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LUCKUER,
B: SEA ■•E'W'Mt
Ooubltday, Copyright Doran by & Co. by ♦ SLowell
Thomas
CHAPTER XIV
— 19 —
Through a Sea of Floating
Brimstone to Fiji
We had all along figured that we
might have to go to the Fiji islands,
where a constant stream of sailing
ships was always taking aboard copra
for the munition factories in the
United States, But we also were fully
aware that sailing in a little open
boat from Cook islands to the Fijis
might easily be a perilous venture.
Our voyage so far bad gone fairly
smoothly. There had been no hurri¬
canes, and we thanked God for that.
But now the weather turned against
as for a whole week, and we began to
think we had run across St. Swithin’s
day. We had forgotten—if we had
ever known it—that this was the time
when the equinoctial storms broke in
those waters. Had we known it, we
never would have headed for the Fijis.
For ten days we sailed through a
drenching downpour, the rainy season.
The sea was choppy. The wind
whipped the spray and the crests of
waves over us in driving sheets. In
our cockleshell, things were afloat, and
it was bitter cold o’ nights. We threw
our mattresses overboard. In their
soaked condition they were far worse
to sleep on than the wet planks, and
there was no use keeping them any
longer. When the sun occasionally
shone, our drenched clothes would dry
quickly and stiffen like boards of salt.
They rubbed and scratched the skin
off our bodies. When they got wet
again, which they promptly did, the
salt would soak Into the raw flesh and
Inflame It. Our bodies felt as though
they were on fire. We had no regular
sleep. Instead, a man would doze
away suddenly at almost any time,
liven the helmsman would drowse off
like that. and. with a free rudder, the
boat would veer around crazily.
One morning, when dawn came, we
could hardly believe our eyes. The
-sea had turned from its normal blue
to yellow. On scooping up a pail of ii
we found a scum that we concluded
must be brimstone and ash. We were
sailing through a field of brimstone.
For three days we saw from horizon
to horizon this yellowish expanse of
volcanic dust, it no doubt came from
some submarine eruption, perhaps the
one we could thank for the tidal wave
that had wrecked the Seeadler. The
waves carried the gritty dust Into the
boat. It penetrated everything. Every
surface became like sandpaper. Our
skin grew rough and caked with it
Our blankets were like sandpaper, and
so were our clothes.
As the voyage grew longer, we had
to be more and more sparing with our
drinking water. The supply began to
run low. We could no longer collect
rain water in our sails. They were
■coated with salt. We tried to wash
them out in the rain, hut then the
spray and the waves kept washing in
and kept the sails salty and added a
further salting to any water we col¬
lected. Our supply of fruit that we
had picked up in the Cook Islands
ran <»ut now, and about all we had
left was hardtack, not In Itself a
thirst-quenching kind of food. Our
gums dried out and were like rough
Iron. We sucked our fingers and
gnawed at our knuckles to bring a
flow of saliva and refresh our burning
mouths.
And then came the sailor’s worst
enemy, scurvy. Our diet of hardtack,
lack of exercise, and general hardships
brought it on. Our knees swelled up
so badly tlmt we had to cut our
trousers. The rocking of tiie boat
knocked them together or against the
wooden sides, and then the pain was
almost unendurable. Our lips were
black and broken. Our tongues wer°
swollen and hard. It was as if you
nad a stone in your mouth. Our gums
became snow white and seemed to re¬
cede. Our teeth felt as though they
were sticking far out of our jaws.
They hurt constantly and were loose
and felt as if they were going to drop
out. With these shaking teeth we ate
our hardtack. 1 never before knew
how hard hardtack was. We had un¬
ending headaches, and it seemed as if
something were pressing our eyes right
out of their sockets. We got water
In our legs, and could hardly stand
any more. We had to slide around the
seats to do what had to be done in
navigating the boat. In scurvy, the
blood turns to water, first in the legs
and then upward. When it reaches
the heart you die. Where the blood
is water the flesh is white, and you
can see the line of the white creep
slowly up. We wondered who would
be the first—the first to have the line
of white rise to the heart. My boys
made marks to show the line clearly
and mark its daily progress upward,
at was a kind of sport. It was keep¬
ing a daily log, a log of death. Par
mien was the youngest of ns, but he
seemed to be on his way to win the
race. The line was higher on him
jthan on the others. He joked about
it. There was nothing terrible in It.
fWe were all in a deep apathy. Our
brains were like balls of cotton. Noth¬
ing mattered, certainly not death.
Death would come, we thought, as a
relief from these sufferings. The pros¬
pect of its arrival became more and
more attractive.
“Boys," I said, ‘Met us take pieces
of ballast iron and tie them around
our necks. One plunge and in a few
seconds all of our pains will be gone.”
“Yes. All right.” There were mut
terings of assent.
But Parniien, the youngest, the one
who was nearest death, picked up the
comic volume. Fritz Reuter’s “Trip to
Constantinople,” and began to read a
funny story. We all laughed. That
book had eased many a hard hour be¬
fore, on this ghastly voyage, and now,
perhaps, it saved our lives.
And so we continued on with but
one instinct left in us, the sailor’s
instinct to navigate his craft. Me
chauicaHy, without any particular
hope, without any particular thought,
we trimmed the sails, guided the helm,
and calculated our position as best
we could. Nautical science was at a
low ebb among us now. We were too
far gone to reckon exactly where we
were, and were only vague in our
steering. All we knew was that we
should steer to the west where the
island groups were.
I won’t try to say how we felt when
we saw a speck on the horizon and the
speck grew bigger and turned into the
familiar green of a tropical island.
We had been so much like dead men,
Two Thousand Miles In This Open
Boat.
who had thought that nothing could
ever make us glad again. By Joe, that
sight gladdened our hearts, though.
We grew even weaker, hut it was the
weakness of happiness. As we drew
near, we thought of nothing but land,
fresh water, and soft food, a soft
banana, for our loose, shaky teeth.
Never mind ships or capturing ships.
Never mind being taken prisoners. We
headed straight toward a crude pier
that stuck out into the water.
A crowd of a hundred natives, per¬
haps less, were gathered at the land¬
ing place watching our approach. They
were ferocious looking black warriors.
We had now passed from the region
of the brown, indolent Polynesians to
those of the black, warlike Melane¬
sians.
“What ugly customers,” l said to
l.eudemann. “They look like canni¬
bals.”
The forbidding battle array on shore
stirred a new strength in us. it cer¬
tainly looked like a cannibal island,
and miserable as we were, still we
could not escape the thought of our
skin and hones being fattened up in
preparation for an old-time South sea
banquet.
“Clear the boat for action!” 1 or¬
dered. Even in our present straits,
we could still remember our old naval
ways.
The German flag went Jerking to
our masthead, and rifles and machine
guns were displayed.
A shout went up on shore and a
babel of talk. Voices yelled Id pidgin
English.
“You Germans? How you get here
from way off? Come on. Germans
great warriors.”
Still wary, we drew near the land¬
ing pier and talked with the natives.
They were unmistakably friendly, very
cordial. From what they told us they
had. in the first place, grievances
against their masters, the British.
Then quite a number had been re¬
cruited and sent to the trenches in
France. There some had been killed
and some wounded, and most who sur¬
vived had contracted tuberculosis from
the unaccustomed climate and bad
been returned to the island worn-out
shells of men.
Objected to Shaving by Monkey Apprentice
Sir Harry Lauder is fond of telling
the following story:
The sailor son of an Arbroath bar¬
ber had brought Dome with him a
large, hairy, and particularly ugly
monkey, which he presented to bis
father. The barber trained the mon¬
key to assist him in the lathering of
his customers’ chins, much to their
amusement.
One day a stranger dropped into the
shop, and had a good look at the mon¬
key sitting in a far corner staring in¬
telligently at a comic paper. By and
by the barber was called to the door
to answer some query or other, and
in his absence the monkey seized the
'ethering brush and proceeded to
CLEVELAND COURIER
They said there were no white men
on the island, and we longed to go
ashore. With our scurvy-swollen legs
we could hardly stand, however. It
wouldn’t do to he hauled ashore as
cripples, it would not increase these
warriors’ respect for Germans as fight¬
ing men: Cripples do not fare well
among savage peoples, and we thought
it best not to reveal our Impotence.
So we refused the natives’ invitations
to partake of their hospitality, told
them we must hurry on to light the
British, and asked for fresh water and
bananas. They brought great gourds
full of water and bunches of bananas.
We drew up to the dock and they
handed these precious supplies down
for us.
We had our fill of bananas and wa¬
ter, and, with shouts resounding from
the shore, set sail again. This lucky
spot was Nine, an outlying isle of (tie
Fiji group. The sun blazed down upon
us, hut a fair wind carried us along
briskly. The first day after leaving
Niue we felt better. The second day
we were on the road to high good
health. It is amazing the curative
effect of fresh fruit, especially ba¬
nanas, when you are suffering from
scurvy. They seem to put new life
and blood into you and draw the sick¬
ness right out of the body ns though
some huge and marvelous poultice had
been applied.
Our cure was completed at the Isle
of Kntafanga. it is quite a large isle
and Inhabited by more natives.
We came to Hie main body of the
Fijis. and sailed into a large gulf sur¬
rounded by distant islands, it was
night, and we decided to wait fill
morning to see how many ships were
passing and what Island they were
bound for. We reefed our sails and
threw out our sea anchor, that sack
like drag of canvas that keeps a boat
from turning broadside to the wind
and waves and from drifting too fast.
We Lhv down for a decent night's
sleep. We would need all our ener¬
gies for the morrow.
A sudden shout. 1 awakened. It
was just daybreak. Straight ahead
was a wild white line of surf. It
broke over a long, low coral reef, and
just behind it was a high cliff. We
had run into a strong current during
the night. Krauss had awakened just
in time to see that it had carried ua
perilously near the reef. The wind
was sweeping us toward the breaker*
“Raise sail,” 1 shouted.
We scrambled frantically and raised
the canvas. The wind was inshore.
We could not head into it. We were
being blown slowly, inexorably onto
the reef.
People accustomed to the surfs along
ordinary coasts have no idea of what
breakers are like off the Islands ol
the South Pacific. The surf all over
the Pacific is particularly strong. But
when it breaks over a mid-oceanic
coral reef nothing can live in it. The
strongest swimmer sure to he
dashed to pieces against the jagged
coral.
And there wasn’t the slightest hope
of our moving against the wind and
backing away from the reef. Slowly,
slowly we were nearing it. The break¬
ers roared like thunder. In a few mo¬
ments we would be flung into that
death trap of water and coral.
Pistol in hand, I shouted something
to the effect that I didn’t intend to he
ground to death by the breakers or
that jagged coral.
The others looked for their pistols.
One could not find his. Between the
pull of the current and the power of
our sails, we were drifting along the
reef, edging toward it. The wind
gave us an extra push. We were In
the backwash, only a few yards away
from the breakers. And still one man
could not find his pistol. Instinctive¬
ly, we all waited. And that was what
saved our lives. Suddenly we saw the
reef drop away, slanting back at a
sharp angle, and a moment later we
were drifting parallel to the coral.
it was then that I discovered there
were two kinds of breathing. In times
of terrible danger, the breath comes
in short, quick puffg. The danger
gone, you breathe deeply. By Joe,
when we got clear of that reef 1
breathed such a breath that it seemed
to go right down to my heels. I sat
looking at my boys’ faces. When we
got our pistols ready, their faces had
set tense, as if cast from bronze. With
the danger past, their faces held the
same set expression. It was an hour
before their old expressions came back
again. Two of my follows found
patches of gray In their hair after¬
ward. (Maybe they had been there
for years only to be discovered now!)
Another’s leg was absolutely blue in
spots. In those frightful moments he
had, without knowing it, grasped his
thigh in a clutch like a drowning man.
I tell you, by Joe, It was the hand of
God that put the curve in that reef I
When one of the boys, I don’t know
which, said in surprise, “We are
clear!” I knew it was the hand of God.
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
work diligently on the customer’s face.
Afterwards he grabbed a razor and
started to strop it with equal diligence,
hut in a grossly careless manner.
Then he clambered up on the arm ol
the chair and made as if to begin
shaving the alarmed customer.
“No, na, ma wee mannie 1” said the
latter, jumping to his feet and push¬
ing the monkey aside. “I’ve no objec¬
tions to ye soapin’ me, an’ yer strop
pin’ maybe a’ richt, but yer father’ll
hae to do the shavin’i”
Hi* Song*
In these days it is customary ft*
the composer to outlive his songs.
Newmar Flower.
K WO STATES INDIAN
A Few of Lahore’s Balconies.
(Prepared by the National Geographic
Society. Washington, D. E>. C.)
A MONO the multiplicity of prov
V. iuces and states in India, two
X stand out as more familiar
than their fellows to Western
ears—the Punjab and Hyderabad.
Although the Punjab was one of
the Inst districts to come under Brit¬
ish control, it has long been noted for
its progressive viewpoint and modern
activities, it is a vast agricultural
state built upon irrigation, tlie dry
climate of its plains making farming
possible only where canals lead Ilim
alyan river waters into the fields.
There are seven of these great
streams which flow from mountain
snow fields down over the hot, dry
plains. Of these the Indus and the
Jumna, a branch of the Ganges, form
the two outer limits of the province.
Between them are the five fingerlike
tributaries of the I’anjnad, from which
the district received its name in the
days of ancient conquests. The word
Punjab comes from an old Persian
compound meaning “five waters.”
Punjab province is shaped like a
letter “W” whose top extends far into
the hill country which forms the north
of India, and whose left leg drops into
the great desert. Between these two
extremes lie the plains for which the
province is famous. On their irri¬
gated surface cfowd 25,000,000 people.
The Punjab is one of the few parts
of India where Mohammedans greatly
outnumber the Hindus. It is also the
homeland of the Sikhs, that tail and
swarthy race who police so much of
the British empire. The great variety
of racial and religious types in the
province, its nearness to the border,
and the fact that Simla, India’s offi¬
cial summer capital, lies in its hills,
combine to give the district great ro¬
mantic interest.
Historic Lahore, the provincial cap¬
ital beside the river Ravi, is cele¬
brated among the cities of India for
its heat in summer and cold in win¬
ter. Early In May government offi¬
cials retreat to the hills for the dura¬
tion of the hot season. Amritsar, the
holy city of the Sikhs, is built around
an artificial lake. Its bazaars are
famed for Kashmir shawls and ori¬
ental rugs. Either of these two Pun¬
jab cities might have sprung full
grown from some Eastern fairy tale.
Their sky lines give the impression
of stage scenery and their streets are
perpetual pageants of movement and
color.
Delhi and Simla.
Delhi, the capital of the Indian
empire, lies In a federal district cut
out from Punjab territory. This old
city on the IUver Jumna was capital
of the ancient Mogul empire of India
and boasts some of the most beauti¬
ful mosques and palaces in the world.
Like Lahore, however, it is famed for
its summer heat, and the English
early seek refuge from the sun in the
Simla hills. The viceroy and his gov¬
ernmental family conduct their offi¬
cial duties at an elevation of 7,000
feet during the hot season.
It is to beautiful Simla, high amid
the pines and cedars of the foothills,
that Anglo-India retreats from the
heat of the plains. At Simla, wrote
Kipling “all things begin and many
come to an evil end.” High up the
mountainside on terrace upon terrace
stretch pleasant cottages of the Anglo
Indians. Roads and bridle paths wind
among the fir trees beside the English
church and cricket grounds. Only
troops of monkeys, swinging from tree
to tree, speak of India. Simla, to the
Englishman, is a bit of home.
This gay resort is a different world
from the plains below on which stretch
mile upon mile the farming villages
that make up the Punjab, stifling hot
in summer, freezing cold in winter, de¬
pending for their livelihood upon ir¬
rigation. Part of this vast region is
governed by native rulers, like the
Maharajah of Patiala, while part is
under direct British control. Both
sorts of government have aided in the
building of roads and canals and in
•he establishment ol schools to relieve
the let of the dense population
crowded between the “five waters.”
The Sikhs, number fewer than 9
per cent of (lie 25,000,000 crowded into
this wheat field area of India.
Hyderabad with its 82,700 square
miles is the greatest of the Indian
states in area. The ruler is the Nizam,
and the state is as often referred to
us “(lie Nizam's Dominions” ns it is
by name.
Politically, Hyderabad is of great
importance. The Nizam is the high¬
est ranking Mohammedan prince of
India, and his dominions are (he heart
of Moslem feeling and activity for
the whole peninsula. Yet, by one of
the strange quirks common in Indian
affairs, the 11,000,000 subjects of this
ruler are predominantly of the Hindu
faith.
Hyderabad Almost Independent.
The state of Hyderabad has a status
not easily defined. The British em¬
pire, through its aspect, the Indian
empire, takes care of all foreign re¬
lations, and the Nizam undertakes to
furnish certain troops for empire de¬
fence ; but otherwise the state is
almost ns independent as Afghanistan
or Persia. The public finances of the
state have often been in bad shape;
but the Nizam’s private wealth is
tremendous. Doubtless that is to be
expected, for before Hyderabad re¬
ceived its present name it was the
kingdom of Golconda—a name which
lias become a synonym for fabulous
wealth. From a Golconda diamond
mine, It is said, came the Koh-i-nor,
perhaps the most famous of the world's
huge diamonds.
Hyderabad city, capital of the state,
and chief residence of the Nizam, has
a population of half a million and is
the fourth city of India. Most of
the habitations were once mud huts;
but many have been rebuilt with brick
during the last quarter century. The
Nizam’s palaces, those of the nobles,
and numerous government buildings,
all of stone, add to the present sub¬
stantial appearance of the city. In
< lie exact center of I he walled area
rise four lofty minarets, spaced in a
quadrangle, dominating the sky line.
From these tower's four broad streets
run to tiie four quarters of the city.
Over each, a short way from tiie tow¬
ers, is a lmgh arch.
The minarets are not connected
with a mosque, hut at a little dis¬
tance from them is one of the largest
temples of tiie Moslem world, the
Mecca mosque. Under the huge twin
dometj of this structure 10,000 of the
followers of the Prophet may as¬
semble.
In size, the Nizams’ dominions are
almost exactly equal to Kansas; and
as in that state some regions are com¬
paratively dry. Kansas would have
to be moved to southern Mexico, how¬
ever, in order to lie in latitudes cor¬
responding to those of Hyderabad.
The country abounds in dry rocky
ridges and buttes, especially in the
southern part. In t hat section the
streams dry up in summer and water
must be impounded in tanks. These
small artificial lakes dot the entire
countryside. On the black lands of
the north and west cotton is grown.
Clear Train-Calling Asked
Started by a school girl, a move¬
ment for clearer announcing of trains
is under way in Cape Town, South
Africa. Spurred by a near-accident
to an old lady who, with many others,
thought that an announcer had called
“All change for Retreat,” when he
had said “Train for Retreat,” the girl
called in others to join in a drive for
distinct speech about trains. The
movement has caused government
railways to take up the matter.
The New Car
Determined Lady—Have that red
light taken iff the rear of the car, or
I can’t be interested in it.
Salesman—What’s wrong with it?
Determined Lady—Why, anyone can
see that it doesn't match the color
scheme!
Improved Uniform International
SundaySchocl Lesson T
r
(By REV. r. B F1TZWATER. D.D., Dean
Moody Bible Institute of Chicago.)
((c). 1929. Western Newspaper Union.)
Lesson for September 29
REVIEW: SIGNIFICANCE OF THE
EXILE AND THE RESTORATION
GOLDEN TEXT—The mercy ot the
Lord is from everlasting to everlasting
upon them that tear him, and his
righteousness unto children's children.
PRIMARY TOPIC—Stories Retold.
JUNIOR TOPIC—Stories Retold.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOP¬
IC—Some Great Men of the Period.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOP¬
IC—God’s Providence In the Exile and
the Restoration.
Tiie grade of the class, the aptitude
of the scholars and the genius of tiie
teacher tire factors which determine
the method of review. For adult
classes the following suggestions are
made :
I.
Study the lessons of the quarter ns
illustrating tiie philosophy of history
in God’s dealings with His people in
their captivity and restoration. As¬
signment of topics should he made nr
least one week in advance. Only
adult scholars should he expected to
use this method. The following sub¬
jects might he assigned:
Why God Remitted Israel to Go
Into Exile.
What Changed Views of Life Result¬
ed from the Exile.
The Bearing of the Exile Upon
Prophecy.
The Relationship of Divine Chasten¬
ing to Divine Love.
II. Character Study.
Assign the outstanding heroes of the
quarters lessons to members of the
class to have them report. This as¬
signment should be made at least a
week in advance. Some of the out¬
standing cnaructers for consideration
are: Ezekiel, Daniel, NebemSah, Ezra.
Zerubbabel and Malachi.
III. Summary of Contents.
Tills method is usable at all times
and can he adapted to most of the
grades. The following suggestions art
made for carrying out this method:
Lesson for July 7—Before Ezekie.
was commissioned as a prophet he wat
given a vision of the Almighty. After
this vision he was given au experi¬
mental knowledge of God’s Word.
Lesson for July 14—Ezekiel sets
forth personal responsibility ur bear¬
ing on the prophet and upon tiie peo¬
ple to whom he ministered. Ezekiel’s
responsibility was to hear God’s Word
and sound the warning. The people’s
responsibility was to hear and oi jy.
Lesson for July 21—Ezekiel Is the
prophet of hope. He ministered to
Israel in captivity. God sent .dm to
show to Israel the fullness of His plan
for the world through them
Lesson for July 28—Becawse Daniel
made the Lord the arbiter of his life,
he was able to make known the king’s
dream, with its Interpretation.
Lesson for Aug. 4—While Belshnz
zar and his lords were engaged is
drunken reveiry, a mysterious hand
recorded divine Judgment
Lesson for Aug. 11—Because of jeal¬
ousy certain wicked men plotted Dan¬
iel’s downfall. Tfeey trumped up a
charge against him on the ground of
his foreign religitm. Though the fool¬
ish decree of the king was executed,
Daniel was delivered and his accusers
were cast to tiie lions and destroyed.
Lesson for Aug. 18—Though Israel
went into captivity as a chastisement
of the Lord, later He restored them.
Lesson ter Aug. 25—in the restora¬
tion of the people to tlieir own land,
the first thing necessary was the pro¬
vision of a place for the worship of
God. As soon as this work was done,
violent opposition was In evidence
That which God sets out to do shah
be completed.
wesson for Sept. 1—'Through Zerub
bnnel the people were brought bach
and established in their own land, but
they had gone far away from God.
There was now need of a religious
leader. Ezra was moved by the Spirit
to lead them back to fellowship.
Lesson for Sept 8—When Nehemlah
heard of the distress of his brethren
in Jerusalem he took the matter to
the Lord In prayer. The Lord gave
him favor with the king, who permit¬
ted him to go hack and build the walls.
Lesson for Sept. 15—The method
used in bringing hack the people to
God was God’s Word. Because the
Word was made plain, the people re¬
pented of their sins.
Lesson for Sept. 22—Malachi as an
aid to Nehemlah in effecting reforms
pointed out the sins ot the people,
namely, base ingratitude, a corrupt
priesthood, mixed marriages, and rob¬
bing God by withholding tithes, lie
pointed to a Day of Judgment when
righteous retribution would he meted
out to the wicked and rewards would
be given to the faithful.
Jesu* Prophesieth Hi* Death
And Jesus went before them. And
he took again the 12, and began to
tell them what things should happen
unto him, saying, Behold, we go up
to Jerusalem; and the Son of man
shall be delivered unto the chief
priests, and the scribes: and they
shall condemn him to death, and shall
deliver him unto the Gentiles; and
they shall mock him, and shall scourge
him, and shall spit upon him, and shall
kill him; and the third day he shall
rise again.—Murk 10, 32 to 34.
