LIFE OF ADVENTURE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 17 May 1927, Page 5

LIFE OF ADVENTURE.

AMERICAN GIRL’S TRAVELS

THRILLS IN MANY LANDS. The belief of many that this i® a prosaic age i® dispelled by Miss Jean Sehoen, a young American authoress, who arrived at Auckland a few days ago by the Hinemoa from Norfolk Island. During the past four years Miss Sehoen has alone explored the world’s “never never’®,’’ and her days have been crammed with adventure. “In 1924 I set out for-Africa and my money ran out when I got as far as Capetown,” Miss Sehoen stated to an “Auckland Herald” reporter. “I then had a chance to go. to West Africa and accepted it. For six months I lived mostly on river trading ships. Often 1 was the only woman aboard, but the life was most interesting and 1 was always kindly treated. And then came a "chance to go to Nigeria as a stenographer, a most unusual position in that lonely land. I worked on black wages and lived in a Biible house.” Wlhile proceeding down the Congo coast on a cargo vessel Miss Sohoen says she had a thrilling experience. Apart from the captain she was the only white person aboard. A mutiny broke out among the black crew and things became very dangerous. Fortunately Miss Sehoen carried with iher ■X revolver—the only firearm in working order aboard the vessel —and the mutiny was only suppressed after the captain Iliad shot two of the orew dead. ■‘l always carry that revolver about with me,” added Miss Sehoen. “The customs people seem reluctant to let me take it ashore in' Auckland with me, but I think I will manage at all rigK t.”

Miss Sohoen’,s Pacific adventures began in an unusual manner. Last August she and a girl friend, Miss Viola Irene. Cooper, who is also- an authoress, read of the last voyage to be. made by the gallant old windjammer, Star of Peru ,more recently called the Bougainville, which was then docked at San Francisco. Stirred by the romantic career of the- old vessel, which Quad sailed the seven seas for nearly three-quarters of a century, they conceived the idea of making that ';ast voyage from Vancouver to New Caledonia. They appealed to Captain Leon Clhateauvieux, who bad come with li.i.s crew of 20 Frenchmen to take the ’hip to New Caledonia., where she was to be converted into a warehouse barge. “O’est impossible,” was his reply to the -demands of the girls, but later he relented and they were taken •aboard as passengers. “Our ship, with its quaint teakwood saloon, its cosy cabins fa.nd flaunting canvas, was the most romantic thing afloat,” Miss. -Sohoen said. “We- had aboard - ai quantity of timber for New Caledonia, and the voyage to Noumea took 62 days. For over 30 days we- saw no vestige- of land. Unfortunately I caught typhoid throaigh an innoculation and was ill for 40 days. There was no doctor aboard and for three weeks- no one knew wh-at was the matter with me. I -thought I had seasickness and did everything I should not have done for -a, typhoid victim. Under the circumstances 1 think I was luckv to .recover.”

The girts separated at- Noumea. Miss Cooper proceeding to Sydney. After .staying some- time at Noumea, Miss Sohoen went to the New Hebrides and li.ad -an exciting trip -among the northern .islands. of the group on a -small island schooner. “When we put into Mnlekula Island, in the New Hebrides, the natives came down to the beach aimed with rifles and put up a most hostile and bold front,” stated Miss Schoon. When I went .ashore unarmed they -became friendly. These natives are more kind to women than tliev arc to men.” From the New Hebrides, Miss Sohoen went to Norfolk Island and lived there with a private family for two- or three months.