Darling Downs Gazette, 16 April, 1912.
THE LOST KOOMBANA
CHINESE SEER'S WEIRD STORY.
OF 'BIG SHIP GO DOWN.'
Is there, among the Chinese an occultist
—a student of .things hidden. Many
European residents in China think
there is. Whatever may be the power
of this Chinaman, the following incident
can at least be classed as a weird
happening.
While the Blue Funnel steamer Gorgon
was berthed at Singapore preparatory
to her usual trip to Australia, one of the
ship's Chinese boys accosted Mr.
W. E. Collins, the purser. That was
on March 22. 'Mr. Collins,' said the
boy, 'big blow has happened off Balla
Balla and Port Hedland. Big ship go
down,' added the boy, pointing
significantly down with his finger.
Mr. Collins was inclined to be amused.
'What ship was it?' he asked. 'Don't
know,' replied the ? boy, 'perhaps it was
the Mindoroo.'
Mr. Collins soon convinced the Chinese
that it could not be the Minderoo as she
had not even sailed from Fremantle.
'How do you know?' asked the purser.
The boy was evasive in his reply,
and said nothing, beyond that all the
Chinese in Singapore knew about the
event. This story soon got round
Singapore, but when it was found that no
news had come from Australia, the
agents for the Minderoo, not having
any information, the storm yarn wore
itself out.
Next day the Gorgon sailed for Australia,
via Java, arriving at the latter country three
days later. On her arrival Captain Townley
received a cable from Australia, asking him
to look out for any signs of the missing steamer
Koombana on his way down to Broome
It was then that the ship heard the news
of the great storm on. the N.W. coast.
This story is all the more remarkable owing
to the fact that the loss of the steamer was
reported by the boy on March. 22. And yet
there was no real uneasiness on the coast
as to the whereabouts of the Koombana until
March 25. The Koombana sailed from Port
Hedland on her last trip on March 20.
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| SS Gorgon - courtesy flotilla Australia |
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