Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-03-20
Modern Soldiers of
Fortune Will Film
Pacific Isles Savages

san L idlciScO, Aarcn l3.-IWenty
men, average age 40, have sailed from
San francisco on the old whaler
Narwhal for the South Seas to fulfil
a childhood dream of riches to he
gained through adventure. But not
by recovery of buried pirate gold or
robbery of native pearl divers do they
nope to accomplish their purpose.
Theirs will be modern way-the
enforced motion picture photography
of savage tribes. said to be cannibals.
Against the savages' poisoned arrows
they are prepared to match the white
mems firearms.
Among the crew are Russian
count and three former naval officers
and two former army officers of the
United states. Several of the men
have college degrees: most of them
fought in the American or British
forces in the world war. q few are of
matured age, retired from business.
Their vessel. the Narwhal, is a
three masted bark. Stoutly built of
oak in 1883. its history includes seal
poaching and whaling in the Arctic
It's tonnage is 5a3, and length, in
GLIDING bowsprit, is 165 feet. To pur-
chase the boat and supplies the
twenty men incorporated themselves,
each contributing $500. Their cor
poration is called The Mutual Trad
ing Company"
Captain Charles T.. Arey, q mem
Der of the corporation. commands the
Narwhal. once he took it into the
Arctic on whaling cruise. During
the war he was lieutenant COM
mander in the United States Navy.
His mate Ond three able seamen are
the paid members of the present eX-
petition to the South Seas. None of
the twenty adventures ever pre-
viCusly sailed before the mast, but all
have had sea experience.
The cargo carried by the Narwhal
includes two tons of dynamite. con-
siderable gasoline. much sacked
Der. One of the crew remarked that
in case Of disaster they would go
up, not down.
The Narwhal will touch first at
Honolulu. From there it will pro-
coed to Page Page. American Samoa.
where the dynamite will be delivered
to the United States navy. AT Apla,
British Samoa, the last of the cargo
will be discharged.
Leaving Samoa. the Narwhal will
set sail for islands seldom visited by
white men-islands of romantic
legend, of lansuorous breezes and
love. Of typhoons and cruel death.
These islands are in the New Gale
donna, New Hcbrides, Solomon and
New Guinea groups.
TO obtain pictures of the islands
and their people. the Narwhals crew
declared themselves willing to under
go any hardships, and to take any
risks. Their vessel will anchor near
the shore. and in a power launch
party will go ashore and proceed TO
the interior
With trinkets they will attempt to
conciliate the savages. but If hostillty
be shown they are prepared TO de1end
themselves with revolNers ana rlnes.
one Of the party is an experienced
motion picture photographers, and 1t
is from pictures he VIII take mat
the members OF the corporations crew
expect to make their chief profit, II
there is to be any.
From the many islands visited the
Narwhal is expected to acquire load
of copra. Then turning northward
from the South Seas, the island OF
Guam is to be visited on the return
voyage to San Francisco The cruise
will cover approximately eo,000 miles.
The president of the corporation is
TT. !. Richardson, a mechanical ensi-
neer who was lieutenant commander
in the United States navy durlnS me
war. Thomas j. Watson, secretary.
is an insurance man of San Francisco
who served in the United States
medical corps in the war.
Among the others of the crew are
Count vladimir Aywayaglou former
colonel in the Cars army ana from
1917 to 1922 military attache at me
Russian embassy in Toxic; Captain
Haskell C. Billings. formerly of the
United States Coast Artillery; Hyval
Hughes, lieutenant in the British
fiying corps in the war; Murray N.
Fay, moving picture man: j. 5. KAN
lcr retired insurance man OF New
mort. r. l., and San Francisco, ana
Fred G.. I,indner, who has spent many
years exploring the South Seas ana
the Malay Peninsulaf.