Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1929-08-15
LOWELL THOMAS
Copyright by
Doubleday. Doran & Co.

motor power Tiny craft have done
1t. and al best It is not a comfortable
kind OF voyage. In sporting events,
your oceangoing small boat always
had a cabin, or an Imitation of one.
That Is what we should have had, but
we were not so lucky. and, besides. the
load we carried made existence aboard
our Ifeboat that had been converted
into cruiser cramped affair indeed.
There was only one place we could
trust to be dry, the buoyant air tanks
at the sides Of the boat. In these we
packed our bareback few pieces OF
clothing. Photographic apparatus. and
the all.important tobacco, II affected
the buoyancy OF our craft, but we had
TO keep some things away from the
sea water In the body OF the boat
were placed the water tanks, our large
supply of weapons and ammunition,
cordage for the rigging, and several
spare sails. Canvas shields at the
side, which could be drawn over at
the top and be made to form some
kind of tent. sheltered us somewhat
from waves and dirty weather. With.
out these we should have been prac.
tically drowned. Four mattresses
could be stretched on the bottom,
where four men could sleep while two
kept watch. AS q concession to civil
zation. we had six pairs of knives and
forks, six mugs, coffee pot. and
s5,WW In silver gold, and paper. much
Of II I'M pounds sterling.
AT six In the morning, the two men
on watch filled the coffee pot and ap.
piled fire to II from a soldering lamp.
With the slightest breeze and rock
Ing OF the boat, Il was impossible to
bring the water to a boil. Then we
were glad to get tepid coffee bean
soup instead of coffee. After toilets
had been made with salty sea water
we squatted Tn the cockpit for break
fast of coffee and bareback. Naviga,
ton was difficult In 80 small boat
II was impossible to spread the charts
out properly, and with the slightest
carelessness the wind might take our
priceless navigation papers overheard
We had to use the seytant and other
navigation instruments In boat that
often pitched so much we could
scarcely stand. The papers, charts.
tables, logarifhms, and so on, got sop
ping wet, and when we dried them In
the sun they grew swollen md diff
cult to handle.
II was cool at night, but not IN
pleasant so long as our clothes were
dry. The weather was fair, but an
occasional whale would come along
side and douse us with the spray OF
his spout. Then, in our damp cloth
Ing. we felt the chill OF the night. The
days were broiling hot, but even while
taking advantage OF what little shade
we had, we grew heavy and torpid
We had, above all things. to be care
full OF our water supply. We never
dared drink enough TO quench our
thirst completely, and were. In fact.
continually thirsty.
BY way of amusement, we had read
ings aloud from the one book we had
brought along, Fritz Reuters comic
story, "A Trip TO Constantinope, and
at night the squealer wheezed and
blared. and we whiled away the tedl
GUS hours singing old German folk
songs.
After three days we sighted Attn,
the first island Of the Cook group and
q British possession. There was no
ship~in sight. Too bad, but perhaps
ship might be expected soon. Any
way, we had TO make port and get
fresh food Aside from the danger OF
storm, If our voyage continued for any
length, we feared most Of all beri beri
and scuryy, which our diet of hard
tack would inevitably bring upon US
unless we varied II with fresh vege
tables.
A crowd of natives, fine looking
i'olynesians, watched curiously as our
little craft drew up to the dock. kir
cheiss and | went ashore and straight
to the house Of the British resident
lie lay stretched out In his shirt and
trousers on a Borneo long chair ON his
porch, and didn't even gel mp when
we approached. He was 0 good took
Ing felluw, but lazy as the devil The
lasstude OF the South seas had ce-
tainly got him.
My name Is Van Houten," began.
and this Is my chief officer Southart-
oooooooooooooo oooooooooooot