The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1914-07-09
MODERN ARABIAN NIGHTS TALE.
Steamship karema' Met Thrilling En-
periences on Voyage.

Experiences WIN WQdleS lndt were
fond of peanuts and bananas, ter
rife sand storm in the Red sea, pest
of grasshoppers and a Somali boy
stowaway werea few only of the many
things that helped to break the mo-
notony of the long voyage of the
karema, a British steamship now in
port here from Yokohoma. The Ka-
rema has made % voyages between
New York and the Far East, but
never one to equal that which was
completed yesterday. Her log reads
like an Arabian Nights tale.
Leaving Yokohoma, the karema
put into Moji, Manila, Hoilo, Cebu,
Singapore, Port Said and Algiers, col
lecting a miscellaneous cargo of Far
Eastern products which included
everything from a crate Of Chinese
josses to a live elephant.
The voyage was comparatively un-
eventful until the karema approach
ed Alden, at the entrance of the Red
sea. When IL hours out from that
port the sky was suddenly darkened
by millions of huge grasshoppers
which had been blown out to sea
from the Arabian coast.
Capt. Beare had often seen grass
hoppers in countless thousands while
passing through the Red sea on pre-
vious voyages, but never in anything
like the quantity encountered on his
latest trip. The water was covered
with them as far as the eye could
reach, and they fell on the decks of
the Karema in such numbers that the
crew had to be called from quarters
to shovel them over the side.
The Somali boy slowed away at
Perrin, a small coaling station in the
Red sea about 80 miles South of
Alden. He was not found until two
days later, when a sailor pulled him
out of a lifeboat. He was clothed in
a single piece of cheesecloth, worn
as a breech cloth, and was imbued
with a determination to see the world
The boy was put ashore at Port
Tewfik and shipped back to Perrin.
Fogs which endanger steamship
traffic on the North Atlantic lane are
as nothing compared with the sand
storm which descended upon the Ka-
rema when she was passing through
a particular dangerous spot in the
Red Sea. So thick was the sand, said
Capt. Beare, that it was impossible
to see for more than 10 feet ahead.
Blown by stiff gale, the sand pene-
trated every part Of the vessel, threat
ening to put the machinery out of
commission. 1t was impossible to
make headway under the conditions.
Capt. Beare ordered the anchors
down. When they had found a firm
grip, all hands repaired below, where
an uncomfortable three hours was
spent in sitting heat until the storm
passed over.
Everybody began to settle down to
a quiet life after the canal had been
passed. Save for a waterspout in the
Mediterranean off Algiers there was
nothing of more than casual interest
until the Karema was within 800
miles of Sandy Hook, when school
of IA whales was sighted.
The whales were all sizes. Several
were nearly 80 feet in length. They
disported themselves around the bow
of the Karema for three hours, diving
underneath and cutting up all sorts
of capers for the benefit Of the crew.
Charles Emerson Pask, the bo's'n's
mate, is authority for the statement
that the whales actually fought
among themselves over division of a
quantity Of peanuts which were
thrown overheard. Whales are very
fond of peanuts, according to the
veracious Pask, and if there is any
thing that will start a fight it is one
peanut, which must be divided among
them. Bananas, too, are considered
great delicacies by whales, said Pask.
Three punches of green fruit were
thrown over the side Of the ka-
rema and now, said Pask, every
whale among the IA, must be suffer-
ing from acute pains in the stom-
ach, because they devoured every
banana.-New York Herald.