May 13, 2024 • 29 mins
Since the program did not have a regular sponsor like Suspense (a sister program that often used the same actors and scripts), it was subjected to frequent schedule shifts and lower production budgets, although Richfield Oil signed on as a sponsor for five months in 1950.Despite these problems, Escape enthralled many listeners during its seven-year run.
The series' well-remembered opening combined Mussorgsky's Night on Bald Mountain with this introduction, as intoned by William Conrad and later Paul Frees:"Tired of the everyday grind? Ever dream of a life of romantic adventure? Want to get away from it all? We offer you... Escape!"Following the opening theme, a second announcer (usually Roy Rowan) would add:"Escape! Designed to free you from the four walls of today for a half-hour of high adventure!"
The series' well-remembered opening combined Mussorgsky's Night on Bald Mountain with this introduction, as intoned by William Conrad and later Paul Frees:"Tired of the everyday grind? Ever dream of a life of romantic adventure? Want to get away from it all? We offer you... Escape!"Following the opening theme, a second announcer (usually Roy Rowan) would add:"Escape! Designed to free you from the four walls of today for a half-hour of high adventure!"
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:06):
Escape Escape Tonight to the China Seeds. In Typhoon, A Columbia Broadcasting System
and its affiliated stations presents Escape,a new series of programs, of which
this the fourth is Typhoon by JosephConrad, produced and directed by William N.
(00:31):
Robson. Of all the great authorswho wrote of the sea, none
so captured the wonder and the horrorof it as did Joseph Conrad. Tonight
we escaped to the China Seas inhis great story Typhoon, told in the
(00:52):
words of a certain mister Jukes,chief mate of the China Coast steamer nan
Shan, a young man of veryremarkable perception. I've been sailing the China
(01:15):
so long enough to see some strangeand terrible things, but nothing as bad
as that was. My God himselfforgot us in the whole Blincoln universe set
out to do us in that night. It was the how, But that
comes later. I guess you can'treally understand what happened on board the Nanshan
without knowing something about our skipper,Captain mc whirr. Stupid mcquirr, I
(01:37):
called him, and after sailing withhim for three years, I ought to
know what I'm talking about. Myeye tagged him right off. First day
he came aboard to take command inLiverpool it was and mister Sikes, who
was one of the owners, wasshowing him around the day modern sheep of
flute. I might say again thatyou've come to us very highly recommended,
(01:59):
Captain mcwa We've a great deal ofconfidence in you. Thank you, mister
Siggs. She's a brand new shipand a good ship. It is no
reason why you shouldn't continue in commandof her as long as you like.
Well, that's that's fine. She'llbe the smattest thing afloat in the Chinese
trade. Why she's put together likea Swiss watch, precision built from stem
(02:22):
to stern. Just a minute,mister sing what is it? That lock?
Lock? What lock here on thecabin door? What about it?
You'll notice how it's been set inthe frame somewhat caught at an angle.
The ship starts rolling a bit andthe first thing you know, it snaps
open and leaves the door swinging.It really should be fixed, mister Siggs.
(02:53):
That's Captain mc whirr the best birthhe'd ever had new command, a
brand new ship, when instead ofpinching himself. See if he's awake,
he complains about a lock on thecabin door. See what I mean,
I see what you mean. I'llhave it attended to right away. I
think you will do all right.Thanks you, mister Simmons. Well everybody
(03:23):
knows what the China coast is.You haul out of Bangkok for a quick
run up to Singapore and then shoveoff for Hong Kong. Two days ashore.
You do it all over again,three years of it, three years
of heat, smells, weather,copra, silk and tea along in there
somewhere. The owners decided to transferthe ship's registry to the Siamese flag.
(03:46):
Don't ask me why they just did, that's all. Anyway, I can
tell you I didn't like it.When you grow up under the Union jack,
you'll figure to go on sailing underit. Not that the skipper,
of course, could understand that,and of a feeling, No, not
all stupidly quirk Hi, what isthat, mister Jewkes. They just sent
(04:11):
the new flag out from shore,sir. Here it is oh fine,
fine, unbroiled it. Let's havea look. Ah. Yes, in
my opinion, sir, it's aqueer kind of flag from man to sail
on. Oh, and what's thematter with it? Well, it just
looks queer of me, that's all. Well, now, let's see a
(04:32):
white elephant on a red field.Just a minute, I'll look it up
in the book. Here we are, Siam, white elephant on the field
of bright red length exactly twice thebread. So well, there's nothing wrong
with this flag, mister Jewkes.Oh, isn't there not a thing?
(04:53):
I hardly thought that could be.After all, these people ought to know
how to make their own flag.It stands to reason, does it.
Now? You must have it confusedwith some other flag, mister Jukes.
Well, all I can say is, because you'll have to take care of
the seamen, don't hoist the elephantupside down. That is before that are
quite used to. I presume itmight be taken for a signal of distress.
(05:14):
And in that case, the wayI see it, that the elephant
stands for something like the nature ofa union jack in the British plar.
You think so, well, it'slike a bloom and Noah's ark, that's
what it is, mister Jewkes.I'm sorry, sir, I can't see
where the color of a flag couldany wise affects the navigation of the ship.
All right, sir, I'll instructthe hands. It'd certainly be a
(05:38):
most distressful sight to see that elephanthoisted upside down. Well, that was
Captain Mchuurn. Couldn't get a thingthrough his head if you drew him a
picture. And that's the skipper wehad the sailor. They're on the maddest,
(06:00):
wildest trip than any coaster ever took. We were loading out in Singapore.
Half the cargo to already come aboard. The sun was blazing, and
the smoke from our stacks hung overthe decks like a blanket. The nan
Chan's winches puffed away aft, andthe cargo chains creaked and clattered across the
Komans. I was in the wayssupervising the loading, when mister Rout,
(06:23):
the chief engineer, came up inthere. Jukes, what's going on down
there on the dark looks like abloomin army. I don't know, mister
Round. Must be a marb ofcoolies in the moon. Here comes a
captain, would be some of hisdoing. I sir, keep the barqueen
and get cleared of cargo. There'llbe two hundred coolies coming aboard, and
(06:44):
we'd plant to bank them down there. Good lord, where are they bound?
Poo chow. We'll have to putin there at this trip. Yeah,
but we're not fixed a handle passengers, sir. They'll bring supplies aboard
with them. Every man's got acomfort wood chest. So you'll have to
nail dick bys down there to keepthem from sliding. Yes, sir,
I'll see to it. I've allbeen working on a plantation, not somewhere,
(07:06):
two year contract. They're dying toget home. It wouldn't have been
quite right to turn them down.You may as well start them coming aboard,
mister Jukes. All right, sayall I number one boy? Are
the same? Lessen you savvy?Huh? Only fellow catch him here top
side, catch him step step fartherside, only time, chat chap single
(07:30):
file now, one fellow, onetime, all the time. What do
you suppose they carry on those boxes? Oh? I suppose they're personal belongings,
mister Jewkes. And of course they'retwo years paying silver dollars. Well,
there is vicious a looking bunch ofmurderers as i've ever seen. Oh,
come now, mister Jewkes. Oneor two of them maybe, But
(07:51):
in the main I'd say they're honestworkmen have to be to stick out a
two year contract on one of theseplantations. Just the same, sir,
we better not take a chances.Oh, I kicked the lady weights careful,
and mister Jukes, we can carrythem without any overloading at all.
I mean that, all right,sir, I'd better go hide the silverware
(08:11):
in the officer's mess He's a hardglad to understand. Sometimes I can say
I had a premonition right then,and I wouldn't be lying anyway. That's
how it started. At the hottesttime of the year, two hundred and
half civilized coolies aboard a captain withno more imagination than you could stick in
(08:35):
your ear, we steamed out fromSingapore and later course for the port of
fu Chau. Tell you, Jukes, I don't like it. I don't
(08:56):
like it a bit. What don'tyou like about it, mister, Well,
the looks of things? Something ominousabout it. Oh, there's a
bit of a swell running, allright. There's not a breath of wind.
It's uncommonly hot. That's all givesa man the jumps. You're as
bad as the second mate, he'sbeen growing around like the voice of doom
all day. That's the old man. I'll see you later. Keep your
(09:20):
steam up. Pissed a round?Are you calling me Catain? I was,
mister Jewkes. What with all thelong conversation with mister Rout? Oh?
Why, nothing much, sir.I didn't see any harm in talking
a bit. I'm not on watch, you know. No, No,
nothing wrong with it, nothing atall. I just wondered what you could
(09:43):
find to talk about, well,different things. I don't know. I've
seen people on shore sit around thetable and talk for two or three hours.
I never could understand it. It'sjust conversation that's all about nothing in
particular. Seems pretty silly. Wellyou've noticed the barometer, no doubt,
yes, sir, it's draping allin fast, quite low. Now take
(10:07):
a look. I'll say it's travling. Bad time of the year for that
sort of thing, very bad.Anything you want me to do, sir?
Oh no, No, must besome uncommonly dirty weather knocking about somewhere,
eh, mister Jewkes, Yes,sir, Well, that's all.
Just thought you ought to know aboutit. That's all. Carry on,
sir, carry on, Oh,there's a heavy one all right night,
(10:46):
and Coolie's must be having a timeof it down below. Lucky for them,
the old Girl rolls easier than anyship I've ever seen. Hey,
you just wait? Oh you thinkwe may be in for it? Oh?
No, I don't think anything.You're not going to make a fool
me that way, mister Jewkes.I didn't say a word. What's the
matter with you? Second? Whyshouldn't you say what you think? If
you're a minder to herna? Youdon't catch me? Whoa, there's a
(11:09):
little that's pretty rough now whatever isabout? We're steaming right into it pack.
You just tried telling the old manmade And why shouldn't I? Matter
of fact, I think i'll askhim about this cross swell. It's getting
worse all the time. I've knownskippers to break some right good men for
saying her whole long left? Uh, Captain mcquarth, Yes, mister Jewkes,
(11:35):
what is it? The swell isgetting a good deal worse, sir?
Yes, I noticed that in here? Anything wrong? Well? I
I was thinking about the passengers.Huh what passengers? Why the coolies,
sir? And if you mean coolstsay cool is mister Jewkes, a man
ought to say what he means?What about the coolies? She's rolling her
decks full of water, Sir.I thought you might want to put her
(11:56):
head at the swell for a bituntil this goes down, of course,
So that's put her head at theswell four points off the corpse. Well
it's just for a while, sir, as well as high as this can't
last long. That stands to reason, mister Jewkes. Take a look at
the barometer, good lord, Yes, exactly. It's a dead calm outside,
isn't it. It's not a breathof air stirring, sir, only
(12:18):
that cross swell. I've been readingin the book here about storms. It's
funny thing. If a man believedeverything written down here, he'd spend half
his life running to get behind theweather. If I was to go by
what this fellow says, I'd allto my course and come booming into food
shout from the north, four dayslate, three hundred extra miles in distance,
(12:39):
and a pretty bill for coal ontop of it. I tell you,
mister Jewkes, if I knew everyword in here was gospel true,
I couldn't bring myself to do that. Now, sir, I guess.
And how's a man to know thebook is right? If you dodge around
the spot of death, de weather, how do you ever find out it
was there in the first place?Answer me that no, mister Jewkes.
(13:01):
There's things that a man can't getfrom books. I've thought it all out
this afternoon. We'll hold her steadyas she goes. Whatever you say,
sir, you're the captain. Iguess i'd better ride up the log I'm
going on. Watch good, Adasaid. We're heading into something you bit
out of the ordinary. Call meat once if anything, you show us
(13:22):
up in the night, mister Jewkes. All right, sir, I'll say
to it er, mister Jewkes,Yes, sir, if you're going into
the chart room, please close thatblinking door. I can't stan here the
door bag it, yes, sir. Eight p m. Swell increasing ship
(13:43):
laboring heavily and taking water in alldecks. Still a dead calm and very
hot. Batten down the coolies forthe night. The barometer is still falling.
All appearances indicate an approaching typhoon.All right, hack it holder steady
(14:13):
as she goes. It's all wecan do. Why, sir, I'll
sall try to do the best youcan, Hi, I sir, mister
Jukes. Mister Jukes, I can, And I'm coming stand back over here
with the dukes. Stop on thetrail, right, sir, coming over
of mister Jukes. Why didn't youcall me? But there was no warning,
(14:33):
sir, and just all of asudden about five minutes ago, blasted
right out of a dead calm,and the book was writ in some parts.
Anyhow, how's it going in thewheelhouse? Hacked is like count sair?
I am, Oh what about Hacket? He's on the wheel second is
putting up shutters, the wind,the glass will go. She starts breaking
any higher? Oh do you breakhigher? Mister Jukes? What's the higher?
(14:56):
It's a happy thought. I haven'tordered a course saucer, heading straight
at the wine. Good something elsewe can't know, mister Jewkes. Understand,
yes, sir, something a mancan't find in books. Just keep
her at it. That's all canto our boss trying to break away,
(15:28):
that's all right, And the boxand tow them a god. Now that
can't be help, mister Jewkes.I'm gonna grow a mess, likeness.
They're bound to leave something behind.Helps to read old hard oh, she's
still rising all right? At onebroke over the wheelhouse. I don't work
(15:50):
for sure. What's that? MisterJewkes? You say something I said?
Is there any chance an answer?Did she live through it? Chimney?
We can hope so loud least she'sa good ship. The taller man can
ask? What's that? Sumbody yelling? Allow us on the part accent.
I'm here serving bread man. Shouldn'tbe on that deck. This he has
(16:14):
to that's a bit dangerous, Yes, sir, over here? What's the
trouble? Boson in Chinese? Surday? Hey, hang on the Chinese?
What about a bold fetched away?Sir? One big lump? It's horrible.
Now what do you mean? Fetchedaway? Rolling around in a hold
(16:36):
in one big lump, screaming likeblooming miniaccer all the trip, mister duke,
Yes, sir, I can't makehead in the tailor this. I
guess you'd better go below and seeto it. Put things in order?
What shall I do, sir?I can't tell you up here. Find
out what's wrong, straighten it out, that's all. That's all. Take
the boson with you. I'm goingto try with the wheelhouse, all right,
(17:00):
So come on, just straighten itout. Well, how's the wheel
stand hacket? Yes? Here shegoes, sir, do you realize,
of course we've hit the tight homeI sir, Sorry, I can't give
you a relief. Can you managea way longer? I hold it in
(17:21):
the course, sir, As longas there's a ship my knife. That
won't be long. Oh, anythingwrong? Second wrong? We're always goodish
statement, this is what's wrong?Oh now, I wouldn't say. That
is still a floor and we've gotit lucky here on dick, plenty of
chance to see what's coming before ithits us. A man always feels better
when we can see what's coming.It's a different story down below there,
(17:45):
not having knowledge of what's going on, not knowing if we're a bloat or
sinking. Now there's the lads that'sgot it tough. No one's down there
in the engine room. Our swingto it. He've been doing. No
(18:12):
time now for the steam to drophere right, that's bottle bield and let
her rippers shap down when she breaksmere of those swells. Hello bridge,
Hello bridge, Why don't the answerthe speaking to him? I can't tell
if they're dead, you're alive there? Hello, hello captain, how is
(18:33):
it on deck? Bottle upstly onyou? So far, so good?
We're holding a poolhead of steam.Well, don't let me drive her under,
sir, to take a coup?What you beat up here? Not
to keep moving it up the skill, I understand, sir, count on
us to do it ly well alongthe wheel back? Wait? Wait all
(19:00):
gone? Hello hello, said thecaptain. Mister round. I've got to
talk to him right away. Waita minute, Jukes, something's happened up
there? Hello? Hello Richt thereout right? Anything wrongs here? Oh?
No? A second mate's toss overone? Oh no tuft is love
awkward? Tuck top? Not tofuck him out? To do back here
(19:23):
that Jukes? Yes, let metalk to him, Captain Jukes. Here
the boson and I just took alook at between Dick. It's them blowing
boxes, sir. They've all brokeloose and smashed the bits, and the
coolies are fighting like crazy men forthem silver dollars that's rolling around fighting were
gone. I'm fighting. They're twohundred of them, sir. They're all
trying to kill each other. Cop, want to stop doing you? Whoa
(19:47):
stopped to it? How they're crazy. Man, they'll kill anybody that came
on that deck. You all,come on, you're you're off out of
me. Make it clear to them, We make it clear. Oh yeah,
after that, But the cover upall the money, I can't have
it lying about on the deck.But the help you wait, do it?
(20:10):
Come gee as a fat here's theone that does it. That that
must have swept the deck from stemto stern. Hello, hello, Captain
MacGuire. You are right up there, all right, with all the boat
and half the star more quail carriedaway top serious nothing, don't worry about
(20:30):
the come out, carry on,nothing to worry about. Carry on and
you're all right, captain, asyou say, sir, carry on,
carry on? Hey now, hello, where you going? Where are you
going? Eh? Where do youthink I'm going? Your loud mouth?
Don't wind bag out on that deckto get myself murdered. Ha ha ha
ha ha nothing serious, jukes,nothing to worry about. The whole blooming
(20:55):
world's falling apart, and I'm notpicking up silver dollars Captain's orders. Come
on, Pollson, don't busily oldjukes, gury, old boy, carry
on, look at the door,mummy and I'll help our gallant skipper says,
(21:18):
to stop the fighting. Los area fire, all right? That
quiet down, Come on, bosonaw stow it there, your pools cut
it out down to your hear me, Apory, huh, they're clean out
of their heads. You gotta drivethem to the ballhead back hop down,
Hey, none of that head toit, poson. You gotta show him
(21:41):
what for nothing else to do?Back cup there, captain's orders, your
old follow me, Poston, countdon't. I was just thinking, huh,
what about back there? Don't fightthe last every orders you can of
(22:02):
the old lady. And see menow, she'd say, Oh you,
charlie, sailor lag keep moving thejam on my posting in the basket,
captain, Where are you, captain? Oh? Were here, mister Jewkes.
(22:26):
You got everything cleared up down below? Oh oh yes, we we
took care of everything, sir.I thought you would. The wind fell
all at once, stopped cold.It's been like this for ten minutes.
Now. If you think it wasan easy job to bring that marb under
control of the coolies, oh sayit wasn't. I had to do what's
fair by them, though, misterJewkes. That barometer in there stands at
(22:49):
the lowest point I've ever seen aglass in my life. He may never
be more of it. The worstyet, according to the book, it'll
break sudden now any minute, upfor two of win, and then it
hits. She's taken a horrible beating, Sir, she has, indeed,
and she's in for a worse one. We haven't much chance, have we
said? She may come through it. She's a good chip. Here's the
(23:11):
first puff. It'll hit us hardwhen it comes. You left them pretty
safe, did you, the coolies. We strong lifelines. Gives them something
to hold on them good. I'dlike to give them all the chance we
can whatever happens. Ah, they'llbe all right, Sarah. I broke
out rifles, parade the crew,put them the guarding all the companion ways
leading off the teain deck. Youarm the crew, mister Jukes. Oh
(23:33):
sure, we won't have any troublewith them now, says to Jukes.
Please have those rifles return to themagazines at once, Sile, there'll be
work for every man aboard in afew minutes. I can't spare seem under
stand around and hold rifles when itisn't necessary, isn't necessary. Don't you
realize those savages. I think westole our money, but they'll tear us
to bits if they ever get outof that deck. I think they'll understand
(23:53):
we're dealing fair by them. Collectthe rifles, cap in its suicide.
The best thing we can do isturn the whole mess over to your parodies
in food show. If we havea get there, well, I don't
know. I figured that when anythinghappens on shipboard, it's up to me
to settle it on shipboard, partof the duties of commanding a vessel,
mister Jewkes. I have no doubtI'll be able to reach an understanding with
(24:17):
these men later. Understanding You wantto see him a while ago and me
and the person was down there losttheir heads a bit. I guess we
wonder at that when here she comes. Pick up those rifles, mister Jewkes.
And something else. Yes, Captain, if anything happens to be you'll
be in charge. Only advice.Keep her facing it. Just wait to
(24:37):
get through facing it. That sunup for any man, all right,
Captain. I'll remember one thing more, mister Jewkes. Yes, sir,
something that always helps a tee isto keep a cool head. Just keep
a cool Oh no, keep acool head. The stitch in time saves
(24:59):
night a rolling stuff. What'm thelad I haven't here to do with a
man like that. There was aclear blue sky and bright sunshine in the
(25:19):
morning. We steamed in the foodChowl harbor. Mister Rout was leaning on
a hatch combing smoking a pipe,and the bowsain lounged on the four deck
waiting to pick up a line fromthe wharf. And the captain, well,
he was engaged in the most unusualoccupation. He was sitting at the
table on the four deck handing outsilver dollars to them, blinking coolies,
(25:41):
all divided up, even the sameamount to each one. Craziest thing you
ever heard of in your life.You see the way the captain figured it,
since those blighters had all worked fortwo years at the same rate of
pay, and their savings or toall be about equal, as you can
see. Of course, it wasn'tnecessarily true by any means, wasn't even
legal. But you couldn't tell himanything. Well, mister Jewkes, yes,
(26:07):
sir, coming captain. Well,mister Jewkes, I've disposed of our
little collection of silver dollars. That'sgreat only way to those boys get a
sure and file claims against them.Oh no, they won't do that.
As a matter of fact, theywe're quite pleased at having it arranged that
way. I figured it might avoida lot of arguments later, they said.
(26:27):
The spokesman the thank me. Well, I'll be mister Jewkes. You
may as well give all the handssix hours leave before we start working the
cargo. Whatever you say, captain, Oh yes, and before the carpenter
leaves. I wis should have himfixed the lock on that cabin door.
But that seems to got broken somehowduring the storm. I suppose I can't
(26:48):
stand to hear the door banging,mister Jewkes, I say, I,
I don't suppose it matters that theship is battered from stem to stern,
half her topside carried away and smashedtill she looks like a blow and tents
and freights. Jewkes, I don'tunderstand me. You don't understand me,
sir? Do you understand that we'vebeen through the worst typhoon in the China
season twenty years. We're the onlyship that got through. It's true,
(27:10):
I suppose we were a bit lucky. Lucky, sir, with two hundred
murder and cutthroats running loose a boardingthe very heaven's doing their worst. We
had a job to do and wedid it. That's all, mister Jewkes.
That's the important thing, Yes,sir, that's that's all. That's
all, he says, A jobto do, A bit lucky. What
(27:32):
can you do with a man asthick as that? But then as I
started to turn away, Captain mcclurusaidsomething else. It surprised me. With
emotion wrung from the very bottom ofhis soul, he he uttered words.
I never thought I'd hear it comingfrom something so stupid a man. But
I'm glad we brought her through,mister Jewkes, truly I am. She's
a good ship, mister Jewkes,A good ship. I should have hated
(27:57):
to lose it. I should hate. Producer Iyphoon by Joseph Conrad was adapted
(28:23):
for radio by Less Crutchfield and producedand directed by William N. Robeson,
with Brke Lovejoy as Jukes, RaymondLawrence as Captain mcquirr, and Cy Kendall
as Rolph the Engineer. The specialmusical score was conceived and conducted by Cy
Fewer. Escape is presented by theColumbia Broadcasting System and its affiliated stations each
(28:52):
week at this time. Next week, we invite you to escape to Paris
five hundred years ago in Robert LouisStevenson's story of a fascinating adventure the Sire
de Montoise Door. And so goodnight until next week at this time,
when again it will be time toescape. This is CBS, the Columbia
(29:15):
Broadcasting System.
Escape Escape Tonight to the China Seeds. In Typhoon, A Columbia Broadcasting System
and its affiliated stations presents Escape,a new series of programs, of which
this the fourth is Typhoon by JosephConrad, produced and directed by William N.
(00:31):
Robson. Of all the great authorswho wrote of the sea, none
so captured the wonder and the horrorof it as did Joseph Conrad. Tonight
we escaped to the China Seas inhis great story Typhoon, told in the
(00:52):
words of a certain mister Jukes,chief mate of the China Coast steamer nan
Shan, a young man of veryremarkable perception. I've been sailing the China
(01:15):
so long enough to see some strangeand terrible things, but nothing as bad
as that was. My God himselfforgot us in the whole Blincoln universe set
out to do us in that night. It was the how, But that
comes later. I guess you can'treally understand what happened on board the Nanshan
without knowing something about our skipper,Captain mc whirr. Stupid mcquirr, I
(01:37):
called him, and after sailing withhim for three years, I ought to
know what I'm talking about. Myeye tagged him right off. First day
he came aboard to take command inLiverpool it was and mister Sikes, who
was one of the owners, wasshowing him around the day modern sheep of
flute. I might say again thatyou've come to us very highly recommended,
(01:59):
Captain mcwa We've a great deal ofconfidence in you. Thank you, mister
Siggs. She's a brand new shipand a good ship. It is no
reason why you shouldn't continue in commandof her as long as you like.
Well, that's that's fine. She'llbe the smattest thing afloat in the Chinese
trade. Why she's put together likea Swiss watch, precision built from stem
(02:22):
to stern. Just a minute,mister sing what is it? That lock?
Lock? What lock here on thecabin door? What about it?
You'll notice how it's been set inthe frame somewhat caught at an angle.
The ship starts rolling a bit andthe first thing you know, it snaps
open and leaves the door swinging.It really should be fixed, mister Siggs.
(02:53):
That's Captain mc whirr the best birthhe'd ever had new command, a
brand new ship, when instead ofpinching himself. See if he's awake,
he complains about a lock on thecabin door. See what I mean,
I see what you mean. I'llhave it attended to right away. I
think you will do all right.Thanks you, mister Simmons. Well everybody
(03:23):
knows what the China coast is.You haul out of Bangkok for a quick
run up to Singapore and then shoveoff for Hong Kong. Two days ashore.
You do it all over again,three years of it, three years
of heat, smells, weather,copra, silk and tea along in there
somewhere. The owners decided to transferthe ship's registry to the Siamese flag.
(03:46):
Don't ask me why they just did, that's all. Anyway, I can
tell you I didn't like it.When you grow up under the Union jack,
you'll figure to go on sailing underit. Not that the skipper,
of course, could understand that,and of a feeling, No, not
all stupidly quirk Hi, what isthat, mister Jewkes. They just sent
(04:11):
the new flag out from shore,sir. Here it is oh fine,
fine, unbroiled it. Let's havea look. Ah. Yes, in
my opinion, sir, it's aqueer kind of flag from man to sail
on. Oh, and what's thematter with it? Well, it just
looks queer of me, that's all. Well, now, let's see a
(04:32):
white elephant on a red field.Just a minute, I'll look it up
in the book. Here we are, Siam, white elephant on the field
of bright red length exactly twice thebread. So well, there's nothing wrong
with this flag, mister Jewkes.Oh, isn't there not a thing?
(04:53):
I hardly thought that could be.After all, these people ought to know
how to make their own flag.It stands to reason, does it.
Now? You must have it confusedwith some other flag, mister Jukes.
Well, all I can say is, because you'll have to take care of
the seamen, don't hoist the elephantupside down. That is before that are
quite used to. I presume itmight be taken for a signal of distress.
(05:14):
And in that case, the wayI see it, that the elephant
stands for something like the nature ofa union jack in the British plar.
You think so, well, it'slike a bloom and Noah's ark, that's
what it is, mister Jewkes.I'm sorry, sir, I can't see
where the color of a flag couldany wise affects the navigation of the ship.
All right, sir, I'll instructthe hands. It'd certainly be a
(05:38):
most distressful sight to see that elephanthoisted upside down. Well, that was
Captain Mchuurn. Couldn't get a thingthrough his head if you drew him a
picture. And that's the skipper wehad the sailor. They're on the maddest,
(06:00):
wildest trip than any coaster ever took. We were loading out in Singapore.
Half the cargo to already come aboard. The sun was blazing, and
the smoke from our stacks hung overthe decks like a blanket. The nan
Chan's winches puffed away aft, andthe cargo chains creaked and clattered across the
Komans. I was in the wayssupervising the loading, when mister Rout,
(06:23):
the chief engineer, came up inthere. Jukes, what's going on down
there on the dark looks like abloomin army. I don't know, mister
Round. Must be a marb ofcoolies in the moon. Here comes a
captain, would be some of hisdoing. I sir, keep the barqueen
and get cleared of cargo. There'llbe two hundred coolies coming aboard, and
(06:44):
we'd plant to bank them down there. Good lord, where are they bound?
Poo chow. We'll have to putin there at this trip. Yeah,
but we're not fixed a handle passengers, sir. They'll bring supplies aboard
with them. Every man's got acomfort wood chest. So you'll have to
nail dick bys down there to keepthem from sliding. Yes, sir,
I'll see to it. I've allbeen working on a plantation, not somewhere,
(07:06):
two year contract. They're dying toget home. It wouldn't have been
quite right to turn them down.You may as well start them coming aboard,
mister Jukes. All right, sayall I number one boy? Are
the same? Lessen you savvy?Huh? Only fellow catch him here top
side, catch him step step fartherside, only time, chat chap single
(07:30):
file now, one fellow, onetime, all the time. What do
you suppose they carry on those boxes? Oh? I suppose they're personal belongings,
mister Jewkes. And of course they'retwo years paying silver dollars. Well,
there is vicious a looking bunch ofmurderers as i've ever seen. Oh,
come now, mister Jewkes. Oneor two of them maybe, But
(07:51):
in the main I'd say they're honestworkmen have to be to stick out a
two year contract on one of theseplantations. Just the same, sir,
we better not take a chances.Oh, I kicked the lady weights careful,
and mister Jukes, we can carrythem without any overloading at all.
I mean that, all right,sir, I'd better go hide the silverware
(08:11):
in the officer's mess He's a hardglad to understand. Sometimes I can say
I had a premonition right then,and I wouldn't be lying anyway. That's
how it started. At the hottesttime of the year, two hundred and
half civilized coolies aboard a captain withno more imagination than you could stick in
(08:35):
your ear, we steamed out fromSingapore and later course for the port of
fu Chau. Tell you, Jukes, I don't like it. I don't
(08:56):
like it a bit. What don'tyou like about it, mister, Well,
the looks of things? Something ominousabout it. Oh, there's a
bit of a swell running, allright. There's not a breath of wind.
It's uncommonly hot. That's all givesa man the jumps. You're as
bad as the second mate, he'sbeen growing around like the voice of doom
all day. That's the old man. I'll see you later. Keep your
(09:20):
steam up. Pissed a round?Are you calling me Catain? I was,
mister Jewkes. What with all thelong conversation with mister Rout? Oh?
Why, nothing much, sir.I didn't see any harm in talking
a bit. I'm not on watch, you know. No, No,
nothing wrong with it, nothing atall. I just wondered what you could
(09:43):
find to talk about, well,different things. I don't know. I've
seen people on shore sit around thetable and talk for two or three hours.
I never could understand it. It'sjust conversation that's all about nothing in
particular. Seems pretty silly. Wellyou've noticed the barometer, no doubt,
yes, sir, it's draping allin fast, quite low. Now take
(10:07):
a look. I'll say it's travling. Bad time of the year for that
sort of thing, very bad.Anything you want me to do, sir?
Oh no, No, must besome uncommonly dirty weather knocking about somewhere,
eh, mister Jewkes, Yes,sir, Well, that's all.
Just thought you ought to know aboutit. That's all. Carry on,
sir, carry on, Oh,there's a heavy one all right night,
(10:46):
and Coolie's must be having a timeof it down below. Lucky for them,
the old Girl rolls easier than anyship I've ever seen. Hey,
you just wait? Oh you thinkwe may be in for it? Oh?
No, I don't think anything.You're not going to make a fool
me that way, mister Jewkes.I didn't say a word. What's the
matter with you? Second? Whyshouldn't you say what you think? If
you're a minder to herna? Youdon't catch me? Whoa, there's a
(11:09):
little that's pretty rough now whatever isabout? We're steaming right into it pack.
You just tried telling the old manmade And why shouldn't I? Matter
of fact, I think i'll askhim about this cross swell. It's getting
worse all the time. I've knownskippers to break some right good men for
saying her whole long left? Uh, Captain mcquarth, Yes, mister Jewkes,
(11:35):
what is it? The swell isgetting a good deal worse, sir?
Yes, I noticed that in here? Anything wrong? Well? I
I was thinking about the passengers.Huh what passengers? Why the coolies,
sir? And if you mean coolstsay cool is mister Jewkes, a man
ought to say what he means?What about the coolies? She's rolling her
decks full of water, Sir.I thought you might want to put her
(11:56):
head at the swell for a bituntil this goes down, of course,
So that's put her head at theswell four points off the corpse. Well
it's just for a while, sir, as well as high as this can't
last long. That stands to reason, mister Jewkes. Take a look at
the barometer, good lord, Yes, exactly. It's a dead calm outside,
isn't it. It's not a breathof air stirring, sir, only
(12:18):
that cross swell. I've been readingin the book here about storms. It's
funny thing. If a man believedeverything written down here, he'd spend half
his life running to get behind theweather. If I was to go by
what this fellow says, I'd allto my course and come booming into food
shout from the north, four dayslate, three hundred extra miles in distance,
(12:39):
and a pretty bill for coal ontop of it. I tell you,
mister Jewkes, if I knew everyword in here was gospel true,
I couldn't bring myself to do that. Now, sir, I guess.
And how's a man to know thebook is right? If you dodge around
the spot of death, de weather, how do you ever find out it
was there in the first place?Answer me that no, mister Jewkes.
(13:01):
There's things that a man can't getfrom books. I've thought it all out
this afternoon. We'll hold her steadyas she goes. Whatever you say,
sir, you're the captain. Iguess i'd better ride up the log I'm
going on. Watch good, Adasaid. We're heading into something you bit
out of the ordinary. Call meat once if anything, you show us
(13:22):
up in the night, mister Jewkes. All right, sir, I'll say
to it er, mister Jewkes,Yes, sir, if you're going into
the chart room, please close thatblinking door. I can't stan here the
door bag it, yes, sir. Eight p m. Swell increasing ship
(13:43):
laboring heavily and taking water in alldecks. Still a dead calm and very
hot. Batten down the coolies forthe night. The barometer is still falling.
All appearances indicate an approaching typhoon.All right, hack it holder steady
(14:13):
as she goes. It's all wecan do. Why, sir, I'll
sall try to do the best youcan, Hi, I sir, mister
Jukes. Mister Jukes, I can, And I'm coming stand back over here
with the dukes. Stop on thetrail, right, sir, coming over
of mister Jukes. Why didn't youcall me? But there was no warning,
(14:33):
sir, and just all of asudden about five minutes ago, blasted
right out of a dead calm,and the book was writ in some parts.
Anyhow, how's it going in thewheelhouse? Hacked is like count sair?
I am, Oh what about Hacket? He's on the wheel second is
putting up shutters, the wind,the glass will go. She starts breaking
any higher? Oh do you breakhigher? Mister Jukes? What's the higher?
(14:56):
It's a happy thought. I haven'tordered a course saucer, heading straight
at the wine. Good something elsewe can't know, mister Jewkes. Understand,
yes, sir, something a mancan't find in books. Just keep
her at it. That's all canto our boss trying to break away,
(15:28):
that's all right, And the boxand tow them a god. Now that
can't be help, mister Jewkes.I'm gonna grow a mess, likeness.
They're bound to leave something behind.Helps to read old hard oh, she's
still rising all right? At onebroke over the wheelhouse. I don't work
(15:50):
for sure. What's that? MisterJewkes? You say something I said?
Is there any chance an answer?Did she live through it? Chimney?
We can hope so loud least she'sa good ship. The taller man can
ask? What's that? Sumbody yelling? Allow us on the part accent.
I'm here serving bread man. Shouldn'tbe on that deck. This he has
(16:14):
to that's a bit dangerous, Yes, sir, over here? What's the
trouble? Boson in Chinese? Surday? Hey, hang on the Chinese?
What about a bold fetched away?Sir? One big lump? It's horrible.
Now what do you mean? Fetchedaway? Rolling around in a hold
(16:36):
in one big lump, screaming likeblooming miniaccer all the trip, mister duke,
Yes, sir, I can't makehead in the tailor this. I
guess you'd better go below and seeto it. Put things in order?
What shall I do, sir?I can't tell you up here. Find
out what's wrong, straighten it out, that's all. That's all. Take
the boson with you. I'm goingto try with the wheelhouse, all right,
(17:00):
So come on, just straighten itout. Well, how's the wheel
stand hacket? Yes? Here shegoes, sir, do you realize,
of course we've hit the tight homeI sir, Sorry, I can't give
you a relief. Can you managea way longer? I hold it in
(17:21):
the course, sir, As longas there's a ship my knife. That
won't be long. Oh, anythingwrong? Second wrong? We're always goodish
statement, this is what's wrong?Oh now, I wouldn't say. That
is still a floor and we've gotit lucky here on dick, plenty of
chance to see what's coming before ithits us. A man always feels better
when we can see what's coming.It's a different story down below there,
(17:45):
not having knowledge of what's going on, not knowing if we're a bloat or
sinking. Now there's the lads that'sgot it tough. No one's down there
in the engine room. Our swingto it. He've been doing. No
(18:12):
time now for the steam to drophere right, that's bottle bield and let
her rippers shap down when she breaksmere of those swells. Hello bridge,
Hello bridge, Why don't the answerthe speaking to him? I can't tell
if they're dead, you're alive there? Hello, hello captain, how is
(18:33):
it on deck? Bottle upstly onyou? So far, so good?
We're holding a poolhead of steam.Well, don't let me drive her under,
sir, to take a coup?What you beat up here? Not
to keep moving it up the skill, I understand, sir, count on
us to do it ly well alongthe wheel back? Wait? Wait all
(19:00):
gone? Hello hello, said thecaptain. Mister round. I've got to
talk to him right away. Waita minute, Jukes, something's happened up
there? Hello? Hello Richt thereout right? Anything wrongs here? Oh?
No? A second mate's toss overone? Oh no tuft is love
awkward? Tuck top? Not tofuck him out? To do back here
(19:23):
that Jukes? Yes, let metalk to him, Captain Jukes. Here
the boson and I just took alook at between Dick. It's them blowing
boxes, sir. They've all brokeloose and smashed the bits, and the
coolies are fighting like crazy men forthem silver dollars that's rolling around fighting were
gone. I'm fighting. They're twohundred of them, sir. They're all
trying to kill each other. Cop, want to stop doing you? Whoa
(19:47):
stopped to it? How they're crazy. Man, they'll kill anybody that came
on that deck. You all,come on, you're you're off out of
me. Make it clear to them, We make it clear. Oh yeah,
after that, But the cover upall the money, I can't have
it lying about on the deck.But the help you wait, do it?
(20:10):
Come gee as a fat here's theone that does it. That that
must have swept the deck from stemto stern. Hello, hello, Captain
MacGuire. You are right up there, all right, with all the boat
and half the star more quail carriedaway top serious nothing, don't worry about
(20:30):
the come out, carry on,nothing to worry about. Carry on and
you're all right, captain, asyou say, sir, carry on,
carry on? Hey now, hello, where you going? Where are you
going? Eh? Where do youthink I'm going? Your loud mouth?
Don't wind bag out on that deckto get myself murdered. Ha ha ha
ha ha nothing serious, jukes,nothing to worry about. The whole blooming
(20:55):
world's falling apart, and I'm notpicking up silver dollars Captain's orders. Come
on, Pollson, don't busily oldjukes, gury, old boy, carry
on, look at the door,mummy and I'll help our gallant skipper says,
(21:18):
to stop the fighting. Los area fire, all right? That
quiet down, Come on, bosonaw stow it there, your pools cut
it out down to your hear me, Apory, huh, they're clean out
of their heads. You gotta drivethem to the ballhead back hop down,
Hey, none of that head toit, poson. You gotta show him
(21:41):
what for nothing else to do?Back cup there, captain's orders, your
old follow me, Poston, countdon't. I was just thinking, huh,
what about back there? Don't fightthe last every orders you can of
(22:02):
the old lady. And see menow, she'd say, Oh you,
charlie, sailor lag keep moving thejam on my posting in the basket,
captain, Where are you, captain? Oh? Were here, mister Jewkes.
(22:26):
You got everything cleared up down below? Oh oh yes, we we
took care of everything, sir.I thought you would. The wind fell
all at once, stopped cold.It's been like this for ten minutes.
Now. If you think it wasan easy job to bring that marb under
control of the coolies, oh sayit wasn't. I had to do what's
fair by them, though, misterJewkes. That barometer in there stands at
(22:49):
the lowest point I've ever seen aglass in my life. He may never
be more of it. The worstyet, according to the book, it'll
break sudden now any minute, upfor two of win, and then it
hits. She's taken a horrible beating, Sir, she has, indeed,
and she's in for a worse one. We haven't much chance, have we
said? She may come through it. She's a good chip. Here's the
(23:11):
first puff. It'll hit us hardwhen it comes. You left them pretty
safe, did you, the coolies. We strong lifelines. Gives them something
to hold on them good. I'dlike to give them all the chance we
can whatever happens. Ah, they'llbe all right, Sarah. I broke
out rifles, parade the crew,put them the guarding all the companion ways
leading off the teain deck. Youarm the crew, mister Jukes. Oh
(23:33):
sure, we won't have any troublewith them now, says to Jukes.
Please have those rifles return to themagazines at once, Sile, there'll be
work for every man aboard in afew minutes. I can't spare seem under
stand around and hold rifles when itisn't necessary, isn't necessary. Don't you
realize those savages. I think westole our money, but they'll tear us
to bits if they ever get outof that deck. I think they'll understand
(23:53):
we're dealing fair by them. Collectthe rifles, cap in its suicide.
The best thing we can do isturn the whole mess over to your parodies
in food show. If we havea get there, well, I don't
know. I figured that when anythinghappens on shipboard, it's up to me
to settle it on shipboard, partof the duties of commanding a vessel,
mister Jewkes. I have no doubtI'll be able to reach an understanding with
(24:17):
these men later. Understanding You wantto see him a while ago and me
and the person was down there losttheir heads a bit. I guess we
wonder at that when here she comes. Pick up those rifles, mister Jewkes.
And something else. Yes, Captain, if anything happens to be you'll
be in charge. Only advice.Keep her facing it. Just wait to
(24:37):
get through facing it. That sunup for any man, all right,
Captain. I'll remember one thing more, mister Jewkes. Yes, sir,
something that always helps a tee isto keep a cool head. Just keep
a cool Oh no, keep acool head. The stitch in time saves
(24:59):
night a rolling stuff. What'm thelad I haven't here to do with a
man like that. There was aclear blue sky and bright sunshine in the
(25:19):
morning. We steamed in the foodChowl harbor. Mister Rout was leaning on
a hatch combing smoking a pipe,and the bowsain lounged on the four deck
waiting to pick up a line fromthe wharf. And the captain, well,
he was engaged in the most unusualoccupation. He was sitting at the
table on the four deck handing outsilver dollars to them, blinking coolies,
(25:41):
all divided up, even the sameamount to each one. Craziest thing you
ever heard of in your life.You see the way the captain figured it,
since those blighters had all worked fortwo years at the same rate of
pay, and their savings or toall be about equal, as you can
see. Of course, it wasn'tnecessarily true by any means, wasn't even
legal. But you couldn't tell himanything. Well, mister Jewkes, yes,
(26:07):
sir, coming captain. Well,mister Jewkes, I've disposed of our
little collection of silver dollars. That'sgreat only way to those boys get a
sure and file claims against them.Oh no, they won't do that.
As a matter of fact, theywe're quite pleased at having it arranged that
way. I figured it might avoida lot of arguments later, they said.
(26:27):
The spokesman the thank me. Well, I'll be mister Jewkes. You
may as well give all the handssix hours leave before we start working the
cargo. Whatever you say, captain, Oh yes, and before the carpenter
leaves. I wis should have himfixed the lock on that cabin door.
But that seems to got broken somehowduring the storm. I suppose I can't
(26:48):
stand to hear the door banging,mister Jewkes, I say, I,
I don't suppose it matters that theship is battered from stem to stern,
half her topside carried away and smashedtill she looks like a blow and tents
and freights. Jewkes, I don'tunderstand me. You don't understand me,
sir? Do you understand that we'vebeen through the worst typhoon in the China
season twenty years. We're the onlyship that got through. It's true,
(27:10):
I suppose we were a bit lucky. Lucky, sir, with two hundred
murder and cutthroats running loose a boardingthe very heaven's doing their worst. We
had a job to do and wedid it. That's all, mister Jewkes.
That's the important thing, Yes,sir, that's that's all. That's
all, he says, A jobto do, A bit lucky. What
(27:32):
can you do with a man asthick as that? But then as I
started to turn away, Captain mcclurusaidsomething else. It surprised me. With
emotion wrung from the very bottom ofhis soul, he he uttered words.
I never thought I'd hear it comingfrom something so stupid a man. But
I'm glad we brought her through,mister Jewkes, truly I am. She's
a good ship, mister Jewkes,A good ship. I should have hated
(27:57):
to lose it. I should hate. Producer Iyphoon by Joseph Conrad was adapted
(28:23):
for radio by Less Crutchfield and producedand directed by William N. Robeson,
with Brke Lovejoy as Jukes, RaymondLawrence as Captain mcquirr, and Cy Kendall
as Rolph the Engineer. The specialmusical score was conceived and conducted by Cy
Fewer. Escape is presented by theColumbia Broadcasting System and its affiliated stations each
(28:52):
week at this time. Next week, we invite you to escape to Paris
five hundred years ago in Robert LouisStevenson's story of a fascinating adventure the Sire
de Montoise Door. And so goodnight until next week at this time,
when again it will be time toescape. This is CBS, the Columbia
(29:15):
Broadcasting System.
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