Adventure Magazine Cover, October 30, 1924 — page 198: what you’re looking at

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

188 4 ft.; depth, 2 ft., 1 in.; weight, 120 lbs.; capacity, 1500 Ibs.; rig, sloop. Personnel: One skipper (myself) seven years in U. S. N., both old and new; can handle a sailboat fairly well; have a working knowledge of Spanish, a strong sense of humor that has ‘saved my face’ (fig- uratively and physically) many times, have ‘roughed it’ quite a bit and just now have a severe attack of Wanderlust. Crew: One foremast hand, an ex-apprentice in the Navy; can hand, reef and steer; is of Chilean descent and in case of trouble with the hombres ashore would be invaluable as interpreter. One combination steward, supercargo, ‘Jack-’o’- the Dust,’ etc., etc.; does not know the flying jib- boom from the rudder, but is young, full of pep, a good cook, can make swell bread, biscuit and flap- jacks, believes in his own greatness as a chef and proclaims it loud and long, as the following will show: Was talking with my ‘crew’ about the coming cruise and happened to mention that if everything went well we would soon be in the land of galapagos and then said to him— ‘Say, chef, in case we catch one of them, how are you on soup, steaks and roasts with it?’ His reply was— ‘Say, boy, I can cook anything that grows horns or hair, so bring on your gallopers and I will sure show you something fancy.’ I did not tell him a galapagos had neither the one or the other, so am joyfully awaiting the moment when he sees a 500-pound turtle for the first time. ‘TO GET back to business: The itinerary briefly would be about as follows: Leave San Diego, Calif., about Aug. Ist, down Lower Calif. coast to Cape San Lucas, over to Mazat- lan, down Mexican coast to Corinto, Nicaragua; thence by rail (hence the folding boat) to Lake Managua via Leon; L. Managua to L. Nicaragua, to San Juan River, down it to Greytown, up coast to Yucatan, thus avoiding the dreaded Mosquito Coast; across Yucatan Channel to Cuba, to Haiti, San Domingo, Porto Rico, Leeward Isles, Wind- ward Isles, Trinidad, thence west along Vene- zuela coast to Canal, through it and up coast to home. A large order for ‘three men in a boat,’ ll admit; but there are several factors in our favor, viZ: The boat will have air chambers bow and stern, 6-ft. air tubes outside fore and aft below gunwales, adding greatly to buoyancy; it can be folded into two packages and shipped as baggage; it has light draft (12 to 15 inches), and in case of a forced land- ing we could pick her up and carry her out of the reach of the breakers, whereas a wooden boat would go to pieces. We will hug the shore closely at all times, will have a good barometer, and on the least sign of a ‘blow’ will hit the beach, haul her up and ‘ride her out’ on land. Again, as time is no object speed is not essential, and safety first will be our motto. We will put in more time ashore than afloat, for our idea is to go up many rivers into the moun- tains, pitch camp and hunt and fish for a week or two at a time. Will be out of sight of land twice only—C. San Lucas tofMazatlan; Yucatan to Cuba —and we most likely can get a tow over from San -Lucas to mainland. Yucatan Channel is only ninety Adventure miles across, and we ought to make it in thirty hours at the most. Will have a 7x9 waterproof ridge tent, rigged so it can be used as a boat awning, and set up ashore in camp. Will not trouble you with queries as to commis- sary, medicines, tackle and arms, as from data at hand I have a good idea of what is necessary. I have Adventure complete for ’20, ’21, 722, so I went through every one and from ‘A.A.’ secured much valuable information relating to the countries to be visited, much of it from you. Well, Mr. Emerson, so far this effusion is nothing but explanatory, so now for the information de- sired: 1. Does the R.R. run clear through from Corinto to Lake Managua via Leon? A friend here told me he had once gone up from Corinto to Leon and re- turned by rail, but did not know whether the R.R. went on to the lake. 2. Is the river connecting the two lakes (Mana- gua and Nicaragua) navigable for our light-draft boat? 3. Is the San Juan River navigable and clear of falls and rapids from lake to sea? 4. Can we go by boat from coast up to Lake Iza- bal (Gulf of Dulce) Guatemala, for it sure must be a sweet place to visit, if the name counts for any- thing? 5. Where can I get copies of Edgar Young’s books on interior of Central America? Am going to write to Pan-American Union, Washington, D. C., for their dope, also for Rand, McNally’s pocket map, but will get larger and better maps later on. 6. Though outside your section, will you kindly answer this question, as you ‘A.A.’ people, individ- ually and collectively, surely know the earth and all the wonders thereof: What is the set of the current in Yucatan Chan- nel, north or south? In what direction are the pre- vailing winds of the West Indies, say from January on? Would it not be better for us to take the lee- ward, or south side, of Cuba, etc., clear down to Trinidad, not only to save distance but from a safety point of view? ELL, Mr. Emerson, the above queries cover the field of information desired, and this letter as a whole is in the nature of a confidential correspon- dence; but if you wish to use any part of it in ‘A.A.’ it is O.K. with me with the proviso that you do not publish my full name (just initials) and no address. Not that I am ashamed of it, but I would be pest- ered with 1,000 questions per day before sailing- time. I am forty-seven years old (just a young feller struggling to get along), seven years in Navy, two years in Army (Spanish-Am. War) and troubled from boyhood with ‘itching feet.’ Have a bad at- tack of it right now, hence this hair-brained cruise. But you know how it is, Mr. Ekmerson—no cure for it only to pack up the old duffel-bag and beat it.”—- DL. & Answer, by Mr. Emerson:—Your letter rece ived, also the sketch and illustrations, all very interest- ing, and I can picture said canoe riding the gentle waves of some nice inland lake; but my personal ex- periences with small craft in tropical waters would lead me to think as much as twice before I would attempt to scout the southern shores of Cuba, Ja maica and Santo Domingo in such a nice little craft Coniicoooks.c© inn