Evening star., 1942-08-12
Fugtives From Hong Kong, Morooned on Isle,
Aided in Escape by Chinese Guerri|Ios

Uu0SO III 6SS0H
(Fourth OF d series By CO.
madam Dho escaped from the
Jops at Hong KonaJ
BY BENJAMIN PRoULx.
CAS- Told to CarlB. wall)
There was a crew OF seven Chinese
and the master on the junk that was
to take us through the Japanese
controlled waters from the China
mainland opposite Hong Kong
Island to a point along the coast
where we hoped to make it overland
into the interior OF China.
The master spoke Hong Kong
English, the seven men none at all
They were powerfully built men.
They had knives In their belts and
the master had German Luger
pistol.
The night was clear when we left
the small fishing village. There was
q slight mist close in to shore. but
the stars were out and the water
was calm. The Chinese put US
down in the small hold and closed
the hatch and we began to move
slowly out to sea and along the
China coast.
The hold had the smell OF Ash and
1t was very air tight. Even the
slight motion of the vessel made you
feel sick But We thought we were
lucky. We were If everything went
all right.
But we had been at sea for what
seemed like about two hours when
the hatch was showed back and the
Chinese master ordered us to step
up on deck. My first thought was
that they were going to turn US over
to 3 Japanese patrol boat.
Marooned on Island.
But it wasn't that. They wanted
money I told them We had given
them all the money We had-the 80
Hong Kong dollars the people OF the
village had collected for us. That
was not enough.
The master of the junk covered
US with the pistol and forced us off
way between Hong Kong and the
China coast. The two Dutch sub
marine officers and myself could not
do anything about 1t. He had the
pistol.
The island was utterly barren and
very small. It was probably all acre
and half. We climbed q small rise
and sat down and tried to make up
our minds what to do next. A Jap
Anese patrol vessel was certain to
spot us sooner or later. In our con-
dition we could never make the
swim to the mainland. It was q
very bad council Of war. There was
nothing We could do about any
thing.
In the morning we spotted 4 small
Chinese fishing boat OF the island
We waved to him and he came into
the beach. Would he take US to
the mainland? He would. Strangely
enough there was no haggling about
price. We had not been In the boat
for half an hour when 4 Japanese
patrol boat came toward us. 1t was
going very fast and 1t came very
close. We stretched out on the bot
tom OF the boat. 1t went by and
We began to breathe again.
Menaced With Club.
We sailed along the coast all that
morning and afternoon. Japanese
patrol vessels came quite close sew
eral times but they never bothered
to stop US. In the carly evening we
began to near the bay to whiih the
fisherman had agreed to take US.
Then I noticed that the Chinese was
looking intently at my wristwatch.
I had noticed him looking At 1t sew
eral times before. He caught my
eye and told me that he would like
to have the watch.
It was a cheap watch. It had be-
longed to my eight-year-old son. It
was not working and even the
Japanese had passed 1t up. I would
have liked to have given the Chinese
something but this was the only
thing I had left that connected me
with my boy and the past. I did not
want to give it up. Anyway, 1t would
be valueless to the Chinese.
I shook my head. The fisherman
picked up a short club that was
laying at his feet and began waving
it over my head. I was still feeling
extremely weak but all OF this made
me very angry. I managed to grab
him by the throat and shove him
overheard with the help of the two
Dutch officers. The cold water
seemed to bring him to his senses.
We helped him over the side and
he brought us into shore after that
with nothing but smiles.
Guerrilla Was Arsenal.
The Chinese took good care Of us
that highland once again I can
not give the name Of the village. I
had fried rice. fish, vegetables, tea
and cot in the village temple. It
was the first good nights sleep had
in eight days.
We were turned over to 4 young
Chinese captain Of guerrillas the
next morning. He had lived for
three years in New York and spoke
excellent English. He was a walk
ing arsenal-and mint. He had two
German automatics strapped around
him and plenty OF money. Without
asking any questions he handed over
$50 and made arrangements with
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