Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-29

~ NE blazing afternoon might
have been seen stretched out on
the sand dunes that fringe the
barren shore OF St Helena
Bay. on the southwest coast of
Africa had spent many weary days
of watching and waiting on those same
sand dunes, but UP to this time my
vigil had been in vain.
On this particular afternoon. how
ever. suddenly sprang to my feet and
trained my powerful field glasses on
some tiny objects on the horizon.
Then I gave a triumphant chucklc.
and returned the binoculars to their
case. had seen what I had waited
for 50 loncl
Calling my pony. which was nibbling
plscidly ct the sparse low brush, l
mounted and rode away through the
fetlock-deep sand. glad beyond words
that nv two. months ordeal was over.
Those innocent-looking sails on the
oceans rim had given me my clue, and
now my course lay clear before me.
For. over s. hundred years steadily
growing native settlement had existed
along the banks of the Berg River at a
point whsre 1t entered the bay over a
broad ard dangerous sand bank. At the
time of which write the village con-
whose livelihood depended on their
catches from the bay. A trading sta
ton Of some 10 white men and an
aged justice Of the peace. who lived In
an old and imposing Portuguese fort,
completed the population.
Inland, away over the Sun-baked
veldt. could be seen the blue outline OF
the great Cedarberg mountain range,
towering in majestic grandeur over
peaceful and prosperous villages that
nestled among luscious vineyards and
verdant slopes
The fishing community had formerly
been both prosperous and peaceful. but
now it was neither Gradually. over
number Of years. less and less fishing
had been done. until now it had almost
ceased altogether, and the unfortunate
natives were mortgaging their boats,
and in some cases even taking to hunt
ing the scantv game in the far-distant
bush in order to provide sustenance
for their families. for they had reached
q state Of SeIai-staTTatiOn.
II was not continuous bad weather,
laEineSs. or lack of enterprise that he'd
brought this state of affairs about nor
cid the bay lack fish What, then, was
the reason?
II could be summed up in one word
fear.
Fear of what? Not the ordinary
hazards OF their calling, for these
fishermen were intrepid enough regard
ing them, but of something less tangi-
bic, something Infinitely more terrify-
ing. It was. IN short. fear Of the un-
known. which always has most para
lying effect upon the native mind
Some time before, one of their fish
Ing sr1acks had gone out at shutdown
ahead OF the others, sailing northward
on longer cruise than usual In quest
Of record catch. The boat never re-
turned; was never heard of again.
WEEKS passed, and then the rela-
tives OF the missing men set out
to search for some trace Of them.
They. toe, went into the blue":: they.
too, never returned Only single oar.
recognized as belonging 70 their craft,
was ever washed ashore.
a third crew went the way of the
others, and finally the natives became
quite demoralized; they believed that
sea serpents or strailar monsters were
living in wait for them. In response to
their entreaties, a police officer, called
Munro, E'Rs sent TO the region 10 in
FEat9EHA& E314bEES-
He wasted no time on local inquiries,
or in listening TO the idle supeTstitions
OF the dsherfolk, but at once engaged
g small cutter and set out along the
coast saying that he would return In
10 days at most.
Again weeks passed, and there came
No more news of him; he Just disap-
peared like the others. The distracted
Justice Of the peace, the only official
representative in the settlement, sent
IN long report on the mysterious oc-