["Was it a Koombana Signal?", The Hedland Advocate (Port Hedland, WA), Saturday ?20 April 1912]
A reputable resident of Broome, under date of April 13, states that he obtained the following statement from a drover named Olive, who is proceeding from Croydon station to Mr. Davies' station near Derby:
"On a Wednesday evening, about three weeks ago, I was camped at Boyer's, on the rabbit proof fence, about 30 miles north of Condon, and between 8 and 9 in the evening I saw two rockets go up at sea, the direction being about north-west. There was a terrific hurricane that evening, and nearly the whole of the next day." Our informant states he has no doubt as to the truth of the statement, but the man was unable to judge how far away the signals should be.
[The directions in which these signals were seen coincides with the position in which nautical men claim the Koombana went down, although it lends color to the impression that the unfortunate vessel came to grief much nearer land than many seamen contend. A seaman whose opinion (by reason of his experience of the locality) is well worth listening to, asserts that, in his opinion, the Koombana will be found in 8 or 10 fathoms of water, near Bedout Island.--Ed.]
