TheVigilantleftValparaisoMarch25th,andonApril2ndwasdrivenconsiderablysouthofhercoursebyexceptionallyheavystormsandmonsterwaves. OnApril12ththederelictwassighted;andthoughapparentlydeserted, wasfounduponboardingtocontainonesurvivorinahalf-deliriousconditionandonemanwhohadevidentlybeendeadformorethanaweek. Thelivingmanwasclutchingahorriblestoneidolofunknownorigin,aboutafootinheight,regardingwhosenatureauthoritiesatSydneyUniversity,theRoyalSociety, andtheMuseuminCollegeStreetallprofesscompletebafflement, andwhichthesurvivorsayshefoundinthecabinoftheyacht,inasmallcarvedshrineofcommonpattern.
Thisman,afterrecoveringhissenses,toldanexceedinglystrangestoryofpiracyandslaughter. HeisGustafJohansen,aNorwegianofsomeintelligence,andhadbeensecondmateofthetwomastedschoonerEmmaofAuckland,whichsailedforCallaoFebruary20thwithacomplementofelevenmen. TheEmma,hesays,wasdelayedandthrownwidelysouthofhercoursebythegreatstormofMarch1st, andonMarch22nd,inS.Latitude49◦510W.Longitude128◦340,encounteredtheAlert,mannedbyaqueerandevil-lookingcrewofKanakasandhalf-castes.
