1955-07-11 — Page 4

SEBASTIAN SNOW

(EX-EXPLORER)

FINDS DEB-LAND PRETTY TOUGH

by Anne Sharpley

London. MONG the not-so-stal- wart ranks of the debs" escorts this season one good-looking young man is hiding with typical diffidence. From the point of view of people have to say about South 's very amusing to see what achievement he is one-up on America," says Mt Snow, "I escorts usually have to explain that of the rest although he has neither a Peru is the third one on the ich going down VIA you look title nor a fortune,

on the

the

at a map."

What sent Mr. Snow road out from London?

He is the only cle Emong them 10 have discovered the source of the Amazon. Which

He has risked his life siedging Indeed makes him unique among through the Arctic, spent three min, let alorie debs' escorts. months on a Peruving glacief. Fur Sebastian Snow, who has made a "suleide" trek through started the senson by, nccepting 12 Invitations to conting-out Afghanistan, and climbed two Lalls (four of which he ducked of the highest peaks in the out of at the last minute), the Andes with no more experience going is arduous.

This time last year, however, he and his friend Julian Ten- nunt (ex-debs' escort But six months married now) were the brink of discovering Paititi,. the jungle of lost cily in Southern Peru

ค

| POCKET CARTOON

by OSBERT LANCASTER

"You must admit, darling, it's rather a wonderful feeling being back in the old country again!"

thon that of Cawsand Beacon

(1799 feet) in his native, Devoti, to prove himself to himself.

"IL was this business of get. ting way from wtrat I call

annie-culture," he explains,

"One had been brought up mi this aftermath

of Edwardiao iving. Nonnle was always, there lol one's hot water bottle, tuck one In, make one's cup of chocoinic, For cne's own peace

of mind one has to prove that

RE Ca de without these things,"

The Road Back

Mr Snow has proved with a vengeance that he can do with. out them, and at tlio same tine may be disclosing one of the basic enuses of the British Empire,

natt, hatred.

He is a pleasant-looking young soft-skinned and fair- Blue eyes probe at one from behind thick lenses, His volee is staccato at arst but elrong and pleasing when gains confidence, usually some

where about the middle of a long sentence,

He will tell you he is ward, not particularly strong, prone to catch every disease that is going and added no glory to the playing-fields of Eton in whatever he may have achieved What put Mr Snow on the and the common-place

the days that he played there,

since,

rond back to London?

Life

caught up with him, necessity of earning, a

THE CHINA MAIL, MONDAY, JULY 11, 1955.

ring

To those who imagine that being an explorer means 'centain riches, the answer is that Mr Show's book on his. adventare withough it sold well-brought Jum £2,500 over three years, Not great riches. And the trip cost him £500.

So now to the city by Under-, snow. A. elty to which he doey ground every morning goes Mr not have to hack his way 500 miles through jungle,

Snow

Amazon hunter

He is dealing with the altur- tion with determinations..

"I have to make a success of my Job in the City. It is most Important that I should stick at 11.

further one asks 1.

"And what about expeditions" sidiously,

Weakening, he admits he would like to have u go al Tibet," And would he take girl on. his next (if ever) expedition?

1

right type of girl."

"Yes, certainly, if she were the

Any debs with a yen to go to Tibet?

DID IT

HAPPEN?

Reports of alubbom 'go-slow movements ånd. despersin attempts 16 escape from the brutal conditions at the penal settlement have raised the suggestion that the place should be closed down and turned into analom-bomb proving area:

HOUSE OF LORDS

།

PLUSH DEVIL'S ISLAND

World Copyright by arrangement with the Manchester Guardian.

THE GAMBLER HATED RATS

T did not happen to that offer no form of enter-

me-I am not sorry to tainment to anybody. say--and it was by the

merest chance that I -All it offered was the

cheerless waiting-room heard of it at all. It was told to me very early on the have mentioned. which I morning after the event, in entered with a yawn of re- the waiting-room of a small signation. Devonshire station.

At first I thought it was

He nodded. "That'll do. face but on the card he was What I want to tell you is holding up in his hand, as about the night Eve just though just about to place spent. I don't think it'll it. It was the nine of clubs bore you."

That isn't important I made no comment, but but I just mention it to felt quite sure it wouldn't. sitting there, and the candle,

build the picture. Him-

"Yesterday evening-late and the nine of clubs." I got lost," he went on.

I had arrived at the empty. The assumption was p'd been delayed leaving the 1 got the picture. It station with some twenty natural, for two people in minutes to spare, and I had this isolated spot savoured place I was staying at, and added to my picture of the I was actually making for narrator himself, as he had imagined that the twenty of a crowd, and the other this station, meaning to looked in this waiting-room minutes were going to be occupant I joined made no catch the last train. pretty dull. The trains that movement as I went in, or

"In my anxiety I made the stopped here were few and sign that he had noticed me. far between, while the little Even when I noticed him-- fatal mistake, of trying a platform was one of those he was seated in the one short cut across the moors, featureless, dead platforma shadowed corner-he paid I walked into a mist and that

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me no attention for several seconds, but continued to stare; motionless, at a half- sheet of paper in his hand, Beside "him, on the hard bench, was an opened en- volope from which apparent- ly the paper had been ex- tracted.

A big shock

Something tightened in me as I noted the man's. expression. It came clearly to me, evon through the shadows; it was the ex- pression of one who had just received a pretty big shock. Well, 'in that case, perhaps the kindest thing to do would be to make some com- monplace remark and then leave him to it. But before I could net on this thought he suddenly looked up and saw me, and as though divining my intention, ex- claimed quickly,

"Don't go!"

I took the bull by the horns by asking:

"Sure?"

"Quite sure," he answered, "I want someone to talk to

Free 'place

FACT or FICTION?

Did it really happen? The stories in this sarles of it-could-be-true tales leave you to ponder the problem. Tomorrow the auswer will be published..

by J.

Jefferson

Farjeon

Baventy-two bly year Joseph Jefferson Farjeon is famous as the author of the books about Benthe old tramp with a beart of gold. “Apart from bls thrillers and playa, he leʻalso familiar for bis volatile contributions to. leading national Joumals. His latest book...The Cantle of. Fear-appeared Int November, Married with one daughter, he lives mi Dichung. -Sussex.

finished my chance. I ended up in a barn in the middle of God knows where!”

when I had. entered it, star- ing motionless at the half- sheet now back in his poc ket. But the narrator was no longer in the waiting- room. He was back in the barn. And I was very nearly there with him.

"It may sound comle."-came his voice again. "But it wasn't, and you'll understand the feel- ing I got about, that when I've finished. He was the first to .speak.

Next time

"Oh it's you this time, is it?? he said.

Who was asked.

it last time?' I

"A rat,' he said. If there's one thing I bar, it's rats!

""Then I suppose the only reason you've chosen a barn for the night, I said, 'is because you've got test, like me?'

""You've old It, chum,' he answered. 'You've said it! But now it'll be two to one, next time the bloody thing pokes Na hose out!'

"Odd, but the next moment, it did! It's queer-do you ever get the feeling-how sometimes you feel that everything is being stage-managed, and that you have nothing to do with it excepting to go through your purt? I got that feeling then-- and kept throughout the night.

+

Large spiders

My

He turned as I came in, and the candlelight filckered not only on his unshaven face but on the card he was holding up in his hand.

"'It answered.

An envelope. And on it was written, in pencil, "Don't open this tili you

to tho get station..!"

"I know you didn't," I an don't work out," he "But why didn't you?"

swered, as he paused again.

fifth

"This is the timo, and it don't work out, 'I'd

"I'm not quite sure."-ho-res- exoner play poker. It'll take my ponded, as though he wêre mind ofl. Let's make a night wondering the same thing.

of it!'

"He swept the cards into heap, and began shuffling.

a

"Sporting

Instinc!? Or that feeling that the whole thing was being stage-managed, and that I'd be acting before my cue? I don't know, I say. But I did wait till I got here - and r'd in just after

follow any didn't play for real what was heste"

"And what was

inside?"

"What would you have done? I was

tired, but there was something pathetic about the you came

2 I fell in with his opened the envelope and read mood. We

hadn't any money he said

Baid he ---but we used nails for coun- tors, there were tops about, and we must have played for three hours. Every now and again the rat reappeared, and when the bottles gave out he shower ed it with naile.""

"Lt

Grotesque

I

was grotesque, and don't know how I kept awake so lang. He never showed any sign of sleepiness, but my own sleepiness Increased steadily. till at last beat me and I dozed off.

}

Ko felt in his pocket, and the envelope, ond produced. handed it to me. I took the

half-sheet out, and this what I found scrawled upon It:

"Thank you, chum, I enjoyed our little game, and I needed it. But what a mug to go to sleep with 40 quid in your letter-case! Only of course you didn't know that I was wanted for "murder."

I

No chance

I swallowed, and handed the half-sheet back.

The last thing. I remember was hearing him tell me, after

"And now, I suppose, sho's a count of his nails, that

wonted

for your

40 quid as him seven hundred

well?” owed pounds."

"Oh, no," answered my com- Hero my companion paused, panion, in a rather, choked as though expecting a question. volce, and opened the letter- I asked it

caso for mo

to see. The 40 pound notes were still there "Wasn't it a bit unwise to so intact,

A.

watching, you?" - to loop with a chap like that wer

All the man had taken the half-sheet and the envelope. "So what do

do??

"It would have been damned unwise, if I could have helped to do It," my companion replied,

"Obviously! But I couldn't help was caught

"I can very easily," I agreed,

"That rat didn't. stay. barn companion leapt to his foot, upsetting his tub, and hurled an empty bottle at it. I natleed he He paused, and to fill the had a good supply of ammuni and you look the kind I gap I said, "Yes, I know then. It was a good shot, and

vanished back

to what it's ilke. I've got lost the rat want."

wherever it had come from. myself. And what did you

Fortunately, he had no necá anything. The murderer "I try not to disappoint find in the barn? A dend

while we were body?"

imaging the fellow you," I said.

it. And when I eventually woke talking My suggestion startled

up-how long ago? an hour? know he had no chance - and him, but he smiled a

"Ho grinned' at me apologeti- —I woke in a panic, As per the rent came out in the papers,

three: DB you may have read, eally," "Don't mind If I'm a haps you can imagine." moment later.

years ago. But today is the first bit nervy," he said, "but over at "Oh, nothing like that!" my best rate finisif me! I reckon

time this part of the story has appeared in print. He took up the envelope, he answered. "I found a live one must have walked over my "Well? Go on?"

pram when I was 'a' baby. slipped the half-shoot he had one. And I'll never forget apn face the other chap in the boon reading Into it, pocket- that queer first sight of himi ring without turning a hair) ed it, and motioned me to He was sitting on an up

In the war I served under the now froo place beside turned tub. Before him an officer who was scared atl thim.

were two upturned barrela, of large spiders, I told him it There was a candio on one was fact, so you needn't As I sat down, he, in of the barrels, and playing quired, "How long have we cards on the other. got ?!!

Tell me where, you'd daindundi. of candlelight, - The was playing patience.

put this nine of, clubs, Or lióv corda w/mo., gone, And, so swas "I've got about eighteen "He turned as I came in about poker?!

theman Fort a moment i 1 minutes," I replied. "I don't and the candlelight flickered

with then know about you!!

not only on his unshaven, your game, *-

o won the VC.

}

"wed there you are he

Interfors

An envelope

He took a deep breath, and subbed, his forthend:

"The

policed completely.

WORLD COPYRIGHT/ RESERVED

DID IT REALLY HAPPEN!

NOW!