The Adair County news., 1922-11-21

Victoria, B. Cit is well that Chris
topher Columbus established himself
in the Hall of Fame some centuries
ago, for if he had to do his diScoveriT@
today, he would find a worthy rival
adventuring about the great spaces
of the sea.
Christopher crossed the Atlantic on
his historic voyage in a lotion sail
ing vessel-the Santa Maria-with a
crew of ffty-twO men. But Capt.
George Ward, a modern Columbus,
puts the historic navigator to shame
by spanning the broader Pacific in
2S-ton Chinese fishing junk, with his
Chinese wife as helmsman, his nine
year-old son as cook and cabin boy,
and a foremast crew of three Chinese,
of whom two had never been beyond
the confines of Honkong harbOr.
Several months ago, tired Of life on
the Chinese coast, Ward decided to
return to America. So he gathered
tools and timbers, fashioned himself a
ship, signed on a hand or two, and
embarked with his family for British
Columbia. That was at Shanghai,
June 21.
Junk 10 Sensation.
Last week saw the finish at Victoria,
b. c., of the remarkable crossing of
more than $500 miles of the Pacific.
Into the harbor stole a craft, the like
Of which had never before been seen
In these waters. Spectators rubbed
their eyes in bewilderment over the
vessel, with its towering stern, its
stump of a bow, it's amazing coat of
red, green and yellow, the two .bulging
brilliant fish eyes glaring on both
sides, the three ill-cut sails bellying
In the breeze-and over all the five
striped, multi-colored flag of the Chi
nese republic.
Timid souls gazed nervOusly at the
mysterious stranger, fearful lest she
be some ghostly visitor from the deep,
bearing to retribution some ancient,
SHINING mariner.
The full tale of the 81 days at sea-
from the sailing day, June q, at
Shanghai to the day of arrival at Vic
toria, September 10, as told by Ward
and his wife-matches, the highest
flights Of imagination.
"One night" said Captain Ward,
pointing out a snake skin as wide
around as a mans thigh and ten feet
In length, I'VE were at anchor off the
China coast. The man on watch dozed
of. A small chow dog aboard barked
and awakened me. On the China coast
you sleep with your gun on your pill
low and / had it handy as 1 sprang
up, thinking pirates might have
boarded the ship.
Snake for Breakfast.
sThe first sight to meet my eyes
was this great snake sliding down
: from the deck into the cabin. Well, he
took the floor. 1 let him have it; the
table suited me better. And then 1
blazed away. 1t took four shots to
finish the beggar. 1 threw It on the
deck.
"Half minute later followed. But
( it was too late. These fellows (point-
hing to his three ChineSe) already had
the snake sliced up and in the pot. 1
ldidn't even get the whole skin. The
bmen lived well next morning, break
Fasting on snake, cat and duck from
lbe same pot. They dined like lords !"
Full Of pride in his vessel, the skip
Ter had thousand instances to tell of
kr seaworthiness.
4 "Shen ride anything or we wouldn't
81 here. 1t was the toughest trip 1
Ter made and I've made a-plenty.
fNefNl US? Not a bit. The Shanghai
bple were when we left. But ! knew
lat was before us-no doctoring, 40
eh provisions, no ice chest&Hafd-
b unstinted. knew all that; and
bid mother.
Washed ohee-a-WeeK Luxury.
Tsfef9 Plenty Of It for drinking.
Eshks carry between 400 and 500
SIS. But the luxury of a wash
q wcekly occurrence. Washing