LOST AT SEA.

The West Australian, Perth, Friday 12 February, 1909.

LOST AT SEA.

INCIDENT ON THE KOOMBANA.

DISAPPEARANCE OF A PASSENGER.

The auspicious circumstances under

which the Adelaide S.S. Company's new

liner Koombana arrived at Fremantle 

yesterday from Glasgow, via Capetown 

and Durban, were marred on the run 

across from the last-mentioned port by 

the mysterious disappearance of one 

of the passengers. On the arrival of the 

steamer at Durban, on January 27, she 

embarked a large number of people for 

Australian ports, and among them was a 

passenger named J. H. Taylor. Two days 

after departure from that port, January 30, 

he mysteriously disappeared, and, although

the ship was thoroughly searched, no trace 

could be found of him. He is said to have 

conversed but little with the other passengers, 

but, during the two days that he was with them, 

he informed some of them that he had been in

South Africa for some years, and had lost a lot 

of money. It was concluded that his losses had 

preyed on his mind, for his manner when 

conversing with passengers and when by 

himself was peculiar and eccentric. It is 

surmised that, in a fit of melancholia, Taylor 

jumped overboard during the night.

Inauspicious. A steamer marred by tragedy from the very first voyage.

Port Natal, Durban, 1909