Drums of Mer

Drums of Mer

Author	Ion Idriess
Country	Australia
Language	English
Genre	novel
Publisher	Angus and Robertson
Publication date	1933

Drums of Mer is a 1933 Australian novel by Ion Idriess set in the Torres Strait.^[1]

It was based on a true story about the survivors of the wrecked ship the Charles Eaton. The characters were composites of real people.^{[2] [3]}

Idriess later called the book "'a blood-thirsty thing, and it's told from the angle of the Torres Strait islanders. There are killings and wars and all sorts of horrible things in it, but it seems to appeal. I was a bit frightened at first, that the womenfolk would not like it. They seem to want it, however."^[4]

Adaptation

Sandy Harbutt planned to make a film version of it in the late 1970s but was unsuccessful.^[5]

References

1. "WHEN TERROR STALKED THROUGH TORRES STRAIT.". The Mail (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 14 October 1933. p. 7. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
2. Interview with Ion Idriess", ABC
3. "THE "CHARLES EATON."". The Sydney Gazette And New South Wales Advertiser. XXXIV, (2839) (New South Wales, Australia). 19 July 1836. p. 3. Retrieved 28 March 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
4. "WRITING AND TRAVEL.". The West Australian. XLIX, (9,794) (Western Australia). 18 November 1933. p. 14. Retrieved 17 April 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
5. 1977 Sydney Morning Herald accessed 18 August 2013