Times of the Islands Winter 2020/21

astrolabe newsletter of the Turks & Caicos National Museum
During their overnight stay in Blue Hills, the Dutch
sailors were put up in the local schoolhouse, then were
offered a local sailing boat for onward passage. At the
time, the government in the colonial capital of Cockburn
Town, Grand Turk reimbursed local sailors for providing
assistance to stranded sailors. They also reimbursed
Islanders for returning items salvaged from torpedoed
shipwrecks on the coast, though in some instances, items
like tinned food and clothing were simply taken and used.
The Islanders faced great difficulty finding a market
for the salt they harvested, due to the danger to ships
in exporting it. “Although demand was up, delivery of
salt became difficult. With an enemy presence in the
Caribbean and North American waters, steamers stopped
their business and export of salt to the eastern seaboard
dramatically declined.” As a result, skippers in Blue Hills
were eager to take the survivors east to the capital, with
or without direct payment from the Fauna captain.
The men set out for a longer voyage to South Caicos
Island. After two days, in daylight on May 21 they reached
Cockburn Harbour, South Caicos, which is also known as
East Harbour. Historian H. E. Sadler, in his study Turks
Islands Landfall confirms that, “The K.N.M.S. Steamer
Fauna, bound for Grand Turk with supplies, was a victim
of submarine attack, but her crew of 27 landed safely at
South Caicos.” The men remained on South Caicos for
a week. During that time, three of them—Rab, who had
an injured leg, Noordveld, who was burned, and Oiler
Johannes Stroomberg, who had a cut foot, were treated
for their wounds. After a period of recuperation, the men
all set off again on about May 27 for Cockburn Town,
Grand Turk, which was their original destination. Again,
the three injured men were treated, and again they opted
to remain and recover for a week.
In the capital town, some of the Fauna sailors were
put up in a guest house named the Dora Do Do on
Middle Street on Grand Turk. Built in the 19th century,
its matron was Dora Williams. Because she was believed
to practice Obeah, or Voodoo, her nickname was “Dora
Do Do.” Another establishment where they stayed was
the Coverley boarding house, owned and operated by
Felicia Grant and her husband Vincent Coverley. Probably
SHERLIN WILLIAMS
This old schoolhouse in Blue Hills, Providenciales, is where Fauna survivors were tended to in 1942.
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