SOUTH SEAS CALL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 136, 11 June 1938, Page 11

SOUTH SEAS CALL.

CAP PILAU'S VOYAGE.

BECALMED OFF S. AMERICA.

TTEAn-Hiiwi'iiiq. INDIANS. Calm! The sail* slatted as the veseel rocked gently on the windless ocean and the helmsman, a young New Zealand lad, was compelled to hop nimbly from one naked foot to the other on the grating scorched by equatorial sun as he stood his trick at the wheel. For the Cap Pilar, world cruising barquentine, which was in Auckland nearly a year ago, had been deserted by the wind only 90 miles from the Line, and 135 miles from the Galapagos Islands, her destination.

"Our sails lie sagging against the mast —it seems they will never belly out to a breeze again," he wrote to a friend in New Zealand. "The sky is remarkably clear, and apart from one or two white feathery clouds it is a perfect blue dome. Our watch has just come off, glad once more to be in the comparatively cool atmosphere between decks."

The Cap Pilar, then, however, presented a very different appearance from the time ehe laid alongside Auckland's Western Viaduct, decks littered with carpenters' tailings and sawdust. "Everything that ruets has been chipped, scraped and red-leaded," he adds, expressing surprise that the anchor and ite cable were not included in the clean-up. "All standing rigging has been tarred down, masts hare been scraped and the rigging' ie in as good a state of repair as possible. We are going to be a pretty smart ship by the time we get to New York."

Land ©' the Andes! Ghosting throu» v light airs, the barqnentine m.t little heavy going from the Taumotr Group to the * South American coast'ine, and her way wu

\ * \ 1 slightly increased by the bending of *x extra jib. Fifrt glimpse of the great continent wae the tip of the Andes piercing fie eastern horizon, but owing to haze %ey did not come into view until the vissel was 30 miles offehore. So high dii they appear that at first some of the crew imagined they were clouds. Then Callaot j The first foreign city to some of the niore recent additions to the cr«w, but like all good sailors their first thought was for a eolid meal of steak and eggs. And according to the writer's impression* of the more central portions of Callao, its beauties are better appreciated on a full stomach. In suburban areas the vista was more pleasing to nose and eye and gave an insight into the South American's flair for laying opt modern citiee.

A mine locater they met: who was bound inland in quest of gol4 said that "the Indians practise a rather curioue art in these districts of shrinking the human head to the size of an apple, so that the facial characteristics and hair remain the same as in life. An American went through this country and never returned, but a head did, and it bore a striking resemblance to him. It was like a refreshing breeze to know i.that such conditions still existed.. I thought all such adventure had died outl"

The departure of the barqtjentine for the Galapagos was delayed !two days owing to the fact that shortly before sailing time Captain Selignjan's wife had to be removed to hospital suffering from appendicitis. "The thj-ee weeks' sailing along the coast end cjut to-San Cristobal remain the most memorable to date. The nights are wotiderfiul. To lie becalmed after a perfect iday jand watch the sun go down presents a jnever-fail-ing thrill to me." § j Struck by Ligfctning. \

Continuing the letter ffur weeks laker; he stated that the barqu*ntine had then been in the Galapagos anj was 48b miles from Panama, and the letter was concluded when the canal; was reached. The arrival after an Uneventful trip through that notoriously contrary sector west of Panannr was not v dev<)id of.incident, for during a sudden "snorter" the anchor cable was struck by lightning, accompanied by a crashing report and blue flash. At fhe {time the Cap Pilar was riding oftr bier anchor. Although a sailor was ejgapulted to the deck by the explosion,! no] one was injured, but some lining in ihe foVsle was split, . ! ,

In another communication to a relative, he talks of a three-day trek over the island of Nuka Hiva with another sailor when they were regally entertained by £he Marqueaans. The natives were disappointed when they left to rejoin the vessel, so he presented one with a pair of green-and-gold football stockings, on which many envious eyes had been cast, and the recipient, overwhelmed with pride, strutted up and down like a peacock. In the island of Hiva-oa a Soccer match was played against a native team. All manner of tropical fruits were brought on at halflime and "the sailors lost, seven-nil.

The next port at the time of mailing was expected to be New York.