Pete Cadova

According to the newspapers Pete Cadova came from Chile. How and when he arrived is a mystery. It is likely Pete was born as Pedro Cautivo, who changed his name when he settled in Western Australia to gain acceptance. He was a fin fisherman with a small open boat who lived in Cossack.

Reportedly Pete was a popular member of the rough and ready community of Cossack. He took his boat out into Hampton Harbour and fished for the people of Cossack, Roebourne and Point Sampson. Even so, the many newspapers' reports of his drowning provided no details.

In February of 1908 Pete was first to see a building fire late one night. Some of the occupants of the public house died, but Pete’s warning saved many more. He was commended by the authorities for alerting the fire brigade and police to the emergency, so the fire could be contained to one building.

On 17 October that year Pete left Cossack and put out for Point Samson. He was in the Hampton Harbour, between [what is now] Dampier and West Lewis Island. The weather became heavy overnight.

When there was no sign of Pete, concern was replaced by certainty that he had met with disaster. It was assumed his boat had been swamped or capsized in the heavy weather.

On 18 October Water Police Constable Rogers began a search of the harbour. He found Pete's sunk in three fathoms of water.

There was no sign of Pete and concern was replaced by certainty that Pete had drowned when his boat had been swamped or capsized in the heavy weather.

Police accelerated their searched along the shore. It was publicly known Pete could not swim, so the search was for his washed up remains.

Police Sergeant Pilmer of Roebourne reported Pete missing to his superior officers on 21 October. A month later Sergeant Pilmer reported a missing seaman from Cossack who could not swim. That was Frank Reid in his small open boat Pelsart.

Pete's body was not recovered and no trace of him was found.