White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1929-09-13
CHAPTER XIII-Continued

VeSSSl anu SSSaAh Ava sAASsA SSAAA
panions.
CHAPTER XIII-Continued
10
Everywhere on the island were trees
and fruits, coconuts, bananas, man.
goes, and oranges. On the streets of
the village, with Its matched huts
were South sea beauties who wore
wreaths of flowers and had dark, fash
Ing eyes. They gazed with interest
on the foreign sportsmen, the story
of whose cruise on bet had spread
among the natives. We took aboard
what provisions we needed and set
sail for Aitutaki.
The weather turned miserable, by
Joe. 1t rained overy day, those
drenching tropical downpours. Our
sailcloth covering was not tight enough
to hold the water out. The sea was
heavy and continually washed into the
boat. Often we bailed as many as
two hundred and fifty pals an hour.
Everything not slowed in the side
tanks got wet.
When the rain stopped for while,
the waves and spray kept things from
drying. We were soaked to the skin
and never did get dry. Our blankets
and mattresses were dripping wet
When we lay in the sodden bedding,
we were freezing cold, and could sleep
scarcely at all. Often 1t was relief
to be called to 60 on watch. Then at
least we could thresh our arms about
and get warm. Cooking was almost
impossible now, and we seldom ever
got coffee anything like hot
| Once we saw waterspout forming
right before our eyes. A fine, whirling
drizzle close to the water attracted
our eyes, It revolved ever more rap
idly, selling wider masses Of water
In the sky was little black thunder
cloud extending downward in the
shape of a funnel. The whirl of spray
on the water ran up swiftly. The cone
Of the thundercloud stretched down to
meet 1t. They came together and
united. A roaring and sound OF
bursting, tremendous suction of wa.
| ter, and sky and sea were connected
by whirling column. Gyrating and
swaying, It moved in our direction.
Our boat lay in calm. Not breath
of air around us. Will this wander
ing giant strike US and break upon
us, deluge and swamp us? Automat-
tcally Leudemann at the rudder tries
to steer us. Without wind our boa'
cannot move, much less steer. But
the roaring monster collapses with a
deafening clap. Its mass of water
falls upon the sea, and from 1t a cir.
cular swell spreads out. We rock
uncomfortably and thank heaven. Dur.
ing our voyages among the islands
we narrowly escaped several similar
spOuts.
After three days we found ourselves
steering our way through the maze
Of reefs, very beautiful but perilous,
that extend out in front of the landing
place at Aitutaki. Again there was no
ship in sight, but again one might be
scheduled to arrive within some rea
sonable time. That was our hope.
crowd of natives gathered to watch
us come in, also half dozen white
men, among whom was the British
resident. He was tall, lanky fellow
who wore glasses, and looked per
feet picture of President Wilson We
found this resident to be full of the
same British suspicion. Unlike bis
colleague at Attn. he was In no wise
lost In tropical Incidence, but was
active and shrewd. We saw that he
entertained the liveliest doubts about
rs. Might we not be wandering Ger
mans? OF course, he could not ven
ture any forcible measures to investi
gate our case, such as searching Oul
boat, for If we really were Germans
we would doubtless he armed to the
teeth. and In that case where woult
he be? He had no force to match
ours. We tried our level hest to quie
his suspicious by our offhand. natura
behavior. We thought our sporting
voyage explanation and our reques
for a certificate, such as we had gol
from the resident at Atiu, plausible
enough. 1t was too bad that we couc
NOT use the other residents certificate
hut in 1t were written our supposed
Dutch names, and now we were Nor
wegians.
The resident began by saying to as
that we would no doubt be delighted
TO meet fellow countryman of ours
This "countryman" turned out to be {
Norwegian carpenter. We surmised al
once that he had been instructed BY
the resident to talk with us and see
whether we were really Norwegians
My Norwegian was bad but Kircheiss
spoke the language like native
kept severely out Of the way, and le
Kircheiss have long, friendly tall
with the carpenter. Kircheiss con
vinced his man that he was as Morse
as the Vikings. The carpenter wa.
delighted to meet fellow country
man so jovial and, as Kircheiss repre-
sented SO wealthy. He promptly re
ported to the resident that we were
the truest Norsemen alive and coult
In no wise be Germans.
The resident, with his inscrutable
President Wilson face, invited me t.
his house for dinner. accepted
British merchant named Low invited
my lieutenant to his house. We sus
uortad II vas n dodge tO genar8te ia