Adventure Magazine Cover — page 181: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

SF oe Hagpbta ce a | Readers, Writers = ee. and Bip onic Soe Our Camp-Fire came into being May 5, 1912, with our June issue, and since then its fire has never died down. Many have gathered about it and they are of all classes and degrees, high and low, rich and poor, adventurers and stay-at-homes, and from all parts of the earth. Some whose voices we used to know have taken the Long Trail and are heard no more, but they are still memories among us, and new voices are heard, and welcomed. We are drawn together by a common liking for the strong, clean things of out-of- doors, for word from the earth’s far places, for man in action instead of caged by cir- cumstance. The spirit of adventure lives in all men; the rest is chance. But something besides a common interest holds us together. Somehow a real com- radeship has grown up among us. Men can not thus meet and talk together without growing into friendlier relations; many a time does one of us come to the rest for facts and guidance; many a close personal friendship has our Camp-Fire built up between two men who had never met; often has it proved an open sesame between strangers in a far land. Perhaps our Camp-Fire is even a little more. Perhaps it is a bit of leaven working gently among those of different station toward the fuller and more human understand- ing and sympathy that will some day bring to man the real democracy and brotherhood he seeks. and such great extremes as here. Few indeed are the agencies that bring together on a friendly footing so many And we are numbered by the hundred thousand now. If you are come to our Camp-Fire for the first time and find you like the things we like, join us and find yourself very welcome. There is no obligation except ordinary manliness, no forms or ceremonies, no dues, no officers, no anything except men and women gathered for interest and friendliness. OMETHING more about that bank robbery in Panama, touched upon at a previous Camp-Fire: San Francisco. I notice an inquiry about the bank robbery in Panama City a decade or more ago and will add this for what it is worth. An old-timer on the Canal, who knew personally all four of the men implicated, told me substantially the story as it appears in the January 30, 1922, issue with the following variations: HE robbers were supposed to be going on a hunt- ing expedition and were helped unknowingly to load their boat by a couple of Panama policemen. That when they landed in Colombia, they bought their freedom from detection for $600 silver from a police official. I have forgotten the name of the town on the Pacific side where they landed. In settling the share of loot each was to get there was a fight in which two were killed, the other two splitting the money 50-50. According to the old timer’s story, one of the re- maining robbers came back to the States and the O. T. claims to have met him and stopped at a hotel. He, the robber ran in Chicago. ‘‘Quien sabe?” The other lost his share gambling and stayed in Colombia. Now to carry on a bit further. In 1916-17-18 I was in the C. Z. and from there went to Chile. While in Chile I happened one day to be talking to one of our boys who had spent a number of years in Your desire to join makes you a member. Colombia and the talk drifted to the big ditch and finally to the robbery. This fellow told me that he had worked in a gold claim on the upper Magdalena and that the robber who lost all had been at work in the same camp; that every one from the Jefe down knew it and knew who the man was; that none bothered him and that he made no bones about talking about it if he had had a few drinks; that when sober the fellow was very quiet with very little to say. I am sure the straight of all that happened could be obtained from Captain Cartano of the Panama police. The last time I heard of him, he was in charge of policing the San Blas country. AS FOR myself, this is my first trip to Camp-Fire. I have lived long enough in the tropics to use the sign manual of all old timers who have seen both sides of the equator—TTT. I am not entitled to this—TTTT, or to this—TTTITT. Any old timer and lots who are not can tell what the first i is, the second never was, and the third are legion and can be met with anywhere south of or north of 22° and a. few in the States though it is not against the 18th. ‘‘commandment.” I have seen a few in Mexico, Panama, Peru, Chile and a few other places and, although settled now here in the S. F., no doubt shall be again hitting the long trail some day. I do not use any name because I do not know if Old Timer would care for some one else to break him 175 into print. As for m+ otro amigo, the sheriff is not yet dead. Hasta luego, amigos mios.—B, C.D. _ COMmicsookxs. com