Adventure Magazine Cover — page 193: what you’re looking at

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

Ask Adventure | counter at an early age, and the sentence is still being served. Have seen a little of what lies be- tween the Missouri River and the “‘Hiyu Saltchuck” (Pacific Ocean, in Siwash) and experimented with everything in the gun line I could find between those two extremes. Am somewhat of a crank on the early history of the West—not the sort that is related in the maga- zines, where the hero lays out a string of dead villains for the heroine’s pleasure, but the variety which the old-timers tell about on sunny afternoons, and around the fire in the night, when the wind howls about the firs and the pipes are glowing. And the said old-timers tell some things that the historians don’t, or won’t, publish, in regard to what actually occurred. For instance, if I have not been lied to frightfully, there were people scalped who ded live through the experience and recover their health; one of Custer’s men got away and kept dark the rest of his life; the most noted gun-fighter of them all shot his men in the back; and Hector Mac- Donald isn’t dead at all. Yes, I have gleaned a lot of interesting things while the old men talk about the fire. Some day perhaps I’ll try to tell you the details. Military record: Well, let’s cast a charitable mantle over it. I got in, but not over. But the only point of which I am really proud is that I nearly succeeded in organizing a field meet between the M. P. and the rest of the Thirteenth Division. But General Vanderbilt was not cordial to the idea, so'we regretfully passed it up. But, oh, boy, think of what a glorious opportunity went by the board! ‘At present I am living in the Red Hills, selling eats, writing a bit and thinking of what I will be able to write in a few years more. For there’s so mauch material here in the Pacific Northwest that I can’t begin to even visualize it. At present, how- ever, I possess the finest collection of rejection slips that is extant in America, I feel positive. Personally I am rather heavy; have a game leg and arm; slightly bald; free (being single); white except for a strain of Cherokee blood of which I am very proud; and of voting age. I’d send a photo; but if you published it some one might recognize it, so I’ll keep it here. Ambitions are as follows: To sell a story to Adventure; complete my gun collection, and pur- chase an original painting of Western history by both Remington and Charlie Russell. All of which fails to point to high intellectual quality, I fear; but at least 1 never offered a scenario to any motion-picture magnate.— DONEGAN WIGGINS P. S.—Send some more stationery; a good bunch of second sheets especially. Slocum, Lone Circumnavigator ie TOOK him over three years: Question: —“1. What was the length of the boat Captain Slocum used in his trip around the world? What year did he start, and how long did it take? 2. Did any two men ever row across the Atlantic, . from the United States to England? Ifso what year and how long did it take?”—Srumas McBRIbE, Henolulu, T. H. Answer, by Mr. Rieseberg:—1. Captain Slocum left for his voyage alone around the world April 24, 187 1895, and completed same by arriving at New York on June 27, 1898. The vessel used in this famous trip was the Spray, 36 feet 9 inches in length, 14 feet 2 inches in breadth, with a gross and net ton- nage of 12.71 and 9 respectively. 2. No record is known of any two men ever having crossed the Atlantic from the United States to England by rowing. Names and addresses of department editors and the exact field covered by each section are given in the next issue of the magazine. Do not write to the magazine itself. Coconut Culture in the Fijis ig TAKES capital—and time: Question: —“T should like to ask you a few ques- tions relative to the coconut industry in the South Sea Islands. In hopes of making this easier for you, as I know you must be kept busy answering foolish letters like this, I will put my questions under numbers: 1. Would it be possible to buy or lease a small island large enough for a grove of say one thousand trees? Also price? 2. What is the average number of trees in a fair- paying grove? 3. What price would it be possible to market the coconuts at and the usual price paid for copra, etc? 4, What would it cost to start a grove of coconuts —to plant—and how long would it be before the trees started to bear? 5. As to shipping products. Would I have to deliver them to a port, or would they be called for? This may be out of your territory, but could you tell me if there are any coconut groves along the coast of Mexico? If this should be printed in Adventure please do not print name.”—C. H., Vancouver, B. C. Answer, by Mr. C. Brown, Jr.:—Everything de- pends—and coconut culture in the South Sea Islands has many dependents—on what part of the island world you start your plantation. You see, in some groups land laws, prices arid conditions differ to a very large extent. Consequently what goes for one group of islands will not do for another. { take you to bea British subject. Wherefore I am suggesting for your venture—and you will find quite a bit of adventure in it, too—a British crown colony, Fiji. Already Fiji is in-a direct line of com- munication with Canada. Indeed several million dollars of her produce is going there every year. Now I shall take your questions up in their numerical order. 1. Out in Fiji you should find a small island suit- able for the coconut plantation your mind is busily laying out. But this island should support more than a thousand trees—say twenty-five hundred to start with. You will lease the island for ninety-nine years, this being the closest thing to an outright purchase you can get. The Britishers are endeavoring to protect the land interests of the Fiji Islanders. You oO Conn cCloOOLkKS S|