The Wide World - February 1954

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“It was a truly beautiful tree.”’

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‘A delightful story told by the ee known British liner. He for obvious reasons all 24th, 19—, Capt. Jan Pietma, master of the twenty-thousahd-ton Dutch liner Netherlanda, had many things on his mind, but at the moment the thought that was uppermost seemed almost as important as the safety of his fine ship. : The Netherlanda. was neari New York, wih Nantucket Light well behind, and the Captain was desperately anxious to be moored in at his berth. He had been forcing speed most of the way across the Atlantic, but during the past couple of hours his continual de- mands for more and more “ revs,’ had been calculated to upset the mental stability of the Chief Engineer. The Captain’s behaviour, in- deed, filled the Chief with pent-up exasperation, but he only replied doggedly: “I’m giving you all I can. She’s up to her limit.” Had it not been that, knowing the underlying reason, he’d felt some sympathy with ‘‘ Old Jan’s ” demands for greater speed, the telephone would probably have broken down under his retorts. What was the reason for this furious haste ? There was no desperately-ill passenger aboard, and although Christmas was very close, a more leisurely pace would have given plenty of time to dock-in welf ahead of the ordinary festivities of the season. Which brings us to the point. , former captain of a well- vouches for the facts, but names have been changed. Captain Pietma was bent on indulging in festi- vities that he intended to be extraordinary! At that period it was the pleasant custom of the New York Harbour Authority to award a prize of one thousand dollars every Christmas Eve to the ship that had the best Christmas tree set. up on board and properly decorated by 5 p.m., at which time all lights were switched on and judging took place. For years ‘Old Jan” had longed to win this prize—not only for the honour of his ship and country, but because he himself loved Christmas and all that went with it. So far, however, he had never been able to achieve his ambition; the “ Office ” or the Agent hadn’t been sufficiently helpful, or else he hadn’t been in New York over the holiday. This year everything had at first seemed quite promising ; but for a number of days now Jan’s anxiety had been mounting. Trouble began in Amsterdam, when he dis- covered that the Office had made no arrange- ments for him to take a tree on board there, thus enabling its possi- bilities to be assessed and certain decorations carried out or planned while the ship was on the way across the Atlantic. More- over, they had _ failed to provide decorations or

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200 anything that would be useful for improvisa- tion. The Captain was furious; had he not re- minded them at least half a dozen times? As his anger mounted, the people at the Office en- deavoured. to calm him down by promising to cable the New York Agent immediately with orders to have a special tree and appropriate decorations waiting at the docks, ready to be in- stalled at the earliest possible moment that Jan could arrive. The master’s annoyance was only partly mollified,. however, and instead of tendering the usual seasonal greetings as he left headquarters, he bluntly expressed the hope that, if his tree failed to come up to expectations, they would all choke over their Christmas dinners! Bad luck dogged the Netherlanda on the run, for fog laid its restraining hand on her for. some twelve hours, and only: constant harrying of the overwrought engine-room staff had brought them in almost on time. The recollection of all these matters still filled Captain Pietma’s mind when the liner finally berthed. It was just on 8 a.m., and every member of the ship’s company had already been warned there would be no shore-leave until after 5 p.m., as they would all need to work like galley-slaves if the Treé was to be ready in time. As an incentive and consolation, ‘‘ Old Jan” promised that the prize, if they were lucky enough to win it, would be divided amongst the crew This had a most heartening effect upon the men, who really loved Old Jan despite his odd foibles and occasional violent language— perhaps even because of them! - The first half-hour after berthing-in was fully occupied by the usual filling-in of papers and other routine matters—all rushed through at top speed. Then Jan laid down his pen and looked up at the Agent, “‘ Vhere iss my tree?” he demanded, abruptly. “Iss it all ready ?” ‘Your tree, Captain?” echoed the Agent, blankly. ‘“‘ What tree?” “My Christmas tree, you fool!” stormed Old Jan. “The tree the idiots in Amsterdam forgot—the tree they cabled you to get. Vhere iss it?” The official’s face lighted up. “Oh yes, Captain!” he replied. “I received the cable— but it came too late. With the Christmas rush on I could do nothing in these last few days.” As this news slowly sank in, Captain Piet- ma’s rugged countenance positively began to glow with the fierce red flame of his ‘anger, which finally erupted over the defaulting Agent. It was well for the latter that Old Jan’s sense of urgency was so great; after a volcanic outburst lasting several minutes he strode off to make his own investigations. CAPTAIN JAN GETS BUSY _ Now it so happened that-my ship was berthed not far from Netherlanda. Jan had already spotted her, and since we’d always been good friends it occurred to him to come over and unburden himself to me. He felt he needed sympathy! {»? THE WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE I was on the promenade deck when he hove into view, and one glance at his familiar figure made it abundantly clear that something was gravely amiss. His usual jaunty step was lack- ing; instead, he appeared to be trampling snakes under his feet and grinding them in the dust, while at closer range the frown on his brow spoke volumes.- Forthwith I hailed him and in- vited him aboard, meeting him at the gangway head.. After the usual greetings, I led the way down to my quarters. Jan sank heavily into a chair. “ My goot friendt,” he began, ‘‘I vant to speak vith you most seriously and get your help. I of imbeciles the victim am!” “ Glad to be of any assistance I can,” z told “What do you want, Jan?” “Vell, I cannot tell you all until I haf been reinforced by a goot trink, Captain. Ja, a goot him. - trink!” Realizing the urgency of the situation, I soon placed before him a selection of beverages accredited with the power to cheer, Then, amid occasional splutters of indignation, Jan related his tale of woe, the greatest scorn being be- stowed equally upon the “ Offiss ” people in Am- sterdam and the staff of the New York Agent. He summed them all up as incompetent fools. I duly sympathized with him, agreeing.that office people ashore were the bane of every master mariner’s life, but I added my doubts as to whether I could give him much help in the matter. “Ah, but you can, my goot friendt!” he assured me, earnestly. “Listen! You can help me because your goot ship vill never take the prize anyway, for you British do not love Christ- mas like the Dutch or the Chermans or the Scandinavians. You vill not spend the money to make a tree vorthy of the spirit of happy Christmas.” _ It hadn’t appeared to me that Jan had been revealing much of this “ happy Christmas spirit ” towards the office-wallahs he’d just been cursing so roundly, and I said so. Captain Pietma shook his head. ‘“Ah, my goot friendt, again you are wrong! I haf inside me” (here he beat on his chest) “a goot and noble purpose. | shall teach them a lesson! I am going to get a tree. Do you hear, my friendt? Iam going to get a tree!” “But how can you do that, Jan?” I asked, in astonishment. “ Here we are, past 9 o’clock in the morning, on Christmas Eve, with all work soon closing down or already closed. Itcan’t be done, Jan!” “No? Vell, it’s going to be done!” retorted Jan.. “But how? Are you going to hire a gang to hold up the Central Park staff while you chop down a tree and rush it away?” Jan looked shocked at my levity. “My friendt,” he said, severely, “I do not vant to class you ‘vith the Offiss stafis! Still, -I forgiff you, for you do not yet know my plan. No; I do it by all fair means possible—and only foul if I haf to! Listen! Didn't you tell me

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CAPTAIN JAN’S’ CHRISTMAS-TREE vonce that you knew some of the people in the Forestry Offiss?” | I nodded. “Vell, I ask you to come vith me now to see them, and vhen I tell them about these fools and imbeciles, they vill gif me a tree! Vill you come ?” . Although I had little hope of success I readily consented, sensing some excitement and probably a bit of fun. It would certainly be interesting to see to what lengths Old Jan would go in order to fulfil his ambition. “Goot!” said Jan, smiling happily. ‘ You vait here. I go to get taxi for us.” With that he hurried ashore. He was back again in only a matter of minutes—with a most resplendent limousine. I couldn’t help remarking, “ My word, Jan; that’s a: swell automobile you’ve hired! It’s going to cost you muchee-muchee dollars.” “The Offiss vill pay for it,’ he. replied, grinning. “‘ This iss the beginning of the lesson I told you about. I haf hired it for five hours— maybe six.” We drove first to the Netherlanda, and at his invitation I went abeard with him, Forthwith he began a furious ringing of bells and shouting over the telephone, bringing along to one of the big saloons the purser and his assistants, the bo’sun, the heads of all departments—engineers, stewards, deck-hands, electricians, etc., etc. Directly they were assembled the Captain rapped out his orders. A numerous party was told off to ransack the city for Christmas decorations of every kind—paper-chains, streamers, glass balls, “A final volcanic outburst.”’ 201 and electric globes of every colour. No likely emporium was to be missed, from the largest to the smallest. Meanwhile, the clerical staff be- gan a feverish making-out of official orders for goods—all to be charged against the New York “ Offiss ’—and the purser handed out a large number of dollar bills of goodly denominations to help ease matters where necessary.

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THE WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE ANOTHER SHOCK FOR THE AGENT This part of the preparations having been set in motion, Jan indicated that our next move was a dash to the Agent’s “‘ Offiss.” This gentleman had been gradually recovering from the Captain’s verbal onslaught of an hour earlier, but experienced an immediate relapse upon sighting him again so speedily, He was in no condition to expostulate when Jan announced his intention of ordering anything and everything he needed for Christmas and charging to the ‘“ Offiss.” At that moment, indeed, the poor fellow seemed willing even to agree to his own execution—if this marine firebrand would only go away! Our next call was on the Forestry people—where, by great good luck, we found several of the men I knew best. Jan quickly explained the situation to a most sympathetic audience, but it was undoubtedly his own almost childlike enthusiasm and sincerity that really carried the day. They willingly agreed to sell him a tree—there was a fine wood about a dozen miles out where he could take his choice—but the snag was labour, both to fell the tree and transport it to the ship, for most of their men were already on holiday. They could, however, supply a long tree-trailer and tractor, and thought they could find a driver. If the Captain could get, say, forty of his crew along, and the sailors wouldn’t mind helping ? “They vill; Ill see to that!” declared Jan, triumph- antly. Thereupon our good friends put through a few hasty *phone calls. The first secured the tractor, tree-trailer, and a driver, while another, to a local bus firm, succeeded in en- gaging a vehicle to proceed to the ship to collect the men. Jan and I dashed off in the limousine in order to get there first. Back at the ship there was no lack of volunteers for the tree-felling job; sailorlike, the men regarded it as a sort of picnic, The kitchen staff were somewhat depressed at having to be left- behind, but nobly fell to work preparing moun- tainous piles of sandwiches to sustain the seamen while away, and consoled themselves by planning a suitable repast with which to greet the rest of the crew upon their return from their various missions. Having left the men to follow in the bus, the Captain and I went back in the limousine to the Forestry Office, where a senior official had volunteered to accompany us to the wood and smooth out any difficulties we might encounter. Arrived at the plantation, we found plenty of the good will and helpfulness characteristic of the American people. It was evident, however, that the Head Forester was decidedly shaken when Jan, ignoring the more orthodox trees brought to his notice, selected as his choice a huge spruce about sixty feet high! But he soon wore down the. startled opposition, and the tree undoubtedly had one great advantage, being in an easy position for felling. A few minutes later the bus arrived with its load of over fifty sailors—all in the highest spirits—who quickly demon- strated the well-known adaptability of men of the sea. Under the Head Forester’s directions they seemed to become trained lumber-jacks within a matter of minutes, and in less than half an hour the tree was lying exactly where its fall had been planned. Then came the job of getting it on to the trailer, but this was just child’s play to these cheery lads. Old Jan wanted his tree, and he was going to get it! So, amid tre- mendous cheers, the big spruce was presently safely cradled on the trailer. Once it was there the problem represented by its gigantic size seemed to occur to all of us at the same moment. How on earth was it to be got through the crowded streets of New 202 York, full of all the extra traffic of Christmas Eve? But our Forestry Office friends, well aware of the difficulties, must have been thinking ahead, for there suddenly appeared a double patrol of police on their motor-cycles, in charge of another old acquaintance of mine, Lieut. O’Hara—as Irish as they make ’em! The story was hur- riedly unfolded to him, and at the end I had a chance to whisper that Old Jan was a Catholic like himself, and anxious to give Christmas its proper due. That clinched matters! “It’s meself that’ll see ye get through,” declared O’Hara. “ By the saints, we will!” Having instructed the tractor-driver as to the best route to take, the Lieutenant dispatched two of his men to race ahead and arrange for traffic to be held up directly the tree reached certain points. “ Stop it all, me bhoys, and clear the way as if it was for St. Patrick himself!”? was his final shout. . We were now ready to move off, but the sailors begged to be allowed to ride on the tree rather than return by bus. Jan and the Forestry Official agreed, amid cheers, since they would come in useful to hold down the spreading branches. We formed a decidedly imposing procession. Lieut. O’Hara led the way, with two policemen; imme- diately behind came the tractor, with

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CAPTAIN JAN’S CHRISTMAS-TREE ‘** Our tree swept several of them into their trench.”’ trailer and tree, and—disposed among the branches like monkeys—over fifty stalwart sons of the Netherlands. There followed the re- splendent limousine, containing our friend the senior Forestry Official, Jan, and myself; four more police motor-cyclists ranged alongside, while the rear was brought up by the empty bus. Its driver had turned down a suggestion that he should get away ahead, for, being another Irish- man, he wanted to see the fun. He was grinning all over his face—especially after receiving Jan’s tip. Captain Pietma, in fact, had been handing out largesse all round on such a scale that, if it constituted part of his lesson to the “ Offiss,” I 203 reckoned it was going to be a mighty expensive one for them! What she'd tipped the tractor- driver and police- escort could only be imagined, but our procession set off at the top speed of which the tractor was cap- able. I found it comforting to re- member that the crew on the tree had been well in- structed in the use of the trailer handbrakes, so that, if occasion arose, these could be applied with full vigour of brawny muscles. A TRIUMPHAL PROGRESS It must have been about 12.30 when we reached the main part of the city. |The Streets were absolutely packed, and my heart sank. But Lieut. O’Hara had the situation well in hand, and show- ered invectives on all whom .he deemed to be slow of movement or of intellect. The New Yorkers be- gan to enjoy this free show, and crowds followed in our wake to ob- serve our progress through the streets. At one point we had a spot of bother; some workmen, digging a trench in the road, stubbornly refused to stand far enough back from it. As our tree brushed past, it swept several of them into their trench, shovels and all, to the huge delight of the onlookers. Things were worst down at the water-front, where the traffic was particularly dense, but again Lieut. O’Hara proved equal to every emer- gency, and truculent. lorry-drivers, wilting under his flow of language, drew meekly in to the road- sides, leaving sufficient passage-way for us to get through. And so, at last, we all arrived safely at the Netherlanda.

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204 Now began the real work on the tree, under Old Jan’s constant supervision. The members of the shopping expedition had returned from the city, and an examination of their booty proved that the various stores had been well and truly ransacked. It was now 1.30 p.m., but Jan announced that lunch couldn’t be thought of while there still remained the tremendous task of decorating that colossal tree before 5 p.m. I found myself caught up in the general feeling of excitement on board, but Jan hustled me off into the limousine again (after its return from taking the Forestry Official home at “ Offiss”’ expense) and we dashed away for a quick view of all the other ships, “’To see vot they are doing, so that ve can do better,” as Jan ex- pressed it. He was something of an artist in his own way, and made quick notes of the details he liked best. By the time we returned to the Netherlanda the derricks had been made ready for lifting the tree into position on the for’ard deck, and-the crew seemed bursting with energy to get on with the job. There was no doubt their hearts were in it, but during Jan’s absence they had received even more fortifying stimulus, for the chef and kitchen staff, ably coached by Emil, the grizzled old bo’sun, had rushed through a hasty “ snack ” for lunch—only about five courses—and the whole crew, together with the police, the tractor- driver, and the bus-driver, had managed to dis- pose of the feast in record time. Miracles seemed to follow, for under Jan’s direction that tree was standing in place, well braced, and with its base secured, within half an hour. At this juncture a steward ventured to inform Old Jan that, lunch was ready for us, but the Captain, believing the crew were still fasting, felt he must suffer with them, He in- sisted, however, that I should go down. I greatly enjoyed that leisurely lunch, meanwhile listening to the steward’s story of the crew’s “ quick snack,” which took him quite a long time to de- scribe in detail. Eventually feeling much fortified, I re- joined Jan, passing through the big lounge where some of the crew were busily cutting out in gold paper the letters forming the word Netherlanda and joining them together. Having thanked Jan for the excellent lunch, I was at last permitted to return to my own ship—but not on my feet. Jan waved a lordly hand, and the limousine drove up. When I protested he told me blandly: “T hire it for six hours. The Offiss pay for it. I teach them!” Back on my own ship, it was quite obvious that Jan’s prediction would prove correct; although ours was quite a nice tree, it would stand no chance against his for the prize. Even before I had left the Netherlanda various pro- fessional experts had begun work on the decora- tions, lured to the ship by the tempting offers made by the morning’s. shopping-force, THE TREE I busied myself with various neglected Christmas duties, but just before 5 p.m. word THE WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE anto the poor homes. was brought down that Jan’s limousine again awaited me, and I returned in luxury to the Netherlanda. Jan greeted me with overflowing exuberance. “Ah, my goot friendt,’” he cried, “Now you vill see the most beautiful Christmas tree in the vorld!” My first glance at that wonderful effort almost awed me—it seemed something far more impressive than just a big Christmas-tree; there was inspiration behind it! _ The judges’ verdict was announced at 6 o’clock, the prize being inevitably awarded to Netherlanda, and for once all the other ships acclaimed the decision. It was a truly beautiful tree. Myriads of electric lights on the branches and right down to the base glowed with every colour of the rainbow. The name of the ship was displayed in four panels of gold lettering, facing in each direction, while on the topmost point there shone a huge Star of Bethlehem. Coloured balls swinging gently in the breeze, re- flected the brighter lights of the lamps; flood- lighting, cleverly concealed, bathed the whole structure in a soft, silvery radiance, like moon- light. I have never seen anythirig so magnifi- cent, We stood in silence while, from a German liner lying nearby, there. came the strains of “Holy Night,” sung with all the impassfoned tenderness of that musical nation. As the sing- ing ended, the orchestra of Netherlanda began to play that gem from Maritana, “The Man- sions of the Blest.”” When it finished, I turned to shake Old Jan’s hand. He returned the pres- sure with more than his usual heartiness; then, still holding my hand, he gazed up at the stars, so bright in the frosty air, and murmured, “ Goot friendt, ‘The Mansions of the Blest’ ibe is there, looking down, and she is happy, too!” : For a moment I failed to grasp his mean- ing; then, while he still remained silent, my eye caught sight of two large gold letters near the base of the tree—an “L” and a “J,” linked together by a golden heart. In a flash I remem- bered that, five years previously, Jan had lost his wife, Lena, sweetheart of his boyhood. Suddenly he turned and grasped my other hand, saying in his usual cheerful voice: “ And there is another thing that vill make her happy. The crew, they vill not take the prize money for themselves; they haf already decided. They go now down to the Bowery and the Bronx and | There they vill give money to the mothers and the babies and the. old people. But they vill tell the children to be ready to-morrow, vhen the buses come to bring them to the ship for a big party we haf planned. | The Christmas-tree vill not be complete until the children come. Some of the men are ashore already, buying the presents and the cakes and the sweets, and: arranging for the buses. The Offiss vill pay for all that! Those fools vill not again forget my Christmas-tree!”’ I am quite certain they didn’t!

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HE crack night ex- press from San Fran- cisco to Los Angeles had crossed the long grade over the dreary reaches of By KENNETH KING The “ Lone Wolf *” was Roy Gardner, a remark- able American criminal who has been described as the last of the Western “ bad men.” Special- izing in daring mail-robberies, invariably carried out single-handed, he achieved nation-wide notoriety by a series of spectacular escapes from prison. Although his raids netted him several hundred thousand dollars, Gardner died miser- ably by his own hand, with only a few shillings in his pockets, demonstrating once again that raised his. arms above his head. He had a shrewd suspicion as to the identity of this steely- eyed bandit; there were not many hold-up artists des- perate enough to inter- fere with the United States mail. Tehachapi Pass and was clicking merrily down into the Mojave Desert. Nothing unusual had happened, and now the train was slowing to its last stop for water before travelling on to Los Angeles. It was half-past two in the morning when it slid smoothly to a halt. The postal clerk in the forward mail-car had just about finished his sorting. The striped grey sacks which carried the registered mail held letters containing more than a hundred thousand dollars (£33,000) in cheques, cash, and postal orders. The door of the mail-car stood open, for the night was warm in the Cali- fornian desert, and the weary clerk, stretching his arms to flex the muscles, was suddenly startled to .hear a sharp, soft command coming from the direc- tion of the opening be- hind him. “Stick *em up— and keep ’em up!” The clerk whirled round to see a man, medium-sized, strongly built and broad- chested, with a thin, determined face shad- owed by a black soft hat. The intruder was holding a levelled snub- nosed revolver, and looked exactly the kind of person who would not hesitate to pull the trigger. The clerk ** crime doesn’t pay.” Roy Gardner wearing the “ plug” hat regarded as his trade-mark. The intruder lost not a moment. “ Kneel down!” he commanded, curtly. The postal man complied, and in two minutes he was trussed up and helpless, with a gag in his mouth. Then, swiftly and coolly, the bandit seized the bags of registered mail. The train started at that moment, but as it gathered speed, the robber, completely unruffled, tossed the bags out of the door and finally dropped off himself. The whole operation had taken less than ten minutes, By the time the postal clerk had worked himself loose from his bonds and started a hue and cry, the mys- terious thief had van- ished as though. into thin air, taking with him the precious con- tents of the mail-sacks, The identity of the perpetrator. of this daring raid was no mystery to next morn- ing’s newspapers, which bore great black head- lines—“ ROY GARD- NER STRIKES AGAIN ”—and_ went on to detail the latest crime of this most spectacular of modern Western. “bad men.” For here was one more of a long series of startling exploits by this extraordinary ban- dit — Roy Gardner, hold-up man, train- robber, and escapolo-

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206 THE WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE gist par excellence. His latest raid was all the more audacious because, at that moment, he was being hunted by the police of three States—not to mention the Federal authorities—because he had recently escaped from the officers who were es- corting him to durance vile in the Federal peni- tentiary at McNeil’s Island, Washington, after conviction on another charge of mail-robbery. A STRANGE CHARACTER The entire career of Roy Gardner marks him as one of the most colourful—and enig- matic—of latter-day “bad men.” Making his spectacular coups, in the ’twenties and early ‘thirties, when organized gangsterism was at its height in America, Roy Gardner was not a mem- ber of a gang, but earned his notoriety as a “‘lone wolf” of crime. Indeed, except in cases where other prisoners joined him in escapes, he invari- ably avoided accomplices, never associated with gangsters, and carried out all his “ jobs ” strictly on his own. A remarkable feature of his opera- tions was the fact that he never made any attempt at disguise—no masks, handkerchiefs, false beards, or any of the other devices so beloved by fiction- writers, Indeed, he habitually wore the same black “ plug” hat, which came to be regarded as his trade-mark. And although he frequently brandished a wicked-looking revolver to in- timidate his victims, he never shot anybedy nor, so far as is known, ever even fired the weapon. Except for his spells in prison, there was seldom a dull moment in the life of this “ last of the Western train-robbers,” as Gardner has been called. He started out early on his career of crime; as a mere ‘boy he was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment in the reformatoary at Boone- ville, Missouri, the State in which he was born, on a charge of burglary. After re- lease, he drifted west- ward. Arrived in Den- ver, Colorado, he walked into a jewellery shop and asked to look at some rings. Shown a, collection, he boldly seized the whole tray, dashed out of the shop, eluded his pursuers, and made a clean getaway. After hiding for awhile, he pawned the gems in various places, and finally reached San Francisco, From then on the Pacific Coast was the scene of his most notorious exploits. Gardner started off in his new location in a modest way, joining the United States Army and falling into the habit of gambling on pay- day. On one occasion he was caught cheating and, realizing that henceforth he would be a marked man, he deserted. Proceeding to Mexico —then in the throes of one of its many revolu- tions—he worked for awhile in the mines. Accused of turning a dishonest penny by smug- gling arms to the revolutionists, he was sentenced to be shot by a firing-squad. This looked like an untimely end to a promising criminal career, but Roy Gardner soon showed the Mexicans his mettle. The night before his execution he feigned sickness, overpowered the sentry, made his escape from the other guards, and worked his way back to the United States. He first broke into the newspaper head- lines with a daring robbery perpetrated at Glindemann’s jewellery store, on Market Street, San Francisco. At the height of the Christmas shopping season, Gardner,..coolly entered the shop and asked to see some diamond rings; Mr. Glindemann showed him the rings, but after looking them over Gardner*said he could not make up his mind, but would return in a day or **He promptly seized the tray and dashed out of the shop! ”

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two. He came back at a particularly busy moment on December’ 22nd. When the sales- man placed a tray containing twenty-three dia- mond rings before him, the bandit snatched it up, dashed out of the door, turned into the ad- joining shop, ran right through it to another street, then west to Powell Street, where he had the misfortune to run into the arms of Policeman Fella, and was promptly arrested. When sentencing Gardner to five years in San Quentin Prison, Judge Lawlor observed that the robber had shown ‘ ‘great boldness and some in- genuity,” adding that there was evidence of “ ex- tensive deliberation.” ‘These elements continued to characterize the amazing exploits of Roy Gardner; his crimes were all carefully planned and executed with the utmost audacity, combined with split-second timing. A SPELL OF HONESTY The convicted robber entered San Quentin Prison on February 16th, 1911, and during his so- journ there he gave no trouble whatever, adjusting “LONE WOLF ” 207 himself to the routine and occupying himself with studying electricity. Earning a parole in 1913, he worked first in a copper mine and then in the shipyards at Richmond, California, where he made considerable progress towards becoming an honest citizen, working off his surplus energy and gaining opportunities. for attracting the attention he obviously craved by making short speeches to assist the sale of War Bonds to the shipyard workers during the first World War. So long as hostilities continued Gardner found a law-abiding life interesting and satisfying, but directly the war was over he wearied of his hum- drum existence. Starting out once more on a career of wrong-doing, he soon got his name on the front pages of the newspapers as a “ one- man crime-wave.” On April 28th, 1920, he was arrested for the hold-up of a mail- -méssenger in San Diego, California, Observing the messen- ger in the post-office, registering a shipment of $75,000 (£25,000) in cash and securities, he climbed aboard the rear of a lorry as it left the post-office, held up the driver, and made his escape with the precious mail-sack, But luck was against Gardner on this occasion. He was ob- served burying his loot, arrested, tried, and sentenced to serve twenty-five years in the Federal penitentiary at McNeil’s Island. This may seem a stiff sentence, but tam- pering « with the mails is one of the most serious of- fences in the U.S. calendar, On June 7th, 1920, two United States marshals took Gardner aboard a_ train with a court order to deliver him to the Warden at McNeil’s Island. As the train ap- proached __ Port- land, Oregon, Gardner — who had been quite docile up to this time — suddenly caught the mar- shal on duty off guard, grabbed his gun, took his keys, and compelled another prisoner to unlock his leg- irons and hand- cuffs. Then he calmly manacled both marshals to the steam-pipes with their own handcuffs, put out the lights; stepped off the train

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208 THE WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE when it reached Portland, and vanished into the darkness! Flitting like a wraith through Oregon, he went northward into Canada and eastward as far as Towa, later doubling back to the Pacific Coast, where he worked at odd jobs without attracting notice. If he had been content to remain honest he might have kept out of sight indefinitely—but that was not Roy Gardner’s way! Before long he held up another postal clerk in Roseville, California, getting away with a registered sack full of currency. It was at this time that he perpetrated the daring robbery of the San Francisco—Los Angeles express described at the beginning of this article. Caught while “ sitting- in” at a poker game in Roseville, he was brought to trial, pleaded guilty, and received another twenty-five years’ sentence to be served at Mc- Neil’s Island. This time the United States marshal charged with his transport to jail determined to take no chances; he chose two experienced deputies and gave them detailed instructions con- cerning their elusive prisoner. ‘These officers searched Gardner, handcuffed him, and also fitted him with an ‘‘Oregon boot ”’—a steel device weighing twenty pounds. When attached to the prisoner’s leg this does not hurt him, but makes it decidedly difficult for him to move about. Observing every precaution they could think of, they watched him narrowly on the train and got as far as Portland without any trouble arising. Shortly after leaving Portland, Gardner asked permission to wash his hands. Bending over the basin, he pulled out a revolver which had been strapped to his body under his Roy Gardner at the time he was committed to MeNeil’s Island Federal Penitentiary. up!” shirt, whirled round, covered the amazed depu- ties, and gave the curt command: “Stick ’em Then he directed the other prisoner who was with him to slide down from the upper berth where he was lying, take the officers’ keys, and unlock the “Oregon boot.” After hand- cuffing the deputies, the two prisoners took their money! When the train slowed at Castle Rock, Washington, they switched off the lights and jumped out into the darkness. The other man was recaptured almost immediately—but not Gardner! He remained at liberty for a few days, but was finally arrested and—at long last— delivered to McNeil’s Island. There Gardner brazenly told the Warden that he did not intend to remain very long! The prison-officers, re- membering that he had twice escaped en route, kept a close watch on him, but in spite of his declaration he settled down quietly and gave no trouble whatever. ANOTHER ESCAPE! The first Monday in September—Labour Day—is a public holiday, and on that particular day, September 5th, 1921, the prisoners.had a welcome respite from their dreary routine and were allowed to enjoy the privilege of watching a game of baseball. Gardner, like all the rest, seemed to be engrossed in the excitement of the contest. But his mind was evidently elsewhere, for just at the most thrilling moment of the game he and two other prisoners made a des- perate dash from the field. The armed guards in the watchtowers promptly opened fire, and Gard- ner’s two companions were laid low, but he got through the fence unharmed, eluded his pur- suers, slipped into the water, swam to the main- land, and vanished ! This bold prison-break left the prison officials momentarily stunned, but they speedily took action, and the entire police machinery of the Coast was put into action to recapture the bandit. Newspapers gave front-page headlines to this latest feat of the colourful Gardner, and presently something most sensational occurred; even as a fugitive the man showed his thirst for publicity. Extraordinary to relate, he began sending letters to a journalist on the staff of the San Francisco Bulletin, and these were published as “ Gardner’s Own Story” of the spectacular escape! The letters were posted at widely-separated places whose names were not divulged by the newspaper. They revealed the almost-unparalleled effrontery of the man, show- ing that he took pride in his self-elected role as a ““lone wolf ” of crime and gloried in outwitting the forces of law and order. Here, it seerns, is the key to this strange man’s character and outlook. For several months Gardner remained at liberty, although the hunt continued with un- abated energy. ‘Then, on November 15th, he once more figured in the headlines. Making one of his spectacular appearances in a mail-car at Phenix, Arizona, intending to rob it, he received a nasty shock when the postal clerk, Herman Underlied, refused to be intimidated by the gun

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he brandished. Instead of raising his hands as ordered, Underlied made a flying Rugby tackle, floored the bandit, and held him down until help arrived. Many years later, in describing the in- cident, Gardner stated: ‘‘ I entered a mail-car at Phenix, Arizona, with intention to rob. The mail-clerk. refused to submit and, although unarmed, he attacked me. I was forced either to surrender to him or shoot him. I surren- dered. That mail-clerk was 100 per cent man, and [I was a_ cheap crook. The result was mevitable.” Tried and convicted, Gardner was sent to the United States Peniten- tiary at Leavenworth, Kansas. Previously he had been a model pri- soner, but now he con- sistently made trouble. He refused to work, de- claring that he had suffered an injury to his skull; a bone pressing upon his brain was the cause of his criminal conduct! X-ray photo- graphs did not reveal any such injury, and the prison doctor re- fused to accede to Gardner’s demands for an operation. The bandit, greatly incensed, first threatened the sur- geon, and then obtained further publicity by go- mg on a hunger-strike. He stirred up so much trouble that a great deal of his time was spent m solitary confinement, and ultimately he was transferred to the Federal prison at At- tanta, Georgia. Here he continued his battle against authority and, shortly after his arrival, dug a tunnel under the wall, but was caught. Undis- mayed by this failure, on July 19th, 1928, he and’ four other inmates attempted another daring escape. Having improvised a ladder, they some- how got hold of two automatic pistols, with which they threatened the lives of the Captain znd two guards. Finding it impossible to scale =he wall, they threw away the ladder and com- pelled the Captain at pistol-point to pass them strough the side entrance of the main corridor. There, however, they found the door locked, and Sacked by armed guards. Realizing they were trapped, the five men then surrendered. Once more Gardner was put into solitary “LONE WOLF ” 209 confinement, whére he started a hunger-strike and talked about suicide. The prison authori- ties suspected he was endeavouring to get him- self transferred to a mental institution, where he might have more chance of escape, but after some consideration they sent him to St. Eliza- ‘“* Instead of raising his hands he made a flying Rugby tackle.” beth’s Hospital in Washington, D.C., for examination and treatment by psychiatrists. Expert observation failed to show any. evidence of insanity, although it did establish the bizarre personality of the man and his almost-morbid craving for publicity. He showed contempt for the other convicts, and did not shape well at any organized activity, yet when allowed to work by himself revealed a surprising amount of initia- tive and intelligence, being rated as skilful and industrious. On January 8th, 1930, he was sent back to Leavenworth Annex Penitentiary. At first he “cut up rough” again, but later he apparently took stock of his position and decided that bad behaviour merely lengthened his term of im-

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210 THE WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE prisonment. He then went to work in the shops, where he showed considerable ability. THE ISLAND PRISON In 1934 the United States Government took over Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay— hitherto used as a military prison—and re- modelled it as an “ escape-proof ” penitentiary for hardened offenders whose bad conduct in other Federal institutions warranted their deten- tion under especially strict conditions, Unlike the other jails, there were no radios on “ The Rock,” no special privileges for “ big shots,” and a minimum of opportunity for any help in es- caping by gangster associates outside. To this grim prison were sent such notorious underworld characters as George ‘“‘ Machine Gun” Kelly; Harvey Bailey; Arthur “ Doc” Barker and Alvin “Creepy” Karpis, the kid- nappers; Basil “’The Owl” Banghart; Albert L. Bates; and Ludwig “Dutch” Schmidt, bank robbers. These were all gangsters, working in highly-organized units comparable to a military machine, with scouts, “trigger-men,” transport operatives, and women auxiliaries—the tradi- ditional “ gangsters’ molls.” Here, also, came the most noted of all America’s “ public enemies,” Al Capone, who was of quite a dif- ferent species. He represented the big business of crime, running a huge illicit beer and liquor business, employing hundreds of men, whose profits under Prohibition amounted to millions. And here, eventually, came the man who was the antithesis of all these gangsters—the “lone wolf,’ Roy Gardner. ‘On September 4th, 1934, a weary, unshaven man of powerful build trudged down the gang- plank of a barge on to the island dock and climbed the hill to the cell-building. When his turn came he stepped up to the desk of Warden James A. Johnston and was given his prison number—“ 110.” It was Roy Gardner, train- robber and “bad man.” He was fifty years of age, with a criminal record going back to 1902. The Warden examined his dossier, with its long list of convictions and mutinous conduct in prisons. Here, the Warden realized, was poten- tial dynamite, yet he was anxious, if it was in any way possible, to avoid friction and give this strange character a last chance to adjust himself to life. When the Warden talked to him Gardner spoke quite frankly. ‘‘ I’ve had enough trouble,” he said. “I know you'll give me a square deal if I behave myself.” He cheerfully gave his word that he would not try to escape. True to his promise, the “lone wolf” caused no trouble at Alcatraz, and associated very little with other prisoners. When, after careful study of his record, the Warden gave him an individual job, making collision-mats for the Navy, he worked on his own responsibility to such good effect that his products passed the Naval inspector’s rigid scrutiny and won him praise. He was released in 1938, By this time the stormy petrel had lost his fire; he was nearing the end of the trail. After regaining his freedom he first wrote his life- story, which was published as a serial in the San Francisco Bulletin. Then he decided to turn showman, and got a concession at the fun-._ fair of the San Francisco Exposition to prove~ that “Crime Does Not Pay.” Unfortunately, the show did not attract the public, and true to its name, it didn’t pay. If, at that juncture, some kindly film-pro- ducer had come along and offered to star him in a film of his own career, Roy Gardner might have begun a useful life in the world of enter- tainment. He was obviously made for the films, and in a screen story of his own hectic exploits he could no doubt have won in a legitimate way the “big money” which had always tempted him. But no such luck came his way. On January 10th, 1940, Roy Gardner, no doubt depressed by the outlook, ended his life in the spectacular fashion which had character- ized all his acts. In his room at a cheap hotel in San Francisco he dropped cyanide into a glass of acid and, with his head covered by a towel, inhaled the deadly fumes. He left his luggage neatly packed, with a half-dollar tip on top of it. Although, by his robberies, he had obtained several hundred thousand dollars, the coroner found that his cash totalled less than thirty shillings! What happened to all his loot? Nobody «knows. Gardner left a note for the reporters; he always thought of publicity, even in death! In it he said he was giving up because he was “old and tired,” and did not choose to continue the struggle. Such was the miserable end to the sensa- tional career of Roy Gardner—‘“ the last ‘ bad Cd man’ of the West,’—which certainly succeeded in proving that crime doesn’t pay.

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SHORT STORIES OUR SNAKE-HUNT By JAMES MARKS mans drink From the cookhouse the piccin’s voice tea?” came drifting across the compound on the still night air. “ Fool!” replied a deeper voice. drinks tea to make him strong!”’ Soon the soft shuffle of bare feet, accom- panied by the clink of crockery, could be heard on the veranda. Then Ahmoni Contra entered the room, set down his tray, and growled mourn- fully: ‘Icy cold this morning, boss.” “You must ‘be the biggest liar on the coast!” I told him, as I reluctantly pushed aside the mosquito net. Within a few hours, of course, the mercury would be kissing the hundred mark. Outside a full African moon bathed the bush with silver and deep black shadows. Kamarah, the night watchman, his blanket drawn tightly about him, passed the open door swinging a hurricane lamp and chanting softly under his breath to prove that he was awake. It was nearly 3.30 a.m., and getting near time to start out on a little job we had been plan- ning for days. ‘Send in the headman Ekun- dayo,” I requested, lighting a cigarette. “The boss speaks for Ekundayo!” wailed Ahmoni Contra to the high heavens. The headman, an intelligent Nigerian domi- ciled in Sierra Leone for some reason best known to himself, presented himself at the double, carrying the inevitable short stick which denoted his position of authority. He had worked with me on the coast, around Forah Bay and at Tasso, and when I moved to a job up in the Protectorate he had elected to come as well. These days, spent in keeping the boys at their tasks, were probably the happiest he had ever known. He worked willingly, con- tent that at last he had attained his proper place in life. He was a rogue, if ever there was one, but a cheerful rogue, always ready to risk his “copper” on any kind of a gamble. “Have the boys Ekundayo ?” “The rice- -pots boil, boss; the boys chop one-time.’ “Good! We’ll move off in half an hour. See if you can get the boys singing by the time I’m ready.” “ Surely, Ekundayo. “The boss chopped, surely,” grinned The Author. ND for : a 2 It was January, why, O my An amusing account of an excursion into the 1943, and I was near- brother, do West African bush in quest of a big boa- jng the end of my the white constrictor. tour. Within another three months or so my relief would be due to arrive from England, and already I was preparing for the blissful day when I should go back to the coast and de- part for the U.K. At the moment, however, there were various items which required looking into if I wished to be quite ready for the road by the time the new man put in his appearance. For one thing, my mail kept on reminding me that, amongst several other rash promises, I had agreed to return home bringing the skin of a boa-constrictor for a young lady who, having an eye to fashion, had decided on the addition of snakeskin shoes, handbag, and gauntlet gloves to her wardrobe. Such skins, ranging from three up to over twenty feet in length, could be pur- chased in the native bazaars in Freetown from vendors whose chief mission in life was to relieve European customers of as much cash as possible in the shortest space of time. Thinking things over, I came to the conclusion that one might avoid being fleeced, and at the same time have a little sport, by hunting one’s own snake. Whether I was right or wrong is just a matter of opinion. It must be admitted right away that, although my knowledge of constrictors was somewhat limited, I did possess a rough idea of their habits. Moreover, I had recently en- countered a good specimen when I wasn’t looking for him. He was quite a big fellow, nicely marked with a putty-and-black pattern which made a perfect camouflage in the surrounding bush-country. These reptiles are non-poisonous, but this is largely offset by their ability to squeeze and crush a victim in powerful coils from which there is very little hope of escape. Quite a large popuon of their lives seems to be spent in sleep, and after a good meal they usually retire to a favourite haunt for a prolonged snooze. On more than one occasion I had summoned Ekundayo to a two- power palaver which centred on the matter of constrictors and their ways. Later, when- I told him about my intention to go after one, I found the idea received his im- mediate and wholehearted support. Information volunteered by the Nigerian was, in general, fairly reliable, but at the same time the old rascal always had an eye to business, and rarely let an oppor- tunity slip by unnoticcd. Conse-

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212 quently, when he suggested that I should let him take a couple of boys and go off in search of the hide-out of a big boa, I knew exactly what he had in mind. After I gave him the required permission things turned out just as I had expected. On the first day they had no luck, and at sundown the following evening the trio returned to the compound still without any tidings of success. For.a long time, however, I had been aware that Ekundayo and his mates were quite capable of: finding an inexhaustible supply of excuses. If I let them, they would spend weeks on this snake-hunting Job. The headman and myself therefore had a little talk, during which he learned that if no boa could. be found. the following day he would be withdrawn from the quest; I should forthwith select other boys to take up the hunt. Seeing the game was up, but still grinning cheerfully, the wily old sinner made off with eloquent promises of redoubled efforts on the morrow. Being familiar with some of his methods, I had no reason to doubt Ekundayo would select as his partners local “ bush boys” who might already possess the knowledge of a constrictor’s whereabouts, It might also be safely assumed that tactful handling by the wily Nigerian would result in the unfortunate boys having to pay him a small fee for the privilege of being appointed to the job! Once the reptile’s position had been confirmed, no immediate report of the discovery would be made; the company would merely stow them- selves away with a bottle of palm- wine and a supply of- tobacco leaves, remaining happily content and at peace with the world until such time as my patience might be expected to be getting exhausted. Arriving back at the bungalow the following night, I found Ekun- dayo and his two hunters squatting on their haunches, awaiting my re- turn with subdued but satisfied ex- pressions. After greeting me and making some irrelevant remarks concerning the high cost of rice, Ekundayo gradually came around to the busi- ness on hand. They had, he alleged, located a constrictor which was a “ plenty fine big fellah.” As the story unfolded, the Loch Ness Monster seemed insignificant in comparison! They claimed, in short, to have found the king of all boas. “Have either of you actually seen this snake ?” I asked the boys. “No, boss; we no see ’um.” This was exactly the answer I expected but, on the whole, the re- port could be classed as satisfactory. Bush boys are bush boys; their ways of working are not always clear to white men. THE WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE “ Well, we'll go after him on Saturday,” I told Ekundayo, “so you'd better round up half a dozen good lads for our safari.” “Very big fellah, boss,” he reminded me, doubtfully. “ ’Spose you speak for plenty boys ?” “ Six will be enough,” I replied firmly. Having settled this point, the headman in- timated he would need some extra help to build and carry a crate strong enough to withstand the monster’s struggles. I countered this by point- ing out that I hoped to shoot the snake, so why bother with a crate? Ekundayo looked hurt. It would be far better sport, he suggested, to capture such a fine specimen alive. Moreover, there would be no bullet-holes to mar the skin—and I might even want to make a pet of the creature. His two assistants had already agreed to tackle the job. “Okay! You win,” I said, at last. it twelve boys.” After which preamble the reader will readily understand why we were astir so early on that particular Saturday morning. Before I had * Make

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finished shaving a nearby tom-tom began to throb with a deep resonant note. One by one voices crept in to swell the monotonous rhythm which, according to one’s personal taste, can be either “sweet music ”’ or a good reason for curs- ing everything connected with the West African coast. Still, always get your boys singing; then they’re far easier to handle. After collecting such necessary items as tobacco, matches, rifle, etc., I went outside to join Ekundayo. While filling my pipe and gaz- ing on a somewhat familiar scene, I casually asked him what the boys were singing. “ They sing ‘ the big snake lib for die’,” he replied. This struck me as a distinctly bad start. “*T see,’ I said. ‘“‘ And if we don’t find a snake you'll tell me he heard what the boys were sing- ing, and cleared out ?” * Yes, boss.” ** The snake was emerging!”’ SHORT STORIES 213 *“‘ T give you exactly two minutes, my piccin, to put matters right!” Forthwith the startled headman went into action. Darting in amongst the. crouching figures, his swinging cane dropped smartly across dark shining shoulders with a “On your feets! ee sing! You’se want sit here all day, eh ?” Grabbing their loads, the bearers formed a line across the compound. Our crate, lashed to a long pole, accounted for two men; the re- mainder of the assembly shared between them a miscellaneous collection of machetes, axes, and ropes, plus several large empty kerosene-tins. One of the boys who had taken part in the original search fell in at the head of the column to act as pathfinder. At the rear end of the line was the cook-boy, carrying rice and bonga inside the pots balanced on his head. Moving out to the Government road, we settled down to a com- fortable pace controlled by a dozen lusty voices and the measured beat of the drum. Our pic- turesque little safari would have convinced the most unimaginative person that West Africa, in spite of a sprinkling of Government officials and traders, still remains part of the Dark Con- tinent. After putting a dis- tance of roughly two miles behind us we entered a small village and called a halt, whereupon a collection of goats, children, and anxious parents poured from the doorways of thatched huts to find out what the invasion meant. We set their fears to rest, filled our kero- sene-tins with water, and continued the journey.

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214 THE WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE Some twenty minutes later, just before we swung off the road on to a narrow bush track, the pathfinder stepped out of line to ignite a coconut flare. ‘The going now became harder and progress somewhat slower, although the torch carried by our guide spluttered away near the ground, assisting us to find our way round numerous bends. Meanwhile the bush continued to get higher until, in places, it closed in over our heads. A few disturbed monkeys screeched in- dignantly as they dived away along swinging branches; big, brightly-coloured butterflies flut- tered around in circles, only half awake. The first rays of dawn filtered down to re- veal that our track was little-used. In most places it was no more than a couple of feet wide, so when the bearers were eventually called upon ‘to off-load they simply remained in an “ as you were” formation. But not for long! Ekundayo lost no time in setting them slashing away with machetes to force a pathway through the bush at right angles to the track. On completing this task our perspiring attendants were glad to rest while the headman and myself looked over the lay of the land. The new path terminated in a fairly level piece of ground flanked on two sides by a:sloping bank. It was, in fact, a kind of miniature valley. Three trees, several huge volcanic boulders, and patches. of dense undergrowth lay within the area. “He lib over there; we go look ’um,” an- nounced Ekundayo, and led the way to a spot where a cave ran diagonally into the bank—the alleged hide-out of our constrictor. I flashed my torch into the gloomy entrance, but could see nothing of the monster. “Well, I guess we must try to coax him into. the open,” I said. Swiftly we made the necessary preparations. Some of the boys set about flattening the sur- rounding undergrowth to prevent it from acting as protective cover for our quarry; others got busy breaking branches off trees and gathering dried grass, which they piled in front of the cave. Meanwhile, away in a corner, the cook-boy at- tended to his rice pots, curls of smoke issuing from inside a ring of stones. \ Before long, pronouncing everything ready, Ekundayo tossed a light into the collection of rubbish. The kindling flared’ up and quickly got a hold on the greenstuff as the boys, to the ac- companiment of the tom-tom, danced around the bonfire with waving palm leaves, sending a dense cloud of grey smoke rolling towards the cavern. They seemed to be thoroughly enjoying them- selves. What effect the constrictor’s appeararice would have on the crowd I didn’t know, but at the moment everyone acted as if the situation was well under control. Nothing much happened during the first five minutes or so—except that two big vultures joined our outfit. Perching on a nearby rock, ihe watched the activity with bleak watery eyes that stared from deathlike heads. The Nigerian also noticed them, but, merely grinned and flung a handful of black native pepper into the fire. Suddenly. some Hearty shouts caused me to turn sharply, and I saw that the boys were drop- ping their makeshift fans and falling back to form a much larger circle. The snake was emerging! Slowly, with sinuous movements, a big shape slid clear of the bank and, moving with unhurried wriggles, its ugly head raised slightly from the ground, the constrictor drew itself well out into the open, where it came to a halt. It was certainly a fine specimen; I judged it to be a full eighteen feet in length. To my way of thinking the creature was merely resting in an effort to shake off the stupefying effects of the fumes, What’s more, it didn’t look in the mood for playing about. “What happens now?” I asked Ekundayo, standing beside me. “ Soffle soffle catch the Bonin boss. She no go right way yet.” At this point the*snake unwittingly co- operated in its own downfall by moving off to- wards the nearest tree. . Before it could cover the distance, however, one. of the bush boys made a dive at its tail, holding it up so that at least a third of its length was off the ground. There- upon the reptile came out of its trance in a hurry and began lashing around, trying to reach over backwards and strike at its assailant. 7 Now boas and pythons—both members of the constrictor family—cannot crush their prey unless their tail is on the ground or anchored’ to a tree. The boy evidently understood that his expectation of life was closely related to this in- teresting fact, Although he was pulled hither and thither, and at times seemed on the verge of becoming airborne, it remains to his everlasting credit that he never once let that tail touch the ground. Ekundayo, yelling loudly and waving a piece of rag after the manner.of a bull-fighter gone mad, now started jumping about near the snake’s head. Presently, gaining its full attention, he began luring it closer to the tree. Meanwhile two more boys stood quietly facing each other on opposite sides of the rep- tile’s hindquarters. Between them stretched a lengthy rope, which they held fairly taut. At a given signal both lads ran full tilt towards the tree, passing it on either side. The result, so-far as the boa was concerned, ‘was rather surprising ; : it found its lifted head held firmly against the trunk by a rope which was wound and.-tied in * double-quick time. No self-respecting constrictor, I imagine, likes to be held at both ends at once, and it re- quired considerable physical exertion to get our prize into the crate. But in it went—tail first, and a bit at a time. Strangely enough, after working off a spasm of fury, during which the crate creaked and bulged, the snake eventually settled down quietly and gave us no further trouble. When all the excitement was over everyone looked very pleased with himself. After lunch, with a pipeful of English tobacco burning nicely, I sat contentedly survey- ing the scene. On the other side of the clearing, near the cook’s territory, the -boys squatted

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around Ekundayo, who appeared to be laying down the law about something or other. Soon after he had finished talking five small white sea- shells flew into the air, glistened, and dropped back to earth. Those shells, I knew, had their SHORT STORIES 215 tops filed off in order to make it an even-money bet as to which side would land uppermost, But the headman always seemed to guess correctly ! The wily Ekundayo was well away, making money out of the carriers! A HA’PORTH OF TAR By R. K. ANDERSON, late Superintendent of Excise, Burma HIS is actu- ally Boyes’s story, but I was his chief at the time, knew everything that was going on, and occasionally helped a bit here and there. In all real-life de- tective exploits it is team-work that brings SUCCESS, In this case, however, which put an end to a well-organized system of smuggling opium into a sea-coast town in Burma, Boyes played the leading part. A scrap of special knowledge, picked up in his boyhood, led to the smashing of an illegal traffic which, up to that time, had defied every effort to suppress it. Jack Boyes was born in Hull, Yorkshire. His father, a seafaring man, after voyaging all over the world, finally decided to make his home in Burma, where his wife and Jack joined him. Before going out East they had lived near the sea, and the boy showed more interest in ships and sailors than in his schooling, spending much of his time helping the fishermen to look after their boats and gear. In this way Jack became well acquainted with tar and its properties. How valuable this familiarity was to prove later in life will presently transpire. ~ When I took over the Akyab Excise dis- trict Jack Boyes was the Inspector at head- quarters, and we immediately became good friends. He soon put me wise as to what was going on in oyr sphere of administration, and effected the necessary introductions to the little local underworld. After a while, thus equipped, I began to pick up sundry items of interest for myself, One of these scraps of information, which considerably disturbed me, was to the effect that although certain well-known smug- glers were getting their supplies of opium in pretty successfully (or, in some cases, meeting with disaster) one particular syndicate, which my informant professed he couldn’t identify, was having no trouble whatever, invariably running the stuff through without detection, How this was accomplished the other operators were quite unable to fathom. When I discussed the matter with Boyes he said he had already heard about this mysterious gang, but could throw no light upon either their modus operandi or identity. The opium had to come in, either by sea or land, from India, the chief source of contraband; he had failed to dis- An amusing story describing how a resourceful Jack Excise Officer upset the cunningly-laid plans being used so success- of a gang of Burmese opium-smugglers. cover which route was fully. Anxious to seal up thts serious “leak,” which reflected badly upon our efficiency, I impressed upon the Inspector the importance of solving the problem without delay. Having now acquired a little more ex- perience, I instructed him to concentrate on cer- tain points when making his investigations. He went off looking very thoughtful. One day Boyes called at my house, evidently bursting with news. It appeared that, having made a raid, he had come upon two balls of crude opium, quite intact. Would I accompany him to the police-station and examine the stuff ? I went along immediately, and carefully inspected the so-called “balls,” which were actually oblong bricks. Save that both bore curious black smears, I could not detect any dif- ference between them and the thousand of other opium balls I had seen previously. “You see those marks?” asked Jack, indi- cating the streaks. “ They’re tar-stains.” _ I told him I had already guessed as much myself, What significance, if any, did he attach to them? Thereupon the Inspector told me about his boyhood association with the Yorkshire fisher- men. “ That’s why I can say definitely it’s coal tar, and not the Stockholm variety,” he ex- plained. ‘Can you tell me, sir, if they use tar in the opium factories ?” The two captured balls being typical of those made in the Indian Government factories, I could see what the Inspector had in mind, and was able to assure him that, to the best of my knowledge, tar was not found in such establish- ments. “That means we can rule out country boats (native coasting craft) for this little lot,”’ declared Boyes. “It’s much more likely—in fact, almost certain—that these balls came by steamer, having been concealed on board in some place where tar is stored. Native craft use Stockholm tar.” I could detect no flaw in Jack’s deduction, which seemed to offer a decidedly promising lead. Was it possible, I wondered, if we were on the verge of an important discovery ? The never-ending war betweeh the Customs authorities and the smugglers was relieved by a sort of rough-and-ready understanding. Some of the operators would frankly admit being engaged

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THE WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE 216 in the traffic, gleefully twit- ting the officials when the latter failed to capture a valu- able consignment of drugs or other contraband. Such curious relations between cat and mouse, so to speak, were made possible by the rami- fications of the law under which we worked. Opium, or any other prohibited drug, must be actually found in the possession of a suspect, or he must be caught selling it, before he could be arrested and charged. Similarly, a man may be obviously under the influence of the forbidden narcotic, but if there is no identifiable particle in his pos- session he cannot be touched. The “ big shots ” who organize and finance the traffic are well aware of these loopholes; they never handle the drug personally, never allow it to enter their houses, and therefore remain completely immune from prosecution. Moreover, they have legiti- mate businesses which ostensibly provide them with a livelihood, and accordingly cannot be charged with maintaining themselves on the pro- ceeds of drug-smuggling or dealing. In any case, one would never be able to obtain the necessary evidence against them! Such men have no fear of the Excise offi- cers, and will readily tall one about their own “¢ That’s the fellow I want,’ announced the Inspector.” doings or those of other members of the contra- band fraternity. By checking one statement against another it is possible to build up a pretty accurate picture of what has been happening in the smuggling underworld. All this, however, only concerns the past; one never hears the faintest whisper of the morrow’s plans! ‘That would be informing; and if there is one person all smugglers hate it is the informer! Jack Boyes and I, going our separate ways and using our own methods, proceeded to check- up on the latest importations of opium into Akyab. When we came to compare. notes we found, to our relief, that no coups at the expense of the Revenue had been brought off during the past fortnight or so. The fact that the two balls

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captured were intact appeared to suggest they had come in pretty recently; in the normal way they would have been sent into the interior, or sold piecemeal locally, within a day or two. Jack “oA weird-looking in- dividual was dragged up on deck.” ee remained convinced they hadn’t arrived by coun- try boat, but by steamer. The only such vessel that had lately reached Akyab was the s.s. Hindu, a little coaster which plied between Calcutta and Rangoon, calling in at Akyab with a few passen- gers and sundry oddments of cargo. We there- fore decided the opium must have come by the Hindu; somebody aboard her must be acting as the go-between. We were well aware, of course, that contra- band had often been thrown into the sea from incoming vessels packed in water-tight cases which floated. These precious packages were promptly retrieved by confederates waiting in sampans and taken ashore. In order to prevent SHORT STORIES 217 this a Government steam-launch, the Secure, the official craft of the Superintendent of Excise, was in the habit of shadowing ships both in and out. By this means we had succeeded in stopping the smugglers from “casting their bread on the waters,’ so to speak, That being the case, it now remained for us to examine. the possibility of opium being spirited out of a vessel after she had tied up. The chances of getting balls of opium through the Cus- toms gate were exceedingly small, and we therefore concluded that the stuff Boyes had found had _ been brought ashore by a sampan. The obvious thing to do was to catch the boatmen in the act. Contemplate now, dear reader, a picture of dogged pertinacity —Inspector Boyes sitting hunched- up in a sampan in Akyab harbour on a rainy, miserable ; night, closely watching a steamer moored to the pier. while his trusty rower kept their little craft in position with an occasional stroke of the oars. Jack undertook this wearisome vigil twice a week, alternating be- tween the s.s. Kistna, whose hull stood high out of the water, and the much-smaller Hindu, which reminded one of a Mississippi river-boat. She rode very low, her overhanging stern being merely a hand’s breadth beyond the upstretched arms of a tallish man standing in a boat. For some reason or other both Boyes and myself had arrived at the conclusion that. the opium, brought in by someone on board, was habitually lowered into a sampan from the Hindu’s stern during the hours of darkness. If this theory was correct we might possibly be able to seize the contraband, but we shouldn’t be able to arrest the man who dropped it; he would be out of reach. By the time one had rowed to the pier, climbed the steps, and rushed on board the steamer the individual concerned would have safely retired to his own quarters. And how could one hope to identify a particular native among the Chittagonian crew of the Hindu?

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218 THE WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE Another snag lay in the fact that we could not hope to catch the operator ashore who even- tually received the opium. If we could only cap- ture his carrier, however, and induce the fellow to talk, the rest of the gang might fall into our hands. So Boyes patiently continued that twice- weekly watch, One night in the middle of the monsoon, when the sea was distinctly rough, causing the little sampan to dance uncomfortably, Dame Fortune suddenly took pity on the Inspector and decided to give him a break. The Hindu lay at the pier, as usual, and the choppy waters of the harbour were practically empty; no boatman would be afloat in such weather unless he had some very important mission on hand. Presently, however, Jack observed a sampan heading to- wards the steamer, the solitary rower at the stern obviously having considerable difficulty in keeping his footing. Boyes promptly ordered his companion to intercept the other boat, and he was soon along- side. As they approached, the figure in the other sampan ceased his efforts and crouched down in the bottom of the craft, but, seizing the gunwale, the Inspector sternly bade him sit up and ex- plain himself. With the two sampans rolling and pitching on the swell he continued to interrogate the badly-frightened Burman youth until, as he told me later, the boy meekly answered ‘all his questions. Finally, confiscating the man’s oars, so that he would be out of action for awhile, he left the trembling fellow drifting helplessly in the middle of the harbour and set off towards the Hindu, primed with some exceedingly useful in- formation extracted from his erstwhile prisoner. In addition to the oars, he had likewise taken an electric torch from his victim, and when opposite the steamer’s stern he proceeded to flash the recognition signal the youth had divulged. Another. set of flashes immediately answered him, whereupon the sampan pulled well in under the Hindu’s counter. Boyes had no intention of flashing his torch-in the face of the individual who harded over the opium; such an action would merely alarm him unnecessarily. Instead he laid the torch aside, extracted some object from a gunny-bag, and held it in his hand. As the sampan arrived in positiOn a voice greeted him curtly from above, and presently a heavy tin container was slowly lowered. Jack unhooked it from the rope and stowed it away, grinning to himself meanwhile. When the man above started to haul in his line Boyes held it in check for a moment. Thereupon a shadowy head and shoulders loomed over the ship’s rail and a native voice enquited what was wrong. The Inspector was expecting this, and in- stantly reacted. ‘Something flew upwards from his hand,.and the impact of this bulky object on the face above caused a muffled exclamation and the instant withdrawal of the target. “Still grinning delightedly, the Inspector urged his rower to pull for the pier steps, hurried up them, and went aboard the steamer. Disre- garding the untimeliness of the hour, he tapped loudly on the door of the Chief Officer’s cabin. When the sleepy mate appeared, recognizing his belated caller with astonishment, Boyes said: “I'll explain later, but I want you to muster every member of your crew. At once, please !”’ The crew were duly summoned to the deck by shrill and urgent whistles, and came tumbling out in extraordinary disarray, wondering what mishap had befallen the ship, When the roll was called, one man was found to be missing. “That’s fine; just what. I expected!” com- mented Boyes. “ Now I want that man fougd and brought to me. I think you’ll find him either in a washhouse or near the store where you keep your paraffin.” Before long a weird-looking individual was dragged up on deck between a couple of ‘grin- ning Chittagonian seamen. His face, neck; and part of his bare chest glistened blackly, and a filthy scum of soapy foam added to the normal ugliness of his countenance. The Chief Officer gasped at sight of him.. -“'That’s the fellow I want,”’ announced the Inspector, grinning anew, and briefly explained the opium incident. “ After he’d lowered the stuff and stood looking down at me,” he con- tinued, “‘ I swiped him in the face with a mop. of cotton waste saturated in tar, so that I could identify him later. I reckon it will take him several hours to clean himself; evidently he doesn’t know the best way to get rid of tar.” “ What a wonderful idea!” cried the Chief Officer, admiringly. ‘‘ But what zs the best way to remove tar ?” Boyes laughed. “Tl tell you,” he said, “but don’t pass it on.to your crew! When I was a nipper in Hull I used to play truant from school and help the fishermen to caulk the seams of their boats. I got pretty badly tarred, and Mother always knew where I’d been directly she saw it. I didn’t know what to do about it until an old fellow told me to use butter!” A few days later, with the downfall of this particular smuggling gang practically assured, I paid out the official reward for the maund (forty pounds) of opium comprising Jack’s nocturnal seizure. I handed him the whole amount, telling him it was entirely at his disposal. “If you were put to any extra expense, Jack,” I added, “‘ you’d better let me know, and Pll pay you. that as well.” Boyes grinned. “No need to worry about that, sir,” he re- _plied. “ It was only a ha’porth of tar!”

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AILLER at COLUMBIA A cougar caught by the foot in a trap. ILLERS are on the prowl to-day on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, in the shape of tawny-coated moun- tain lions or, to give them their more commonly used Indian name, cougars, Sometimes measuring over nine feet from nose-tip to tail-tip, and weighing more than two hun- xJ dred pounds, these big felines are ferocious killers and ravenous eaters of raw meat. Even though their natural food—deer, rabbits, and wild birds—abounds on Vancouver Island, they take heavy toll of domestic animals and poultry. Very frequently, unfortunately, they go on slaughter rampages, ripping and slashing their way through horse and cattle corrals, sheep and pig pens, and chicken-houses, killing merely for killing’s sake. For years the farmers and ranchers on Van- couver Island have been watching this ever- increasing menace with growing apprehension, combining their resources in all-out efforts to combat the threat to their stock. So grave has the trouble become that the B.C. Provincial Government recently voted still more money for a drastic thinning of the ranks of the killers and the appointment of additional “ predatory hunters.” ‘These men, besides being paid good “CATS BRITISH By C. V. TENCH Cougars, or mountain lions, have become a serious menace on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, taking a heavy toll of farm stock and even attacking human beings without provo- cation. The situation is regarded as so grave that the Provincial Government has appointed additional hunters charged with the duty of destroying these four-legged pests. Mr. Tench describes some recent well-authenticated in- stances of narrow escapes from ferocious cougars. ~~ wages, are granted generous allowances for saddle-horses, jeeps, power-boats, and even aero- planes. The ’planes are used chiefly for taking skilled hunters and their cougar-hounds with all speed to a danger-area. It is also planned to double the present bounty of twenty dollars for each cougar destroyed. Yet, despite such measures, recent occur- rences suggest that the big cats are becoming bolder and bolder. Unlike grizzlies, who prefer to roam the remote upland country where human beings are scarce, cougars not only prowl frequently and openly in man’s backyard, but on occasion even go out of their way to attack people. This: year there has been something like an epidemic of entirely unprovoked incidents. In recent years, prior to the present outbreak, in addition to badly mauling a number of adults, mountain lions on Vancouver have killed six children, ranging from a tiny baby snatched from its crib on the porch of its home to a nine- year-old boy fishing alone beside a remote lake. The details regarding these distressing hap- penings are too tragic to relate; in this article I propose to deal with cases where the victims escaped with their lives. In this, it may be added, they were exceedingly fortunate for the marauding cougar’s speed in action is almost beyond belief. Like all the great cats, it is a bundle of powerful muscles, possessing a strength out of all proportion to its size. Generalizing about the habits of cougars— or any other wild animal, for that matter—is usually misleading, for although a particular specimen may do something unexpected, this

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220 THE WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE action cannot be regarded as a pattern invariably followed. Any- one who has had much to do with cougars knows that they possess just as strong an individuality as any -human being. No _ two mountain lions will do exactly the same thing in the same cir- cumstances. In each of the care- fully verified instances here recorded the creature did some- thing entirely unusual, as in the first case, where a cougar openly and boldly pursued a. wayfarer. This young man, ayne Scurry by name, was holiday- making all alone in a remote part of Vancouver Island. Returning to his cabin one evening, he noticed that a large mountain lion was trailing him. Being un- armed, he stopped, turned round, waved his arms, and shouted, fully expecting to see the cougar turn tail. Instead, the brute E crouched defiantly in the road- way, snarling balefully and lashing its tail. Scurry naturally became concerned. His cabin was still a good two hundred yards ahead of him, and the cougar was no more than sixty paces behind. Could he outdistance the animal if he made a dash for it? Deciding this was his only hope, he started running his hardest. PURSUED! Glancing fearfully over his shoulder, he saw that the cougar was not only in full pursuit but also rapidly overtaking him! Forthwith Scurry increased his pace, at the same time unfasten- ing his heavy “ windbreaker,” tearing it off, and dropping it. An outburst of savage growling in rear caused him to look back again. The lion had stopped to rip the windbreaker to shreds! This gave Scurry time to reach the safety of his cabin. Only a few. moments later, however, the cou- gar arrived, and—still snarling savagely— trotted round the build- ing several times, once even rearing up to glare in a window. The little house was on the ’phone, and within a few minutés Scurry was ’phoning Fred Knox, a Govern- ment predatory hunter living only a few miles distant. Knox, accom- ‘panied ‘by three of his dogs, arrived promptly by jeep. Even then the cougar did not bound away into the woods, but, retreating a few yards, stood narrowly watching the new arrival. Although his hounds clamoured frenziedly to go after the big cat, Knox knew they would stand no chance at ail. in a stand-up fight. He therefore left them tethered in the jeep and, taking his rifle, walked to within a few yards of the crouching cougar, killing it instantly with a brain-shot. I cannot suggest why this par- ticular animal first chased Scurry and then calmly awaited the approach of the hunter. In another instance a farmer named James Buchanan, ‘“ baching ” alone on his smallhold- ing near Duncan, Van- couver Island, was pre- paring his supper when a tawny form suddenly flashed through an open window full on to his shoulders, hurling him to the floor! Instantly Buchanan’s_ fox-terrier flew at the brute, sink- ing his teeth into a hind leg. With a screech of rage the cougar turned and, with one tightning- like blow, sent the plucky dog against the wall, where it lay

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“KILLER ” CATS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA stunned. The momentary respite gave Buchanan a chance to roll over on his back, and when the cougar again attacked him he fought nack desperately, though half-blinded by the blood streaming from his scalp, where the ‘:on’s terrible claws had raked across him, Seiz- :ng the big cat’s throat with both hands, he drew sus legs up beneath the cougar’s body. Then, a#ith a desperate thrust of his feet, he threw the >rute backwards and upwards. By great good rortune it fell asprawl the hot cooking-stove! Yowling from the pain of the burns, the cougar scrambled madly to its feet and leaped out through the window by which it had entered! Fortunately Buchanan’s hurts, although very painful and bleeding freely, were merely superficial, and after dressing them he telephoned the nearest Government hunter. This particular mountain lion was trailed the next day and duly shot, being later identified by patches of scorched aide. In yet another recent case a man was attacked by a female cougar without the slightest warming. Gerald Walters, a millworker, was cutting kindling-wood in the backyard of his home at Port Alice, B.C., when, without even a warning snarl, a mountain lion suddenly leaped from the concealment of a clump of bushes full on to Wal- ters’ back. The man crashed to the ground with the cougar on top of him, the small hatchet he had been using flying from his hand. Acting on instinct, Walters brought his hands and forearms up and around the back of his head and neck to protect them, at the same time shouting for help. Mean- while the cougar started worrying him savagely, using its fangs and formidable claws. Within a matter of sec- onds Walters’ overalls, shirt, and underwear were in shreds, and skin and flesh were being torn from his shoul- ders and_ back. The scent of blood seemed to infuriate the ani- mal even more. TO THE RESCUE Luckily for Walters an un- *¢ Buchanan’s fox-terrier flew at the brute.”’ 221 usually brave man—Mr. R. H. Richmond, plant manager for the B.C. Pulp and Paper Company, heard his cries and the cougar’s snarls and came running to the scene. -Picking up the fallen hatchet, Richmond unhesitatingly attacked the raging cat. Leaving its victim, the cougar flew at this new foe, but Richmond stood his ground, striking again and again at the sleek head, mean- while evading the vicious blows aimed at him by the powerful forepaws as the lion reared up on its hind legs to fight back. Walters had by this time struggled to his feet and, despite his grievous hurts, hurried away in search of a firearm. But it was not needed. Watching his chance, Richmond brought the hatchet down swiftly, buried the blade in the cougar’s skull, and so killed it. Then he rushed Walters to hospital. Though Mr. Richmond showed courage far above the average, it seems probable that no man involved with mountain lions has ever exhibited such magnificent bravery as in the following case. This gallant fellow tackled an infuriated cougar bare-handed, although well aware that an unarmed man stands very little chance of. sur- vival in a battle with a mountain lion. . For three days and nights in June, 1953, a cougar had terrorized the small logging settle- ment of Englewood, B.C., continually prowling right up to the doors and windows of various cabins. So serious had the menace become that women and children were forbidden to leave their homes until a Government hunter arrived and destroyed the animal. ~~ ay oS a aa lo aN ' X

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eae THE WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE This fine specimen measured over nine feet from nose to tail-tip. After several days of anxiety, one young woman, Mrs. Peter Coon, de- clared she could stand the strain no longer, and intended going to stay with a relative elsewhere until the big cat had been got rid of. On June 12th, 1953, she set out alone, but was barely ten yards from the door of her house when, with a grating snarl, the cougar launched itself from some nearby hiding-place, thudding down upon her back and crushing her face downward into the ground. It then proceeded to worry her furiously, tear- ing clothes and flesh from her body with claws and teeth. Pain and terror set the poor woman screaming wildly. There were only three men within hearing dis- tance at the time—Peter Coon, her hus= band; John Smith, camp cook; and Lawrence Landsdowne, a logger. All three came running. But there were no firearms in the camp, and none of the trio carried a weapon of any kind. For one dreadful moment they could only watch in transfixed horror as the cougar, paying no attention to them whatever, continued savagely biting and clawing its victim. Coon and Smith dashed -away in search of improvised weapons, but Landsdowne—a big, well-built man df forty—did not follow them. Realizing that Mrs. Coon would undoubtedly be killed unless something was done in- stantly, he proceeded to perform an act of bravery so outstanding as to seem well-nigh incredible. Determined to save the unfortunate girl, he sprang in and tackled the cougar with nothing but A game warden with his trained cougar-hound and two dead “ cats.”

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“KILLER” CATS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA his bare hands! Wrapping his powerful arms about the blood-maddened brute’s neck, he dragged it bodily away from its prostrate victim ! Then, of course, he found himself in an almost equally perilous predica- ment. Although his arms were round the cougar’s neck, shutting off a good deal of its breath, he could not hope to choke it to death. Yet he dare not let go! A NIGHTMARE BATTLE Fortunately he held the frenzied creature from behind, so that, despite its struggles, its viciously-flailing claws only fanned the air. Nor—so long as he had the strength to hang- on—could it reach its adversary with its teeth. He had little hope, how- ever, of being able to maintain his grip indefinitely while the big cat writhed and squirmed, striv- ing desperately to free itself. Next moment Coon and Smith came racing back armed with the only weapons they had been able to lay hands on—chunks gy of rock! Pantingly, while he and the cougar still swayed this way and that, Landsdowne told Coon to carry his wife to the house, while Smith started striking the cat with his lump of rock, The animal fought so fiercely, however, that Landsdowne was forced to press its head close against his chest. For this reason Smith was unable’ to brain it, as he had intended; all he could do was to crash the rock again and again against the brute’s ribs. Making a last terrific effort, the half-choked lion tore itself out of Landsdowne’s grip and streaked for Coon’s cabin, where it wormed its way into a space beneath the building. Still equipped only with rocks, Landsdowne and Smith followed, determined to finish it off. The big cat evaded them by crawling out on the far side and bounding away into the bush, where they dare not follow it without firearms. Peter Coon and Smith then attended to Mrs. Coon’s injuries while Landsdowne ’phoned for help to 223 e get the badly-mauled girl to a hospital; he also summoned a Government hunter. Fortunately the hunter, Skate Hames, was already on his way to the settlement, and arrived soon afterwards. While Mrs. Coon was Se ** Landsdowne and the cougar swayed this way and that.”’ being rushed to hospital, Hames followed the cougar to where it crouched in the shelter of the bush and shot it. These and other recent happenings have at least taught folk living in cougar country that it is essential to have a firearm on the premises. More Government predatory hunters are also being stationed at strategic points, and residents frequently organize cougar-hunting parties. At the time of writing, however, the big cats are still increasing in numbers, bringing forth their young faster than the adults can be destroyed. The situation undoubtedly calls for organized effort on the part of the Vancouver Island people if they wish to rid themselves of the menace of the “killer” cats—the most vicious wild animals on the island, and a perpetual dan- ger to mankind.

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>AUSTRALIAS The Island Continent owes a great deal to its mounted police—a mere handful of hard-riding troopers. wise in the ways of the wild. They carry out an astonishing variety of duties and, with the invaluable aid of their black trackers, have tamed the formerly hostile aborigines and brought respect for law and order into the most remote areas, NDER the shadowy cliff of a gorge the police-patrol is saddling up. A dozen mules and horses stand motionless. The two black trackers, in khaki uniforms, sling packsaddles across the mules. y Blue mist hangs in the distance, seemingly deepening the silence of twisted pandanus palms, and paperbark trees stand out against it in silhouette. The sun is not yet visible, but its first rays strike the crown of the cliff, giving it a terra-cotta glow. It is a peaceful scene—the waiting animals, the age-old rocks of north-west Australia, the blue mist, and the utter silence. But things were not always so peaceful on such patrols, for men were speared by hostile aborigines in the Northern Kimberleys as late as twenty years ago. All told, the Kimberley area of Western Australia covers a hundred and twenty-five thousand square miles, about half of it unoccupied. The mounted trooper still carries a rifle, though nowadays he is more likely to use this rocky ravine; the white gums, The aborigines, with their long spears, were formerly a grave menace to the white man. it for wild game than against two-legged foes. But he may be out of touch with civilization for three months or more, and it is necessary to be prepared for any emergency. He will tell you, of course, that these Kimberley patrols are merely routine—a matter of “ showing the flag,” so to speak. It is doubtful if he will encounter more than a handful of aborigines, for these shy folk have a way of melting into the trees at a white man’s approach. Ensconced high up in the shadows of some lofty crag, keen eyes will watch the passage of the policeman’s file of mules and horses. All the same, he receives continual reminders of their presence. Wherever he travels native smoke-signals rise far ahead of him, warning the nomadic blacks of his coming days in advance. If he is actually seeking some “ wanted ” man, he will have to use his wits and avail himself to the full of the sagacity of his aboriginal trackers. Once every year these police-patrols push

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YOUNTED POLIC By GEORGE FARWELL see ee out into the uninhabited sectors of the Kimber- leys, ranging the stony tablelands, negotiating rugged mountain passes, and camping in narrow valleys where great rivers wind down towards the crocodile-infested mangrove swamps fring- ing the Timor Sea. The Western Australian Police operate six stations in the Kimberleys; four of these main- tain black trackers and horses and mules for patrol-work. Each patrol is in charge of a mounted constable, who takes one or two trackers with him on every expedition. In addition to his ordinary police-training, he must be a bushman, able to find his way through trackless, uninhabited country. He miust also be a good rider, and know how to live - off the country if necessary; the ability to handle natives is likewise needed. Finally, a working knowledge of stock is necessary, for the police- man has to check stock-brands, inspect condi- tions on stations, and deal with questions of stolen cattle. The standard. of horsemanship and stock-knowledge required make it almost essential for him to have had previous station experience himself, as is the case with most of the troopers. Sometimes a good deal more than “ rou- tine” is involved in these patrols. It may be a search for some native “ wanted” for spearing A black tracker picks up the-trail of a “ wanted ” fugitive. the white man’s cattle, or murdering a fellow- tribesman. Perhaps a group of nomads sus- pected of suffering from leprosy have to be gathered in for treatment. As for the whites of the Kimberleys, they are quiet-living types nowadays. Numbering not much over a thou- sand, they are centred about the more civilized regions, working the great cattle- and sheep- stations along the Ord and Fitzroy Rivers, far- ther back. Police-patrols call at these stations, but their business there is soon concluded—a question of licences, maybe; the condition of their aboriginal stockmen; a minor complaint or two. Now and then a case of “ cattle-duffing ” (stealing) may crop up, but rustling on any large scale hardly exists nowadays outside Hollywood films. On the other hand, these patrols have a considerable value in inspiring respect for law and order. Prevention is better than cure, so the trooper makes his presence known throughout the bush at least once each year. “In the early days, without these patrols,” said Mounted Constable Keith Weaver, of Fitz- roy Crossing, “ the Kimberleys could never have been opened up. Certainly the country would not have been held by the whites.” From the police station at Fitzroy Cross- ing—a tiny township on the Fitzroy River whose

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226 THE WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE After spending the night at a waterhole, the constable and his trackers saddle up for the next stage of their long patrol. On the march in the mountains of the Hart’s Range, Northern Territory.

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AUSTRALIA’S MOUNTED POLICE fertile basin lies south of the King Leopold Range — Weaver carries out two long patrols annually. One is south into desert country, where the natives are still un- reliable and quick to spear cattle. The other is known as the “Over The Range’’ patrol, striking into rugged country where only a handful of iso- lated cattlemen live. The “Air Beef Scheme,’’ which flies chilled mé@at two hundred miles from the mountain area to the port of Wyndham, is help- ing to open it up today, but there are still many thousand square miles of country the white man has never set eyes on. Here, in the old days, men as well as cattle were speared by hostile blacks. “ Pigeon,” a native outlaw, roamed the hills and killed eight whites before the police ran.him down. “‘ Poddy- dodgers” stole: the big operators’ beasts and branded them as their own. Many vast stretches of territory, barren or waterless, are too rugged for horses to traverse. Only three or four years ago a trooper lost his horses and mules in this difficult region. They disappeared into the bush, and he was lucky to get out alive. . As a matter of hard fact no police-patrol could find its way through this unfamiliar land without the aid of the native trackers. These aborigines, recruited from the localities they 227 A patrol crossing sand-dune coun- try. A typical settle- ment in the wilds. know, are selected for their remarkable powers of observation. Most natives have extremely keen eyesight, but the police-tracker has special gifts in addition. It is hard to say just what distinguishes him from the next man, except that every human being has some quality a little better developed than another: The expert tracker makes an invaluable scout, leading a patrol unerringly through the most featureless terrain. His trained eyes pick up details quite invisible to the white man, and he knows by instinct the meaning of a bird’s flight or the movements. of creatures on the ground. His memory, too, is photographic. He can distinguish one -~man’s foot-track from another, and identify him from his manner of walking. He can not only tell you what sort of animal crossed some patch of bare ground, but state with reasonable certainty just how long ago. <A black tracker looking for a mob of

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228 straying horses can even state which track be- longs to which animal! The aboriginal tracker’s powers have been described as positively uncanny—as -mysterious as second sight. He will follow a “ wanted” man’s trail across stony plains, over rugged mountains, or through thick grass. Such feats, however, mean no more to him than acute observation, coupled with lifelong knowledge of the bush. From childhood the aborigine has been taught to distinguish the tracks made by emus, kangaroos, lizards, or rats, to study their habits, and to know where and how they feed. He can tell if they are moving fast, walking, or feeding as they go. He learns, first of all, to pick up such tracks in sand, then on hard ground, and finally on stones or rocky hills. There are many signs for the tracker to read— maybe a pebble slightly dislodged, blades of grass pressed down, a twig broken off some bush, or particles of sand left on bare rock. THE WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE The special mounted police water-bag, worn under the horse’s neck. * The expert will even build up a mental pic- ture of his quarry, and will tell you whether a man limps, takes long or short strides, is young and springy, or heavily-built and old. He knows that no two people have quite the same walk; one may drag his left foot a little, while another strides very straightly. ‘Thus a person the. tracker has never seen can eventually be identi- fied by some peculiarity of his footsteps. These trackers have become invaluable to the Australian police, and have assisted. in sav- ing lives as well as capturing criminals. When- ever some hapless individual becomes lost in the maze of hills and waterless ravines which characterize so much of the Northern Kimber- leys the police tracker is the first person to be called upon. Perhaps his greatest asset lies in the fact that he understands the psychology of his own people, and is thus able to anticipate the probable actions of any, tribal nomads the police-patrol may be following. During 1952 the Fitzroy Crossing Patrol was able to recapture. two native lepers who had escaped from the Derby Leprosarium three years previously. At the time the trooper and his two trackers were riding along the Fitzroy, making for the Noonkanbah sheep- station. Suddenly one of the aborigines turned aside and rode into a patch of thick timber by the river bank — and there were the lepers! The trooper still cannot understand what gave the tracker his “hunch.” When questioned on the subject the native merely smiled, shrugged his shoulders, but offered no . explanation. Perhaps the longest patrol ever carried out in the Kimberleys was one which Senior Con- stable Jack Purkiss made a few years ago from Wyndham, on the far north coast. Mission- aries at the Drysdale Aboriginal Mission, sev- eral hundred miles away, had married a native girl to the young man she wanted. This action, however, was in conflict with tribal law, for it had always been the custom for the old men to ac- quire the young women. Soon after, far away in

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AUSTRALIA’S MOUNTED POLICE 229 Turner River Station, an isolated two-thousand-square-mile cattle-run. Life in such places is lonely indeed! wild country, the old warrior to whom she was tribally betrothed demanded his rights. A fight developed, eventually bringing two whole tribes into conflict, and one native was killed. The affair was duly reported to Wyndham, whereupon Purkiss organized his patrol, saddled up, and rode forth in search of the killer. He was away for nearly five months! ‘The only supplies he carried were salt, beef, and flour, but it was not hard to live off the land. His trackers caught fish, wild duck, geese, turtles, and kan- garoo, all of which are plentiful along the lagoons and river valleys. Purkiss travelled more than four hundred miles by the time he found his man; thanks to his trackers he was able to come upon him unawares, camped beside the great Prince Regent River. “We were mighty lucky,” said the trooper subsequently. “ The Prince Regent, at the point where we found him, is an estuary a mile or two wide. He had only to get on a log, paddle across that river, and we should have been forced to ride another eighty miles to get round, which means we just shouldn’t have caught him.” The native was taken all the way back to Wyndham, where he was tried—and acquitted ! A disappointing result, of course, but neverthe- less not without its value; the blacks had learned they could not commit murder with impunity. Modern methods of trial in such cases are very enlightened. A generation or two ago natives were prosecuted in exactly the same way as white men, even though they had no under- standing of the processes of law and knew no word of English. Today they are tried in special tribal courts: The two-man bench consists of the district’s travelling magistrate and another member nominated by the Western Australian Department of Native Affairs. ‘The defence is undertaken by another Native Affairs officer, who may call on the local black tracker for special advice. If ignorance of the white man’s law can be proved, the sentences imposed are light. This, however, does not apply to natives living in more civilized fashion; they are ex- pected to know better. Australia’s mounted police have not achiéved the legendary fame of the Canadian “Mounties,” but the work they undertake is very similar, and—like their Western prototypes —they have played a major part in the settle- ment of what was once a hostile and unknown land.

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NO VN VFS vo’ WS | \ SS | \Y _ . . By J. M. SHEPPARD The Author describes a remarkable character who lived for many years among fierce head- hunting Indians in the South American wilder- ness, sharing their primitive lives and meeting with many exciting.adventures,

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FIRST met Sam Souder in 1938, when I was engaged on a one-man botanical expedition to the Upper Amazonas of Ecuador and Peru. Reports had reached the United ‘States concerning two fabulous plants that were said to grow in that vast area of jungle. One of these, Avelina rosada, was supposed to be the perfect depilatory; the other, Avelina blanca, was its exact opposite, for it would grow hair on the proverbial billiard-balli—or so rumour de- clared! That neither, on investigation, proved to possess the miraculous qualities claimed for it is perhaps not surprising. An enterprising American cosmetic firm had engaged me to search for the two plants that would respectively remove and restore hair and, fired by the promise of a bonus in addition to my modest wages and expenses, I determined to find them at all costs. Although my mission ended in disappointment, it did cause me to en- counter Sam Souder. Now, looking back upon the venture, I am not sure that meeting him wasn’t worth more to me than the panaceas of which I had gone in quest. I went to the eastern jungles by way of Ambato, Bafios, and finally the village outpost of Puyo. Two days’ ride from Puyo, on a razor- backed mule, I reached a navigable river, Hav- ing hired a dugout canoe, I engaged a couple of Yumbo Indians to act as my paddlers, guides, and general handymen. With all due respect to the Yumbos, who are invariably respectful, use- ful about camp, and reasonably honest, I cannot say much for their courage. At that time they lived in mortal fear of the Jivaros and Aucas— two tribes dwelling in the Oriente, as this region is called. I must likewise confess to cherishing a healthy respect for the Aucas, but have not found the dreaded Jivaro head-hunters difficult to get along with. On rare occasions they have certainly taken up arms against the whites, but generally speaking they do their fighting among themselves, and treat outsiders well enough if these latter are careful not to offend them or interfere with the curious customs they have developed during the centuries. A week after leaving Puyo I had a severe ** He had been rescued none too soon, for a shower of lances came hurtling through the air.”’ attack of malaria, and in- structed my Yumbos to make camp on the river-bank while I devoted a few days to alternate shivering and sweating. In my more. lucid moments I doctored myself with five-grain bisulphate quinine tablets. It was the dry season, fortunately, and the Indians swung my big grass-woven hammock between two stout trees. Here I lay hour after hour, listlessly waiting for the quinine to put me on my feet again. On the afternoon of the second day in this makeshift camp I had just passed through a stage of chills. I could feel the fever slowly mounting, and realized that before long I should become semi-delirious. Suddenly, in the distance, I heard singing—a harsh voice, entirely devoid of tone-quality, but expressive of enormous vitality. Listening intently, I finally forced myself to sit up, for the vocalist was singing in Americanese English. This, I decided, was worth investiga- tion ! Lowering myself dizzily to the ground, I staggered across to the bank and gazed up- stream. Presently a huge dugout canoe came round the bend, manned by half-a-dozen stal- wart Jivaros, whose paddles flashed rhythmically. In the stern, standing erect, was a tall, slim, sun- tanned fellow with snow-white hair, He was still singing lustily, waving his arms meanwhile. I yelled to him, but there was no response, and the song continued. : “Hey, Yank!” I shouted. Thereupon the melody ceased abruptly. The white-haired man said something to his paddlers, and they ceased their efforts; the big canoe drifted in towards my own, tied to a sap- ling near the bank. I was about to address the big white when my little world suddenly went into a spin; I fell to the ground and knew no more. “Drink this,” said a voice, apparently from far away. Meekly accepting the bottle-neck, I felt a fiery fluid trickling down my throat, scald- ing my tonsils. INTO THE WILDS “Whew!” I gasped. Liquid barbed wire ?” “‘Wh-what is it?

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232 THE WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE That was my introduction to Sam Souder, grand old: man of the jungles, whose career had been a most eventful-one. After fighting in the Spanish-American war he had helped to build the “ Big Ditch,” as the Panama Canal is often called. Then he drifted south to Venezuela, where he ended up as a captain in a revolu- tionary army which proved to be on the losing side. Escaping westwards, Sam crossed the Republic of Colombia afid arrived in Ecuador, where he learned that gold was to be found in the eastern jungles. “That'll suit me,” he declared, and proceeded to: blaze.a trail into the Upper Amazonas region. Here he contrived to make friends with the head-hunting Jivaros, and presently settled down close to one of their villages. Actually Sam never “ panned ” gold at_all; he discovered an easier way of obtaining it. By acting as a sort of confidential adviser to the Indians, treating their ailments, giving them hints on strategy in connection with inter-tribal wars, and doing a little trading, Souder was eventually able to convince the Jivaros that his ‘abilities were worth a fair share of the yellow dust and nuggets they won in secret places. Every six months he would make a trip “ out- side,” bringing back trade goods—cloth for the women, machetes (jungle knives) for the men, and gee-gaws for both sexes. Gradually he won their hearts and finally determined to make his home among them. After a couple of years Souder took over a large tract of land and started to create for him- self a veritable Garden of Eden. Before long he had groves of banana trees, citrus fruits, avo- cados, papayas, and many other things, including vegetables. He had a’ comfortable house, built of bamboo and thatch, and the hunting and fish- ing left nothing to be desired. I have mentioned these détails to give you some idea of the man and his background. Now let us return to our first meeting. Having restored me to consciousness, my new acquaintance had me carried to his own canoe, under the thatch-roof midship section, and took me to his riverside home, where I soon recovered from the bout of malaria which had laid me low. During the days that followed we had many long conversations, and Sam taught me a lot about the jungle. I "had spent a good deal of time in the forests of Central America, but was unfamiliar with local conditions, and Souder’s experience proved invaluable. Sam’s adventures, as unfolded to me during my sojourn and various subsequent meetings, would fill volumes. For the purpose of this nar- rative, however, I have selected a couple— typical of the exciting career of this remarkable man. Some time previous to our meeting a white man who was obviously a “bad lot” arrived at Sam’s house from nowhere in particular seeking food and shelter. Souder suspected he was a criminal fleeing from justice; he didn’t like the look of him at all. Nevertheless, he took the stranger in; one white man in the wilderness feels in honour bound to help another, After enjoying Souder’s hospitality for some days the sinister guest disappeared—and with him went Sam’s new repeating rifle! The following day the old trader bewailed his bad luck to a young _Jivaro warrior who came along to exchange a “‘ poke ” of: gold-dust for some machetes. The Indian proved very sympathetic, “ What will -you give me if I bring + your gun back?” he asked in his own tongue, which the big American had long since learned. “If you can recover that rifle Pll give you a twenty-yard bolt of red gingham cloth,” answered the trader; and almost before he had finished speaking the Indian had trotted off down the trail. | A fortnight went by, and although Sam still . mourned the loss of his cherished rifle he had little hope of. ever seeing it again. One morning, however, when he was drinking his usual cup of black coffee, he observed the Jivaro approaching. Slung over ‘the Indian’s shoulder was the miss- ing weapon! Marching up to the anceebed Sam, the Jivaro solemnly handed the rifle over. “Now give me the cloth,” he said, and forthwith Souder ‘went back inside the house, unpacked a bolt of bright-red gingham, and -pre- sented it to the delighted young man. The couple then sat in silence for a long time while the new arrival drank two cups of coffee and smoked several of Sam’s home-rolled cigarettes. Finally the trader asked the question that had been puzzling him. “How did you manage to get the gun?” he demanded. “ Did you-grab it while that fellow was asleep? I know you couldn’t tackle him in thé open; he had a shotgun and a revolver in addition to my rifle.” “The weapons that speak are useless against me,” replied the Jivaro, stolidly. “ The white man never even saw me. I got ahead of him on the trail and waited behind a thick bush. When he came past I simply reached out and lopped his head off with one of those machetes I got from you!” THE PROOF Souder made no comment, but he must have looked incredulous, for without another word the Indian rose to his feet and strode to the front of the house, where he had deposited a tightly-woven bag. F umbling inside it, he brought out the fugitive’s head and laid it at Sam’s feet! The trader’s .home was situated on the banks of the Rio Curaray; across the river, to the north, lay the territory of the Aucas Indians. The Aucas area tribe to be left strictly alone; nobody wants anything to do with them! They are literally deadly, killing intruders on sight. Even the. Jivaros fear them, and no man in his right mind, be he white, brown, or red, sets foot in their country if he can possibly help it. The gradual opening-up of the wilds has had no! effect on these primitive savages. Many of the Jivaros have become semi-civilized of late years,

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THE JUNGLE MAN 233 Chimiog Mod iv “ a SN Guaren ES ononaco © Samayaeu, ¢ ac L) Moranat\ @ Yayealyaq 6 Montalvo ee Hu igras ¢ oe Caner \ Ry eoguere, ebabie BP ofaute A © Gaalaceo a wt Quenca y, intoyace Gh Mende. | 0 S989 D Aquacates °o e len . lnaaneag . J bSario Pend Cdmeo: — A "12 ° R Zaragure Gitiequiza \ Cc \ 5 1. - = \ a : . e Loy : - ° Ver onck Zamera Vacueaw 0 Urgum . © Sta\Teres4 WwW a4 Ruanad Wo Shutand O Tambo , Ehis sketch-map, drawn by the Author, shows the vast “ Region Oriental” of Ecuador —the great jungles lying east of the Andean Cordillera. Mr. Sheppard writes: ‘ This area has only been semi-explored, possesses no roads, and is inhabited by various wild Indian tribes such as the Aucas, Jivaros, Zaparos, Yumbos, etc. The places marked as towns usually consist of only two or three dwellings, inhabited by whites or near-whites. The Indian villages, which are much larger, are not shown at all, since their location is frequently changed. Placer gold is to be found in the rivers and streams, and attracts a few bold spirits, some of whom make good pickings. It was in this little-known wilder- ness that Sam Souder spent many years among the head-hunting Jivaro Indians living on the Rio Curaray. The places mentioned will be seen at the top of the map.”

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234 THE WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE but the Aucas remain just as truculent and irre- concilable as they were thirty-odd years ago, when Sam Souder first settled in the jungle. As recently as last August the village of Arajuno was attacked by a band of Aucas, who killed and wounded a number of the inhabitants. Oddly enough, these In- dians have never learned to build or use canoes, and few of them can swim. On their sporadic raids across the river into Jivaro territory a dozen or more tribesmen will hang on to a balsawood log, supporting themselves with one arm and kicking out with their feet to propel their odd craft through the water. Sam told me of an occa- sion when a missionary priest came down the Curaray and stayed with him for a few days. The padre was deter- mined to make an attempt to convert the Aucas, or at least a few of them. Souder tried hard to dissuade the good Father, pointing out that every such effort had failed, and that even to set foot upon their territory was tantamount to suicide. The missionary, however, remained adamant. One bright morning the padre and his two Yumbo guides pushed off in their canoe and, after beaching it on the Aucas side of the stream, penetrated the jungle along a narrow trail that came down to the water’s edge. The Yumbos, apparently, hadn’t the slightest idea of the mor- tal danger to which the priest’s action was ex- posing them, It was the missionary’s idea to leave gifts at intervals along the track and then return to Sam’s house. He proposed to repeat this process daily until he got into contact with the Indians. “T guess the padre thought the presents would soften-up the Aucas,” said Sam, grimly. “He didn’t know how tough those babies are. The only thing that will soften them is a bullet!” On the off-chance that the misguided man might get away-alive, Souder collected a party of his Jivaros, placed them in his big canoe, and then pulled out into midstream to wait. Sam was armed with his shotgun and a rifle; the Indians had their lances, short daggers, and bows and arrows, (The Jivaros hunt with blow-guns and poisoned darts, but never use these weapons against human beings.) TOUCH AND GO About an hour went by, but there was no sign of the trio who had landed on the little beach opposite, and no sound came from the jungle. The trader was just about to give the order to return when he observed the priest dashing headlong down the trail, his cassock tucked up about his waist. Shouting “ Help!” at the top of his voice, and, ignoring his own Mr. Sam Souder as he appears to-day. canoe, he plunged into the water and swam vigorously towards the big dugout. Souder ordered his Jivaros to paddle towards the missionary, and within a few minutes they hauled him aboard, completely exhausted. He had been rescued none too soon, for he had hardly been deposited in the bottom of the canoe be- fore a shower of lances came hurtling through the air and a dozen or more Aucas war- riors appeared on the bank, shouting what were doubtless dire threats and gross insults. Fortunately none of the missiles reached the dugout, and in a matter of seconds the craft was out of range. It transpired that both the unfortunate Yumbos had been killed on the trail. According to the priest, he owed his own escape to the fact that he had lagged be- hind on the extremely narrow path. When the first lances struck the luckless guides he had been far in rear, and immediately turned to flee. “For the moment,” he said, “I don’t think the Aucas observed me; they were too busy with my poor helpers.”’ After this experience, needless to state, the padre reluctantly abandoned his cherished scheme for establishing friendly relations with the Aucas. On the few occasions when these fierce savages crossed the river and succeeded in killing Jivaros, Souder told me, they invariably left their lances in the bodies of their victims as a species of grim trade-mark. Now and then, by way of retaliation, the Jivaros girded on their weapons and struck back at their hereditary enemies—often with considerable success. The Jivaro, unlike his timid cousin the Yumbo, is ex- tremely courageous, and many an Aucas warrior lost his head during these raids. The-feud be- tween the two tribes is endless, and will cease only when civilization eventually reaches this great wilderness and begins to develop it for food-growing. Three years ago the redoubtable Sam Souder decided it was time to abandon his strenuous existence among the primitive Indians of the jungle and seek the amenities of the cities. Now—in his eighties, but still hale and hearty— he lives in Quito and, by local standards, is a comparatively wealthy man. Unlike so many adventurers, he did not waste his hard-won gold, and by the time he determined to spend the evening of his days in civilization he had a fair- sized fortune tucked safely away. To-day, whenever the sun is shining, you will find him sitting on a bench in the Plaza Inde- pendencia, surrounded by a group of old cronies, swapping yarns of bygone days. Very few men know the interior jungles and the wild tribes that inhabit them better than old Sam Souder!

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BETWEEN. OURSELVES ONGRATULATORY messages continue to reach us in connection \“ with the “ Bigger and Brighter ” WIDE Wor Lp, which has been received with enthusiastic approval in all quarters. The new clear-faced type, so kindly to the eyes, 1s par- ticularly popular, and everybody likes the easier handling provided by extra width. “‘ These improve- ments bring the good old Magazine very close to perfection,” declares a North Country corre- spondent. We are naturally delighted to have pleased you. THE “FAIRY RING” A Dublin reader sends us an account of a curious coincidence. He writes: “Your issue for Sept., 1950, contained a story entitled ‘The Stolen Idol, which had special interest for me. The narrative deals with the theft of a sacred image from a Japanese temple, and one of the .characters con- cerned lost an eye and a hand—seemingly as punish- ment for his Sacrilegious act. “In various parts of Ireland there are to be found ancient earthworks, known as ‘fairy rings’ or ‘forts, which, according to popular belief, are places to avoid; misfortune is liable- to over-. take anyone rash enough to interfere with them. ‘They take the form of large circu- lar mounds, strongly but- tressed with stones. Some few years ago, while on holi- day in the country, I took a hand at helping to demolish a ‘ring’; the ground was needed for some purpose or other. Several of the men, having met with minor acci- a ae ¢0 foe a ond thre cut SU ini % pane fay HHURLEEAEEDUALUTHUEEAURRERENUTITEL * *3 B The EDITOR Hace. escaping Cross” the eye on claws of the hawk. dents, had decided to abandon the work, but the idea of danger struck me as absurd. I hadn’t been using my pick for more than ten minutes, however, when a tiny chip of stone shot into my right eye, compelling me to cease oper- ations and seek assistance. Un- fortunately complications ensued, and later on I had to have the eye removed. Just ‘coincidence,’ of course, but I am now firmly con- vinced that, superstition or no superstition, some things are best left alone! I wonder if any other readers of the Magazine have had similar ex- periences ? © MONEY TAKES FLIGHT same correspondent forwards the annexed cutting from the Sunday Independent, dealing with a bird that apparently decided it could find a use for a few banknotes. The news- paper also published a photo- graph of Mr. McConville holding the dead hawk, and we congratulate this gentle- man not only upon his presence of mind but also his excellent marksmanship. He has certainly given “ getting the bird ” quite a new mean- ing | THE SIMONSTOWN ' BABOONS We come now to a curious wild-life mystery— yet another of those odd WIDE Wor.Lp “sequels” The up an which crop up with such re- ew 4 markable regularity. Mr. a Eric H. Little, of Cape Town, South Africa, writes: “About a year ago the WipE Wor.p published a little story written by a sailor stationed at the Simonstown Naval Base, South Africa. Hn pul t

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236 THE WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE He described how, returning to his room at the local hotel, he found a huge baboon busy ran- sacking his belongings. “These animals come from the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, situated about fifteen miles from Simonstown and sixty from Cape Town. The baboons cross a range of mountains to reach Simonstown, and during the last six months one troop in particular, led by a huge shaggy brute, has become very bold; its members enter the houses and frighten t td people. . “ Quite recently a small boy had a terrible shoek when he was cornered in his bedroom by one of the baboons. The child’s mother, hearing his agonized shrieks, rushed in and, wielding a broom vigorously, succeeded in driving out the ferocious intruder. “Time after time these animals, under their wily leader, have invaded houses to pilfer food from kitchens or vegetable gardens. One baboon, brought to bay by a big dog, actually tore a_ wooden gate to pieces in order to escape. Tre- mendously powerful, the baboon can be very dangerous when cornered, and will not hesitate to attack man or dog. Unless a dog is excep- tionally agile it is no match for a baboon, who will drag its adversary towards it, and rip his body open with its long powerful claws, “The creatures never make a raid without leay- ing one'of their number to stand on guard. This sen- tinel selects a high rock or crag, and barks a warning the moment he sights dan- ger. . The brutes are so cunning that it is almost impossible to stalk them with a gun; the look-out always gives the alarm long before the hunter can get within range. “For some time past the Municipality of Simons- town has employed an armed ranger to protect houses against baboon raids, but the sagacious creaturés invariably manage to elude him. Now, however, jt looks as if Simonstown’s baboon troubles are over for a while, because most of the members of a notorious local troop have been found mysteriously drowned in a private dam, as mentioned in the attached newspaper cutting. “The generally ‘ac- cepted theory is that one of the troop fell into the water and that the others went to its assistanee. Up to the time of writing, however, no satisfactory solution has been found for this mass tragedy, for—as already mentioned— baboons are exceptionally intelligent and cun- ning.” EUROPEAN FIRE-WALKERS We have published accounts of fire-walking ceremonies in various parts of the East, but it comes as a distinct surprise to learn that similar performances still take place in Northern Greece. Group-Captain A. Xanthopoulos, of Athens, writes: “ This ancient Thracian custom is observed every year on Sts. Constantine and Helena’s Day (May 21st) at the town of Lan- gadas and the village of St. Helena, near Serrai, which lies north-east of Salonica. Many British ex-Servicemen will remember these places from World War I. I enclose a cutting from the Athens daily newspaper Kathimerini (not reproduced), of which the following is a literal translation: “ Salonica, May 21st. From Our Own Cor- respondent. “To-day many visitors from Athens and neighbourhood gathered at Langadas in order to witness the picturesque custom of fire-walking. The sanctification and the usual ceremonial kill- ing of the calf took place in the morning. During the afternoon a fire had been lighted in the grounds of the Gymnasium, and a group of ten e

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men. and women, headed by Mr. G. Emmanuel, leader of the fire-walkers, began to perambulate the blaze, holding aloft the ancient zkons of Sts. Constantine and Helena and continually passing puoue? the fire. This will be repeated on Satur- ay. “On the same day, at the village of St. Helena, in the province of Serrai, the local fire - walkers — three men and two women-— carried out the old custom by dancing on the fire for three minutes.” Photographs _ re-’ produced in another Greek journal show the performers —- ap- parently dressed in their ordinary clothes —trudging through a bed of glowing embers without betraying any signs of distress or haste. AFRICA’S SMALLEST POST-OFFICE? While Australia and New Zealand dispute in friendly fashion as to which of them owns the smallest post-office—Australia has just put for- ward a claim for a building measuring six feet by four !—our South African readers have evidently been taking a look round to discover what they have to offer in the way of diminutive P.O.s. Now Mr. E. R. Harrison, of Mtubatuba, Zulu- land, sends us the accompanying photograph and writes as follows concerning it: “I believe this building to be the smallest post-office in Africa. Despite its size, it is com- plete with all- the usual facilities—a telephone exchange and operator; a counter where a clerk attends to the public; a ’phone for general use; and a Morse machine for transmitting telegrams. This office is situated in the south-eastern .area of Swaziland, at a tiny place called Kluti. You will notice that a thatched roof has been erected over the building to protect it from. the fierce tropical rain, the roar of which on the corrugated iron would otherwise make work im- possible. As will be realized from an inspection of the picture, there is very little room inside the office for the staff of two and their equipment.” KARACHI TO CORNWALL Our readers are deter- mined not to let us miss any reference to long-dis- tance bottle - messages! Here, from the Buirming- ham Mail, is the latest example. It would be in- BETWEEN OURSELVES 237 teresting to know the identity of the launcher of this much-travelled bottle, and how he came to entrust his greetings to the ocean. The details given are decidedly sketchy, and perhaps, Mr. Brownhill, of Darlaston, would. be good enough to supply some further information. JUNGLE POLICEMEN You will recall the very interesting article “‘ Jungle Man- Hunters,” which ap- peared in our _Novem- ber ‘issue, and dealt with the Rural Police of Ecuador, South America. This corps d’élite maintains - law and order throughout the vast interior wil- derness of Ecuador, waging continual war on bandits, cattle-rustlers, and other crimi- nals. Owing to the hazardous nature of their duties the annual casualty rate is very high, and for this reason only single men are accepted as recruits, and must leave the service on marriage. i Mr. J. M. Sheppard, the author of the article, has recently sent us an account of the death of a young Rural Police constable who was brought down-river to Guayaquil by canoe with four revolver-bullets in his body, but died soon after his arrival. The officer had received his wounds while endeavouring to protect a hacienda from a party of raiding bandits, who killed three other persons in the course of the attack. The murderers fled, but six constables were promptly detailed to pursue them, and—in the usual way of the Policia Rural—will probably continue the “assignment ” until all the ruffians have been brought to justice or otherwise accounted for. Like the Canadian ‘“‘ Mounties,” the members of this gallant little force have a reputation for *“ getting their man.” THE “ SACRED CANNON ” OF DJAKARTA A Liverpool corre- spondent writes: “ Your recent reference to the ‘sacred cannon’ of Dja- karta, Batavia, is most in- teresting, for only last year I was able to examine it closely, and took the en- closed photograph. The area around old Dyakarta was terribly devastated during the late war; even the ancient ‘ Amsterdam Gate’ has_ disappeared. The gun is located in a wooded cul-de-sac, with native shacks close behind;

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238 THE WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE it is known as the Kjyai Setama, and figures in many picturesque legends. The weapon is closely associated with two other greatly-venerated guns —the Njai Setama at Solo, and another, called Ki Amuk, at Banten, both places being in Indo- nesia. There is another ancient cannon, still on its original wheels, standing in front of the Sul- tan’s kraton (palace) i in Djokjakarta. “This particular piece of ordnance is con- sidered to be of Portuguese manufacture, and was captured by the Dutch in Malacca about 1640, after which it vanished from public view, and its movements before reaching its present secluded site are unknown. Nowadays it is visited by many natives, who firmly believe in its magical powers to enable childless couples to raise a family. There is a watchman in attend- ance to keep the incense-burner alight, and he collects his fees from the locked box seen to the left of the picture. Notice also the offerings laid across the gun. A Latin inscription in the green- ing bronze at the rear end reads ‘Ex me ipsa renate sum, which may be,roughly translated ‘I came forth out of myself.’ “The various ‘sacred cannons’ have not been ‘ united,’ in accordance with legend, and at present there appears to be little likelihood of such an eventuality. As regards the Penang specimen, although I spent some time there I was unable to locate its whereabouts. It may perhaps have been removed by the Japanese invaders.” THE “ISLAND OF CATS ” Some time ago reference was made to an uninhabited island in the South Seas where, it was alleged, ferocious cats—originally imported by a settler to get rid of a plague of rats—took entire possession, driving out the unfortunate pioneer after making his life impossible. Now a correspondent sends us an aarticle from the American National Geographic Magazine de- scribing a yachting cruise off the coast of Maine, U.S.A., and mentioning another island where, apparently, a very similar state of affairs for- merly prevailed. The author states: ‘“ We put out boldly across island-strewn Casco Bay, which is reputed to have one island for every day of the year. Passages between them, we found, were often so narrow that the shores were only a fly- cast away. i Sailing close to attractive Haskell Island, we gave it more than casual attention because of a shuddery chapter in its past. Late in the last century a lobster fisherman named Humphrey lived there. The island was overrun by rats, but the elderly man got along well enough with the rodents, even though they continually raided his bait-barrels. “One day, however, a passing fisherman noticed the absence of smoke from Humphrey’s chimney and landed to investigate. He found the shack swarming with rats; but little remained of their host. “A first attempt to exterminate the rats failed. Later, two young fishermen, Bruce and Wallace Mills, established themselves on the island, taking along about a dozen husky cats. A war seldom equalled in fury ensued. The cats suffered some initial reverses, but eventually triumphed. Not a rat remained on Haskell. “The cats, however, multiplied at a great rate and increased in size and ferocity. Although the Mills brothers strove to satisfy the wranglers with fish, birds vanished from the island, their songs succeeded by nocturnal feline yowling. “Eventually the island was wanted for sum- mer homes, and the Millses were told they were squatters and must leave. Their refusal was supported by their fierce pets until someone put poison ashore at night and wiped out the entire cat population. Heartbroken, the brothers left and were never heard of again.”

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EXPLORIN \ the oF By JOHN BROWN y WHE ‘“ Skele- in South- West Africa, is certain- ly aptly named, for there is nothing much to be found there except the wrecks of ships and the bones of men and animals who have ventured into these lonely wastes and paid the penalty for their temerity. The difficulties of travel are terrific; when the liner Dunedin Star drove ashore there in 1942 the Government had to spend a fortune to rescue the survivors and bring them out to civilization. It is the northern part of the Namib Desert, fringing the South Atlantic, which is usually re- ferred to as the Skeleton Coast, and it consti- tutes one of the most desolate areas on earth. From the mouth of the Orange River right up ta the Kunene, eight hundred miles north—the border of Portuguese West Africa—there extend endless rolling sand-dunes, broken only by the diamond-diggings in the “‘ forbidden territory ” near the Orange, the diamond-town of Luderitz, The Author went to the desert country of South- ton Coast,” West Africa in search of underground springs. This article describes some of his experiences in that grim land of scorching heat and everlasting sand, where water can be more precious than diamonds, and the miserable shack-town ports of Walvis and Swakop- mund. There is “ big money” to be made from pilchard-fishing at Walvis, and from diamonds on the fields, but nobody stays in the country to spend it; after a brief sojourn in those grim surroundings their sole idea is to get out as quickly as possible. When I was at Walvis, for instance, four men who yearned for the bright lights hired the only available taxi and paid the driver £250. to drive them all the way to Cape Town, about a thousand miles south! Money was no object. Several fishermen, during the season, had been earning £60 a week, and as income-tax (from the British point of view) is low, strong drink flows like water. Everybody seems wealthy; I have never seen such bulging wallets anywhere else! I went to the Skeleton Coast in charge of a small survey-party, at the instance of local in- terests. Our task was to seek underground water-resources with new instruments developed Sand-dunes on the fringe of the desert.

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240 THE WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE since the late war. Subterranean supplies are all-important in an area where there is no sur- face-water for eight hundred miles down the coast and throughout vast stretches of inland territory. One can cross South-West Africa and Bechuanaland without coming upon a single river, yet there are great possibilities for ranch- ing development if subterranean springs can be located and tapped by means of boreholes. Every dependable new well would mean about another two thousand acres available for food- production! Rain is practically unknown on the desert, but on the rare occasions when there. is a shower the wasteland turns green overnight, the plant-life having the capacity to survive for very long periods. Finding ourselves none too welcome in the diamondiferous area, where strangers are always regarded with suspicion, we made tracks for the north, using lorries to cross the dunes and tak- ing our water-supply with us. By way of pre- caution, in case anything went wrong, we also had a small plant for condensing sea-water. One can’t be too careful in the desert! Fascinated by stories of fortunes in dia- monds picked up on the coastal sands, we tried our hands as amateur prospectors. In the Namib the stones lie near the surface, the top- soil having been blown away by the constant southerly winds. We scratched out a few gem- stones, such as beryl, topaz, and rose quartz, but found nothing really ‘The poor animals perished from thirst in the dreaded Na valuable. The Kaokoveld area, farther north, is said to be very rich, but this native reserve lies outside the police-zone, and permits to visit it are rarely granted. I am not a geologist, but I suspect that, apart from diamonds, there is plenty of amethyst, for I was shown a lot of high-grade stones from the Kaokoveld -moun- tains. When we settled to our work we found the conditions very arduous; we were scorched by day and chilled at night by the damp fogbanks which drifted inland after sunset. The nights were terrifyingly dark, and had a bad effect on the nerves of our native porters. The small noc- turnal desert animals have a habit of staring at strangers from the edge of the dunes, and the spectacle of red or green eyes shining unwink- ingly from a solid wall of blackness is extremely disconcerting, to say the least. Every morning, moreover, there were endless arguments as to sh, 99 °

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EXPLORING THE “SKELETON COAST ” » the mysterious tracks in, the sand all round our camps, N orth of Swakopmund a few European her- mits contrive to wrest some sort of livelihood from the desert by hacking out lumps of salt from the big “pans” and selling them to the lorry-drivers who call once a month. This is in- deed a weird region. Piles of dead pilchards can be found along the shore, and it is difficult to say what kills them. Strange sulphurous -odours are occasionally wafted inland, however, and queer variations of sea-temperature have been noted. ‘The most probable explanation of these phenomena is the existence of submarine volcanoes. We saw no Bushmen aborigines—Strand- lopers, as they are called—along the coast, but there are many legends about these elusive little One was to the effect that a police- nomads. man, hearing stories about the Strandloper chil- 3) dren playing with “ shining pebbles,” set out to investigate. He never returned. Some of the hermits we encountered have deliberately cut themselves off from civilization for reasons they keep to themselves, and loneli- 241 ness has made them decidedly eccentric. One bearded Englishman told me to forget I had met him, whereas a German boasted of his aristo- cratic connections in Europe. Some of the Ger- mans, incidentally, are still fairly young, although it is hard to tell a man’s age when he wears a bushy beard. It would be interesting to discover just when some of them arrived in the country. They were the reverse of communica- tive, and all attempts to steer the conversation round to the war period were frustrated. It should not be forgotten, in this connection, that until 1916 (when it was conquered by General Botha) the territory was known as “ German West,” and German is still the language most generally used. Swakopmund and Windhoek, to all appearances, are German towns. Windhoek even boasts a Goeringstrasse, although it was ex- plained to us that this was in memory of Hermann Goering’s father, a former Commissioner-General of the colony. The South Africans told me that in 1939 the territory was almost solidly pro-Nazi, and in 1940 the people confidently ex- pected the arrival of a German task- force! I learned from one Englishman that he was engaged in a most fascinating quest—looking for a treasure hidden by the retreating: German forces in. 1915. This, he said, had originally been con- cealed in a grave in the cemetery at Windhoek, a “fake” burial entry being made in the register to cover it. As an additional precaution, a smaller cache, consisting of German currency and a few diamonds, was placed above the main treasure. After the surrender of Windhoek there was a great deal of confusion, and somebody revealed the hiding-place of the valuables. It was believed, however, that only the top box was removed by the eager searchers; they had no idea that a much larger store lay a few feet farther down. After the Armistice the German offi- cers responsible for burying the treasure- chest found themselves unable to return to South-West Africa in order to retrieve the pre- cious hoard. In 1920, when they contrived to get back, they. discovered to their dismay that the precious box had vanished. Discreet inquiries re- vealed that a German N.C.O., a prisoner of war in South Africa until 1919, had beaten them to it! But, as things fell out, however, the loot proved useless to him. Having secretly recovered it, he headed westward towards the coast, with the treasure loaded on a couple of mules, The poor animals perished from thirst in the dreaded Namib, and the German was forced to bury their packs and continue his journey afoot. Reaching Swakopmund a physical wreck, he died of fever, leaving behind him a letter containing a rough map, showing the approximate location of the treasure, to be sent to his brother in Ger- many. ‘The man to whom this letter was en-

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242 trusted failed to forward it, and later the map was stolen. from him; evi- dently he had talked too much! Even- tually. the document came into the hands of my informant, and formed the basis of his search, which had so far been unsuccessful. I also heard an entirely different version as to what happened to this German “ graveyard ” treasure, but it is impossible to say where the truth lies. It seems fairly certain, however, that such a cache was made, and the main parcel, believed to consist of selected diamonds from Luderitz, was probably of great value. Nothing has ever been heard, moreover, as to what became of a chest full of English sovereigns and gold twenty-mark THE WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE grees cueennnnadenesanaterte ANGOLA (PORTUGUESE WEST AFRICA ) é . Kune? “Dunedin = Star”. West me wrecked Wetices 73 OVAMBOLAND NCre «Biase: Swakopmundp.'::".- Walvis@: 2. y UNG a E ATLANTIC O 20 40 60 80 100 Map of the “ Skeleton Coast,” showing the various places mentioned. A hermit’s shack in the wilds. pieces, used for border trade and espionage payments, Many of the Skeleton Coast hermits exist under conditions of frightful squalor; they are bearded and long-haired, and clad in rags and tatters. There is little com- munity spirit among them; they quarrel fiercely and cherish all sorts of fantastic feuds and grievances. Some of them, if you are prepared, to listen, are eager to tell you about the days when they were “in the money,” and occasionally the stories are true. One tale we regarded as most improbable—that a certain horse-dealer was related to a Scot- tish duke—proved to be perfectly correct ! These exiles of the wilds do not welcome the intrusion of strangers. One morning, when we had un- loaded our instruments and were running out the cable, a typical her- mit, after watching us sullenly for some time, suddenly shouted an- grily: ‘I know what you’re after! Why can’t you leave us in peace?” He appeared extremely annoyed, warning us that his neighbour had a gun and would not hesitate to use it on us. We entirely failed to convince him that we were not prospectors, but merely seeking underground streams, Instruments meant only one thing to that man—a hunt for minerals. Finally, greatly incensed, he went off to enlist support, and we decided to move on. The hermits might not love one another, but they liked us even less, and if they chose to join forces against us things might well become awkward. Farther north we heard some queer stories concerning the ivory- poachers who come down from An- gola and lurk in the jungle wilderness

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EXPLORING THE “SKELETON COAST ” La 243 The desolate hills of the interior, sterile and featureless. above the Kunene, This area is a real No-Man’s- Land—a place where strange things happen and it isn’t healthy to be too inquisitive. When, in the course of our investigations, we turned eastwards, we were offered jobs in the mining camps at £75 a month! I suppose the mine-owners are well able to pay such wages, for while we were there we heard about the recent discovery of tantalite-columbite, a rare mineral said to be worth over £3,000 a ton! In these remote regions nobody bothers about “ refer- ences’; if the employer likes the look of you he takes you on. Life in the mining communities is strenuous but exhilarating; the prospectors and engineers are grand fellows; there is plenty of game about, and lofty mountains to climb if you feel like stretching your legs—a welcome change from the everlasting sun-scorched desert. This part of Africa is still a land of romance, where the chance wayfarer is always welcome to a meal and a share of the camp-fire. Round those camp-fires, incidentally, we heard some amazing stories of “lost ” diamond mines, cities buried beneath the sand, and expeditions that never returned. I have deliberately said little about our search for new water-sources; the subject is too technical to be. of general interest. Suffice it to say that we found some indications in the central area of the Namib, and many traces in the Kala- hari, of water lying from thirty to fifty feet below the surface, or even deeper. Though the land is unsuitable for agriculture, boreholes would make ranching possible with tough Afrikander stock. Having concluded our mission, we packed up our equipment and returned home, leaving the Skeleton Coast and its deserts behind us. Now, faced with the complexities of our present- day civilization, I occasionally find: myself envy- ing those hardy hermits of the wilds. Grim though certain aspects of their existence may be, they have nevertheless achieved some sort of happiness, The recurrent “crises” of the rest- less outside world don’t worry them, they get up when they like, and they call no man master !

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eens ee SINR then ete Attire HE opening instalment related how the Author’s brother Jim met, on . the Coolgardie gold- field, two men named Rod McLeod and Pat- rick Maddison, who befriended him. Mad- dison became involved in a fight with a ruffianly pugilist ‘called Cooney, and later, while dis- cussing a proposed expedition in search of a lost gold-mine the trio were overheard by one of Cooney’s friends. They duly set off on their enterprise, but some days after- wards were surprised to come across the fresh trail of mounted men proceeding in the same direction as them- selves). YOU CAN NOW READ ON. One of the most helpful features of a new goldfield is the enterprising way in which store- keepers follow up the diggers and keep them sup- plied with food and—let it be said—with strong liquor. A supply of beer and whisky is one of the first requirements of anew Australian gold- An exciting story from Western Australia. men’s footsteps in search of a lost mine! quest on which the Author’s brother set forth into the un- known, and it involved him in a strange and perilous sequence of adventures. prospector, and has been over much of the ground described OUT OF THE PAST By W. CHARNLEY Following dead This was the Mr. Charnley is himself a veteran in the narrative. rush, and it is never very long before it appears. Thus, when one day Rod gave a half-cheer and waved his arm towards a canvas building a mile or so ahead, I was not surprised to learn that it was a sort of bush hotel where several tracks crossed. Here we could replenish our water-tanks and also obtain a drink of some- thing stronger. As we drew near the place I noticed, with

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some little surprise, that three rather scraggy “brumbies ” were tied to ‘a couple of dead trees which served as hitching-posts. “Yes; I see them,” said Rod, when I pointed them out. “They belong to those fellows we’ve been following, so we shall soon find out who they are!” A few minutes later we drew up in front of the shanty and, after Hoosta-ing the camels down to their knees, trooped into the bar for a drink. We had rather wondered why the shanty- keeper had not come out to meet us, for travel- lers were not so plentiful that he was likely to be indifferent to new arrivals. On _ passing through the door, however, we saw that he was busy guarding his small stock and attending to the demands of. three as likely-looking ruffians as could be found anywhere. The one that caught my eye first was Cooney, the heavyweight “ex-pugilist with the “ cauli- flower”’ ear whom I had already come to know so well. The next was the gentleman with the wild eye who had spied on us as we discussed our plans in Maddison’s room. The third I knew only by sight, having observed him on several occasions loafing around Coolgardie. I knew nothing against him, yet I have rio doubt that he felt quite at home in jail. As we breasted the rough bar, however, we gave no sign-of recognition, but, calling for drinks—which consisted of whisky diluted with cold water from a water-bag—we kept to our- selves. Evidently this did not please Mr. Cooney, and, when Rod asked for a second round of drinks he lurched up and roughly demanded if we were going to “ shout.” Rod looked him up and down coolly; then he curtly answered “ No!” DEAD MEN’S TRACKS 245 Whether he was wise in refusing I eannot say, but it certainly gave the fellow an excuse to quarrel. But Rod was like that—he feared neither man nor beast. “Very well, then,” roared the other, “ you keep your drinks and be ” There followed a string of oaths and insults. Rod remained completely unruffled, but calmly sipped his whisky and water. Getting no change from Rod, Cooney sud- denly turned on Maddison. “Why! Here’s the English Johnny who hit me in Coolgardie!” he cried, in simu- lated astonishment. “That was_a good fight, and now’s our chance to finish it!” Maddison paled slightly, which was no dis- credit to him for, despite his high courage, he was undoubtedly no match for this heavyweight professional in a knock-out fight. But the issue was not to be left with him. “No; you don’t,” put in Rod, firmly. “You’re not going to force a fight on my mates!” _ Cooney stepped back a pace. “ If you mean to save him,” he snarled, ‘‘ you’ll have to take the hiding yourself.” With that he launched a vicious punch at Rod’s jaw. McLeod was on the alert, however, and, leaping to one side, cleverly avoided the blow. And then the battle began! Rod, as I have already mentioned, was a fine big fellow, accus- tomed to a hard, open-air life, and although he lacked his opponent’s pugilistic science he was quite his equal in toughness and capacity to take punishment. As the couple exchanged blows the thuds of fists on muscle sounded almost con- tinuous. Then came a clinch, and they heaved across the narrow bar, crashing into the frail counter and breaking it down. “Hey! Stop it! Go and fight outside!” yelled the alarmed shanty-keeper. Spluttering despairing oaths, he danced around and en- deavoured to put an end to the struggle that threatened to wreck the frail building. But the fighters paid no heed as, breaking from the clinch, they fell to sparring for the knock-out. Maddison and I stepped back into a corner to be out of the way, while Cooney’s two com- panions found it convenient to take up a posi- tion in the doorway. I half-expected that they might attempt to help their mate by some under- hand trick, such as throwing a bottle at Rod, but they made no such effort, being apparently quite confident of Cooney’s ability to take care of himself, That the ex-pugilist could do so was quite evident, even to my inexperienced eyes. At the beginning I had imagined wild fury flashed from his eyes, but now, as he and Rod sparred and punched and clinched backwards and forwards across the narrow room, I began to fancy that the rage had abated, and to be replaced by a sort of sardonic humour. In fact, he began playing with. Rod. This, of course, was very humiliating for our champion; still, looked at in a cold light, it. was only what might be expected. Cooney had.

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246 THE WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE probably fought hundreds of times, both in the ring and as a sparring partner to better men than himself, and, brave and strong as Rod was, he had no possible chance against a professional. Time after time Rod’s powerful left, aimed at an apparently vulnerable jaw, impacted with disastrous effect to himself on his opponent’s thick skull. Nor did a following upper-cut help any further towards victory. Cooney’s left would be there to guard, whilst his right, jabbing short into Rod’s ribs, made the latter gasp. ‘Thus the fight went'on for probably a quartér of an hour or more. Only tough men could have stood it, for there was no pause for rounds or time to gather breath. The shanty- keeper still yelled and cursed as he beheld ruin ‘piling on ruin; his great regret appeared to be that he did not possess a gun with which to shoot the combatants. Quite likely he did have a gun somewhere handy, but, as I happened to be carrying a Winchester, he was not game to pro- duce and use it. The end of the battle came quite suddenly, Cooney seemed to sight sqmething through the open doorway, and, as if he had received a sig- nal, he jumped close in and, breaking through Rod’s guard, planted a terrific blow right over his heart. Then, as our mate staggered, he struck again—this time at the jaw—dadnd Rod collapsed in a senseless heap on the floor. What-did we do? Nothing. The fight had been fairly fought, and the best man had won. FOOLED! Without a word Cooney picked up his hat. and went out. Down on our knees on the earthen floor, Maddison and I had an anxious few minutes with Rod, fanning him and gently massaging his heart. I thought at first that the solar plexus punch had done him some serious injury, but after a while he opened his eyes and presently began to smile in a rueful manner. “A nice fighter, ain’t I?’ was his first re- mark. “ Help me outside. I want some air.” So, with an arm on each side, we helped him out of the hot canvas shanty. ‘Then we saw something that made our eyes bulge; even Rod temporarily forgot his troubles. Our three camels were still kneeling where we had left them, but the lashings of the packs had been cut and our supplies were strewn all over the ground! ** Robbery!” gasped Rod. “ That quarrel was a trick! What a fool I was to be led into a fight!” Going over to the camels, we saw how. we had been deceived. Evidently, as Rod said, the quarrel had been a well-planned scheme to rob us. of our stores. While Cooney, confident of victory, fought inside and purposely prolonged the contest, his fellow-rascals, after waiting a few minutes, had slipped away unperceived to their - job of looting our packs. Working quickly but thoroughly, they had taken everything they fancied; then,,stowmg the lot into a couple of sacks, they had loaded up Maddison’s horses as pack-animals, mounted their own brumbies, and trotted away. Already they were -out of sight. We could do nothing; any attempt at pursuit with our slow-moving camels would have been futile. Quite likely the rascals had planned the whole thing away back in Coolgardie. They had evi- dently known the road we intended to take and, following on horses—probably stolen—had kept in touch with us until the time came to execute their coup. Even in the midst of our chagrin the grim humour of the thing tickled us, and we had to admit we were a trio of fools. Reckoning up our losses, we soon discovered that the most serious items were a Winchester rifle and Rod’s own particular “swag.” The losing of the Winchester was unfortunate, but luckily I had been carrying the other, or matters might have been. worse. Probably’ we should have been obliged to turn back, since it would have been sheer folly to venture into the terri- tory of hostile blacks without at least one good weapon. As to Rod’s swag, it contained the map of our intended route, with indications of possible water-supplies, which he had drawn as a guide for Maddison and myself in case anything un- toward happened to himself. That this map should fall into the hands of Cooney and his fellow-ruffians was positively disastrous, for, as Rod remarked, if they possessed any bushman-, ship at all it would be sufficient to guide them straight to the reef-we were in search of. “But they’ll never get there,” ~was Rod’s final comment. “They won’t be able to find enough water to carry them along. If they’d had any sense they’d have taken one of our water- tanks along with the other stuff.” He was right, as events proved before many days had passed. , Gathering our remaining gear together, we spliced the cut ropes and, after replenishing our water-tanks, bade the shanty-keeper good-bye and struck out into the desert. I say ‘“‘desert” advisedly, because from there on the country rapidly became drier, the scrub and gnarled trees more stunted, until, on the next day, we came to great plains covered with spinifex. This spinifex—sometimes called. *“‘ porcupine grass ”—is one of Nature’s wonders. Seen at a short distance it looks a pleasant- enough tussock, but nearer examination shows that it consists of short dry spikes with very sharp points. To all appearances it is dead, and can be kicked into a heap and burnt as a bonfire at once. The roots show no signs of sap or mois- ture, yet the plant is alive and—given even a moderate shower of rain—will shoot up coarse blades which-very soon produce a more or less full seed-head. This seed the aborigines gather -and grind into flour with which they make a sort of bread. Travelling through spinifex: is hard work, and since it invariably grows on sandy plains the chance of finding water is usually remote. That tribes of blacks can exist amongst such surround-

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ings is explainable by the fact.that they know of certain gnamma water-holes, the locality of which they keep secret. Hoveever, a good. bush- man like Rod, by keeping an eye open for tracks, can quite often locate these native wells despite all aborigine efforts to cover them up. The above explanation will indicate the kind of country into which Cooney and his mates had foolishly plunged. On the evening of the fourth day after leaving the shanty we came on some barren ridges of ironstone and quartz. Topping the crest of one of these I saw, in the gully below, some gleaming white bones. “The skeleton of the horse,” explained Rod, as we drew up alongside the grim relics, “The bag of specimens is buried just here, ll dig some up and let you judge for yourselves.” A minute’s work with the shovel brought some sacking to light and, tearing a hole in the slowly rotting fabric, Rod pulled out several lumps of quartz. Never have I seen richer sam- ples; the stone seemed to be matted together with pure gold. No wonder the thirst-stricken horse had fallen and died under such a weight! “ Greed of gold!” was the thought that flashed through my mind, This unfortunate prospector had indeed given his life for it; with empty saddle-bags his mount might have carried him to Kurnalpi and water. That night, just before sunset, Rod showed us a thin column of smoke rising some few miles away. “ That’s them,” he remarked, grimly, “they’re beginning to get thirsty, and they’re not game to get too far ahead of us.” » The following day we left the shores of a great dry lake. These dry lakes are a remarkable feature of Western Australia, Whether they were, at no_very distant geological time, full of fresh water, giving life and verdure to what is now desert, or whether. they are merely bays and creeks of some ancient sea, is an open question. But lakes they undoubtedly were at one time; even now one can trace the old shore-line and find tall cliffs scarped and water-worn by the long-vanished waves. On the top of one such cliff lay a water-hole that was clearly marked on Rod’s map, and as we pulled up to water our camels we saw by recent horse-droppings that Cooney’s gang had not long preceded us. “This will enable them to carry on for another couple of days,” said Rod, ‘‘ but it will god hard with them if the next water-hole hap- pens to be dry.” WHEN WATER MEANS LIFE Three nights later we camped at that par- ticular hole, and it was dry. We spent a good deal of time in digging it deeper, but although the earth was moist, not a trickle of water appeared. , “Good-bye, Mr, Cooney!” muttered Rod, as he straightened his back and wiped the muddy sweat from -his face, ‘‘ From now on there is a thirty-five-mile dry stage, with probably no water in the rock-hole at the end of it.” Thirty-five miles was a two-days’ journey DEAD MEN’S TRACKS 247 : ® for our pack-camels, and during that time we saw no signs of Cooney and his mates, Evidently they had noted the dry stage marked on Rod’s map, and pushing their horses, were hoping to get through to water ahead. What they thought when, like ourselves, they found the rock-hole dry I can only guess. Wiser men would have turned back and made for the water left behind. We, of course, with our camels and water-tanks, were quite all right, and could travel on for another three or four days before our beasts really needed a drink. “The next water may be ten or a hundred miles ahead,” was Rod’s opinion. “ Anyway, we shall come on the lake country again before long, and there one always stands a chance of picking up water.” The following night we camped on a flat sandy’reach where, ages ago, the water's of the lake had ebbed and’ flowed. Now, however, it was as dry as the-floor of a lime-kiln ; even the spinifex had failed to gain a footing. All next day we struggled across the sandy bed of that primeval sea. It was a most trying march, and as we trudged along, our feet sinking through the salty crust to the fine sand beneath, I felt as though we three were lone wayfarers lost for ever on a dead world. The heat was almost unbearable, and. al- though, at times, we passed close to cliffs and rocks which cast inviting shadows, we dared not pause, even for, a minute, lest the tired and thirsty, camels should lie down and give us the labour and worry of getting them up and on the move again. The water in our tanks became quite hot and nauseous to drink, but Rod would not allow us to fill a water-bag (which would have given us a cool drink) on account of the inevitable loss through evaporation and the uncertainty as to where we were likely to find a fresh supply. What had become of Cooney and his mates we could only conjecture. Their tracks no longer ran on ahead of us, as they had done previously, so we began to think they must have pulled out of the game and were now making their way back to Coolgardie, I should explain here that we were ‘following a distinct trail—that which Rod and his old mate Bill Flynn had made when they first followed, and then returned, on the dead prospector’s track, Such tracks, in dry, sandy country, will last for years, and Rod was able to point out the still- visible hoof-prints of the dead man’s horse where, in places, they had deviated from a straight line and so escaped being trampled over. With such a trail as a guide it was obsicus = chet Cooney and Co., given sufficient water. ccc easily outstrip and forestall us at the gCNet Ice. even without Rod’s map. We discussed all these thmss w we wer along, but Rod remained corfiden: S27 =e == cals would never get throuzh wisacr cemmes mic water-tanks. “And they won't get oe te me “unless they try to take c=: ~ That davw’s march ecec it = Dies Ht

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248 THE WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE where a big stone hill, with precipitous sides, rose straight up from the lake bottom. In by- gone ages it had been an island and, tired as I ‘was, my insatiable curiosity prompted me to climb to the summit. The height was about thirty feet, and after a fairly hard scramble I reached the top. The view was wonderful. Far back stretched the way we had come—dry and sandy, with heat- waves dancing even before the setting sun. Ahead of us the white, salt-encrusted lake-bed seemed to stretch on endlessly. The old shore-line, which I could easily trace, wound into bays and promon- tories, and I could readily pic- ture the time when this had been a glorious inland sea. But although my im- agination wan- dered I was not quite lost to reality, and sud- denly I became interested in something which moved on the high cliff about half a mile away. The air was wonderfully clear and, as the object slowly emerged from a depression, I saw that it was a man crawling on _ his stomach. He came close to the edge of the cliff, and I guessed he was spying on our camp. For a few minutes he lay and looked un- til, evidently satisfied, he wriggled back from the edge. Then—safe from observation, as he fancied— he rose to his feet and walked away, and I saw it was none other than Cooney. Hastily climb- ing down, I told Rod what I had seen. “Let ’em all come!” was his laconic com- ment as, opening a tin of meat, he proceeded to concoct the inevitable stew with the aid of desiccated potatoes and tinned carrots. After a good meal of *‘ damper ” and stew, washed down with a strong brew of black tea, we sat a while by the dying fire enjoying a contemplative smoke. The night was moonless, yet in a cloudless sky the myriads of stars gave enough light to make surrounding objects faintly visible. Lying on my rugs, I waited for the chill of the night to descend. Soon I fell asleep. THE NIGHT ATTACK | I was awakened startlingly by a shot. I knew it was a shdét, because another and yet another followed in quick succession. Then came shouts, oaths, the sound of men rushing and stumbling in the darkness, and another series of ** Rod collapsed in a senseless heap.” shots, followed by the noise of running feet. After that, silence reigned again save where, close to the dark forms of the kneeling camels, a darker something on the ground sobbed and gurgled and made curious sounds. I flung off my blanket and made to rise, but a hand gripped me firmly from behind. “ Lie still,’ came Rod’s stern whisper. “They may be just around the corner of the rocks waiting for us to show up.” Tensely the minutes ticked by as, crouched low, we waited and listened. After a while the poor wretch who moaned

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over near the camels struzzled ursteadilv to his feet and staggered towards us. “Water, water!” I could hear him whisper. But, as Rod had expected. a shot rang out from around the corner of the clitf. and the luckless fellow thudded to the ground again, where he lay silent. ‘“Just as I thought!” whispered out there, and in the dark they mistook their mate for one of us. They mean to murder us all for the water and the camels!” The situation was dangerous, and needed to be brought quickly to anend. We did not know just what firearms our assailants possessed, but they certainly had one of our Winchesters, while we had to depend on the other and my handy Colt. So far Rod had held off the attack with the Winchester, with which weapon he was a crack shot, while Maddison had peppered them with my revolver. Rod told me briefly that while I lay asleep he and Maddison had kept watch, in full ex- pectation of trouble. The gang had come round the end of the rock with a quick rush, evidently expecting to find us asleep and easy victims. Rod had fired the first shot, bringing down the fellow who lay near the camels. This Had halted the other two and, after emptying their guns to- Rod. “'They’re hiding DEAD MEN’S TRACKS 249 wards where we lay, they hastily retreated. Maddison, it seemed, had received a bullet through the arm, although he said little about it. “What are you going to do?” I asked, when Rod had finished his explanation. “Wait for daylight, I expect. But if I knew just where they were hiding I’d have a try to root them out right away.” The side of the rock where we lay was precipitous and unclimb- able, save for’ a sort of broken chimney which seemed to give a bare chance of reaching the top. Attempting to scale this in the dark held a fair prospect of broken limbs, but it was quite safe from stray bullets; so, after a word with Rod, I started up. It was not an easy climb, and it was only at the expense of many cuts and bruises that I reached the summit. The area of the rock was not great, and after a little-scouting I located our at- tackers in a nook close beneath. My instructions from Rod were to return to him with the infor- mation, but I felt so safe in my airy situation that I could not resist dropping a few stones on to the rascals below. The pebbles—which, luckily for them, were not very big—took them completely by surprise, and with blood-curdling oaths they expressed their opinion of the thrower. A fusillade of bullets whistled up at me, but I was well back from the edge and out of range. Stones I had in plenty, and selecting some larger ones, within a minute or two I had them beaten. “Let’s get out of this!” I heard Cooney growl. Then, as they rushed away into the dark- ness, I heard Rod’s Winchester speeding them on their way. Scrambling down the chimney again, I found Rod bandaging Maddison’s arm. Luckily the bullet had passed clean through, missing the bone and leaving only a flesh-wound. When daylight came we examined the dead man, who proved to be the fellow who was un- known to me. “Poor devil!” remarked Maddison. has paid the penalty, anyway.” “I suppose they were perishing for water,” commented Rod, thoughtfully. “If they had come openly, like men, and asked for some I wouldn’t have refused, but, being criminals, they just couldn’t act decently.” After burying the body in a shallow grave we pushed on again. | Late that afternoon the whiteness of the lake bottom gradually turned to red sand and, scarcely noticing the almost imperceptible rise in the level, we found ourselves trudging through granite and ironstone country scantily clothed with ti-tree and gnarled salmon gum. This was much better than either spinifex or lake-bottom, if 9 He

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250 and we pressed on hopefully, since Rod promised a gnamma hole ahead where, with reasonable luck, we should be able to give our thirsty camels a drink. The poor beasts had now been without water for seven days, and although by no means at the limit of their endurance they were showing signs of fatigue. We reached the gnamma hole at sundown, and were disgusted to find that it held less than two inches of horrible fluid in which some animal, either a kangaroo or a dingo, had died and decomposed ! “ Dig it out,” suggested Rod, and forthwith I attacked the filthy mess with a shovel, putting in a couple of hours’ solid work. In the end we secured enough water to give our camels a drink. “TI wonder what has become of our friends ?” remarked Maddison at breakfast next morning. We made several guesses, but none of them, as after events proved, was correct. That day’s tramp was like many previous marches, spinifex, sand, plain, ti-tree scrub, and lake-bottom being met with in turn, The following day we came once again to the main floor of the lake, where it made a twist in its hundred-mile stretch. Somewhere about noon we discovered a man’s footprint—the clear impression of a naked foot. “ Blackfellow ?” I hazarded. Rod examined the print closely where it had pressed into some firm sand. i . vi ee THE WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE “No,” he answered. “ White man, And most likely he was all in.” THE FIRST VICTIM Swinging the camels round, we started to follow the tracks, Rod going on ahead at a quick pace. About a mile farther on we found our man. He lay face downwards where he had fallen in his last shuffling step, and his naked body was horribly burnt and blistered by the sun. Turning him over, we looked at his face. It was dreadfully swollen and distorted, but still recognizable, and we identified him as Cooney’s second companion—the fellow who had spied on us through the hole in the canvas. Maddison was terribly shocked at the sight. Like most other goldfielders, he had heard that men dying of thirst usually stripped themselves naked in their last dreadful agony, but he had regarded such tales with suspicion until he en- countered the horrible reality. We could do nothing except take our shovels-and put the poor remains underground. When alive this ruffian had robbed and attempted to murder us, yet Maddison could find regret for his untimely end. Rod headed the camels for the nearest shore of the lake and, camping beside a patch of scrub, we held a council. < “It’s a hard thing to do,” Rod began, “‘ but after all, Cooney is a fellow-creature, and we can’t leave him to perish if he happens to be still alive. We must search for him.” The upshot was that, after tying the camels down, Rod and I took a two-gallon water-bag and some food, and started to back-track the dead man’s trail. Maddison was left in charge of the camp, with strict instructions to be care- ful of “ Zar,” the biggest of our camels, a power- ful bull who, a few days previously, had come in * season.” This has the effect of breeding in the animal a sort of madness which impels it to break all Peed re The luckless fellow thudded to the ground.”

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bonds and travel immense distances in search of a’ mate. So, to be sure of our camels .on this occasion, we did not hobble them out, but tied them down with ropes and pegs, just as one fastens a tent. Thus we reckoned that Maddison would be all right, although he was still suffering from his wounded arm. Slinging the water-bag and our pack on a light-stick which we carried between us, Rod and I strode along. at a good pace. The track was easy enough to follow, and after a few miles we began to come upon items of the ‘poor wretch’s clothing. First we found a flannel shirt, and then, farther along, his-trousers. Miles farther back we discovered his boots and later, just on dusk, his hat. As. we were travelling light and fast we had brought no blankets, so; scratching a hole in the sand, blackfellow fashion, we lay snug enough until daybreak. Resuming our search, we came across a dry and empty water-bag which had been the first- item the perjshing man had thrown away. Our late enemy had travelled a long way in his hope- less search for water, and it was well on towards night before we reached the spot where he and Cooney had parted. THE LAST OF COONEY Cooney was there, lying on his back—dead. Some food and an empty water-bag lay on the ground beside him; our Winchester rifle and a revolver were some ‘ten feet away. The rifle had been fired, and it was evident from a ghastly hole in his head that the bullet had killed Cooney. We could read the signs easily enough, and concluded that Cooney’s mate had treacherously murdered him to obtain possession of their last pint of water! Then, by an easily-made error, the murderer had turned the wrong way and, instead of making back towards water, had headed farther into the desert—to his own death. ; On a thorny bush close by_ hung Cooney’s coat, and when we searched the pockets to see if we could discover gny clue to his real identity, we were rather surprised to find, wrapped in oiled silk, the photograph of a woman. It was that of the beautiful barmaid of Coolgardie! On the back, in.a fine feminine hand, was written: “With love to.Dan.” That was all, but probably those words gave the key to a tragic romance. Perhaps, at the zenith of his fame as a pugilist, she' had loved the man—or thought she did. Who can tell ? We could find no sign of Cooney’s horses or our own; they had probably wandered away in search of water. So, retrieving our rifle and the revolver, we retraced our steps. It was late next day when we again sighted our camp. Coming nearer, I gave a loud ““Coo-ee,” expecting that Maddison was per- haps asleep. But no one appeared. Then Rod noticed that only two camels were in sight and, becoming apprehensive, we began to hurry. Reaching the camp we. discovered that both. . DEAD MEN’S TRACKS 251 “Zar,” the big camel, and Maddison had dis- appeared, “The brute must have shaken himself free and bolted, and Maddison has gone after him,” was Rod’s ‘explanation. This was obviously the case. The big camel had always shown a wild. disposition. and a ten- dency to recognize nobody but Rod as his mas- ter, and evidently, when the latter left the camp, he had considered the time opportune for a bolt. To tear his, lashing was a comparatively easy matter, since a bull camel in “ season ”’ seems to possess double the strength of normal’ periods. Anyway, he had gone and Maddison with him, so, after refilling our water-bag, we set out again. It would be useless to relate in detail our weary search for our companion. Suffice it to say that we followed his and the camel’s tracks until darkness prevented us from seeing fafther ; then, camping on the spot, we slept until the first gleam of the rising sun enabled us to continue. Ultimately we found Maddison lying uncon- scious at the foot of a rotten sandstone cliff. He was in rather a bad way, having lain there since early the previous day exposed to the blazing sun and without a drop of water. His tongue and lips were so swollen that at first we had to feed water to him with a spoon. But he soon recovered sufficiently to take a good drink, after which he declared that, with the exception of a twisted knee, he was all right. His mishap had come about quite simply. Much of the rock ‘in this dry, rainless country is thoroughly rotten, yet it will hang in position for years. Maddison had carelessly walked too close to the edge of the cliff, with disastrous results. He was now unable even to stand, and getting him to camp was a-problem which could only be solved by one of us returning and bringing along a camel.. This unenviable task naturally fell to Rod, and without a murmur he started off. "Before daybreak riext morning he returned, having travelled the whole time without a rest. Then, while I took Maddison into camp, he lay down in the shade of a rock and slept. Later in the day he followed us in. . Our next move was back to the nearest gnamma hole, where Rod decided that Maddison and I: should camp while he went in pursuit. of the truant “ Zar.”” Personally I thought that he had very little chance of overtaking the beast, but I was wrong, for after more than a week’s absence he duly returned with the runaway in tow. Riding on “ Sind,” one of the other camels, he had followed “ Zar’s” tracks for. close on ninety miles until he came up with. the beast in a gully, where some dried grass and quong-quongs (native peaches) had tempted him to stop and feed. Then, with our little train once more com- plete, and Maddison nearly recovered, we started off again to seek the lost gold-mine. Maddison, we found, could not walk very far, so as punish- ment for his truancy, “‘ Zar” was made to carry him in addition, to most of his usyal load. (To be concluded)

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he WIDE WOKLD BROTHERHOOD ERE is a most inter- esting letter from a ser- geant in the Canadian Army, de- scribing how he first came in contact with the W.W.B. and the reasons which even- tually made him decide to join our fraternity. We commend it to the consideration of every reader who has hitherto imagined, like Sergt. FOR NEW READERS The Wide World Brotherhood is a fraternity of men (and women) of goodwill, linked by the common bond of a love of travel and adventure. It has only one rule—a solemn pledge to treat fellow-members as brothers and, if need arises, give them any help possible. There is no annual subscription; the _only necessary expense is 3s. (U.S. 42c.) for the gilt-and-enamel ‘ buttonhole badge (brooch for ladies) and certificate of member- ship. The badge should be worn regularly to enable Brethren to recognize one another. Through the ‘‘ Pen-Friends’’ sec- tion W.W.B.s can communicate with Brothers of similar interests in every corner of the earth. Although only four years old, the Brotherhood is repre- sented in over seventy different countries and is continually increasing its strength. be assured of finding good comrades wherever you go? Why not join this great society and new people, making new friends, and ex- ploring new country. i Last week I saw for myself just how the W.W.B. works, and because of this I now _ask your permission to join the Brotherhood; the seed _ originally planted in my mind by a Scots soldier in the Korean hills has eventually germinated ! I was at the Winnipeg railway station, Carrier, that the Brotherhood is “ not for me.” SB 168478 Sergt. B. Carrier, R.H.Q. 2RCHA, Fort Osborne Barracks, Winnipeg, Man., Canada. I have been reading the WIDE Wor LD for a little over a year; a Scot I met in Korea supplied me with a copy every month in ex- change for some Canadian magazines. I first met him—and the W.W.B.—in a K.O.S.B. dug-out not far from the Panmunjom beacon. The Scots took over from the Canadian “Van Doos,” and at last I got some tea, some fine steak-and-kidney puddings, and some good English conversation. On the wall of the dug-out I noticed a hand-painted W.W.B. badge, and sundry questions enlightened me as to the Brother- hood. I decided, however, that it was not for me. While I am adventurous, and have an ‘itching foot,” the Army has long kept me tied to the prairies; I yearned for a wider field. My sagacious Scottish friend pointed out that my travels at week-ends and on leave ought to fill the bill. I have often ridden through the Canadian bush and made lengthy canoe-trips on the rivers, and I always hitch- hike the two thousand miles from Army camp to home on my annual leaves. All the same, I have never encountered adventure with a capi- tal A. My greatest thrill comes from meeting SR Big FeO Ce ee Gi GS i Fl SB eS be S Oia SF ge hh a ht FE Oe FS i GE i hg Gs Sg BO ie hg Pg SE ee ES a GP a i APPLICATION FORM To the WipE WorRLD BROTHERHOOD, Tower House, Southampton Street, Strand, London, W.C.2. I wish to join the Brotherhood, and enclose herewith 3s. od. (Canada 40c.) for Buttonhole Badge and Certificate of Membership. (Block Letters, please.) NAME ADDRESS American readers can send U.S. Money Orders (42c.) to our authorized subscription agent: Jeremy Jamestown, Rhode Island. Stamps and coins will not be If you do not wish to mutilate your copy, this application may be made in letter form. North, Bookseller, ‘‘ Friendship House,” accepted. 0 SiarS 6 Pe 80 Sl 0 le 6 0 i 8 ig IP aS 6 El 16 es 6 OR 86S 8 0 a 8 PP a BO ig 9 Ota 8 Fle 8 aS 9S aS 9 i tb a 3 8 OE i 6 SS 8 8 St Oe a a a @e@eaerteeeoecoeeeeeeseaeeeeeoeoeeses ees eeeeeeeeeeeseeeeeeerseeseoeeeseeeeseeeeeesseeeaeeeeesvseeenneeeaeseeeeseeeoenseseeaeneonaene @oeaneeseovese awaiting the arrival of a relative, when I noticed a party of twenty or more people, laden with luggage, looking arovwnd them in that undecided fashion indicative of strangers in a strange land. Representatives of the Travellers’ Aid and Red Cross organizations were moving about among them, but I made up my mind to see if I could be of any assist- ance. One of the menfolk observed me~ ap- proaching, and came forward to meet me. Suddenly he glanced at another man, who evidently entertained the same idea as myself, and, witha polite apology, turned aside and shook hands with the stranger. After a few words of introduction both men explained to me that they were members of the W.W.B.; the Englishman touched his tie and the Cana- dian fingered his lapel, where I saw a repro- duction of the crest I had seen in the Korean dug-out. I stayed with them for a while, helping to move baggage, and thus made the acquaint- ance of two good fellows who had become friends through the magical power of a little symbol. Obviously the hand of friendship, when extended, is more gladly grasped when the W.W.B. emblem acts as a link! I am not joining the fraternity merely because I want to help immigrants at the local railway depot, but because I. am convinced there is a great deal of kindliness in one’s fellow-men, only waiting to be released by the

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THE WIDE WORLD BROTHERHOOD 253 BROTHERHOOD -SHOP-WINDOW The following articles are available to Brethren only, post free to any part of.the world. Quote your official number when ordering. W.W.B. TIE.—British-made pure _ silk. Navy-blue, with small woven reproductions of badge’ in red and silver. Price 15s. (U.S.A. $2.10). W.W.B. MUFFLER.—30in. square of heavy- weight: pure silk; replica of tie. Splendid for sports or winter. Price 45s. (U.S.A. $6.00). W.W.B. SHIELDS,—Handsome wall-orna- ments, 7in. X 5in. Badge in gold and colours on dark oak shield, with gilt scroll bearing member’s name and number (state if latter is required). Price 25s. (U.S.A. $3.60). W.W.B. SEALS.—DMiniatures of badge -in gold and colours with gummed backs. For use on envelopes or to convert ordinary notepaper into “ official ” stationery. Ideal for authenti- cating “ Pen-Friend ” or W.W.B. Club letters. Price 3s. per 100 (U.S.A. 42 cents). influence of organizations such as the Brother- hood. If I can add to that store of comrade- ship during my forthcoming tour of duty in Germany (with leaves spent in England and Scotland) or in any other part of the world to which I may be sent, I shall be well content. -I have written to my Scots friend (now in Greenock) telling him of my decision and sending him a copy -of the Magazine he missed. By an odd chance I came across it in one of the book-stores in Winnipeg.” THE WORLD-TRAVELLER Another cheerv letter comes from Brother Billy (“Cyclist”) Saaiman, who has pedalled countless thousands of miles in various parts of the world. Writing from 1830, Alberni Street, Vancouver, Zone 5, British Columbia, Canada, he tells us: “I gave up pedal-cycling in Decem- ber last and -bought a small B.S.A. Bantam motor-cycle. Now I am giving lectures to schools on my African adventures; so far I have visited a hundred and seventy-five, and have ridden right across Canada from Montreal to Vancouver. In order to stay longer than I originally intended I had to take out immigra- tion-papers, Now I am preparing for another big tour—to start early in 1954—through the United States and Mexico.and thence as far as the Panama Canal. During the season I worked as an assistant cook on the C.P.R., covering a big mileage and meeting many W.W.B.s from Europe and the U.S.A. I have found the Brethren from Britain, South Africa, and the U.S. particularly friendly ; directly they’ spot the badge they are eager to shake hands! I should be pleased to hear from any Brothers who would care to accompany me on W.W.B. MOTOR-CAR TRANSFER.—3in. reproduction of badge, in gold and colours, for | windscreen or window of car. Price Is. | (U.S.A. 14 cents) with instructions for fixing. W.W.B. WOVEN BADGE. ! shirts, etc., 2in. diameter, woven in mercerized. fast-dyed cotton on blue background. Easily | sewn on; will stand washing. Price 5s. (U.S.A. 70 cents). ; W.W.B. PENNANT. blue flag, showing badge in red and yellow, for cycle or radiator-cap of car. -About 7in. long, complete with metal mast and nuts for fixing. Price 3s. 6d. (U.S.A. 49 cents). . Address orders to the Registrar, Wide World Brotherhood, Tower MHouse, . Southampton Street, Strand, London, WC: 2; make all | remittances payable to Messrs, G. Newnes, Ltd., and cross them for payment through a bank. my forthcoming tour; during which my machine will carry a big W.W.B. emblem.” We wish Brother Saaiman the best of luck on his ambitious journey, and hope that W.W.B.s along the route will keep their eyes open for this indefatigable world-wanderer. ** PEN-FRIENDS ” TAKE NOTE We are reluctantly compelled to announce that, for the present, we cannot accept any more names for inclusion in “ Pen-Friends ” until we have worked off the accumulation already in type. New members, meanwhile, can “ get busy” by writing to suitable correspondents in the lists published month by month, A few readers Over- seas, obviously unfamiliar with the position, have taken us to task for our failure to print their names. It should be distinctly understood that we do not bind ourselves to insert names in “Pen-Friends’”’ within a definite period; -such publication depends. upon the pressure on avail- able space and, in any case, is a privilege, not a right. The vast majority of W.W.B.s_ will readily understand that it is impossible to allot unlimited pages to names, and are content to await their turn. People who make a grievance out of the unavoidable delay are just as. un- reasonable as those who, finding themselves over- whelmed with letters, write despairingly: “I cannot possibly reply. te them all. Please put a notice in your next issue asking members not to send any more!” BROTHERHOOD CLUBS Great activity continues along the Club front, and Hon. Secs. in various parts of the world report gratifying progress, although much ‘hard work is sometimes needed to stimulate the laggards, who never seem to-realize how sorely

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254 FHE WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE their apathy taxes the patience and enthusiasm of more-energetic members. The following Brethren are now endeavouring to form new Clubs, and will be glad to hear from interested local W.W.B.s. DENTON, Manchester.—Mr. K. H. Thorp, 141, Cor- poration Rd., Denton, Manchester, Harwicu, Essex.—Mr. A.C. Bradburn, 45, West St., Harwich, Essex. KENTON, Newcastle - on - Tyne.—Mr. B. F. War- ner, 49, Millfield Avenue, Montague Estate, Kenton, Newcastle-on-Tyne. LEEDS, Yorks.—Mr. Brodie McGreal and Miss Mary Kelly, 101, Cardigan Mount, Kirkstall Rd., Leeds, 4. MONTREAL, Canada.—Mr. A. J. Madore, 2380, Cour- sol St., Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Npota, Northern Rhodesia. —DMiss Margaret D. Holt, P.O. Box 402, Ndola, Northern Rhodesia. NortH DurHaM.—Mr. Thos. North .St., Newbottle, Spring, Co. Durham. Poona, India.—Mr. K. D. Sonawane, 613, Shamiwar Dich, Poona, 2, India. ROSETTENVILLE, South Africa.—Mr. P. M. Henry, 2, Capessa Court,’7, Kruger St., Rosettenville, Johannesburg, Transvaal, South Africa. Suez CanaL Zone.—Mr. G. S. Ejiuther- iadas, c/o H.Q., C.R.A.S.C. Suez and Pet. Group, M.E.I.F., 16. WarRINGTON, Lancs.—Mr. J. J. Urey, 19, Gough Avenue, Langford, Warrington, Lancs. HITCH-HIKING IN IRELAND Brother Jack Moore, of 26, Nephin Road, Dublin, Ireland, sends us the portrait above and an account of a six-hundred-mile hitch-hike in the West of Ireland. ‘“I went alone, travelling in almost every kind of conveyance except an aeroplane, and also on foot. My first trip was from Dublin to Galway, which I reached more quickly than by train. Thence I went out to the Aran Islands in the mail steamer. I meant to camp there for a couple of days, but found that the steamer would not be calling again for about a week, [I therefore had a good look round Inismore, the largest of the islands, and then left, determined to return later. There is a trade between Connemara and Aran in turf (peat), brought to the islands by picturesque little brown-sailed ‘ turf-hookers,’ which can be Cave, 4, Houghton-le- seen during the summer tied up at Kilronan and Kilmurvey piers on Inismore. I decided that, after touring Connemara, I would go back to Aran in one of these craft. The following morn- ing saw me on the road again through the beau- tiful country of West Connaught —wonderful mountain and lake scenery. I went north into the wild and lonely valley of Maam, where I camped beside the river under the shadow of the tower- ing Maamturk Mountains to the south and the highlands of the Joyce country to the north. The next few days were spent travel- ling and tramping through the glorious area round Killary Har- bour. Incidentally there are only two real fiords in Ireland, and this is one of them; the other is Carlingford Lotigh, in County Down. “On the Saturday night I reached Carraroe, South Conne- mara, from which place turf- boats sail to Aran. Embarking on the Monday, I sailed across the North Sound to Kilronan, Aran. This was a most enjoyable experience! The ‘ hookers’ are very sturdily built, probably of oak, and*‘are cutter-rigged, with-big brown sails. I spent two days on Aran, during which time it hardly ceased raining! I loved the islands even in the rain, and should have stayed longer had the weather been finer. “Returning to the mainland by steamer, I headed south to Clare and Kilkee, and then started homewards towards Dublin, reaching it in four ‘lifts’—one of them all the way from Limerick! Next year I hope to hitch-hike across the United States en route to Australia!” ODDMENTS The Glasgow W.W.B. Club recently enter- tained thirteen W.W.B.s from Germany and showed them round the city. Everybody had a thoroughly good time, and the visitors invited the Glaswegians to come to Germany next year. Brother D. E. C. Murray, c/o the Audi- phone Co., 69, St. George’s Terrace, Perth, West Australia, offers advice on emigration to pros- pective settlers from Britain. He is himself a recent arrival. Brother D. R. Rhodes, 63, Waterloo Road, Blackpool, Lancs, offers to entertain Overseas W.W.B.s visiting Britain if they will let him know of their arrival well m advance. Brother A. D. Broughton, c/o Chesson’s Cape Breweries, Ltd., P.O. Box 12, Claremont, South Africa, collects beer-bottle labels from all over the world, and would like to: hear from others interested.

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256 Membership THE WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE PEN-FRIENDS’ SECTION MISCELLANEOUS Name and Address Number 34822 10653 34460 34970 34564 34919 34010 34746 34280 34630 34278 34265 34077 21492 34073 34930 34316 24310 34688 34988 34088 34151 34379 30924 32507 34448 34622 34699 34504 34497 34496 34928 34351 34342 23714 30871 34186 ‘Walthamstow, London, E.17. AGBETTOH, K. (age 24), H.M. Customs and Excise, Takoradi, Gold” Coast, W. Africa. (Stamps and Reading .) ALLEN, R, 22626002, CFN, R.E.M.E., L.A.D., Attd. C Sqdn., 1st Royal Tank Reg.., Korea, B.A.P. O., 3. (Art and Music.) ARJAN, T. Bhojwani (age 16), 8, Avasia House, Darabsha Road, Off. Napean Sea Road, Bombay, 26, India. (Films and Medicine.) BAL Dr. N. J., 18, Wellesly Road, Poona, 1, India. ‘(Medical ae es and Social Service. ) BAPTIST, E. A. (age 22), P.O. Box 18, Ibadan, Nigeria, N.W. Africa. (Dancing and Swimming. ) BASIR, A. (age 18), 77, Pahang Trunk Road, Kuala Lipis, Pahang, Malaya. (Sport and Games.) BAUER, E., c/o 77, Pickering Street, Newton Park, Port Elizabeth, Cape Province, South Africa. (Gar- dening and Poultry.) BAXTER, C. H., C/R.C.C., Box 60, Mangakino, New Zealand. (Sport and Hunting.) BENKENDORFF, Dr. G. W., 22, Courallie Avenue, Homebush West, New Souk Wales, Australia. (Photography and Stamps.) BHAIJEE, A. K., P.O. Box 1022, Mombasa, Kenya, E. Africa. (Comics and Magazines.) BLANCHARD, J. W., Francis-Gloria, 45, Tancred Street, Linwood, Christchurch, E.1, New Zealand. (Stamps. ) BOYD, G. W. 22273527, 1 Troop, 17 Field Sqdn., Royal M.E.L.F., 27, Egypt. (General.) BRADY, F., 69, Marlborough Road, Chingford, Lon- don, E. 4. (General.) BRITTEN, A. F. H. (age 18), P.O. Box 222, Springs, Transvaal, South Africa. (General.) BROWN, J., NA/I, Mess 21, H.M.S. ‘* Glory,’’ c/o G.P.O., London. {General ) BUCKE, N., H.M.T.S. ‘‘ Monarch,’”’ c/o G.P.O., London. eas bag et and Books.) BUTT, A.C.2 (age 18), Flight Planning, R.A.F. Changi, Sisco 17, Malaya. (Scouting and Sport.) CHAMBERS, J. W.. St. Andrew’s Rectory, Great Billing, Northants. (Genera 1.) CHANDRIN, P. D., P.O. Box 921, Bros., Mombasa, Kenya, E. Africa. Coins.) CHANG, R., 24, Pegu Road, Singapore, 11, Malaya. (Tropical Fish and Motor-cycling.) COBLEY, J. R., Royal Canadian Mounted Police, ‘A”’ Division, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Stamps and Hunting.) COOPER, G. A., Killyleagh Street, Crossgar, Co. Down, N. Ireland. (General. ) CORWRAN; M., St. Joseph’s Hospital, Coole, Co. Westmeath, Eire. (General.) CROSS, H: (age 29), P.O. Box 62, Lusaka, Northern Rhodesia. (General—preferably U.K. and New Zealand.) CROSS, D. A. (age 21), 114, Birches Barn Road, Pennfields, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire. (General.) CURRIE, J. Miss (age 18),:-P.O. Box 103, Pieter- maritzburg, Natal, South Africa. (Correspondence— preferably Spain and South America. ) DAUBNEY. A. C. 25018945, L.A.C., Station Head« quarters, R. A.F. Tengah, Singapore, Malaya. (Dance Music and Jazz.) DAVIES, D. J. 22526128, A/Cpl., B Coy., Army Aborfield, nr. Reading, Berk- Apprentices peneen shire. (General.). DAVIES, G. "4014148, A.C.1, 1, Site Disposals, 16 M.V., R.A.F. Stafford, Staffordshire. (Fishing and Shooting. ) DEAN, Master F. Spr. Engineers, c/o Prenchand (Stamps and 34, Century Road, General. ) 34, Century Road, Walthamstow, London, E.17. (General. ) DOCRAT, G. H., P.O. Box 245, Dundee, Natal, South Africa. (General—preferably U.S.A., Brazil, Kashmir. Ms DODD, pital, Hollywood Western Australia. ferably Stamps.) DOWD (Mrs.), J. (age 23), 73, Trees Road, Mount Merrion, Dublin, Eire. (Genera: FS ee DRAPER, J. M., L.E.M. (age 22), P/SMX. 660815, Submarine Spare Crew, 49 Mess, Bore Blockhouse, Gosport, Hampshire. (General.) DUNNING, J. R. (age 26), 57 Ceronagon Road, Walsall-Wood, nr. Walsall, Staffordshire. (General.) EMERY-CROSBY, W., Labi Road Project, Sarawak Oilfields Ltd., Seria, Brunei, N. Borneo. (Travel and Foreign Currencies. ) (age 11), DEAN, S. T., J., Ward 15, Repatriation General Hos- (General—pre- Membership MISCELLANEOUS (continued) Name and Address Number 34903 24421 34297 33178 26706 34959 34802 34331 34540 33518 34128 33065 11944 33468 34433 29040 28925 34272 33184 27,224 34847 34051 33541 34934 34585 33513 18346 34044 34889 34458 33302. 31726 33154 34767 34532 31910 32261 ENGO, P. B., Inland Revenue Department, Ikoyi, Lagos, Nigeria, N.W.. Africa. (Music and Travel.) ERWEE, A. J., 24, Stanrose Court, 52, De, Korte St., Braamfontein; ‘Johannesburg, .S. Africa. (Stamps— British Empire.) EVANS, G., c/o H.E.C., Bronte Park, T'asmania, Australia. (Stamps.) EVANS, H. C., 37, Dean Crescent, Lanarkshire, Scotland. (Stamps.) EVASON, A. , 50, James Street, Tredegar, Mon- mouth, Wales. (General.) FADIKA, M. L., A.S. of Prisons, New England Prison Camp, Freetown, Sierra Leone, W. Africa. (General. ) FELLOWS, B., The Caravan, Shelton Farm, Bicton Heath, Shrewsbury, Shropshire. (Sport and Music.) FENN, A., 47, Alfred Street, Parkside, S. Australia. (Stamps. ) FERNANDES, A., 2nd Floor, Room 32, Saint Paul Street, Dadar, Bombay, India. (General ) FRASER, A. B., Mountain Road, Pomona, North Coast Line, Queensland, Australja. (Stamps.) FREDERICKS, M. R. (age 38), Post Office, Wetton, Cape, South Africa. (General.) FREEMAN, L. (Miss), 30, Belmore Road, Lorn, Maitland, N.S.W., Australia. .(General—preferably U.S.A., Canada, -and British Commonwealth.) FRENCH, F. W. J., 197, Eastfield Road, Milton, Southsea, Hants. (Agriculture and Domestic Pet- breeding.) FRIEND, J. V. (Mrs.), 50, Kenilworth Gardens, Hornchurch, Essex. (General.) GARNETT, J. 4080097, L.A.C. (age 19), 527 Sqdn., Flying Wing, R.A.F. Watton, Norfolk. (Gliding and Yachting.) ; GEBHARD (Miss), P., 81, High Street, West Bank, East London, South Africa. (Tropical Fish and Deep-sea Fishing.) . GILBERT (Miss), M., Angmouse Cottage, Mullior, Helston, Cornwall. (General.) . GILROY, W., Sinai Mining Co., c/o Port Said and Suez Coal -Co., Ltd., Port Tewfik, Suez, Egypt. (General.) GINGER, A. B., c/o Fitters’ Shop, Stillfontein Gold Mine, P.O. Kochemoer, Transvaal, South Africa. (Stamps—King as os VI Issues.) GLERIA, S. 3, Tavcarjeva, slavia. Gone GOVENDER, P. A., 70, Chancellor Avenue, May- ville, Durban, South Africa. (Reading and Cinema.) GRAHAM, D., ‘‘Woodpeckers,’’ St. John’s Road, Colchester, Essex. (Shooting and Photography.) GRAY, L.-Cpl., 4040186, Main Guardroom, R.A.F. Padgate, nr. Warrington, Lancashire. (General.) GRIESSEL, D., Diamond Drilling Co., Kansanshi Mine, P.O. Solwezi, Northern Rhodesia. (Corre- spondence in Dutch, German, Flemish and Afrikaans. ) GRIFFIN, H., 6, "Vernon Park, Calgate, Nr. Lan- caster, Lancashire. (Regimental Cap Badges.) GRIFFIN, L., No. 16, Ekanek-Trust Building, Elphinstone Street, Karachi 3, Pakistan. (Foreign Stamps and Coins. ) GRIFFITH, R., 34, Dalby Road, Wandsworth, Lon- don, S.W.18. (General.) GULAMHUSEIN, G. M., P.O. Box No. 1864, Mombasa, Kenya Colony, E. Africa. (Stamps—First- Day Covers.) HADWIN, J., Bramley Grange Hotel, Bramley, nr. Guildford, Surrey. (Hiking and Camping.) HAHN (Mrs.), M., .4, Fernhill Flats, Manor Place, Dunedin, New Zealand. (General—preferably Pacific Islands.) HAIGH, R. W., 59, Bruce Street, Brighton-le-Sands, Sydney, N.S.W., Australia. (General.) HALL, C. E. B., New Brighton Hotel, Victoria Road, Woodstock, Cape Town, South Africa. (Cycling and Collecting Postcards. ) HALL, W. K., 63, Earl Grey Road, Toronto 6, Ontario, Canada. (General.) HANCOCK, T. D. Steward (age es ee Nae 770952, 96 Mess, H.M.S, “ Eagle,’’ c/o G.P.O. London. (General. ) HARDER, A. G., 209 North 9th, Fairview, Oklahoma, U.S.A. (Geography.) HARMER, V. F., ‘‘Broadlands,’’ Moat Lane, Sedles- combe, nr. Battle, Sussex. (Natural History and Travel.) HASSAN, Saller Bin, c/o Immigration Office, Alor Star, Kedah, North Malaya. (Detective and Western Story Books. ) Hamilton, Ljubljana, Yugo-

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THE WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE 3/984 YE | This young fisherman was a \i\ SHEEP sd . tell the Deep Sea Mission found him Now he is one of the thousands of fine fishermen who regularly use our port hostels — worthy descendants of the grand old first Elizabethans. , And the woman?...her husband, WX, 7 like the small girl’s fisherman father, was washed overboard fishing in the Arctic to bring food - for Britain. Like many a fisherman’s widow she found comfort through this Mission. All the year round, the Mission’s hostels are Christian homes from home for fishermen from distant ports, and happy centres of Christian living for local fishermen and their families. The Mission is not state-aided. It depends on the support of people like the Wide World Brotherhood. Won’t yousend ita donation however small, this Christmas? Please do. ROYAL NATIONAL MISSION to DEEP SEA FISHERM Ri (DEEP SEA MISSION) §2 R.N.M.D.S.F. HOUSE, 43, NOTTINGHAM PLACE, LONDON, W.I. Founded 1881. Patron H.M. The Queen. Happy Families are those with a hobby, an inexpensive pastime appealing to all its members. Something needing no preparation. Something to take up or put down as the mood dictates. Something that never wears out and can be used over and over again—the one and only the hygienic easy-to-use modelling material made solely by HARBUTT’S PLASTICINE LTD. BATHAMPTON e BATH e SOMERSET. Available in I Ib. bars or a wide variety of fancy oufits. Why wait to be called up for National Service? = = 2S op av-™ “wy yA ¢ yo pace FOr rit . r BR? J guort ENGA a Ss, ror ONt ~? = YOU GAIN ALL THESE ADVANTAGES OVER THE N.S. MAN You earn a Regular’s higher rate of pay from the day you join. , s, You have the choice of a wider variety of rd. ; e| = ground trades and a better chance of C77 77777 r promotion. You get more annual leave and free travel warrants. You are paid for your reserve service. * For 3,4 or 5 years—trades available varyaccord- | ing to the length of time you wish to serve. i a ow oe = rc # . ( . : P tin \ Get fuller details of this scheme by posting the coupon now 1 TO: ROYAL AIR FORCE (W.W.127), VICTORY HOUSE, LONDON, W.C.2 | 1 \ | | i Please send details of short regular engagements in R.A.F. Ground Trades (Applicants from British Isles only)

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vi THE WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE Br2 The World’s finest pipe. Cut from best old matured briar, it represents the achievement of 140 years’ pipe making in London. Also available in Finchingfield, Essex Standard and Sandblast Series. Address all communications for this department to ‘‘ The Captain,” clo THE WIDE WorLD MAGAZINE, Tower House, Southampton Street, Strand, London, W.C.2, and send stamp if a reply is required. Be LONDON 1812 PIPEMAKERS IN LONDON SINCE 1812 RATTRAY’S 7 RESERVE TOBACCO is a2 generously endowed mixture in which many exacting smokers find lasting satisfaction. Into its composition go not only choice Virginian and rare Oriental tobaccos but the knowledge, the skill, the devoted craftsmanship of a more leisurely and discrim- inating age. Rattray’s 7 Reserve fully vindicates its maker’s philosophy. It burns benignly— Teleasing as it were with due decorum, the infinitely subtle offerings of the tobacco blender’s art. From M.E. LF. 28. **It is wonderful to be able to smoke a really satisfying tobacco, and especially to be assured of a regular supply through your admirable postal service.”’ To be obtained ONLY from CHARLES RATTRAY. Tobacco Blender PERTH, SCOTLAND Price 80/- per Ib. Post Paid. Send 20/4 for sample quarter Ib. tin.’ Limitations Complacency is a grave failing, and particularly so in the case of a scribe whose task is to please. his public. Should I ever feel tempted to indulge myself :in this direction, however, some critical correspondent would soon jolt me back to a proper sense of humility, as witness the following: “Your notes are both in- teresting and informative,” writes a reader, “ but they suffer from a grave fault. You catalogue the merits of various new products, but you.never point out their weaknesses and draw- backs.” If I were to do that, K. F. C., I should have to devote quite a lot of space to every item. Attempts to weigh up its advantages against its ‘‘ drawbacks”’ would not only tend to con- fuse people, but, in many cases, might expose me to the charge of claiming ex- pert technical knowledge which I do not actually possess. You can take it for granted that if I dis- cover obvious defects in a contrivance, I don’t men- tion it favourably in these columns! Often, of course, a product does not reveal flaws in design, material, or performance untjl it has been in use for some time, which adds yet more com- plications to the position. All I can hope to do within the limits of this feature is to describe how things strike me after inspection and trial, leaving the rest to the reader’s own good sense. Belts for Men One of the chief subjects of interest to my older correspondents at the pre- sent time seems to be that hardy perennial — figure- control. Should a man en- deavour to preserve a trim waistline, or shouldn’t he? We seem to have got away from the alleged “ effemi- nacy” of belts, for few readers now mention that aspect; what they want to know, mainly, is whether a belt is really efficacious in getting rid of “ middle-age

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THE WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE vii AUTOSPECS (4+ GEIGITER-SAFER-NOTORING No mote Eyestiatn aud Oasconyott/ ON DULL DAYS — {§ IN FOG OR — J HEADLIGHT GLARE y iE Liye These amazing glasses bring a new joy to motorists, pedes- trians, and cyclists. Worn on dull days, the clear yellow lenses brighten the road ahead, and the view stands out sharply as if in bright sunlight. In fog and at night Auto- specs are invaluable for safe driving, making objects dis- cernible or toning down glaring headlights.5 PRICE Keep Autospecs handy, ready to relieve the i g / 6 Broad overall frames with extra wide arms to stop side glare. Full view yellow tinted luminous lenses (‘‘Crookes’’). Broad bridge support and nose cushions. Wide return comfort- strain of long journeys and trying conditions. Made with broad, robust frames and extra large eyepieces. POST FREE By post or personal shoppers, Dept. 24 sold only by:- ELLISDONS 246 HIGH HOLBORN, LONDON, W.C.I! Tel.: Chancery 896] A minute from Holborn (Kingsway) Tube, next to Pearl Assurance Building. ... you see your teeth:are cleaner and whiter... you know that chlorophyll-active Green:Kolynos has brought a lasting freshness to your mouth that’s ‘pleasant and healthy, too! CHLOROPHYLL TOOTHPASTE 1/10d.

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Vili THE WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE : DON’T GO OUT WITHOUT YOUR OPISOMETER Combination * MAP MEASURER and 3x MAGNETIC COMPASS Post Free A most in- 1\ valuable in- Mestrument with [4-in. dials, for ascertaining / instantly the y distance you will cover by any proposed route. SIMPLE TO USE— NO COMPLICATED CALCULATIONS Length of Roads, Rivers, Coast Lines, etc., easily measured, whether straight or curved, by running wheel at base of Opisometer over the route to be taken, which will then indi- cate on the dial the distance in proportion to the scale of the map. GRADUATIONS: inches to Miles; Centimetres to Kilometres. REVERSE SIDE HAS USEFUL MAGNETIC COMPASS. A neat Nickel Plated instrument, fitting snugly into your pocket. Ordinary post, free to any part of the World. Air-Mail extra (weight for Air-mail 3} oz.) Obtainable from : EDWARD MARCUS LTD. (Dept. WW) 38, Queen Victoria St., London, E.C.4, or 46, Liverpool St., London, E.C.2. Naty re Nelloweg th; ( s Pipe The perfect climatic condition spread ” and giving protec- tion and support to weak- ened abdominal muscles. Speaking with a good deal of experience of belts of all kinds, I should say that the answer is an _ emphatic 66 Yes 3 The Danger-line Nature undoubtedly in- tended man to be narrow- hipped and flat-stomached, with tough, resilient muscles controlling the vital organs and guarding them against displacement and injury. Healthy youngsters are still built that way, of course; but modern conditions and sedentary occupations make it exceedingly diffi- cult to preserve one’s figure as one grows older. Some men abandon all attempts in this direction, frankly prevailing in the Mediterranean area Mee : has thoroughly seasoned the close-grained a briar from which Portland pipes are made. Fhat’s why this model — the lightweight ‘Londoner Three Hundred’—looks so handsome, feels so smooth, and smokes so cool and mellow right from the <e For a pipe of complete fa look for the ‘Londoner Three Hundred’. , first fall. satisfaction, Made entirely in London @ If any difficulty in obtaining, write to Top view of flat mouthpiece which ensures comfort for dentures. Now Only PORTLAND PIPE CO. LTD., 7-8 Jeffrey’s Place, London, N.W.I declaring. that they are more concerned with com- fort than elegance. ‘This is sensible enough up to a point; one doesn’t expect the fellow of forty and on- wards to exhibit. the slim outlines of twenty-five! But when that “ corpora- tion,” “bulge,” or “ bow- window ”—call it what you like—begins to assume noticeable proportions, handicapping its ownet’s former activities and tempting him to sit around instead of taking much- needed exercise, then the middle-aged man is | approaching the danger- point! ‘‘ Prevention is Better than Cure ” 7 A vanished waistline and a prominent “ corporation ” not only spoil one’s appear- ance, but are actually a menace to health. There is increased strain on the ab- dominal wall and its con- trolling muscles, important organs are liable to get out of position, and the risk of rupture is ever present. It is an excellent plan, on the “Prevention is better than cure” basis, to take to a simple form of belt while one still possesses a decent figure; its mere presence persuades one not to adopt ungainly postures, while the gentle massaging effect it exercises tends to dis- courage the formation of unwanted fat. ' Planning Your Holiday An enjoyable fireside occupation during the long winter evenings is the planning of that eagerly- awaited summer holiday— the “ different ” holiday you have always meant to’ ar-

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THE WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE ix FREE T0 THOSE WITH AMBITION VALUABLE BOOK ON CAREERS—THE BOOK THAT WILL SOLVE THE PROBLEMS OF YOUR FUTURE. A VOLUME OF VITAL VALUE, GIVING THE FULLEST GUIDANCE IN THE CHOICE OF A CAREER IN PROFESSIONAL OR COMMERCIAL LIFE—A REVELATION IN THE MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE YOUR PROSPECTS AND TO INCREASE YOUR INCOME. THIS BOOK WILL TELL YOU How to Choose a Career—How to Enter upon that Career—How to Ensure your Future Success—How to Gain Early Promotion and Rising Remuneration—How to Ensure Prosperity and Security—How to make Splendid and Successful Headway in Life. ®. If you have even the average.healthy ambition to do well, to obtain a position in life that offers you =. prospects of early promotion. and rising remuneration in a worthy career; if you can visualize SS _ your own success in that “ job worth having ”—then this Book is for You. == _~ The world of Commerce does offer golden opportunities to the youth of to-day—a full life— S S a successful life—a life worth living and with adequate rewards. These opportunities are not chance happenings, they are the logical outcome of progress made in the right direction—of trained ability rightly directed. Opportunities are openings for advancement. They | _ are calls to the ambitious. How shall you take ee U|lIlitjyy,, @dvantage of these openings? How shall t ml you answer these calls aright ? »,. HIS BOOK WILL TELL YOU! Send to-day—without delay Hy —for your free copy of the Metro- politan “Guide to Careers” in your a future bright with the a U7~_ X™VATZ-Qq_‘’8 eos Detiecs ee Read how = GZ; aE EVV Ze “wit the aid of a etropolitan College Oo the ree PP- » ae 24 Specialised Postal Training Course you may—with “GUIDE TO CAREERS” ~QZZgpE just a little application in your own time and in your own home—dqualify for success in life. You will find, as others have The phenomenal growth of the Secretarial and Account- found, that this book is a veritable revelation of the oppor- ancy professions—the prospects therein. tunities awaiting you in such wide spheres of activity as are The examinations of the several professional Account- offered in Accountancy, Secretaryship, Law and Commerce. ancy and Secretarial Societies, the Institute of Cost and —_— Fill in and post the coupon now to the Metropolitan College, Works Accountants, etc. for your FREE copy of the ‘“* Guide to Careers.” feate of Bd pie uniialy een General Certi- cate o ucation Exam., London University Degrees, SEND THIS COUPON Diploma in_Public Administration, Local Government To the Secretary, (G6) Promotion Exam., Civil Service, etc. Exams. The best method of study ; specialised postal training, METROPOLITAN COLLEGE, ST. ALBANS. taken at home in spare time. Practical (non-exam.) Courses in all Secretarial, Account- Please send me—without charge or obligation—the College ancy and Commercial subjects. Gross ¢ 100-pp. GUIDE TO CAREERS The work of the Coliege—Names and qualifications of tutorial staff—How to choose a course of study. Illustrative careers of past students now holding high positions in the business world—achieving success early in life. Advice and hints given to students of the College by eminent public men. The College Guarantee of Training until Successful. Text-book Lending Library and £2,000 p.a. Prize Scheme. MORE 70, 000 POST- THAN WAR EXAM | NATI A IN S$ U Cc CESS E S$ ia ae POPTPTITITITiTiTrTereTreir ire oeececccccceccs METROPOLITAN COLLEGE sO ©0 aise wWn- NAM E eecneeesoes SOHSHSNHHHHSSHHSHHEHSEEHEHHHECHSESSHHOSEOCESOHEEOE (In Capitals) ADDRESS eoeeoeeesoeseeeeeses SSHEHHCHHSHSOHOSSCHOHHOSOE HOO EOE (G6) ST. ALBANS, or call 30 QUEEN VICTORIA STREET, LONDON, E.C.4

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x THE WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE ‘A single-handed Konsfiki’ (Daily Telegraph) THE BOMBARD STORY ALAIN BOMBARD: Dr., Bombard . crossed. the . Atlantic alone in a rubber dinghy. ‘Another great adven- ture story’—News Chron. 12/6 COORINNA ERLE WILSON A thrilling animal story about a wolf, set in the uplands of Tasmania. 8/6 Write for our list 12 Thayer St, London W.1 ANDRE DEUTSCH SELL YOUR TALENT You’ve the brains and the _ability—Pitman ‘Home Study Courses teach you to use them profitably. Train for the top salaries —develop money- spinning hobbies. There’s a host of Pitman HomeStudy courses to suit all interests, all ambitions! They include Shorthand, Typewriting, Art Journalism, Languages, Short Story Writing, English, General Education courses, General Cert. of Education, Technical courses, Transport, Salesmanship, Law, Accountancy, and Book-keeping. Write for details of the course that will increase your earning potential to: PITMAN CORRESPONDENCE COLLEGE 208 Pitman House, Godalming, Surrey range.but, up to the present, have never succeeded in achieving. Now is your chance—if. you’ve the strength of mind to settle to,the job! Whatever. you _ have in mind, you will be well :advised to. work out the details well in advance, so that unforeseen. difficul- | ties, developing at the last moment,.. don’t spoil the whole show. These reflections occur to me after studying some very interesting literature ‘issued by an enterprising firm which specialises in providing motor-cruisers and other craft for summer -pleasure-cruising in a favourite old stamping- ground of my own—the - Norfolk Broads. If you’ve never been there, you have missed a memorable experi- ence; if you have, you'll certainly be longing to go again. The firm in ques- tion have boats to suit all requirements, and make things easy even for the man who has never gone cruising before. On the two hundred miles of peace- ful Broadland rivers and reed-fringed lakes one can have a most enjoyable and health-giving holiday, far from the fret and bustle of conventional resorts, but I emphasize the fact that it is necessary to fix up the hir- ing of your boat, and sun- dry other matters, well in advance, otherwise you may find considerable difficulty in obtaining the sort of craft you need. Your Shaving Brush Here is a little “ economy Tl tip” sent by a Suffolk -| correspondent. “ As every- body knows, good shaving brushes are increasingly ex- pensive, and therefore it is well worth while trying to make them last as long-as possible. Observation has shown me that most men, after a shave, leave the wet brush standing upright. This not only prevents it drying out properly, but the water soaks down into the adhesive binding the roots of the bristles, sets up rot, makes the brush smell, and appreciably shortens its life. The remedy is to suspend the brush bristles down, which is quite easily done by hanging it from a cord or elastic band fixed at some convenient point. I have had my present brush for fifteen years.” For the Sportsman The latest invention that has come my way will be of considerable interest to sportsmen, for it looks like superseding the traditional shooting - stick with the myriads of folk who require an occasional seat outdoors. - This latest arrival is in- deed an ingenious device! Closed, it looks just as handy and inconspicuous as the old shooting-stick, and weighs only about 24 |b. When opened, however, it reveals striking improve- ments. Tripod legs rest firmly on the ground, a comfortable little seat of- fers welcome relaxation to weary limbs, and there is actually a back-support! No balancing is needed, owing to the tripod base, and the whole thing is very strongly made, being of duralumin tubular con- struction, with all steel parts plated and reinforced rubber ferrules. This

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THE WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE _ xi Complete Relaxation The HILL-REST This seat is unique in its construction as unlike other occasional seats it affords complete relaxation, requires-no balancing, and provides. back support. The.rubber- shod tripod legs make ‘it firm:and. comfort- able on any surface: At every Sporting Event . at Golf, Shooting, Fishing, Motor Racing, |. Technical. Features. Cricket, Regattas, 1 Hiduminium. Seat: and. Horse Racing, Bracket When not in use it in fact, wherever you “2 biel it aaa folds compactly for go to a Sports event | 3 au steel Pacts Plated ate you will see them. 4 Sliding Cross Braces. This wonderful rest- 5 poate Rubber . ; errules seat will add to your |. 5 itandie and Bacnece. comfort and pleasure. easy carrying, and at a price comparable with a medium- priced shooting stick The Rest-Seat is light, strong and of first-class constructian. Stove- enamelled in Grey, Green, Blue, Available at all leading Sports Shops, Stores and Messrs. Parker Hale, Ltd. Gold, Brown, or Burgundy. HILL & Co. (TOOLS) Ltd. POLEGATE, SUSSEX, England Manufacturers and Patentees Telephone: ee 310 HOME CONSTRUCTOR EQUIPMENT Start with the Wolf Cub Drill at £5. 19. 6 and build u ; a complete electric home workshop providing Sandin oni Buffing Set, Saw Kit, Lathe Kit, Drilling, Grinding, Polishi and Wirebrushing Kit, etc. Wolf Cub equipment brings factory efficiency into the home workshop and cuts out tedious hand work. Fully illustrated brochure * Profitable Pleasure’ FREE on request. een 4 THE WHOLE OUTFIT (illustrated above) can be purchased complete with T.V. and Radio Suppres- sors, and set of wood turning tools for £17. 4. 0. £5 -19 °6 @ OBTAINABLE FROM ALL GOOD TOOL DEALERS WOLF ELECTRIC TOOLS LTD - PIONEER WORKS - HANGER LANE - LONDON - W-5 a ee “ANCHESTER. LEEDS. BRISTOL. GLASGOW Telephone PERIVALE 5631 4

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Direct from the weavers HANDWOVEN HARRIS TWEED Special offer Handwoven’ Harris Tweeds, 100% wool, tax free, less than half-price. In Brown, Greens, Lovat Blues, Herringbones, Heather Mixtures, Fancy Checks, Pin Stripes, including 3,000 yards surplus export Harris Homespun coating in fawns, only 9/4 per yard, post/packing. |/6 per length. Any length cut. Patterns free on receipt of S.A.E. Special Offer from our Crofter Knitters ofladies Fair Isle Yoke Lurnber Jackets, sizes 32” to 42” bust, 49/- each post free. Guaranteed, knitted in Shetland and listed at 69/-. Fawn backgrounds and traditional borders. Also with ‘V’ neck in grey or fawn background, same price. Harris: hand-knitted socks, 6/@ per pair, post 4d., 3 pairs 20/- pos¢ free, 6 pairs 39/- post free. Harris Wools, pure wool, weaving, hand or machine knitting, 6d. per ounce, 8/- per Ib., post Ild. 3 Ibs. post free. Tartan scarves, x 9, many clan tartans, including Royal Stuart and Dress Stuart (the Royal Tartans), 7/6 each, post 3d. 2 post free. Price list Shetland garments free on request. Full Money Back Guarantee. HEBRIDEAN CROFTER WEAVERS Ltd. (Dept. W.W.) MUIR OF AIRD, BENBECULA, OUTER HEBRIDES, SCOTLAND be well and truly with 1 | last a lifetime. ,is £5 14s. 6d., plus P.T. ; |, 18s. gd. unique “ rest-seat ” is hand- | somely stove-enamelled in various colours and should The price Man and His *Baccy-Pouch Contrary to masculine belief, women have no monopoly of allogicality. Has it ever occurred to you to study the ways of the male in connection with his tobacco-pouch? Several | men of my acquaintance, | although very careful about their expenditure in other | directions, seem to “let themselves go” when it comies' to costly pouches, seeking the softest and rarest of leathers and the most up-to-date shapes. You’d be surprised, by the way, to know how much one can pay for a pouch, Stubborn Stubble meets its match in. Parke-Davis Shaving Cream —without a trace of soreness! shaved PARKE-DAVIS shaving cream Parke-Davis Shaving Cream contai ns Mercuric Iodide—a powerful antiseptic. FROM ALL CHEMISTS THE WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE especially if you comb the West End for something extra-special! By way of contrast, I know’ one gentleman, a very wealthy person indeed, who care- fully fills his pipe from a circular metal box remin- iscent of the tin affair favoured by the old-time “navvy.” Close examina- tion of this particular con- tainer, however, discloses the fact that it is of solid sil- ver, of great antiquity, and bears an elaborate crest. Eccentricity On the other hand, many men use the shabbiest old pouches, sadly frayed and torn, and there used to be a broker on the London Stock Exchange who habit- ually carried his ’baccy in a battered tin bearing the name of another mixture altogether—and a much” better brand at that! On one occasion, I recall, I went fishing with a queer old fellow who kept his | tobacco loose in the left- hand pocket of his sports- jacket! Even the occasional explosion of a stray match- head, or the flaring of a strand of wool, never appeared to trouble him! These eccentricities are all the more unaccountable because every pipe-smoker knows that, to give the best, results, tobacco must be kept in such a way that moisture is retained, ex- tremes of temperature avoided, and dust and other foreign matter rigidly ex- cluded. A Vanished Custom In the “good old days” the really methodical pipe- smoker stored _ several ounces of his _ favourite

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THE WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE xiii FOLDING CANOES & DINGHIES 20UE~ Dinghies from £12.10.0 Canoes from £14.14.0 Send postage for 2 oz. for Catalogue Speeowell 2-seater crossing Spithead with full cruising load G. PROUT & SONS « CANVEY ISLAND « ESSEX WORLD TRAVEL & ADVENTURE IN THE MERCHANT NAVY Young Men, |5 years upwards, required for training in Marine Wireless and Direction-finding at Sea. (Trainees in forthcoming Registration Groups are eligible for Deferment of Military Call- | up.) Immediate sea-going positions on completion of training. | Suitable Candidates will be entered as Officers and must be prepared to sail to all parts of the World. Courses: Full or Part-time, also by Correspondence. Recognized by Ministry of Education. Scholarships available. Boarding and modern canteen facilities. Low Training Fees. Send !/- P.O. (stating age & height, etc.) for complete Prospectus, to: OVERSEAS HOUSE (Dept. 17) BROOKS’ BAR, MANCHESTER, 16 Telephone: MOSs Side 2047 STAMP PACKETS OF QUALITY (ALL DIFFERENT) 100 Algeria 6/-, 100 Australia 6/6d., 500 Austria 15/-, 200 Bulgaria 7/6d., 200 Denmark 10/-, 500 Germany 10/6d., 500 Hungary 10/6d., 100 Gt. Britain 7/6d., 200 Greece 7/-, 25 Venezuela, 3/9d. Hun- dreds of others in stock, also sets, mint new issues, albums, catalogue accessories, etc. Write for list. Gibbons’ Simplified Whole World Catalogue 1840-1954, 18/6, plus 1/2 post. Callers and overseas orders welcomed. Stamps bought. H. H. G. VORLEY, 35, New Oxford Street, London, W.C.|I. SANNAINNNUINNUEDANUOONADANEUSOUTOUATUCQOUUOUOUUONOOUNOGUEEAONGAGEOUQUOTECOCERECRERUREEGEOOOOUCESOOSEQUONGUOGGUOGGUUOGEOREEOEUGOUEOOGUUGGOUOEUDUOCEOUON TNL THE WORLD’S GREATEST BOOKSHOP E *FOR BOOKSs Large Dept. for Travel Books New & secondhand Books on every subject. 119-125 CHARING CROSS ROAD, LONDON, W.C.2 Gerard 5680 (16 lines) x Open 9-6 (dire, Sata.). © = HAVNNANLGLAANNLEOONADGUELGERLGOUAUAOEUOCUAOONLONGEUDNOEOANONUSUOCUIGUNIOAVCGUNUDSENUNEQOUDEROUDAUAUOCOESOGLEUSGNIUOANONUNSIONDNGONDSUONONOOUNAUOINNUONIT= THDAAGUUNAUUARUONUUUSOQOUGSUOUUONGNUONNLUGNGEOON UUUADSQUOUDGUQDSQLAUNESQUNNGLObNNGEOOONIUGCUN xt a ! BINOCULAR §f{: | a BARGAINS «.: ; For all outdoor occasions— ; i" touring, bird-watching, a 2 racing or at sea, a pair of 8 i Binoculars is absolutely es- I sential for your enjoyment : 8 because of the abundance , a of detail a good binocular , : reveals. 8 a a ’ 1 7 EDWARD MARCUS L™.:: : 38 Queen Victoria St., London, E.C.4 & 46 Liverpool St., London, E.C.28 phave always in-stock an extensive range of new and second-hand ® a models, all of well-known manufacture. : ; % Cut this out and send for FREE Full Lists a BNAME ad ua teipaasiawil anon cae tec tecnnsot aie ceueene deat aa seuerudesseveaneeees = » ADDRESS eevee POHOOHOHOOHEESHCEEEOE EEE OO HOOT OO ED EEEEEEHTECOEO OEE ER HOES EEE EOEEOOD f ' a You are Given A Big Chance ** Britain ’’, a great writer has reminded the nation in a broadcast, ‘‘ is a country glittering with great chances ’’ for men of energy-and courage—men such as those who have trained under I.C.S, direction. There is no worthwhile place for the untrained. Our national programme of ,rearmament and the export drive demands tens of thousands of men who can undertake responsible work and command high rates of pay, men like keen I.C.S. students. Ambitious men everywhere have succeeded through I.C.S. Courses. So can you. Here are some of the subjects in which we offer thoroughly sound instruction: ACCOUNTANCY ILLUMINATION ENG. ADVERTISING JOURNALISM ARCHITECTURE MAINTENANCE ENG. BOOK-KEEPING MARINE ENGINEERING BUILDING MECHANICAL ENG. BUSINESS MANAGEMENT CARPENTRY & JOINERY COAL MINING COMMERCIAL ART- COMMERCIAL TRAINING CONCRETE ENGINEERING CIVIL ENGINEERING DIESEL ENGINEERING DRAUGHTSMANSHIP ELECTRICAL ENG. MOTOR ENGINEERING PRODUCTION ENG. UANTITY SURVEYING ADIO ENGINEERING RADIO SERVICE ENG. REFRIGERATION SALESMANSHIP SALES MANAGEMENT SANITARY ENGINEERING SHORT-STORY WRITING ENG. SHOP PRACTICE STEAM-ENGINEERING FARMING (ARABLE & STRUCTURAL LIVESTOCK) ENGINEERING FIRE ENGINEERING SURVEYING FOREMANSHIP TELEVISION TECHNOLOGY HORTICULTURE WELDING, GAS & ELEC. HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING WORKS MANAGEMENT Exams: General Certif. of Education, Tech., Prof., Comm., Civil Service, R.S.A., etc. (Examination candidates are coached until successful.) Write to the |.C.S. Advisory Department, stating your requirements. Our special booklet and expert advice are free and place you under no obligation. Fees are moderate and include all books required. Reduced Terms to H.M. Forces. Dept. 220A, |.C.S., 71, Kingsway, W.C.2. bis eee es (CLT JHE Re ase cee INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENCE SCHOOLS Dept. 220A International Buildings, Kingsway, London, W.C.2 Please send me your special free booklet describing your Course IN Gc esaiicesicacsaneveatanadeveswnndsean deasewasineuseine (Block Letters, please) Address Addresses for Overseas Readers Australia: 140 Elizabeth Se., Sydney. Egypt: 40 Sharia Abdel Khalek Sarwat Pasha, Cairo. Eire: 3 North Earl Street, Dublin. India: Lakshmi Bldg., Sir Pherozsha Mehta Rd., Fore, Bombay. N. Ireland: 26 Howard Sc., Belfast. New Zealand: 182 Wakefield St., Wellington. South Africa: Dept. L, 45 Shortmarket St., Cape Town.

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SHORTHAND hy the DUTTON method IN ONE WEEK Impossible? Not at all, you can work through the theory of Dutton Short- hand in a week—if you make it a full- time job. Most people prefer to give it an hour of work every day—you would be surprised to learn how quickly it can be mastered. As little as 24 hours of fascinating spare-time study is not unusual. With practice, 150-200 words per minute attainable. Why not test for yourself the free trial lesson? Send off the coupon below and prove that Dutton Short- hand is easier to learn, easier to write, and easier to read. _—— -—— —- send coupon to ——— — a DUTTON ONE-WEEK SHORTHAND (WWI) 92 Gt. Russell St. London WCI I enclose 24d. stamp to cover postage postal course, PLEASE USE BLOCK CAPITALS. | Mr Mrs. Missiovcccnccs csinirineiri anes | 12 Bore Single Barrel EJECTOR-SAFE barrels 26”, 30’, 32” or 34” Chamber size 2%” or 22” EX WORKS PRICES FROM £14-5-0 plus purchase tax in Gt. Britain. Price varies abroad owing to freight, duties, etc. Ask for Leaftet 3491 and copies of world- wide testimonials and stockists abroad. With nitro-proofed barre] and the GREENER IM- PROVED MARTINI action. IT’S A GREAT KILLER! ° So says Mr. K. A. of the Gold Coast, whose letter we received on 24.8.53. Here’s his opinion : “I am having every satisfaction from my G.P. gun purchased in September 1951. It is an excellent all-round gun, easy to handle, light, well balanced and has great killing qualities. lam very pleased with it.’’ WwW. W. GREENER LTD. ST. MARY’S ROW, BIRMINGHAM, 4 Ne | | | | | for my free Lesson 1 and full details of l | | - regulation mixture in an imposing- looking jar or “humidor,” with a slice of raw potato in the top (renewed at inter- vals) to prevent it becom- ing too dry, and perhaps a few “Tonquin beans” nestling in the ’baccy to. give extra fragrance. All this sort of thing, however, is now extinct; nobody seems to have the time, let alone the money, for such elaborate rituals. Most of us are mainly concerned with making that horridly- expensive ounce in the old pouch last as long as possible! The Rivals History has a way of re- peating itself in small mat- ters as well as great. When the safety-razor became a practical proposition, tempting more and more shavers to abandon the “cut - throat,” the scandalised devotees of the latter—the fortunate fellows who had become skilled in its use and main- tenance—rallied eagerly to - the defence of their old friend. The new-fangled invention, they declared, was a mere toy, unworthy the attention of real men! It shaved neither so fast nor so smooth as the well- tried implement it was in- tended to supersede, was dificult to clean, and re- quired constant expendi- ture for new blades which, in turn, were never so keen as a _ properly - stropped “cut-throat.” To-day, of course, apart from a minor- ity of stalwart veterans— slowly diminishing, I sus- pect—the hollow-ground razor has had its day. Let me say at once, however, THE WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE that, in the hands of a master, it does give won- derful results, while its working life seems endless. The main drawback about the “cut-throat” is the fact that it calls for con- siderable skill in usage and a certain amount of “ know- how ” in maintaining a per- fect edge. The modern young man, _ seemingly, hasn’t time or inclination to acquire the necessary tech- nique, and so the “ safety ” has conquered the shaving world. 7 * Safety > Champions Now that the latter, in turn, is menaced by the electric dry-shaver, users of ‘“ safeties,’ like their “straight” razor predeces- sors, are taking up the cud- gels on behalf of their favourites. | The .champions of the safety, in fact, put up quite as good a case as their fathers did for the “cut- throat,” and are, of course, fully entitled to their opin- ion. Nevertheless, I believe the electric dry-shaver has come to stay, though. its price is certainly against its adoption by everybody; the “safety,” which has actu- ally become cheaper as its efficiency improves, scores heavily in this direction. A New Technique The earliest dry-shavers were certainly not very satisfactory, being experi- ments in a new field, but every subsequent model showed an advance, and when (very suspiciously) I tried them one by one I gradually came to realise that, some fine day, they might actually be the means

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THE WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE XV TN a i All over the world people are plan- ning for peace and _ international friendship. A neutral international language such as Esperanto, already spoken by hundreds of thousands of people, is a potent factor in the Over the cause of world peace and under- standing. World A complete correspondence course costs only 10s. including textbook, dictionary, and correction of exercises. Send stamp for particulars. BRITISH ESPERANTO ASSOCIATION INC. Dept. WWIIb, 140 Holland Park Ave., W.II All AKING models is a lifetime hobby. Architectural, Mechanical, Maritime, Aero and other sub- @ jects. Tidy: W ork- aoe shop in Cigar-box, Cost pence, worth guineas. Send stamped addressed envelope for Illustrated Catalogue of 100 Models. MICROMODELS LTD., 3(Z) Racquet Court, London, E.C.4. LIGHTWEIGHT POLELESS TENT World Patents Pending (Approved by Council of Industrial Design.) MOTORISTS GOING ON TOUR! Our largest model, 7’ x7’ x7’, weighing only 8} Ib., is the answer to your problems! The only lightweight tent where you can dress and shave in an upright position. NOT Pneumatic! Storm- resisting! Spacious! Compact! Easy to erect! CYCLISTS’ and HIKERS’ model, 6’ x 6’ x 4’ 6”, only 33-53 Ib. Each tent supplied in new type zip bag and GUARANTEED. Details from: MAJOR F. C. POULTON, O.B.E. ‘‘ High Banks ’, Laleham Reach, Chertsey, Surrey NOTE : New address as above. Tel.: Staines 4066, S.A.E., please ) By H. H. Edwards. Covers the rules of ) flight, regulations, yen and visual signals used by the Aerodrome Control; air navigation, illustrated by dia- grams and worked examples, has a es ww chapter devoted www” to it ; and meteor- ology receives specialtreatment. Illus. 12/6 net Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons, Ltd. Parker St. Kingsway, London, W.C.2 The set to commemorate this great event, mint 2/-, used 1/3d. . ne (Post free with approvals.) OCR CTE DT OT Te Tere We shall have all the stamps issued * ROYAL VISIT. by the various countries to cele- brate the visit of H.M. Queen Elizabeth and H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh. Details or approvals on request. % THOUSANDS OF STAMPS from id. each. We have prepared a series of approval books containing thou- sands of stamps priced from 3d. to about 6d. each. Arranged by countries these books provide a quick and economical way of filling the “‘cheap’’ gaps in your collection. A postcard will bring you a selection. Let us know if you have any particular interests. MARY CARD LTD., 382a, Finchley Road, London, N.W.2. Barbow WEATHERPROOFS In fawn or bronze Beacon Gaberdine lined check. Men’s and ladies’ well- Prices cut models in all normal sizes. from 105/-, Fine Beacon Oilskins : Men’s from 95/-; Ladies’ from 75/-. ; 1 Stout Black Oilskin Coats for work wear | from 55/-. Dark green Beacon Thornproofs (the ! toughest and hardest-wearing water- proof made) from 130/-. ( am! Waterproof Clothing of all kinds. } Send for 52-page Catalogue, full of comfort-giving weather-resisting t a BARBOURS Ltd. «- D1 9 Beacon Buildings, South Shields

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xvi THE WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE. The Importance of Knowing How to Learn LANGUAGES THe only satisfactory method of learning a foreign language is the direct method. In other words, you must learn French in French, German in German, Spanish in Spanish, and Italian in Italian. That.is the Pelman system, and it is the only way. It naturally follows from this that the old- fashioned method of memorising long lists of foreign words is entirely abolished when you learn a language by the direct way. Reduced fees for members of Her Majesty’s Forces Another consequence is that it practically eliminates the difficulties and drudgeries of learning complicated grammatical rules and exceptions. It teaches you not only to read a foreign language, but to write, speak and understand it thoroughly and efficiently. There are no classes to attend. You pick up the foreign language by correspondence in your spare time, in half the usual period. The Pelman method of learning languages, which has now been used for over 25 years with such success, is explained in four little books, one for each language: , FRENCH SPANISH GERMAN ITALIAN (Also Courses in Afrikaans and Urdu) State which book you want and it will be sent to you, together with a specimen lesson, gratis and post free. PELMAN LANGUAGES INSTITUTE, 150, Norfolk Mansions, Wigmore Street, London, W.lI. RESTORE ENERGY and DEFEAT AGE with the famous ‘“VITABRACE”’ THE PERFECT SUPPORT FOR EVERY MAN A slender waist-line and the appearance of youthfulness are essen- tial to success. A protruding abdo- men is a_ handicap in social and business life, but far. more seri- ous is its bad effect on health. The ‘“«Vitabrace’’ restores thae flat waist-line and physical alertness. of youth. Sure relief for sufferers from Back- ache, Lumbago and Sciatica. Made in finest elastic fabric. No buckles, buttons or hooks. All sizes up ost ) to 46 in. Hips 18/1 I fee 2 for 36/- Super Quality, up to 49 in. hip, 38/3. Extra Super Quality, hand knitted, up to 48 in. hips, 64/6 each. State HIPS (not waist) measure. Money refunded if not approved. Catalogue of Vitabrace. or Surgical Belts (for Men and Women), also Corsetry, free—state needs. BEASLEY’S BELT DEPT. 23] Beasley House, Boscombe, BOURNEMOUTH Personal fittings at: 4 Cork St., London, W.| High St., Manchester 546 SauchiehallSt., Glasgow of providing Man with his ideal shave—velvety, ef- fortless, and completely bloodless. Latterly the pace has hotted up, so to speak; the latest models re- veal vastly-increased efh- ciency. Not all the people who use dry-shavers, of course, are completely ‘satisfied with the results achieved, but judging from my own experience I sus- pect this to be largely their own fault. As I have pointed out on previous occasions, one needs to de- velop an entirely new tech- nique, throwing overboard the methods used in “ordinary” shaving. This calls for the expenditure of a certain amount of time and patience, but if you are prepared to teach yourself it won’t be very long before you become a dry-shaver ‘¢Made like a WEBLEY” —need we say more? REVOLVER, the Webley Air Pistol is a precision built job beautifully made. There is no finer Air Pistol made today. Write for catalogue of Air Pistols and Air Rifles and Accessories. WEBLEY SENIOR © AIR PISTOL Cal. .177 of .22 The de luxe model contains the leading olnts of the Mark | Air Pistols. Adjustable backsight. Light pull-off. Positive lock. Piston fitted with Metal Ring TWO OTHER MODELS Webley Junior .177 cebe Mark | Smooth bore (takes al. .| or. Webley pellets and Extraordinarily darts). Very sturdily accurate. Rifled made. Accurate. A fault- barrel (inter- less practice weapon changeable). which can be used in Hard hitting room, hall or garden and very with perfect safety. sturdy, * See your Sports Goods Dealer. , pistols wees Or aa : Write for list. WEBLEY & SCOTT LTD. 85 WEAMAN STREET, BIRMINGHAM Aa sedan eer ae ee a W.S.5 Like its distinguished relative the WEBLEY | enthusiast. My own initial efforts were so disappoint- ing that I eventually de- cided the responsibility lay with me; no sensible manu- facturer, I reasoned, would attempt to sell the public a high-priced article which couldn’t do better than that! Secrets of Success Thereupon I set to work to acquire the essential technique, and within a fortnight I was getting first-class shaves! The secret of success, I think, lies in gentle -stretching of the skin, holding the shaver at right angles to the face and maintaining a firm pressure, and always work- ing “against the grain” .of the bristles. For the first few days you may find flaky particles of calloused skin—the product, I am told, of years of “ordin- ary” shaving — coming away, but when this phen- omenon ceases your face should be rejuvenated. It will never again become sore or chafed, nor is there the slightest risk of cutting or “nicking” yourself! These early shaves will not be quick ones, in all prob- ability, and some of them may be disappointing, but after you have got the “hang” of the business you will be surprised at the smoothness you can achieve in a minimum of time. To sum up: Success with a good dry-shaver of any well-known make depends largely upon the user; the machine is capable of doing the job properly if you handle it correctly. The Hatter A country-dwelling

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THE WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE xvii DESIGNED FOR THE OUTDOOR MAN!! n Oo R_E_UO XL EK BY, GREATEST BARGAIN EVER OFTEN IMITATED— i BRAND WEW ___ NEVER DUPLICATED! ~ Meow, “as Beautiful bold FUR eS Ws [0S OFS US. OFFICERS } Pte ole, ioe = Ls with COSY WARM LINING. Guaranteed wind and storm proof. PROTECTS CAnERDiNe you HANDSOMELY IN ALL WEATHERS. Chest 46 in. and salah ovis iimed with LUXURIOUS y ed wit Cc OAT RICH fur Jining. interlined with ONLY waterprool. MAGNIFICENT P P BEAL FUR COLLAR. Faun 6 3, a 5 !P or Olive Green. Only 110/-, 46 in. and over, 115/-. P/P 2/-. Alaa es Ladies, same price, COSY, WARM IN | ZERO WEATHER -« 100°, SUPER QUALITY GABERDINE LUMBER RJACKET NOTHING COULD BE FINER cass Super Quality Fawn Gaberdine, wind resistant and water repellent. Bold, deep, real Beaver jamb collar. Cosy, warm, thick winter- how 4 45/- proof lining. Zip fitted. Elastic ONLY ny knitted wrist and waistband. P/P Ik he 4 GREATEST BARGAIN EVER Ronutitul, axurioud 100% EX-USA PILOTS Cosy, Warm Natural Sheer: skin Lining. FULL . SUPER QUAL/TY 2 Pocketsand DEEP REAL LAMBS-WOOL STORM COLLAR. OFFERING A LIFETIME OF WEAR 212-page Book. Send 73d. in scarps for this beautifully illus- trated book ‘charting’ a perfect holiday on the lovely Norfolk Broads. 200 miles of safe, sunny waterways, superb scenery, friendliness, and fun, yours to explore. Blakes, boat-hire specialists, offer over 650 sailing or motor craft for hire—for expert or novice. FOR THE HOLIDAY OF A LIFETIME — AFLOAT! POST TO-DAY to BLAKES (Norfolk Broads Holidays) Ltd., 44 Broadland House, 47, Albemarle Street, Piccadilly, W.1. Please send me FREE a copy of NORFOLK BROADS HOLIDAY BOOK. | enclose 74d. for postage, etc. Ml ad Usual price |10/- NOW ONLY 92/6 P/P 2/-. 2 *NOTE:—Postal charges apply to U.K. only. Satlatiction guaranteed or Money refunded. IVA IE a ops ede aus vviaderasaaswucuiede Se wandnee vac ner eanuayaurcesesdeas vewet MARCUS STORES, (Dert.29,5 Mitton Road, | | a okese oc asmunnsnnnnsnmnrne (BLOCK LETTERS, PLEASE) ALWAYS KEEP|| bbs IT HANDY It would be difficult to name a more complete or reliable medicine to keep at hand under all climatic conditions. ‘HEALTH RAY SUN LAMP’ Dual Purpose. Ultra Violet or Infra-Red FOR ULTRA-VIOLET RAYS tan the skin, form vitamins in the ti$sues, create new blood co LDS | cells and so fortify the whole body. They destroy germs and clear the skin. X | 'NFRA-RED RAYS relieve Mheumatisms Lumbago, Neuritis, Fibrositis, Influenza, Colds, Bronchitis, Catarrh, etc. Price £48, 15.0 Complete GUARANTEED 5 YEARS Order direct from the Makers “HEALTH -RAY”’ is never sold in shops Made for Home Use. As safe and easy to \GHEORODYNEN SN N aN osx REAL AAN ARAN, (NEN DIARRHEA use as electric light. A.C. or D.C. All voltages. ; A STOMACH CHILLS & | WORLD FAMOUS. OVER 700,000 SOLD IN U.S.A. AND GREAT BRITAIN or alt Chemists SSOOCHOOTTAORCADEROSOT APSO DESESERHOCE RESO SORATSOCODADODERTOTEREAAOTORAEHOHO DEUCE ESTE CRDRERCODECCR TORRE DSECORESORORANOROSSECOERS 1/6 3/7 Nee Purchase SS ~“ —_ Ss SS LhieN Health Ray Co., Dept. W.W.50, Southampton Please send details of your Health Ray Sun Lamp. POST COUPON TO-DAY ADDRESS : 100 YEARS WORLD-WIDE REPUTATION

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XViil THE WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE Draw your “FILL OF ENJOYMENT Outdoors or in, a pipe becomes part of the plan for your full enjoyment of work or play. Fill your pipe with WILLS’s CuT GOLDEN Bar, sit back and slowly enjoy the rich, cool, satisfying tobacco — and you'll change places with no man! wee) Un 279 Jats a RAI SV DX * The wise man fills his pipe with WILLS* CUT GOLDEN BAR 4/3id. an ounce Flake form also in 2 oz. round air-tight tins 8/7d. W. D. & H. O. Wills, Branch of The Imperial Tabacco Co. (of Great Britain & Ireland), Ltd. CB167D reader, visiting London, decided to treat himself to a new hat, and sends me the following notes on his experience. “I found the hatter to be a most knowl- edgeable individual, and his running commentary on headgear in general and my own in particular proved decidedly interesting. He informed me, by way of a start, that the function of my hat was not merely to protect my head but also to set off my face and enhance my personality. That being the case, a sensible man would naturally devote a little care to its selection.” Brushing “The ‘pork pie’ style, I learnt, would not suit me; I needed a soft felt with a straight dent. ‘ And remem- ber,’ he added severely, ‘never to put it on, take it off, or raise it to a lady by grabbing the front part of the dent! That creates un- due wear and spoils the ap- pearance of the hat.’ Brush- ing, I learnt, must be done regularly, the dent being carefully pushed out for this purpose. Many men forget this latter detail, with the result that the de- pression gets into very bad condition — almost mossy with neglect! ‘ You'll spot what I mean if you look at the hats of some of your friends.’ “My mentor confirmed my impression that the bowler is really coming back into favour—‘a very smart and economical hat; most becoming to certain types!’ But it isn’t good form to wear it at a rakish angle or on the back of

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THE WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE ix BRITISH) SEAGULL ‘The Sest- Outboard Motor in the World!” THE BRITISH SEAGULL CO. LTD., POOLE, DORSET Telephone: POOLE 818 ADHITE SHOES FOR ME make you 2in. taller, yet look like any ordinary smart shoes. Write today for free details ~ City Ghoe Be Co (Room 27) ee BUILD YOUR OWN : Ci CANOE P <=} Printed Illustrated Instructions 1/6 TYNE FOLDING BOATS LTD. I'll Teach YOU to Play The Piano Without Drudgery, Fatigue or Failure. Even if you are of middle age I can quickly make you play so that you will be welcome everywhere. Ordinary musical notation only used, no freakish methods. My pupils’ roll grows daily; I state it in every adver- tisement. It is your assurance of success. My class is seldom less than 2,000 pupils. I have taught over 87,700 by post AND I CAN TEACH YOU (in 12 lessons), even if you do not know a note. FREE Book and advice. Say Beginner, Moderate, Advanced. Block letters, please. Mr. H. BECKER, (Dept. 964), The Hall, Centurion Road, Brighton, Sussex. TYPEWRITERS ADDERS & CALCULATORS 74, CHANCERY LANE, LONDON, W.C.2 Telephone: HOL. 3793 help you to success through personal postal tuition HOUSANDS OF MEN in important One of these courses will lead to your advancement PLEASE WRITE IN BLOCK LETTERS ROYAL SOCIETY OF ARTS EXAMS SR EES positions were once students of The Accountancy Exams. General Education Mathematics Bennett College. They owe their success Auditing Geography Public Speaking to Personal Postal Tuition—The Bennett —_Book-keeping Journalism Police Subjects College way. You have the same chance Commercial Arithmetic Languages Salesmanship to qualify for a fine career, higher pay and _Gosting Modern Business Methods Secretarial Exams. social standing. English Carpentr Shorthand = ngieulare ah istry Short Story Writing SEND TODAY for afree prose ‘Gun Architecture Civil Engineering Press Tool Work choose your course, fill in the coupon _ Aircraft Maintenance Commercial Art Quantity Surveying _ and post it Building Draughtsmanship Radio Engineering — oe ce oe es ee ee ee ee ee ee ee ee ee 5 SCE lectrical Engineering Road Making | TO THE BENNETT COLLEGE (DEPT. A.12), SHEFFIELD I Electric Wiring Sanitation = ; ] Engineering Drawings Steam Engineering [ Please send me free your prospectus on: ) Fire Engineering Surveying Forestry Telecommunications [ SUBJECT i Locomotive Engineering Television | Machine Design Textiles [ NY AIR eee ated thai we he ea fad sane ea eau AGE (if under 21)...........00- Mechanical Engineering Wireless Telography [ Motor Engineering Works Management ADDRESS | Plumbing Workshop Practice i | Power Station Eng. and many others ! i GENERAL CERTIFICATE OF EDUCATION , | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | L

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xx THE WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE NEW BATTERIES from actual Maker! FULLY GUARANTEED. Anytypeor size of first-grade Heavy Duty starter battery in exchange for your old one at a saving of 50%! Take or send your old battery to address below or any of our depots and collect a ‘brand-new Macaulay battery with maker’s guarantee at half standard price. Examples :— 6 volt 56 amp hours battery, £2.17.6 12 volt 56 amp hours battery, £5.13.6 Write or ‘phone for price list and depot addresses MACAULAY BATTERIES LTD., Dept. A.3, 25/27, Mallinson Road, TAKES INCHES OFF YOUR WAIST INSTANTLY te FLATTENS front se SUPPORTS back 4 IMPROVES posture %& SMARTENS looks AND SLIMS ! EXCLUSIVE! Only the * MANLY ” will—tn- stantly pull in your waist-; line 3-6ins. Instantly{ relieve fatigue and muscu-¢é lar aches. Instantly feel§ fitter, look smarter. Finest } 2-way Stretch Washab e Elastic (Pre-shrunk). ' All-day comfort sitting, standing, playing. Extra detachable Sup- porter FREE ! MAKE THIS 5-SECOND TEST Stand erect, shoulders back. Clasp hands across abdomen. Pressin and up. Feel good ? Of course youdo! You'll feel that way all the time you wear a “MANLY.” 7-day TRIAL. Send no money ! TaaNzy CO. (Dept. WW), Manor House, Worcester Park, Surrey. Send my MANLY for 7-day NO-RISE trial. l eee, I; will pay postman 365/- plus postage. or I enolone | 4 P.O. for 35/- (post free). I may return my Manly within 7 days for a full refund. My Waist measures........................ | ADDRESS .................... stil beet iii Ses ees stl t ete e eee e eee e ec ee cece n eet eee ewes meee eeee eect et ete cee c eens ene eees | ee ee a ee a a one’s head; the proper position is dead straight. The hatter was so enthusi- astic, so genuinely absorbed in his subject, that I hadn’t the heart to mention the existence of individuals so lost to a sense of decency that they habitually go bare-headed! ” You Could Do This! About a year ago I was instrumental in quite a lot of householders off on the (I hope) pleasant task of beautifying their homes — and incidentally making them easier to keep clean — by fixing special plastic tiles in such places as bathrooms, kitchens, round scullery sinks, pan- try shelves, etc., etc. These tiles have since become popular all over the coun- try. No special tools are required for fixing; they can be cut with ordinary scissors, and bent with the fingers to fit corners and curves. Formerly an adhe- sive had to be applied to fix them on the wall or shelf, but now the makers have added the final touch; the adhesive is on the back, ready for use! The tiles measure six inches by six, are available in_ several charming pastel colours (also black and white), and can be cleaned in the twinkling of an eye. They are obtainable from most stores and ironmongers, and the makers will be glad to send you an illustrated brochure on receipt of 24d. stamp. Many a husband has acquired an enviable reputation as a really gifted handyman after success- fully tackling a job with these excellent tiles! starting ~ Night-Driving Terrors Many a motorist, if in a confidential mood, would admit that he _ secretly dreads driving at night or in fog; headlight-glare 1s also a perpetual bugbear. A veteran driver has called my attention to some re- markable glasses which re- duce these terrors to an absolute minimum. “ Lum- inous ” yellow lenses render objects clearly discernible, even on the darkest night, and even make powerful headlights endurable. Wide arms prevent side-glare; the frames are particularly robust and the eye-pieces extra-large. If you are con- scious of fatigue and optical strain when driving, these specially - designed spec- tacles are well worth atten- tion. The price is 15s. 6d. Improvement in Socks Some manufacturers are showing commendable en- terprise in devising socks which “stay up” of them- selves. Liberally spliced at heels and toes with tough nylon yarn, these socks wear remarkably well and don’t shrink in the wash. Men who cherish the idea that suspenders tend to. cause varicose veins will certainly welcome self-sup- ‘porting socks. Vie Cayton —_——— Published on the 22nd of each month by the Proprietors, GEORGE NEWNES, LIMITED, Tower Howse, Southampton Street, London, W.C.2, and printed in England by Hazell, Watson & Viney, Ltd., Aylesbury and ‘London. Subscription Rate, including postage, for one year, Inland and Abroad 20s. 6d. (Canada 19s. 6d.). Registered at the General Post Office for transmission by Canadian Magazine post. Entered as Second- Class Matter at the New York, N.¥., Post Office. Entered as Second-Class Matter at the Post Office Department, Canada. Sole Agents Australia and New Zealand: Gordon & Gotch ( A/sia), Ltd. Sole Agents South Africa: Central News Agency Ltd, @

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I] een Your electric shave luxury .... For a change in smoking, you'll like the different flavour of Astorias — An electric shave is a dry shave, so the leading American blend cigarettes. use Imperial Leather After Shave Lotion before instead of after shaving. Yourshavewill becleaner than you have ever thought it possible. Cd Imperial Leather toilet luxuries also include Shaving Sticks, After Shave Talc, solid and liquid Brilliantines and the famous toilet soap. Cussons ot. IMPERIAL {9} LEATHER 4 aw ane ae . ” Ser sth i} ” ast of 8 ae ase a oy) Po -e10! Toilet Luxuries Px t a | FROM ALL GOOD SHOPS

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spear Shaving News! New PHILIPS — 4, Wx, My “, » than ever before! yes ‘with the amazing new Philips. Philishave the whole conception: of dry shaving'is completely | revolutionized! The exclusive BI-AX Shaving Head gives an infinitely quicker, easier, cleaner shave than ever before! It is absolutely astonishing! _ New exclusive BI-AX Shaving Head | with unique shaving action - ‘ew S thy : AM A unique cutting action. Instead of R4) snipping at the hair, it genuinely shaves Wj it. No dragging or pulling of the beard — just smooth, quick, marvellously Z efficient shaving. What is more, as you pass it over your face it gently s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-s the skin SO that hairs can, be shaved closer ! > \ & VW SS S = SN Ze SN SS LP Sass A Nation-wide Network of Service Dealers The Philishave has the dependability of all Philips products . and is guaranteed for a year. There is, however, a nation-— wide network of Service | -Dealers to ensure that your Philishave is always in perfect condition. For- AC/DC- Mains- 110-130 and: 200-250: ~~ » Complete with case - volts or.120.volt dry. battery of medium or or pouch heavy duty type. Plugs into lamp socket if desired. —&. 9. 5 The new.: ‘Philishave_.is. supplied in.an. ex- tremely smart cageof imitation pany, skin lined with velvet gh sdttractive leather pouch. TAX. P AID) Re ————— Radio & Television Receivers - Gramophone Records - The exclusive BI-AX Shaving Head has Tp Be CETTE PYININYUEITI IIIT rit | ML Lamps & Lisheirig Equipment - Only PHILIPS new Philishave with exclusive BI-AX-Shaving Head has all these features 1 36,000 genuine shaving actions @ minute ! The BI-AX Shaving Head has two 6-bladed cutters. These rotate-ap- proximately 3,000 times a minute. ‘Total cutting frequency :—36,000 every minute.’ 2 All hairs properly trapped The cutter guards of the new Philishave trap _all hairs, short and long. 3 Easy to hold—fits the shape of. your hand The Philishave fits snugly. into your hand, You can turn it about at all angles to suit the curves of your face. : 4 Gentle skin s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-r The rim of the BI-AX Shaving Head is slightly raised. It gently stretches the skin so. . that hairs are exposed for closer shaving. 5 Easy to clean - All cut-off hairs are collected in the fais chamber, which is simplicity itself to clean. 6 Exceptionally quiet ! Exceptional quietness — with freedom from - vibration — is another outstanding feature of ‘the’ Philishave. _ MADE. BY THE WORLD'S LARGEST MANUFACTURERS OF DRY SHAVERS - PHILIPS ELECTRICAL ‘LIMITED, CENTURY HOUSE, SHAFTESBURY AVENUE, LONDON, W.C.2 ‘* Photoflux’’ Flashbulbs, etc. — (PS276A)