Page
# THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY › 19, 1955, **
HIDDEN MYSTERIES OF THE UNDERSEA JUNGLE: CONCLUSION
TRAPPED IN A PRISON
HE ghostly, coral- encrusted hulk of a prison
T
WOFF frightening.
ship lying
UNDER
THE SEA
By Jean Foucher Creteau
#
of
SHIP
•
my flash-gun and just have, time La notice a 'coral formation mace vividly coloured than any I have setty before.
Suddenly I find difficulty in broathing. What air there is comes into my mouth with whistling sound. It is the danger i signal. I must retures to the surface to have my air bottles replenished.
switch on the reserve and breathe
the freely again. But I must hurry.
150 fee below the
He discovered that 150 feet
We soar down on to the deck, Also, below 120 feet a diver
experience
kind alighting there like weird birdy, surface on
the human memory becomes defec- may the bed of
tive. particularly after long drunkenness or a stupor.
thero He Everywhere
la coral, Red Sea.....t range lungrsion. So he fitted to him loves his BISC of judgment, sparkling and brilliantly colour
the creatures of
deep steering column a zinc writing But he can still carry out cer- ed. It covers the fronwork. 1
hotain actions providing he Is hansforins the rigging into making their homes in the pad with a list of what
gorgeous garlands, barred cells where men had might find beneath the waves, used to doing them or if he marked is directed over a telephone link Any discoveries were
It is all so lovely that I feel held captive! heen
The on this post as the parsed by, by someone on the surface. The I am violating a sanctuary.
movements have the notice, that my prospects for
exploration so that he could return later for deeper he goes the more
and closer investigation
drunkenness grips him until në become slower, more respectful, fascinating
What's that? I stop. Framed Onet. off the North African last ho loses consciousness and
Overuwed like those of a mou had
the
un opening through which by an dies.
atmosphere const, Dr Cheneves
and in The Imagination is always adventure that nearly cust him
50 1 was with compressed xplendour of a great cathedral. . home to pass there is al oir apparatus besides our har-
Ahead of me is the bridge of cininous silhouette, -~ stirred by the uncovering his life.
In 180 feet of water he came poons, colour cameras and big the ship. Two huge grouper
No 1 of relics of the past. This
fucc
photoflash guns that we arrived fish lie motionless, one on either to face with that by the Lin-
burtile, was shown
the
ide of the wheel, like dogs on It has, hatimer-heated above the Nazarlo Sauro in our which W... earthing in London recently shark.
bcoming nathmatic 1ttle motor-bont, the of the remains of a Roman gray ee, femen. Luela, ty
berling how sensitive all sharks
mwalled Us down there through the looking 2171 to my wolke or vibration.
we of diving down the raved from his mouth the glow of the sea's surface
rubber tube which nected to the gaska pressed atr he carrie 1 and nad om hanche,
temple.
So you can give
the thrill
how graf
af mac's wa mder the tow arms and legs to Boal like
Infrast phantom
121
there to rol.
1
Fat C
stener and the glque tall- ACCIDENT
lischi, errets that never enn b revealed by earthbound mortals.
at went on my experti- tes les the Red Sea I had b. thr explored widen watter tracta elvilization, dog i had always fean the wond a of malo marine life me that stillejo at Bul Ju the To get a tw same, i was very intricated to what I had heard and read of such activities
RELICS
iristanee
The grial underwa ir a vhədə- for De Chiney:" Ingii.
Diving off the island of Sonoral, in th M rabean, he came across a ves
sunk by missile which was
Stresi from
Human catapult
he des ribes
And this in how his expirience
my
start
"After 20 ventures hand tourbed It. Around me in
of the pure water lay a debris pattery. In the while sand were broken columns, three further on the remains quay with a slipway. Everything liquid museum wil this silent and became the link be. tween antiquity and the present. The emotion I felt as I cpme slowly to the surface, with eyes Axed on the blurred sea-bed, we almost religious in nature.
For years Chenever and his team of young divers scoured the bed of the sea around the Mediterrancan coasts, Anding great quantities of relics to add to our knowledge of centuries Home by.
usly
wus 1011-
what
It is à glant moray eel, cremy of the underwater explorer, perthupe, the most evli apperrutico df" any living crea- ture, and a venomous bite which is extremely chutigerous.
that
i uurd.
Here is a great sea anemone, with fish trapped in Its niacles i pause in my glide
I am trapped and my air to free the little prisoner. supply
rumming out.
I press the trigger could not judge. But, as I have Another anemone nearby also Desperately
has a deh la its tentacles, com said, wo knew the wreck was
but of my dash-gan. The moray teeming with life, and we made rot is a prisoner. This little moved back slightly and then
ait comes towards me ngain. a careful plan for covering earli
1: low
Hves among thore other's progress so that no men-
even enveloping arms.
taking ster would take us by surprise. Teluge in the stomach of The
Overboard we
into weat
creature when danger Ap water as warm as a comfort-
aches,
to
Then he yelled with alf hla After the shark had macht. herted away from him, he went
his in shoulding --until
Jun he had were empty
plue the mouth-piece. Now, to his turrar, he dis covered that he could not draw any air into his lungs. The tube had filled with waler.
For 4 such an accident at the depth operating in which he Wis would have meant certain death. Yet Chenevee reached the sur- face live, though in dreadful agony.
able bath. Overboard and down A SHARK!
right out of this world. Almost a once we found our- elves
swimming through A Kristartle natiarad aquarium, where a mulutude of brilliant Ash ot huntres of differ at khads swarmed about us, fol- માન with
Suddenly 1 and myself tnce to face with a big shark, no more than three yards away from me and almost still.
Glanetur quickly about me, i scem to be alone. There is no Big fish and little sign of my companions. I stare at the shark and he stares back Bh, beautiful ones and ugly
Perhaps he is fascin ents, mom with few like crus
lowns
Jess experienced diversity.
But let us return to my own expectilion in the Red Sea.
The prison ship, the Nazario Saure, was not we ancient felis, She had been scuttled by bur Hallan crew in the archipelug of Dahlac during February 1941 to prevent capture by the Royal Navy. We were attracted to her not only in a spirit of advci. ture but also by the knowledge that she had become the home of
£ remarkable variety marine life,
of
bvious
Two long blue shapes, touch- ed with white, sall past to our Barracuda! Many nulives felt. Ch in these parts say they are more than sharks, They dangerous nearly always swim in groups,
XO presumably they will be more powerful than any adversary. Their bite is ferocious, learing.
A FLASH
that together
There they are now, to our right, taking a great cucuder We try to . sweep around us. compari- count them and gel TAT
40.
Ustundly
my three ions and 1 dived freely with o any apparatus. But for this one occasion we decided to use compressed air, firstly because W! Wre going
than deeper usual and, secondly, because we wished to remain submerged longer than we normally did. DANGERS
as
D5
woukt What a picture this make. I put up my Bosh-gun and press the button. There is a blinding flood of light. And the barracudas have vanished." Perhaps it is just as well picture or no pletures
Down что plunge again. taking more and more cure the further we go. The smaller ash of return, swimming round us so thickly that we have to push sume of them aside to make progress. There is no limit to their inquisitiveness.
the
Besides, we know only too Equipped with compressed well the physical dangers
Below air apparatus to enable him to such plunges
120 feet, remain submerged for hours at the diver can be affected by a time, he perfected a system "dead legs," a kind of paralysis whereby
be towed caused by compression of he could
Now. Li the bluc hazo along at high speed on the end spinat marrow.
boat of a line attached to a
When a person thus stricken beneath us, there is the outline emerges nbove, With steering gear, coin-
the water he of the Nazario Sauro, from depth: pass, thermometer,
Ands It is almost impossible to upright on
seems unreal, like a dream, u dicator
and chronometer
move the lower half his body. tached to patet in front of He is in pain and very frighten fantasy of movement and colour
Amid exoile shapes. usually he recovers end him, he was able to zoon about
lying flat on his back, much that is graceful my own the sea-bed almost as though he after
movements seem fantastic waiting for the marrow to ex- swimming pliotiny
clumsy, almost rughable. underwater plane,
pand again.
sotme
in
nt.
vd.
Bul
FLY TO LONDON
FRANKFURT
ROME
at
me.
st by the string of bubbles donting upwards from my head as fascinated as I am by the huge mouth that seems to slit his whole body just below the ugly sout.
It seems a long time us
And stare at one another.
which of us is the wonder more surprised, the more frightened.
Wo
to ECC
Then, at last, I am relieved
familiar outline of the one of my companions gliding to the scene.
He levels his harpoon gun at one of the beast's gills and I
motionless, remain
Bearecly I do not daring to breathe, fancy a battle with a wounded in these sharit at this depth. strange surroundings.
encountered
I hurl sharks in many waters.
Iought with swum
them, But my admiration and them.
has respect for them always been complet.
hird
many
I do not think there is an other creature in the world, on land or in the sea, which has so graceful such perfect lines,
so much the in movement;
there do not think
is any picture of pent-up power. And other creature that inspires 80 much awe, face to face.
resting SCREAM the sea-bed.
AND ENJOY A CONTINENTAL HOLIDAY ON THE WAY
On your next long Home Leave enjoy a grand tour of Europe taking advantage of B.O.A.C. stopover facilities: From Rome, Zurich; Frankfurt or Dusseldorf connections can be made to all parts of the Continent. You break your journey at many
-may points en route at no extra cost to the through fare. Consult your Travel Agent who is well qualified to suggest an itinerary which will be both attractive and appeal to your pocket.
Janine, Mathesey & Co., Lili (General Agnots, in Til 27794 (24 hour servića)
B.O.AC. TAKES GOOD CARE OF YOU
FLY BOAC
BRITISH OVERSTAS
90
with
of
Alls ono The octopus
sense 'revulsion, dregd--a
cvil. The giant manta ray, sall ing along like a delta-wing bomber, gives an impression of majesty. The barracuda L frightening, vicious looking. But the shark, coward though he usually turns out to be, is in a class of his own.
This one is quite the biggest we have encountered in the Red
Sea. He is moving slowly, almost imperceptibly, towarda me, In another instant he will be upon
me.
The creature is so close now that my companion dare not risk a shot with bis harpoon.
SCREATE---A
I screamed before.
I have never
At all costs. I must get away. But I dare not turn my back.
sick and I am trembling uncen trollably.
LADY BARNETT ... BIR MORTIMER WHEELER rwo people who 'know their TV line.
BE MY GUEST
and take part in TOP-RANK TABLE-TALK
TV fame is the spur
when
meets Sir
"T
'VE been indulging
Street, Mayfair.
Isobel Mortimer
No. 3 in a series
by DAVID
LEWIN
she said "They
that now, poor
alghtly phoney existence--this fame, of appearing on TV-but in one of my pet
we must work to give pleasure mennesses," said
to the Mrs Browns in the side Barnett when she
streets of Kettering. They are Lady
the ones we really cannot do came to Be My Guest at
without. Their kindness and lunch with Sir Mortimer
their tolerance are wonderful." Wheeler. "'I thought I'd
Because of her TV appear- walk here
instead ot
Isobel of "What's My Line?”...... - ances Lady Barnett said sho taking a cab."
is a doctor (not practising), a was always spending Ume in We considered our own magistrate, and a mother. Sir rains, travelling from Leicester,
Wheeler, meannesses over cock- Mortimer I thrust out my hand to push pot
noted where she lived, to London myself
fod myself along and
digger of ruins and archaeolo "I always pat the engine and clutching the soft, slimy, aevolting (tails before moving into & dist, has the vigorous air and thank the driver at the end of body of the eel. I feel horribly club restaurant in Berkeley manner of an Elizabethan, ("As
journey un archaeologist I'm concerned aren't used to "I go round turning, out all with the future," he sald dears, and they look rather PANIC! Bodily, 1 plunge bark the lights that aren't needed,"
happily.) Qe way I came, euiting myself said Slr Mortimer, "I do as They talked about their pro- Sir Mortimer Wheeler had his cruelly on the coral. But I am well," I said.
grommes, Sir Mortimer admit- own travelling technique. "I Lacty Barnett lock off her away from the lair of that re-
Ung, a little shamefacedly, that always inspect the engine before vulting creature and heading for leopard skin coat and looked at he had never seen "What's My I start a journey," he said. "It "Just as well you don't live Line?" Lady Barnett said that must be shining and sparkling. safety.
and 1 don't mind about the state of she said, 118 our house," With
perfectly all right, fascination curicas notice c the way up
that the leave lights burning all over the added; "We are both pigeon the carriages, but I do like the
holed bloed from my wounds appears place."
os light
entertainment engine to be nice and clean. I'm to be black at tris depth.
anyway." Two on TV
not happy unless I like the Sir Mortimer paused over his engine." And further up still it turn
merinteres lved to
We tell the TT was the first meeting of two mouies
(mussels) green....i
talked trains and dis- noted television game per- and sald: "That's not how I cussed the importance of engine tule.
sonalities.
Burnett class Lady
myself."
Lacty
Barnett names, rather than numbers. replied:
talked about "It may not be how Then we just you class yourself, but that's talking-- the entertainment that what you are to the pundita of could be got from good conver~
And where do you sation without the help of tejs- / the B.B.C. move from light entertainment? vision.
THE END
Latin husbands, wanted “urgently" for Australian women, American women, British and French women, Egyptian women, etc., etc., etc.
SO THIS IS WHY
THE GIRLS GO FOR
ROMAN ROMEOS
By MARY HAMPSON
-TALY—here I come! I was only mildly interested at first in the marriage agency advertisement in Italian newspapers: "Italian husbands wanted urgently for Australian, American, Hawailan, British, Indonesian, Egyptian and French women living outside Italy."
It was pretty obvious, a rumour had been going the rounds that Italians make the best husbands but I wasn't joining the rush. Then I met Dawn Addams, and now I'm not so sure!
Was
on
startled."
1 was
the Home Service "But it wam't TV that killed once."
conversation in the home, it was Sir Mortimer besmed. "I've dend
Sir before,"
Mortimer been on the Third Programma" declared. he said. "That's where they That's cynical—and I don't put you when you don't have agree" Lady Barnott out in
or entertaining quickly, anything racy enough for a panel game."
WT
Characters
conversation
has only killed Eri
those homes where there wam't any conver-
sation anyway.
"What is dead is successful
E talked about "What's My party-giving. Too many parties
Line?" It
now just to return Was Lady are given Barnett's interest in people and hospitality-to repay cutlet for characters that fascinated her cutlet. There is top much of the attitude: Whom must we have about the programme.
--and whom must we have with
"But don't you think there them?" are fewer real characters about today?" I asked.
Parties
"Certainly not," declared Sir
"Characters are in CR MORTIMER poured some Mortimer. the eye of the beholder. There claret and shook his head. are real characters all over the "Parties should be spontaneous piace."
and you can't do that today Lady Barnett found her most without big staffs." vivid characters in the country. "There was a scoside place we
Lady Barnett had her own "It is the successful
visited for a holiday where the ideas. King's Remembrancer was a real mixing of people that counts" character. Remembranceri What she said firmly. "And not only,
Ho always the men elther. Think of the name for himl Corgot everything. When he women who are often loft sit- went bathing h3 forgot Ling around with nothing in
She married-and it was pews because her bridegroom on was Prince Vittorio Massimo, one of the noblest Romans his costume and appeared common, Then we have to talk of them all. His family was civilised when the British |m his combinations. As a about bahles or operations-and were wearing woad..
magistrate in a rural district I that's awful." She's happy-and it's news because of that aforemen-ree all the characters."
We decided
Sir Mortimer pointed at me. we. Uked our characters tioned rumour about Italians making the best husbands.
to dress the part. "You, Lewin, talked about con- The Princess knows that Italians make the most wonder- Bir Mortimer Wheeler mid: "Iversation and T" he said. "T ful husbands because she married one!
want a pirate to look like A found out what TV was for, in
For pirate or a stockbroker. After Americo,
the children all, there's not really much dif- Some families put their children
TV ference between 'em. But I in front of
Ecreen. there can't stand the parson who goes and leave, then it saves. having all tweedy."
& nanny,"
"That wouldn't work with my children," Lady Barnett smiled. and children are more we waited for Lady critical their aduits. Mine
We analysed that Latin charm for the benefit of any or for any man interested in being a good husband, woman who would like to make a better husband out of the one she's got.
A's
Audiences
It wasn't easy, especially for Dawn, because her hus- band would keep making faces in the background. But, In spite of the opposition, we decided that the Italian's A Barnett's duck and Bir switch off when they don't lika moments in which greatest virtue in feminine eyes-is the obvious pleasure Mortimer's steak the talk got something."
he takes in women's company.
The shark atacts as though he has been hit a mighty blow, h turns and, fel a flash, has streak- ed out of sight. After a few to steatly our nerves, we resume our investigation of the deck and by signa, I tell my com panions that I am going down into the cabins,
1
smail
1 squeeze through opening and when my eyes be- core accustomed to the gloom I see only bars!
the
I had forgotiben. that Nazario Sauro was a prison ship
•
*
games?
back to television. Why did they appear
on panel or.. parlour
"Audiences' like them because
they aro
Don't discount' that until you've asked yourself an honest question or two-if you're a man. If you're his wife, answer them for him..
Wrong hut
Lady
farginated to watch THE waiter came round with
coffee and brandy, other people's minds, working. Barnett, who had smoked, be And sometimes they can beat
to it tween the courses (I know it's
Are you glad you can't take your wife to the club? Are you glad she doesn't share your hobby? Do you look forward to a night out with "the boys?" socalled experts lose on terrible it another cigarette.
Do you hate having to go to a dress show with her? Do you think it is a good idea that the ladies should
the
Lady, Barnett' said. the banel must believe it is "I think a cigar," 'sald · Bir worthwhile. Otherwise you'd
nad now muidenky, in that unleave the dinner party before the real talk starts with be like Gilbert Harding who, Y. Mortimer,How
derwater cell, I have the feeling
of being trapped and an almost the port wine? irresistible urge to get back to "Do you think it's crazy to put off a business engage- the mutare. But instead, I press ment just to go out with your wife? on further into the interior of the vessel,
MORAY EEL
Presently I and a bag, coral- entrusted portable. Taking care not to cut my body on the jagged coral, I swim through It.
Now I am in, a cool about 18
Lent, #TÚRIDO, where there is no
light at all. I press the trigger of
Do you go to a dance and hate it when you're dragged away front the bar and forced to prove that you don't know a waltz from a tango?
Do you think holidays apart are a good idea? Give yourself five marke for every "No." If the answer is "Yea” every time, don't be surprised that all those women are looking for Italian husbands.
You haven't the elementary Latin charm you don't really like. women's company much.
JOHNNY HAZARD
#NOW THAT, WE'RE DOWN, I'D SHITTER RADIO. ALMERS TOWER SO THEY CAN COME AFTER W AND PICK UP THE PIECES/
· MELLO, ADRIATIC) 17-714-4ATHIS_16”)
EN ALBERS
AND CLEAR OVER...
Isobel1"
about you,
think, Iɗoks down on it ne, some- thing rather beneath him."
Lady 'Barnett' doclined and Sir Mortimer Wheeler nodded patted her hat. vigorously. Of course it is Sir Mortimer looked at the worth doing. If I stopped think snug, close-fitting blue hat whe #Ah, you can't ing that, I couldn't do the pro- was wearing. gramme. It is a useful, money really have a. chiar,” he, maldi, making hobby-and it is worth- "Wrong sort of hat: Worm. while
should smoke cigars but only when they're wearing a special port of hat. Yours is wrong For piger-moking a hat should
inid
Phoney?
food was forgotten for the be definite, pronounced moment. Landy Barbeit And he puffed happily at his
"Of course it may be "a cigar
By: Frank Robbins
IS THE
an
Miquel