The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-12-04
Chicago, I
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AROUND THE WORLD.
Independence Boy to Travel in Open
Boat With Jack London.

Independence Kan, Dec. 3.=The
Star says: In the dizziest, most daring
adventure since the hardy Norsemen
sailed to the coast Of Labrador, kan
sas boy will have a part. Not only is
he a Kansas boy. but an Independence
boy as well.
Monday. Dec. 3, Martin Johnson,
son of Mr.. and Mrs. J. A. Johnson, will
leave fer san Francisco. there to join
Jack London, the noted writer, who
has contracted with the Cosmopolitan
magazine to make trip around the
world in a forty-fiVe foot boat Just
five souls will be on this little craft
during the whole journey. They will
be: Jack London, his wife, Charmion,
Mrs. London's uncle. who Will act as
mate and co-navigator with London,
Martin johnson. and a Japanese boy
of about his own age. who will act as
cabin boy Mart goes as cook, but his
knowledge of photography had much
to do with getting him the much COW
eted opportunity
The boat is equipped with an electric
light plant, a powerful gasoline engine,
and sails. 1t will depend mostly upon
its sails in the open sea but when rivers
and small streams are to be navigateJ
the engine will be put into commission
Martin has been receiving instructions
from London almost weekly since he Sc
cured the place, and in one of the lat
est epistles London explains to his pros
pectiVe cook that when he has to eat
good relish, but when he doesn't have
to he wants the best and will insist up
on it. He says the whole force Will be
on duty al times and at others each man
must take his watch and his turn at
the wheel The laws that govern yes
sells at sea will be in force and when
on duty the relations of officer and sea-
man will be rigidly maintained. At all
other times his crew will be one big,
happy family.
Martin is amply prepared to take care
of the culinary end OF the voyage, for
he is a cook of more than ordinary skill.
The late Thanksgiving dinner at the
Johnson home was the outcome of his
handiwork and with all due respect to
Mrs. johnson it is probable that a bet
ter dinner was never eaten in that din
ing room. The turkey was enough alone
to tempt the palate of a king. Mart is
likely to wind up as chef to s;le Emper-
or OF. Germany, provided he is not spit
ted upon the fork OF cannibal ruler in
the South seas.
The name of the little boat in which
five dauntless spirits will sail the wide,
wide world is called the Shark.
This little craft will set sail from
San Francisco on the 18th of Deem
her. The first port will be Honolulu in
the Hawaiian Islands. and after that
there is no plan. 1t will simply wander
at will over the southern seas, while the
writer studies, takes notes on and
photographs the civilized. semicivilized
and savage peoples of this more or less
unknown portion of the globe. FROM
the south seas to japan and China they
will go. IN the great rivers of the flow
err Kingdom and into the interior. for
the purpose of finding the side of Chi
nese life that has never before been
given to the world
Then on around through the Suez
canal they Will come, penetrating into
as many Turkish, Syrian and Russian
recesses of interest as possible Then
they will pass through the canals of
France and Germany and proceed leis-
urely up the beautiful and historic riv-
ers of these two countries All of
europe will be explored in this fashion.
London's wonderful pen meantime
Keeping the world informed of the
things of absorbing and unusual inter
est which may come before the eyes of
the little party
From Europe to New York they will
sail. providing they are not by then at
the bottom of the ocean Somehow
they will reach the great lakes and
Chicago. go through the Chicago canal
to St. Louis. down the Mississippi to
New Orleans, thence to South America,
and around the southern continent to
California and home