Madness Island

The book was based on a true incident that happened to Idriess. In 1923 he was marooned on Howick Island in Queensland with a friend he had gone prospecting with. The friend had a war injury which sent him mad and he tried to kill Idriess. Idriess kept a diary of his time on the island and used it as the basis for the book. He sold it to a publisher in 1925. Idriess fictionalised the story, including a subplot about opium smuggling. Owners name on first title page. HCDJ