Evening star., 1938-01-04

the round-trip run from San Fran
cisco. and an extra supply for transfer
to other vessels In Manila. In the
hope of Tightening the vessel, the
drains were opened and the oil emp
tied into the sea. The jetty LIQUID
colored the water around the ship and
dashed with the breakers onto the
beach. AS the tide went out the bare
| rocks for so yards back retained a
slippery dark coating and the inlets
and beach holes were filled with greasy
black slime.
Women Taken on First.
after breakfast arrangements were
made for landing the passengers, each
person being allowed one small suit
case. Women and children were low
cred first into the lifeboats, which
were drawn ashore by hand along 4
cable stretched from the vessel to the
Shiny beach. Nearly every boat load
received generous baptism of oily
water
And then what a mess to 20
through. The gallant islanders car
ried the women over the greasy coral
to the dry sand beyond. But we men
padded and stumbled toward the safe
ty Of the island As best We could in
some places wading knee-deep in oil.
Some took of their shoes and rolled
up their trousers Others, without re-
gard for future cleaners bills, floun-
dered through the oil fully clothed. A
trek OF mile and half over sand
and gravel roads brought us to the
tiny village on the north side of the
| island. Tired and besmeared, VI
sank down and went to work scraping
OF accumulated grease and dirt with
butcher knives, furnished by the ma
tives. A few of the men solved the
clothes-cleaning problem simply by
cutting of their trousers legs Gen.
erous applications of kerosene helped
to restore US to similarity OF our
former selves.
THE village schoolhouse became our
refugee camp headquarters. All after
noon willing islanders transported bag
gage and provisions on bullock carts
and in their hands. The ships doctor
and nurses opened An improvised dis
pensary. Little, however, was done to
organize the sanitary and culinary de-
partments. and many Of us went with
out food the remainder Of the day.
THE marooned passengers might
have Jared rather poorly had it not
been for trim little Japanese lady,
Miss Kiyo Koyama, secretary to an
American exporter of Kobe, Japan,
who was second-class passenger on
the Hoover. She canvassed the native
village for homes where the women
and children might rest in some de-
gree of comfort. With her perfect
knowledge Of both English and Japa-
nese, her services as translator were
incalculable to the American ships
officers Also she communicated to
the natives, whose language is a mix
ture Of Formosan and Chinese, the
needs Of the refugees. and took expert
oversight Of the transfer Of luggage
and provisions.
"A we wearily prepared our make
shift beds on the floor OF the little
schoolhouse. in public rooms and in
private, thatched-roofed houses we
were startled by roistering. abusive
gang of the ships crew, who sailed
into camp under the effects Of liquor
secured from the ships bar. The ofi-
GERS, some of whom were also par
TALLY drunk, were unable to control
the rabble and they wandered about
terrorizing both natives and foreigners.
A committee Of passengers and the
one island policeman, with his assist
ant, co-operated with . few of the
officers to protect the camp during the
night.
Our little haven, named Hoisho
Island, Is less than miles long. At
one time it was . penal camp, sort
Of Devils Island, where the worst GRIM
inals from Formosa were sent, and its
native name, Kwasho To, or Burning
Fire Island, bears out this history.
Though japanese owned, it has only
about 25 Japanese on it, including the
chief of police. the doctor, the school
teacher and the postmaster. Most Of
the inhabitants. numbering 1890, are
Of Formosan origin, and are . peace
full, agricultural people, whose princi-
pal crops are sweet potatoes and pea
nuts.
japanese Destroyer Arrives.
Saturday afternoon . hydroplane
had circled overhead and dropped q
note, stating that . japanese destroyer
would arrive the next morning to
render assistance. Early Sunday the
gray ship docked at the landing and
80 little yellow-skinned marines
marched into camp and efnciently took
over the policing Of the island.
I'VE had more to eat on Sunday
though the table service was not what
We were accustomed to on ship board
Coffee came in paper cups or tin
cans. Meat each diner roasted fol-
himself over an open fire, using {
nrOnRed stick for n SDit and finger