Evening star., 1940-01-28
books and took them ashore with

CdiIlc dOOdTO, QlSdIHeQ Clle Cfermdn
prize crew, and took them ashore.
They told the captain the ship was
free and We could sail as soon as
our papers were returned. We then
hoisted Old Glory to the pole.
On October Is we decided to try
to get in touch with our Embassy at
Moscow. We hoisted signals asking
If we were allowed ashore, but this
was refused by a small naval vessel
which was anchored near our stern.
There was nothing else we could do
but wait.
On October rs Russian custom
officials came aboard and ordered
all matches opened up, as they were
going to examine our cargo. After
they opened various cases they re-
turned ashore and still did not give
us permission to leave.
On October 81, at 4 am, the Rus
sian officials returned with the prize
crew to our ship and ordered us to
sail within "a hours.
The Germans now hoisted their
merchant flag.
On October % we started heaving
up our anchor but the Russian naval
vessel lying astern of us uncovered
her guns and ran up signals for
bidding us to leave. So we stopped,
heaving up our anchor. After several
signals were exchanged, another
naval vessel came along. Between
the two naval vessels they gave us
permission to sail, so we resumed,
heaving up our anchor and sailing
at 6 pm.
| Glad to Leave Murmansk.
surely was glad to get out Of
Murmansk and so were the rest
Of the crew, as no attention was
paid to us during the time we were
there. I guess the Russians them.
selves were glad to get rid of us.
The captain tried to get several
cablegrams through to our Embassy
at Moscow by the Russian officials
but they all seemed to act dumb.
While we were at Murmansk I saw
the great German liner Bremen
also the New York and st. Louis.
After we put to sea again we were
supposed to keep we'll clear of the
coast. A small naval vessel fol-
lowed us to sea but after he turned
back the Germans blacked out all
of our lights and headed in close to
the coast. About midnight they
sighted another vessel without
lights. and believe me, we were all
nervous for while. But I guess
this vessel was just as much afraid
OF us as we were Of her.
On October 20, at 4:30 pm, we
were inside of the Norwegian fjords,
somewhere near North Cape. We
took aboard two pilots and pro-
ceeded southwark.
On October 80 at noon We
anchored again at Tromso, Norway.
For the second time the custom Off
cials came aboard and sealed up our
cargo and one Of them asked me If
We thought we would come back to
Tromso again, as he had sealed the
cargo previously. We both laughed
and said, II don't know where we
are going to end up this voyage"
Norwegian Ship on Guard.
Eve were then ordered by the
\ Norwegian Navy to proceed again,
this time in their territorial waters.
So at 4 pm. we heaved up our
anchor and again proceeded south
ward. On some days we had three
and four Norwegian naval vessels
following us to see that their terri.
torial water rights were not violated.
On November 8 at II am. we
stopped and doctor from the Olaf
Tryggvason came aboard to exam
Inc the shins of A. Sellars, who had
the bark taken on of them one
night when We were at sea. After
the doctor treated him he said
there was no danger and again we
proceeded southwark. About am,
November 3, we were intercepted
by British naval vessel, which
was picking up a convoy. She
threw her searchlight on us. The
Norwegian vessel Olaf Tryggvason
trained her searchhght on the
British vessel and signaled her to
keep clear and not bother any of
us. So the British vessel said all
right and moved out.
At about 4 pm. November 4, as
we were near the spot where we
would have to 60 out in the open
sea, we met a German merchant
vessel, the Swabben, which had
sailed from Tromso at the same
time as we did and was coming
back.
She started to signal by blinker
to our ship. so the German captain
got all excited. He got our captain
and our chief engineer and said he
was going to anchor, and wanted to
make it look like we wanted repairs.
But our captain and chief refused
him.
Germans Disarmed.
He then said, What am I going
to do?" Our captain said, You
have your orders from Germany, so
use your own judgment" So we
anchored at. Haugesund, Norway.
This is where the German cap
tain made his mistake. After we
anchored this German ship passed
us again. She talked to the Ger
man captain in German and we
could not understand him except
Hotel Bristol" We found out later
that was where the German con-
sui was located and he had some
special orders for him.
| At $50 pm. we anchored. No
one was allowed to go ashore. One
of the German officers was ready
to go ashore but port officials
stopped him.
At about 8 pm. the Olaf Trygg-
vason came up and anchored close
to us. We thought that looked
queer. anchoring so close to us. At
about 8 pm. a motor boat came
alongside, and several naval officers
II