1954-10-30 — Page 6

Pape, 6

THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1954.

UNEXPECTED-AND UNCONVENTIONAL... A new true adventure story by the author of that wonderful book THE JUNGLE IS NEUTRAL

AND THE FAMILY

IT'S HAPPENED in every family..... the longing to "pack it up for a bit," put the family in the car, and take off for some out of the way part of the world. This is the story of a man who did just that, and for 250 days the whole party-wife, threa children, and nurse lived in Africa inside a van not much bigger in area than a decent-sixed hearth-rug.

---

It is a story totally in contrast to the book, "THE JUNGLE IS NEUTRAL," which swept its author into the front rank of English writers (already the book has sold over 300,000),

a

man who Spencer Chapman is relishes adventure; but this time "The Family Came Too.”

"H

"ELL,"

1

Maid, hill

"there's a in front." And through thr

lashing rain, against which

the

van

screen-wipers of

were unavailing,

the

WU

could just discern the road, like the parting through u man's

mounting EL scrub-covered hill ahead of

Us.

#

hair,

"We seem to be crossing swamp," said Nicholaus,

aged six, "but I can't see any crocklediles (as he in-

called them) variably

this rain."

I

жиррове

matically

in

1 auto- the pressed accelerator that is the only way i can account for

what happened next.

From that moment the

van just took control. The suitably christened. A great

wet muddy rond was only a wave of water hit the wind- van, screen as if we were in a foot wider

the van and without giving me time speed-boat, and

than the

even to think about

cor- came to an abrupt but not sailed violent stop.

recting a skid, wo over the eight-foot bunk of the causeway built the awanip.

across

"Here we go!" I said

Faith which

to

the Dame with my wife

to

Faith and 1 turned round Vaterie and the three children in the back. No one was the or even frightened. lebst hurt

I had all happened so suddenly. Christopher's little voice-te

WAN 80 was two and a half years of age

CAME TOO!

by F. SPENCER CHAPMAN, D.S.O.

---broke the silence: "Is this the end of the road, inuminy?" Wo wondered if it was. Tho van had a pronounced list to port, and the water was up to the running-board on the lower side, and after this tropical deluge the river was bound to riso still further.

The interior of the 20 cwt. van that had been our com. fortable home for six months was in a state of chaos. The wardrobe doors had swung open, and some of the drawers on the upper sido of the van had slid out of position, pouring their contents on to jerricans,

Who's Who....... FROM THE LEFT-

Christopher, 2 Stephen, 4

Valerie Scarle

Nicholas, 6

Spencer Chapman, and Faith, bla wife.

HOTEL MIRAMAR

By request of our Patrons THE LOVELY SOPRANO

TINA

LAINE

will sing again in the

GOLD ROOM

TO-DAY

DINNER DANCE NIGHTLY

from 8.30 p.m. to 1a.m. MUSIC BY

ANTONIO AREVALO & HIS BAND.

FOR RESERVATIONS TELEPHONE 53011. EXT. 68

ANNOUNCING! the all-round

flash unit

Multiblitz.

· THIS, HANDY(FLASH, UNIT."WIJM **EXCEPTIONALLY HIGH LIGHT POWER AND - FLEXIBILITY OF USE, IS IDEAL WHEN, WORKING WITHARRIS,

COLOUR PHOTOGRAPHY *PRESS PHOTOGRAPHYA

STUDIO WORK

PRESS 180

mattresses

and boxes of children's toys.

we

Our bunks, in which normally slept so snugly, were now at an uncomfortable angle, and I foresaw a very disturbed night unless we could somehow get her out of the swamp before nightfall,

I

The only sounds were the pelting of rain on the aluminium roofing of the van, the hissing Ita of the engine, outraged at sudden cooling, and the dismal croaking of frogs in the swamp we that stretched

for os could açe.

As

Early that morning we had crossed from the Belgian Congo into Uganda and the frontier of the Sudan Jay only a few miles to the north.

we

As I trudged along the sodden track, pursued by voracious tsetse Ales, I cast my mind back over the trail of events that had led us to this swamp in a re- mote province of Uganda,

For five years, until the end of 1052, I had been headmaster of a large co-excational board- ing school for British children in Germany. My job there sud- denly came to an end, and my wito and I decided to take year off and look at Africa.

4

Both of us, before our mar- slago in India at the end of the war, had found our greatest enjoyment in adventurous travel. She, for instance, had canoed down the Danube, help- ed to Hall a small boat to Norwily, and had ski-ed and trekked In Kashmir.

From Germany, adapting our- selves to limitations imposed by three small sons, we had bought a trailer caravan,

.and in the holldays had driven thousands of miles round France, Switzer- land, Austria, Italy, and Spain,

We

in this way

thought nothing of covering 5,000 miles in a month's holiday, and the children thoroughly enjoyed it.

no

Box on wheels

our wo

WHEN we decided 10 o to Africa, therefore, there was

question of leaving children behind-anyway had no one to leave them with. We went over to the Com- mercial Motor Show in 1952 and after examining every sort vehicle, from horse boxes to fre engines, we eventually bought an Austin 26 cwt. dlivery von

just a box on wheels.

ot

We drove it back to Germany

and there fitted it out to new requirements.

our

11

Not much bigger than

a hearthrug

May to the truck that was their home

for a year f

1.--Engine, Z.--Bent. 3.-- Basin 4-Food cupboard.

Wardrobe. 6.-Ball-in shest of drawers with child's bunk on top. 7.Let-down child's bunk., 8.--Lockers with maitress on top. 9.— Moyable sent. - 10.—Bluged est. 11-Bar. 12.----Hinged- flap table. 13.- (fingra table. 10-Pull-out slain so

15.- form double bed. Mosquito trames for win. dows. 16-Milk churn. (1BE6B935TD052882371/ITE£21TITTIEREEBER2014310UNANË

it

had been

was stored after bolled, three gallons. For Cook- ing we used a pressure stove,

We shipped the van to the Cape, and, after a month, fitting. out there, left Cape Town on March 6, 1953.

absolutely first-rate, and on the truck plunged down the bank, whole trip we never once had, as the van had done, but tizla even hard words.

time turned right over on to its At Johannesburg, which_wo side. The driver was more drunk reached on Coronation Day, than I had realised. He had driadeing one of we decided to spend several probably been months touring

and the African brews that have a East Africa.

'delayed-action effect.

We drove up Rhodesias and

Central

through the

extricate

the Belgian As soon as I could Congo, and at the Sudan border myses from the heap of genr we turned cast into Uganda. and prisoners, I rushed round to we met the raina, And see what had happened to Faith There there, it looked as if our trip and the children. They were all had come to a full stop.

crying and very frightened, but

I walked un fast as I could as far as we could tell norie of along the narrow, muddy road. them seemed to be burt, though It led me across rolling savan- Christopher had fallen through

tho

Into the nah country of lush green grass

open window and scattered thorn bushes, awamp, which was here only a Occasionally there were African few inches deep,

s of thatched huts, but

villages

in general it was uninhabited .country given up, because

the tsetse flies, to elephants and rhino.

Enjoyed it

At last I reached a gap in the WE were incredibly lucky. hills, and a steep descent took Only 30 yards in front of me to Moyo. It was already five where our van had left the road, o'clock. Here were a few shops the causeway bridged a deep Arican village, the DC office, the truck left the road near this as always, by Indians, an river. Hnd either the van or

bungalows, a few officinis

a point, it is almost certain thas We had planned to enlist a prison, and

alfractive some of us would have been South African girl to help thatched rest-house. But, alas, drowned, Faith with the daily chores and there were no Europeana in the to look after the children, and place; they were ali on leave or sho rashly mentioned this to out on safari. one of the reporters who chmo to interview us.

Having supper.

by

and

Once we had dragged out the tert form of the driver, Faith passed the children out to me are at a

they discover £90013 05 they were not Next morning the Cape Times

hurt, they stopped crying

and carried enotnos headlines:

quite enjoyed the adventure. "Adventurous Gld Wanted,"

contents of the drawer and our trip was so glamorised FOUND an African clerk who pamperts, books, cameras, could speak English, and a juwellery and clothes were that we had 400 applicants.

rather slow-witted sergeant faecattered in the swamp. Havling Girls from 10 to 08. And, of charge, of the the time I come lamp, salvaged what

to found, al torched-lit the «htrris all colours wanted to acompany

It was е

p.in. by We lined the walls and roof us. The hotel

where we had left

Moyo in

track An open

more stacked could, and once plastic insulating stayed until the van was, taken Since leaving the village of with

in addition with, in

to the clerk our gor along the edge of the fitted Arus, 70 miles back,

Wo had material;

a small of the ship was besieged

the sergeant, an African road. with passed no other car on this kitchen

sink and cup-

who wanted adventurous girls

The clerk told us there was a

■ hanging winding NBITOW

road. The boards,

As we drove rapidly back to hut at the top of the hill which wardrobe to leave their jobs as teachers, mechanie and a dozen prisoners.

nurses and secretaries and have the van it seemed to me either was used as a dispensary and we nearest village was Moyo, 14 and Innumerable drawers miles ahead. Clearly I must lockers. A shelf pulled out from a free trip round Africa.

that the steering WILS most nil set off to walk there, Here, walk there and get help.

dangerous or the driver had half a mile. up the rood, were It was terribly important

been drinking. But we reached two dilapidated murd buta,in the right girl, 28 choose our Slats pulled out from between would be living at very

the van safely to find the family one of which lived the African

a in charge. lockers the, drawers to rest on a line o quarters with ker-the internal sitting on the parapet of

bridge having supper.

We took possession of the bed; Nicholas, who was five and only 12ft. by 8ft.--for the best

other, and drove out the bats, Soon after I had left them, a swept the floor, which was party of very jungly Africans olive with ants, and made our had arrived with their women salves as comfortable to pas= the walls, Stephen,, just four, view the most promising appli- folk wearing nothing but a sible.

bunch of leaves fore and aft. had a bed on top of the chest cants in our van parked on a

Thank God we carried house on our back, so to speak,

and as we always had several days supply of food and drink ing water with us, the family

and

between the drawers to form a table.

and make

double

to

wo close

dimensiona of the van were

All we could do was to inter-

when we left could be let down from one of

slept in a bunk which part of a year.

would be quite all right, even if quarters I could not obtain help until the following day.

1 put on my hat, macintosh and heaviest shoes and jumped out of the back window-1 could not reach dry land from either of the side doors and set off on my 14- mile walk.

of drawers, and two-year-old taxi rank in the heart of Cape Their leader then explained in Christopher slept on the lockers Town.. across our feet,

We carried water in two milk cans, one holding eight gallons and the other, in which water

Eventually we chose a young South African art teacher called Valarie Scarle. Our choice was 4 fortunate one. She was

PERCY HOSKINS, IN 'ROME, WRITES TO BERNARD Wicksteed to continuE THE

SATURDAY CRIME

A today

Also-liko all good sleutha

CRAWL

eloquent sign language that the swamp was full of crocodiles.

Mosquitoes

The. van seemed to be listing more and more into the swamp, VALERIE set off back to the and, as it had stopped raining

van with a party of prisoners

spirits by having races.

at last, they had all climbed to collect bedding, food, drink out on to the road where children worked off their high needed for the night,

the ing water and whatever else we

Her in valuable use of humour had not deserted hes, and she And Falts wondered what Valerie's

think mother

Getting dark

WE

if the

she knew

hechen night setting off

Into the

E lightened the van by pul- by a gang of African

ting all ́movables in à heap. We had a dreadful

only

in

DEAR FELLOW.

Our professor's dental dossier on the road, and tried to dig her the hut, DS the mosquitoes he belloves in looking a gift also includes: crooks caught by level. But the united efforts of arrived from the swamp in LL trails lead to Rome quotes quite s case for it the crime; corks drawn by Africans failed to move her. windows were fitted with mos

because the

A French gang called on teeth; and penell enda bitten

quito-proof frames, we did not Eternal City is playing host various horse owners claiming by the more nervous type of it was clear that we should not

bitten by the criminal.

As 800005 to a host of cops trying to they had been solve the Eternal Problem, - owners' animals and demanding damages. For some time the Crime.

owners just paid up.

BLOODHOUND; horse in the mouth and he apple cores left at the scene of the prisoners and a group of thousands, and though the van

As it was already getting dark carry Beas light we made

1

in.

aro

pretty.

flimsy

resque to them in their

own

be able to move the van that night. The water was still rising some much-needed coffee, and But you go on chewing away after the torrential ruins, and it Valtio hurried down to guard at that pipe of yours, Bernard, seemext to me that all we could our posions anxi

and start dredg There are police experts

because the professor says he do was to return to More resting operations in the swamp. from 48 nations here for the

wouldn't hang a man by the house for the night...We could Soon after this di crowd of annual Interpol conference,

teeth marks on a pipe-stem. It leave the children there with Africans appeared, and, with the

of Then the claims became so gels moved

the Valerio and continue round in

a young surveyor who but the one you would have wanted to track down is extensive that the pollee moved mouth so much that the im- operations at dawn next day.

Examinations showed that prints

language, we soon dragged, Accordingly we moved all the and lovered the vani baok on to Professor (yes, professor) all the alleged wounds had been evidence,

bedding, cooking gear, food, the road. Jorge Castroverde Cabrera,, made by the same sot of horse-

Well, you old bloodhound, I water cans, and all the open 'I climbed' biside and, always head of Cuba's National tooth.

and hope I've given you something drawery into the truck, Detective Bureau

wille Faith sat in front with optimist, pressed they sel

starter. The gang had made upper- to chew on.

The engine, started:ab and-lower dental casts from the P.S. to our last Crime Crawl; the three children, Valoris and once, mouth of one horse and clamped They all haven't found the porched on our gea

· NEXT - SATURDAY: them over each "victim's" armi bullion boys......but I'm back surrounded by the legs of

And as far as I know the wondering if the gold teeth poor old horse didn't even get population has gone up lately? a set of dentures, from the cast Your partner-against-crime, PEROY HOSKINĖ,

Professor Cabrera goes after the criminal like a flaherm he waits until they bite.

Họ -believes that tooth-prints (or denture-dents) are just as important as fingerprints when you want to hook a crook,

as a “cut”

MANDRAKE THE MAGICIAN

LDING

MELET OUT OF HERE

NOW, IF YOU'LL GIVE ME YOUR'N MY ARREST WAS ATTENTION FOR A MOMENT, I'LL | PERSONALLYAN

EXPLAIN THE SITUATIONS ORDERED BY

YOUR KINGY SO. YOU CAN SEERE HOW SERIOUS IT (WILL BE FOR YOU.

IKI ESCAPE

prisoners.

at the

It was quite dark by the time we not off. After 200 yorda there was a violent, lurch, The

By Lee Falk and Phil Davis

SINCE I'M GOING TO ESCAPE="AND YOU CAN'T STOP ME-HOW-LET'S CEE HOW WE CAN SAVE YOU TWO FROM THE FIRING SQUADY

hunt the.

TALK

MASIO

..