1955-09-10 — Page 7

THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1955.

HASSAY AMPA HONEYMOON

R

like.

AIN drove

piercing stool needles against tho windscreen of the car as we weaved through the traffic of the Great West Road towards London Air- port. It was

DID IT HAPPEN?

Legend said that anyone who drank dirty the waters of the Hassayampa would November night, the skies mourning the passing of never speak the truth again....... But is My wife hunched lower in this story FACT or FICTION? The her seat, wincing occasional answer will be published on Monday

autumn.

ly ns I accelerated past

tedious tortoise. She was coming to the airport be- cause someone had to drive the car back home. For us both, this was a momentous parting. I was due to re-

4251

in three weeks, but they were three weeks in which I was going to de- cide whether to cut adrift from my British bonds and try to anchor in the tide of Amerlena prosperity.

Too slowly

wasn't far of 40.

Thing:

Wire having to slowly if I ever wanted to retire and I didn't Jary working for the rest of my he. Somehow

had to be tetude,

So when

felt a move

+

111 Jigs. lucher who practically inade his haine in airplanes and hu Jiving from them, suggested well anh th a dit to Arland

When there was

inre

weeks'

Overdur Touse waiting to be Jekat just burrowed

, and here I was.

When

i pulled up

the

outside the

Customs sted Bill had already

arrived, anet after I had weighed

We rode the

desert towards the head water of the Hassayampa.

my luggage I joined him for Green Gorge, at least, had some before 1 had time to notice the drisk. We must have made strange couple. I am only of pretenalon to the name.

medium height; he was like a'

overgrown plant with a s

they head an

IL

TILLINGAN

alk. "Cod to get away from this - jerked my head towards the roin outside.

Inside, we might have been in a luxury hotel, The Green Gorge business people accommodated who wanted to slip the yoke, and

city for flew down from the while

con

attractive young girl who was serving. Actually I wasn't aware of her until she sat down beside me, and Introduces herself as Dinah.

The

he said,

“Nonsense)" Ala spoke sharp- "Hony Wickenburg, for whom the town was named, ly. "That was the Spaniards. went out there and found gold, The Indians say that if you drink And he named it Vulture because Irom the waters you will have one settled on n robic as he no peace until you return and arrived."

setile by the

She shores," We didn't put it into words, brown eyes.

--་---་

tured, plorcing us with deep

"Why mus! Int we both thought there had

hiways slay...?" Without un- been a vulture around when we other word she jumped on iver arrived too.

horso and Jed the way back to Next morning, when we came the mnch. out ready to go on the trail, had four horges saddled, and within a moment Ala arrived, her levis time with a vivid

Lou, the wrangler,

upped this

scarlet shirt. "Just so as you

Garishness

After that our days followed the same pattern. Mornings we rode the Hassayampa trail, even. ings we square-danced in the barn. It was there young Dinah told me she had iteny feet, and was saving to come to Engind. The 6,000 miles scomed a long way for a waitress to manage, but I gave her my address, ana old her to look me up. Soms- how, on acquaintance, even Ala's garishness did not seem too bad. Maybe we got used to her.

My tonglig 10 stay in that lovely cuntry Increased as the day for departure drew near.

On the other hand, Bill wanted to get home. In a way he was enjoying himself, but as mest men have an ambition to travel, his was Fatinted, and he only wanted to settle in London streets-from what

could hear on the radio, they were full of fog, because it was December, 1052. Do you bi

blame me for having no inclination to return from sunny Arizona?

I got

Lip

that last early morning and as I stood lathering

не

by

Peter

Duncan

PITER DUNCAN bos edited and

produced in Town Yonight since 1947 and mode it into "[k« BBC's first simultaneout sound and tele« vision series. But Duncan Almselt is not always in town. He wor brought up at Southend-on-S00. He has visited the United States He spends one day a weak with Ne wife and two children at their country home in Surrey,

1

draught,

lcoked at my watch, In my mind. I was try

g to work out how long it would be before I got home.

When we landed I learned my

wife was ill and about to go Info spital; the children were due home from school. By the time had things sorted out, we had been back a month bespre I telephoned Bill.

A shock

I got a shock to learn that he hd resigned. They didn't know where he had gone, Abroad somewhere, they thought.

my face I saw Als walking over And that might have been the towards the corral and smiled last I ever heard of Bli, if young to myself. Poor Ala, she had Dina hadn't achivved her

She ambition. She arrived wasted her thine with us.

over In Wag evidently going some distance, because she had her waler bottle.

Farewell party

מת

ས

Britain only last month. We

were sitting in the lounge ene evening, my wife, Dinah and I with Arizona just a warm, com- fortable memory in my mind, when Dinuli said. "You know that friend of yours, the one...'

"Bill?" I queried, perking up like cur alsatian when he hears my footsteps in the drive.

So

The Hassayampa water!

been right. Bit drank it and found himself compelled to retum to Arizona... and Ala.

Bill and I went out alone with Lou that men den't lore me in the desert."

morning and did not She hummed quietly to her- see Ala except at meals until us along to self, not in the least embarrassed, she came to fetch by the silence as we zet off. Ala's her farewell "party." The cabin

"Yes," she said, "do you know story was well known, but one

was just like ours except that, husbands must have

ilving there most of the time, what he is doing? He came back Then were no set places, you of those it

of fey

to Arizona and married Ala, und possessions just took a chair, forked a steak left her money, and I remem-

her personal

running + store in were dotted around. But there they're In the hall Bill stretched his off the dish and got ahead with bered how an American girl her

me that a lot of self had told

were no business of cuting. the head

photographs, Maybe Wickenburg." up as though it was t

bit Di Bicked his fingers for our

many periscent, but still he, didn't see wranglers we know them better the country's money was in the five husbands were giuses 743 be alter, then, "I don't what he was looking for. "Don't as cowboys-sat down with us, bands of the women, "because to daunt, Bill was in a happy, that was 11. My suspicion had

confiden; mood. London was nat know," he said. "Maybe the rain

you get a drink In this place?" and their appetites brooked no we work our husbands to death. British the

for

He lirted stops

From the way Ala was acting any hot being hot

hours away. around hot said. "Where's the bar?"

fancy banging

Bill or I was marked down as outragtously with Ala, like headed. 1:

travelled as you

"Sure. You

get one serving. That's how Dinah came rixaee'h 4

her next victim, & 1 drew my man who is content to be put on you'd know I do

to eat with us 100. alonga me."

from the corner of a lead, knowing he can slip it London is the best town in the

I'm not

not certain who wheeled I never knew how it happened family out world." Before WC could

and got separated, my mind where they had been the minute he wants. I was the develop the argument our flight round fest, Bill or me, but we that Bili

tidied away, and quiet one, wondering how I was were stuck, as surely as if we but somehow that woman was conveniently wore bulterflies on pin. The sandwiched between us, talking began to spaties them over the going to come back here, know-

ccuversation, first thing

to both of us so I took in was k

continuously mouth

We rode the desert towards tho that it was the only ife for how foolish were men who cigarette in a long holder, the there might have been a

each side of her face. At the tread waters of the Hessayampa, lived in cities. hair that defied all colour and of the meal we knew her Bill and I got a Mile behind the description unless you were rude enough

to label it orange. The name was Ala, and I had begun others, so I took the opportunity Seme 36 hours later, after a women's shirt reminded me of wonder if there was a hint to say, "Bill, you should get stop in New York, we were on Piccadilly Circus when the lights of Indian blood in her veins, We married. It puts up the shutters The fast lay of our trip, from the up, but below this she was prised ourselves away by saying when a woman like Afa happens Phoenix 10 Wickenburg. in wearing ordinary blue levis, we were tired and going to lied, along." Artzana.

Piercing the desert, which are things we know, as, but Dinah came running after "Rubbish," he said. "Her type go for a man no one else wants. like white tape across a brown dentine, toughened up to take us down the corridor.

As a bachelor, I'm safe." xaper pare, went the coast-to- the constant wear of the saddle.

There was no time to continue "There's no bar, but I've some const highway, and I could se

conversation. Our -the the indentation of a dried- Bourbon in my cabin if you boys

fusted care to come along up river bed,

umber was called and we were en our way.

Last lap

text

Five husbands

for "Lock out

"That's the Hrssarampa Bill and I opened our mouths warned.

said. "It flows to refuse, but our answer was Lands.

·

13iH river,

Bruderground. Tomorrow

urg

mer

and

Ala was putting Ice

glasses. halt: bourbon into roured myself from my moed she walked across to her dresser and came back carrying a beaker. I'd seen that one before. Then

had 1 remembered sho carrying it when she want that morning, the

Hassayam, like a red flog in legend sore like a BUIT- front of me,

und with it clarity

Ala," she "She's had five hus. where Ponies had carried us to burst through the dream world Lou and Ala were waiting that had Even occupying my the source The last one got lost

the river. It mind. Arizona took on its right

al

of

I

we'll given by the welcome sound of riding, the range. He went out wrs stlli, quiet and colourful. I

see.

It was the first time I heard

ride up to the head waters." the dinner bell, so we followed an his horse, and the horse came

smell like kids back, but he didn't." the appetising

Bill came into my cabin, and out of the window There was only one table, we booked

Meat where the moon was settling a huge overladen affair.

the name assoyampa, and it

after the Pied Piper.

shuc ewn to the narrow rationing was still on in Britain, down behind a range of craggy rivers a

that al- a place because it was unoblain- reality was my home and my je in London, and

could almost stand outside my- self, and see us as a group, painted against the exquately

I wanted to return to them, with oldn't register in my mind, be-

shadet horizon.

a regend about this sudden desperate urgency, caure we were following our

Leu said, in the way of a My protest that I would not gress lane which passed for a and 1 gesped at the sight of a mountains, rising like the teeth man who has repeated his story landing strip at the ranch where huge

dish crammed with of a giant in the distance. Bill a hundred times before, "It goes we were to stay.

iuselous, juicy steaks-it ever I pointed to ene that seemed to that anyone who drinks

speak the Plenty of American homes get came near to drooling it was at fut out a little more impertinently waters will never

misnomer of ranch but ilst moment. We had sat down than the rest. "It's the Vulture," truth again."

thro

LONELIEST MEN IN THE

London.

SAY," said a tall young man with a pipe, "I've got a marvellous recipe for fried seals' brains. First you soak them in sen-water for three hours that makes them hard

then you slice them thin and fry them. We'll have lots of that," said another

"Oh, good."

tall young man, wearing spectacles.

This remakable conversa- tien took pittee in a top-floor flut in a house off Gloucealer Road. There were four youn men in the Inrge, untidy room

¿

wou

its

have water was too date, but "Don't worry," B sold, " swop, there's none in mine." le pushrod his glass over to me, and Lefore I could speak had taken

WORLD

There are eight of them. Soon they will change their Lendon flat for an island in the sub-Antarctic

SOUTH AMERICA

ST. NELERA

SOUTH AFRICA

CAPE at G009 NOVE

TRISTAR a CORNA -

GOUGH ISLAND

✰ FRIKLAND ISLANDS

SOUTH GEORGIA

Cough laland ...

climate of for rain, haß and stor

Its climate consists mainly of

when I arrived books and files fog, rain hall and storms, and were strewn about the floor, a tape-recorder', was

plane music.

FOUR MEN

shrliling

It looked like the living-room

the only people who ever 30 near it arc islanders from Tristan da Cunha after craw- Inland has lots of frh. Gough crawfish. It also has a bird that has forgotten how to fly.

of a house shared by a group of Why are these young men undergraduates, and indited the doing it? Being unable to be-

at the universily.

But they

-by-

BERNARD LEVIN

Recordings and observations

on

room from which their weather reports will go out.

everything that grows or creeps or walks upon the island, and In the middle section they will everything that flies above it (or live. "All of you?" I asked. docsn't fly above it), they will

attention "All of us," was the firm reply turn their

to the from Robert Chambers, who will island itself.

be leading the expedition in Oh, yes, they have a geologist place of John Heaney, retired.

SEALS' BRAINS

There would be Michael Swales (he was the one who had found the recipe for seals' brains), who is one of the party's two zoolo- gists, Philip Mullock, who will be the radio

operator, bers himself, 3 surveyor

the

งกษ

Cha

going to do

in the party. He is Mr Le Maitre and at 21 the hoby of the ex- pedition.

A

it

So there they are, then, eight gay young men who set out on September 1 for five months or more of loneliness, cold and hardship.

in it for is nothing them

none of them is geting who had cried a penny of pay for the whole of news that seals the trip except the satisfaction were on the menu). There of knowing that they have added would he South African to knowledge and the excite meteorologist, Mr.. van der ment of living without the re- Merwe, whom none of the party finements of alvilisation. had met and who, at 29, was

FEW BOOKS thee

oldest

member of the And which of us, strap-hong- expedition by a good three ing up and down the Dakerloo Foars, Altogether, there would line, doesn't envy them all of

cold, be eight of them,

hardship, loneliness, What are they

seals' brains anti ol!? four men and only just Onished leve that they were doing of the weather made the besides report on the weather? .They are not making many Lotely from a desire to eat Island will be helpful to the Well, semember that the island concessions to the life they are were in the

Jast fried wonts brains. I asked the South African weather

men, is virtually

unexplored. They leaving behind them. They are cnter- organiser of thes expedition, making their forecasts

going more are

to make decurate taking few gramophone- maps of it, for a start. priscan

the most. John Heaney, to explain. beide which

accurate and reliable,

(For records Vaughan Willam's for In- jextravagant

Mr Heaney, who thought out, steople-climbing

Of course, this will mean that Ward Mr Chambers, the party's Antarctic Symphony, scheme, has been the party has to rise at 5 surveyor.) over indulge in among the the whole

sianco which they will prob- dreaming sapires of Oxford or forbaiter to go, at the eleventh to take, the Best of the day's NEW SPECIMENS? ably bo too busy to play, and a Low books, including the Cambridge would appear rather hour, on medical grounds. This suundings of the weather. But Then there are the trees and pilgrim

Progress, Dante's he confuses to Anding, "pretty this, I gather, is the lost of grassen and flowers to be Purgatory, and Lewis Carrol's are off to spend five dickening' But be told me the their worries, In order, for in- examined -- and who knows,

stance, to have somewhere to whether there may not be some Hunting of the Snark which ・Targol on an uninhabited and general: Iden.", .

unexplored island In

ibe from us 6 mm. the first entirely new pecimen awaiting they will probably be too busy the sub-Antorelles d

USEFUL

thing they are going to do when discovery? (Forward Mr Wade, to read. You've heard of Tristan da There is to begin with, one they land is to build a trut Until the company's botanist and the The only other luxury they Cunha, he lonellent land in way in which the expedition is this is done they will have some only Oxford man in a gathering are allowing themselves is the

of of the world"? Well, dough Island going to be useful in a very very first-hand

Light Blues) Then in the only trouble with that."

Pengun Cookery Book. 1230. Piles from Tristan da practical way. Gough Island Les the weather beft by animals (if any), or ramined said Pallip Mullock, the radio

(indaw Perlenco

the g Cunha, and just that much right in the path of woother on. lonellor. It is 1,500 miles from te way to Soun, Afrion (Having lalt, and will be divided into. They hope los Andes but other pawiarygolemnly, "le that 11 the Cape of Good Hope and taken a Munck at Glouch sand, three parts. At one and will be more about evolution bullying, doom' tell you how to cook twice that distance from Cope® it: soome, they weather, becomes the plant generating their elec- that bird that her fok duen how: penguina"

intach more traci 'Hori

tricity, of the other the radio to fly. And having examined"

Etage of planning an

thing than marbles."""

a.m.

Or maybe It is the other legend that is true. Perhaps I drank the water, and am not telling the truth.

WORLD COPYRIGHT RESERVED"

DID IT REALLY HAPPEN?

YES

NO

Put your tick in the space above and keep this panes by you until Monday... when the answer will be given - with an- other story in this series by

Maurice Levinson

Mit yesterday's story — At Last Sald 'No,' by Louis Golding actually happen? The answer le . YES.

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