Escape. Escape tonight to the China seas in Typhoon. The Columbia Broadcasting System and its affiliated stations presents Escape, a new series of programs of which this, the fourth, is Typhoon by Joseph Conrad, produced and directed by William M. Robeson. William M. Robeson. Of all the great authors who wrote of the sea, none so captured the wonder and the horror of it as did Joseph Conrad. Tonight, we escape to the China seas in his great story Typhoon, told in the words of a certain Mr. Jukes, chief mate of the China coast steamer Nan Shan, a young man of very remarkable perceptions. I've been sailing the China sea long enough to see some strange and terrible things, but nothing as bad as that was. My God himself forgot us and the whole blinking universe set out to do us in that night. It was the... but that comes later. I guess you can't really understand what happened on board the Nan Shan without knowing something about our skipper, Captain McWher. Stupid McWher, I called him. And after sailing with him for three years, I ought to know what I'm talking about. My eye tagged him right off the first day he came aboard to take command. In Liverpool it was, and Mr. Siggs, who was one of the owners, was showing him around the deck. There's no more modern ship afloat. I might say again that you've come to us very highly recommended, Captain McWher. We've a great deal of confidence in you. Thank you, Mr. Siggs. She's a brand new ship and a good ship. There's no reason why you shouldn't continue in command of her as long as you like. Well, that's fine. She'll be the smartest thing afloat in the Chinese trade. Why, she's put together like a Swiss watch. Precision built from stem to stern. Wait just a minute, Mr. Siggs. What is it? That lock. Lock? What lock? Here on the cabin door. What about it? You'll notice how it's been set in the frame somewhat cocked at an angle. The ship starts rolling a bit and the first thing you know it snaps open and leaves the door swinging. It really should be fixed. It really should be fixed, Mr. Siggs. That's Captain McWher. The best berth he'd ever had. New command of brand new ship. When instead of pinching himself to see if he's awake, he complains about a lock on the cabin door. See what I mean? Captain McWher, I see what you mean. I'll have it attended to right away. I think you'll do all right. Thank you, Mr. Siggs. Well, everybody knows what the China coast is. You haul out of Bangkok for a quick run up to Singapore and then shove off 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. Alone in there somewhere, the owners decided to transfer the ship's registry to the Siamese flag. 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 figure to go on sailing under it. Not that the skipper, of course, could understand that kind of a feeling. Oh no, not all stupid McWher. Aye, what is that, Mr. Jukes? They just sent the new flag out from shore, sir. Here it is. Oh, fine, fine. Unroll it. Let's have a look. Ah, yes. In my opinion, sir, it's a queer kind of flag for a man to sail under. Oh, and what's the matter with it? Well, it just looks queer to me, that's all. Well, now let's see. A white elephant on a red field. Just a minute. I'll look it up in the book. Here we are. Siam. White elephant on a field of bright red. Length exactly twice the breadth. So, there's nothing wrong with this flag, Mr. Jukes. Oh, isn't there? Not a thing. I hardly thought there 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 confused with some other flag, Mr. Jukes. Well, all I can say is... Of course, you'll have to take care of the seamen. Don't hoist the elephant upside down. That is before they're quite used to it. I presume it might be taken for a signal of distress. And in that case, well, the way I see it, that elephant stands for something like the nature of a Union Jack in the British flag. Oh, you think so? Well, it's like a Bloomer Noah's Ark. That's what it is. Mr. Jukes. I'm sorry, sir. I can't see where the color of a flag could anywise affect the navigation of a ship. I... All right, sir. I'll instruct the hands. It'd certainly be a most distressful sight to see that elephant hoisted upside down. Well, that was Captain McWherb. Couldn't get a thing through his head if you drew him a picture. And that's the skipper we had to sail under on the maddest, wildest trip that any coaster ever took. We were loading out in Singapore. Half the cargo had already come aboard. The sun was blazing and the smoke from our stacks hung over the decks like a blanket. Then Aunt Shann's winches puffed away aft, the cargo chains creaked and clattered across the comings. I was in the way supervising the loading when Mr. Routh, the chief engineer, came up... Hey there, Jukes. What's going on down there on the dock? Looks like a blooming army. I don't know, Mr. Routh. Must be a mob of coolies on the move. Here comes the captain. Could be some of his doing. Mr. Jukes. Aye, sir. Keep the forward clean deck clear of cargo. There'll be 200 coolies coming aboard and we'll plan to bunk them down there. Good Lord, where are they bound? Fuchow. We'll have to put in there this trip. Yeah, but we're not fixed to handle passengers, sir. No, they'll bring supplies aboard with them. Every man's got a camphor wood chest, so you'll have to nail deck battens down there to keep them from sliding. Yes, sir. I'll see to it. They've all been working on a plantation north somewhere. Two-year contract. They're dying to get home. It wouldn't have been quite right to turn them down. You may as well start them coming aboard, Mr. Jukes. All right, sir. Alley number one, boy, all the same. Listen, you savvy, huh? Alley, fellow, catch them here. Top side, catch them. Step, step. Bottom side. Alley time, chop, chop. Single file now. One fellow, one time, all the time. What do you suppose they carry in those boxes? Oh, I suppose their personal belongings, Mr. Jukes. And, of course, their two years' pay in silver dollars. Well, they're as vicious a-looking bunch of murderers as I've ever seen. Murderers? Oh, come now, Mr. Jukes. One or two of them, maybe. But in the main, I'd say their honest workmen have to be to stick out a two-year contract on one of these plantations. Just the same, sir. We'd better not take any chances. No, I checked the lading weights carefully, Mr. Jukes. We can carry them without any overloading at all. I mean that... All right, sir. I'd better go hide the silverware in the officer's mess. Mmm. He's a hard lad to understand sometimes. I could say I had a premonition right then, and I wouldn't be lying. Anyway, that's how it started. At the hottest time of the year, 200 half-civilized coolies aboard, a captain with no more imagination than you could stick in your ear, we steamed out from Singapore, and later, of course, for the port of Fuchow. I tell you, Jukes, I don't like it. I don't like it a bit. What don't you like about it, Mr. Rumb? The looks of things. Something ominous about it. Oh, there's a bit of a swell running all right. There's not a breath of wind. It's uncommonly hot, that's all. Gives a man the jumps. You're as bad as the second mate. He's been groaning around like the voice of doom all day. Oh, Mr. Jukes. Mr. Jukes. Oh, that's the old man. I'll see you later. Keep your steam up, Mr. Rumb. Are you calling me, Captain? Yes, Mr. Jukes. What was all the long conversation with Mr. Rout? Oh, nothing much, sir. I didn't see any harm in talking a bit. I'm not on watch, you know. Oh, no, no. Nothing wrong with it. Nothing at all. I just wondered what you could find to talk about. Well, different things. I don't know. I've seen people on shore sit around a table and talk for two or three hours. I never could understand it. It's just conversation. That's all, about nothing in particular. Seems pretty silly. Well, you've noticed the barometer, no doubt? Yes, sir. It's dropping. Falling fast. Quite low now. Take a look. I'll say it's dropping. Bad time of the year for that sort of thing. Very bad. Anything you want me to do, sir? Oh, no, no. Must be some uncommonly dirty weather knocking about somewhere. Eh, Mr. Jukes? Yes, sir. Well, that's all. Just thought you ought to know about it, that's all. Carry on, sir. Carry on. Oh, there's a heavy one all right, mate. Them coolies must be having a time of it down below. Lucky for them, the old girl rolls easier than any ship I've ever seen. You just wait. Oh, you think we may be in for it, huh? Oh, no. I don't think anything. You're not going to make a fool out of me that way, Mr. Jukes. I didn't say a word. What's the matter with you, second? Why shouldn't you say what you think, if you're a mind... Oh, no, you don't catch me. Whoa, there's another one. That's pretty rough. Now, whatever is about, we're steaming right into it. You just try telling the old man that. And why shouldn't I? Matter of fact, I think I'll ask him about this cross swell. It's getting worse all the time. I've known skippers to break some right good men for saying the whole long list. Uh, Captain McQuirer. Ah, yes, Mr. Jukes. What is it? The swell is getting a good deal worse, sir. Yes, I noticed that in here. Anything wrong? Well, I, uh, I was thinking about the passengers. Huh? What passengers? Why, the coolies, sir. Then if you mean coolies, say coolies, Mr. Jukes. 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 head at the swell for a bit. Until this goes down, of course. So that's it, eh? Put her head at the swell. Four points off the coast. Well, it's just for a while, sir. A swell as high as this can't last long. That stands to reason. Mr. Jukes, take a look at the barometer. Good lord. Yes, exactly. It's a dead calm outside, isn't it? It's not a breath of air stirring, sir. Only that cross swell. I've been reading in the book here about storms. It's a funny thing. If a man believed everything written down here, he'd spend half his life running to get behind the weather. If I was to go by what this fellow says, I'd alter my course and come booming into Fuchow from the north. Four days late, 300 extra miles in distance, and a pretty bill for coal on top of it. I tell you, Mr. Jukes, if I knew every word in here was gospel true, I couldn't bring myself to do that. No, sir, I guess not. And how's a man to know if the book is right? If you dodge around a spot of dirty weather, how do you ever find out it was there in the first place? Answer me that. No, Mr. Jukes, there's things that a man can't get from books. I've thought it all out this afternoon. We'll hold her steady as she goes. Whatever you say, sir. You're the captain. I guess I'd better write up the log. I'm going on watch. Good. I'd say we're heading into something a bit out of the ordinary. Call me at once if anything shows up in the night, Mr. Jukes. All right, sir. I'll see to it. And, Mr. Jukes... Yes, sir. If you're going into the chart room, please close that blinking door. I can't stand here a door banging. Yes, sir. 8 p.m. Swell increasing. Ship lavering heavily and taking water on all decks. Still a dead calm and very hot. Batten down the coolies for the night. The barometer is still falling. All appearances indicate an approaching typhoon. The night is coming. All right, Haggard, hold her steady as she goes. That's all we can do. Aye, sir. I'll sure try to. Well, do the best you can. Aye, aye, sir. Mr. Jukes. Mr. Jukes. Aye, Captain. I'm coming. Stand by. Over here, Mr. Jukes. Stand by the trail. Right, sir. Coming over. Mr. Jukes, why didn't you call me? There was no warning, sir. It is all of a sudden about five minutes ago blasted right out of a dead calm. The book was right in some parts anyhow. How's it going in the wheelhouse? Haggardus, look out, sir. Hang on. What about Haggard? He's on the wheel. Second is putting up shutters. The window glass will go if she starts breaking any higher. Oh, she'll break higher, Mr. Jukes. Much higher. It's a happy thought. To have an order, of course. No, sir. Heading straight at the winds. Good. Nothing else we can do, Mr. Jukes. Understand? Yes, sir. Something the man can't find in books. Just keep her at it, that's all. Captain, our boats are starting to break away. That's all right. But the boats, the two of them are gone now. It can't be helped, Mr. Jukes. Hammering through a mess like this, you're bound to leave something behind. That's the reason. Hold hard. Oh, she's still rising, all right. That one broke over the wheelhouse. We're done for for sure. What's that, Mr. Jukes? You say something? I said, is there any chance at all, sir? Can she live through it? She may. We can hope so long. At least she's a good ship. That's all a man can ask. What's that, somebody yelling? It's below us on the floor, Dexon. Up here, starboard bridge. Man shouldn't be on that deck, yes he has to. It's a bit dangerous. Captain, is there a ship? Over here. What's the trouble, Bozen? In Chinese, sir. Wait, hang on. The Chinese. What about them? They've all fetched away, sir. One big lump, it's horrible. Yeah, now what do you mean, fetched away? Rolling around in a hole in one big lump, screaming like blooming maniacs, sir. All adrift. Mr. Jukes? Yes, sir. I can't make head or tail of this. I guess you'd better go below and see to 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 Bozen with you. I'm going to try for the wheelhouse. All right, sir. Come on, Bozen. Right, sir. Just straighten it out. That's all. Well, how's the wheel stand, Haggett? As steady as she goes, sir. You realize, of course, we've hit a typhoon. Aye, sir. Sorry, I can't give you relief. Can you manage a while longer? I'll hold it to the course, sir, as long as there's a ship beneath her. That won't be long. Anything wrong, Saget? Wrong? We're all as good as dead, man. That's what's wrong. Oh, now, I wouldn't say that. She's still afloat. And we've got it lucky here on deck. Plenty of chance to see what's coming before it hits us. A man always feels better when he can see what's coming. But it's a different story down below there. Not having knowledge of what's going on. Not knowing if we're afloat or sinking. Now, there's the lad that's got it tough. The ones down there in the engine room. Come on, now, swing to it. Keep it moving. No time now for the steam to drop. Here, ride that throttle, Beal. Can't let her rip her shaft out when she breaks clear of those wells. Hello, Bridge. Hello, Bridge. God, why don't they answer the speaking tool? Can't tell if they're dead or alive up there. Hello! Hello! Yes, Mr. Rout? Captain, how is it on deck? By the look. It depends mostly on you. Well, so far so good. We're holding a full head of steam. Good. We'll need it. Don't let me drive her under, sir. Have to take a chance. Can't see 20 feet up here. Got to keep moving enough to steer. I understand, sir. Count on us. Getting smashed about a good deal, but doing fairly well. As long as the wheelhouse is done. Wait. Wait, hold on. Hello! Hello! Is that the captain, Mr. Rout? I've got to talk to him right away. Wait a minute, Jukes. Something's happened up there. Hello! Hello, Bridge. You still there, Mr. Rout? Right. Anything wrong, sir? No, not now. The second mate's lost, though. Overboard? Oh, no. Lost his nerve. Awkward circumstance. Had to lock him out, too. Too bad. You hear that, Jukes? Yes. Let me talk to him. Captain, Jukes here. The Bozen and I just took a look at the tween deck. It's them Blument boxes, sir. They've all broke loose and smashed to bits. The Coolies are fighting like crazy men for them silver dollars that's rolling around. Fighting? We can't have fighting on board, Mr. Jukes. There are 200 of them, sir. They're all trying to kill each other. I can't have it, Mr. Jukes. Put a stop to it at once, do you hear? Put a stop to it? How? They're crazy men. They'll kill anybody that came on that deck. You're second in command, Mr. Jukes. Use your authority. Make it clear to them. We simply can't have fighting. Make it clear to them? Oh, yes, sir. After that, you'd better gather up all the money. I can't have it lying about on the deck. Get the Bozen to help you. Wait. Here it comes. Gee, arse of hat. There's the one that does it. That must have swept the deck from stem to stern. Hello. Hello, Captain McGuire. You all right up there? The friff is all right, Mr. Wright. All the boats and half the starboard rail carried away. Nothing serious. Nothing to worry about, Mr. Wright. Carry on. Nothing to worry about? Carry on. You're all right, Captain. As you say, sir, carry on. Carry on? Hey, now, hey, now, where you going? Where you going, eh? Where do you think I'm going, you loud-mouthed old windbag? Out on that deck to get myself murdered. Ha-ha! Ha-ha! Nothing serious, Jukes. Nothing to worry about. The whole blooming world's falling apart, and I'm out picking up silver dollars. Captain's orders. Come on, Bozen. Don't miss any old Jukes. Carry on, boy. Carry on. Ha-ha-ha! Blame me, sir. Look at that. It's short, deathly, dormant. No help for it. Our gallant skipper says to stop the fighting. Use our authority. All right, then. Quiet down. Come on, Bozen. Aye, sir. Stow it there, you fools. Cut it out now, do you hear me? Authority, huh? You're clean out of their heads. We got to drive them to the bulkhead. Back up now. Hey, none of that. Stay to it, Bozen. We got to show them what for and nothing else to do. Back up there! Captain's orders, you know. Follow me, Bozen. Aye, sir. Aye, aye, aye. I was just thinking, sir. What about back there? No fighting allowed. Skip his orders. I was just thinking, aye, aye. What if the old lady could see me now? She'd say, oh, you jolly sailor lad. Keep over there. Jam him up, Bozen. Into the bulkhead. Captain. Where are you, Captain? Over here, Mr. Dukes. You got everything cleared up down below? Oh, yes, we took care of everything, sir. I thought you would. The wind fell all at once, top cold. It's been like this for ten minutes now. If you think it was an easy job to bring that mob under control... The Coolies? Oh, I'd say it wasn't. Had to do what's fair by them, though. Mr. Dukes, that barometer in there stands at the lowest point I've ever seen a glass in my life. You mean there'll be more of it? The worst yet, according to the book. It'll break sudden now. Any minute. A puff or two of wind 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, sir? She may come through it. She's a good ship. Here's the first puff. It'll hit us hard when it comes. You left them pretty safe, did you? The Coolies? We strung lifelines. Gives them something to hold on to. Good. I'd like to give them all the chance we can, whatever happens. They'll be all right, sir. I broke out rifles. Parade of the crew. Put them guarding all the companionways, leading off the team deck. You armed the crew, Mr. Dukes? Oh, sure. We won't have any trouble with them now, sir. Mr. Dukes, please have those rifles returned to the magazines at once. What? There'll be work for every man aboard in a few minutes. I can't spare seamen to stand around and hold rifles when it isn't necessary. Isn't necessary? Don't you realize those savages will think we stole their money? They'll tear us to bits if they ever get out of that deck. Oh, I think they'll understand we're dealing fair by them. Collect the rifles, Mr. Dukes. Captain, it's suicide. The best thing we can do is turn the whole mess over to the authorities in Fuzhou. If we ever get there. Well, I don't know. I figure that when anything happens on shipboard, it's up to me to settle it on shipboard. Part of the duties of commanding a vessel, Mr. Dukes. I've no doubt I'll be able to reach an understanding with these men later. Understanding? You ought to have seen him a while ago when me and the Boatswain was down there. Lost their heads a bit, I guess. No wonder at that when here she comes. Pick up those rifles, Mr. Dukes, and something else. Yes, Captain. If anything happens to me, you'll be in charge. Only advice, keep her facing it. Best way to get through, facing it. That's enough for any man. All right, Captain, I'll remember. And one thing more, Mr. Dukes. Yes, sir. Something that always helps at sea is to keep a cool head. Just keep a cool head. Oh, no, keep a cool head. A stitch in time saves nine a rolling stone. What in the name of heaven do you do with a man like that? There was a clear blue sky and bright sunshine in the morning we steamed in the Fuchow Harbor. Mr. Rout was leaning on a hatch combing, smoking a pipe, and the boatswain lounged on the foredeck, waiting to pick up a line from the wharf. And the captain? Well, he was the captain of the ship. And the captain of the ship? Well, he was the captain of the ship. And the captain of the ship? Well, he was the captain of the ship. And the captain of the ship? And the captain? Well, he was engaged in the most unusual occupation. He was sitting at a table on the foredeck, handing out silver dollars to them blinking coolies, all divided up even, the same amount 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 for two years at the same rate of pay, then their savings ought to all be about equal. As you can see, of course, that wasn't necessarily true by any means, wasn't even legal. But you couldn't tell him anything. Well, that's that. Uh, Mr. Dukes? Yes, sir. Coming, Captain. Well, Mr. Dukes, I've disposed of our little collection of silver dollars. Ah, that's great. Only wait till those boys get us sure and file claims against us. Oh, no, they won't do that. As a matter of fact, they were quite pleased at having it arranged that way. Figured it might avoid a lot of arguments later. They, uh, they sent a spokesman to thank me. Well, I'll be... Mr. Dukes, you may as well give all the hands six hours leave before we start working the cargo. Whatever you say, Captain. Oh, yes, and, uh, before the carpenter leaves, I wish you'd have him fix the lock on that port cabin door. What? That seems to have got broken somehow. During the storm, I suppose. I can't stand to hear a door banging, Mr. Dukes. Aye, sir. I, uh... I don't suppose it matters that the ship has battered from stem to stern, half her topside carried away, and smashed till she looks like a bloomin' tinsel freighter. Mr. Dukes, I don't understand you. You don't understand me, sir? Do you understand that we've come through the worst typhoon on the China seas in 20 years? We're the only ship that got through? It's true. I suppose we were a bit lucky. Lucky, sir? With 200 murdering cutthroats running loose aboard in the very heavens doing their worst? We had a job to do, and we did it. That's all, Mr. Dukes. That's the important thing? Yes, sir. That's, uh, that's all. That's all, he says. A job to do. A bit lucky. What can you do with a man as thick as that? But then, as I started to turn away, Captain McQuarris had something else that surprised me. With emotion rung from the very bottom of his soul, he uttered words I never thought I'd hear coming from so stupid a man. But I'm glad we brought her through, Mr. Dukes. Truly I am. She's a good ship, Mr. Dukes. A good ship. I should have hated to lose her. I should have hated to lose her. Hyphoon by Joseph Conrad was adapted for radio by Les Crutchfield and produced and directed by William N. Robeson. Mike Lovejoy as Dukes, Raymond Lawrence as Captain McQuarris, and Cy Kendall as Ralph the Engineer. The special musical score was conceived and conducted by Cy Fuhr. Escape is presented by the Columbia Broadcasting System and its affiliated stations each week at this time. Next week we invite you to Escape to Paris, 500 years ago in Robert Louis Stevenson's story of a fascinating adventure, the Sire de Maltroyes d'Or. And so good night until next week at this time, when again it will be time to Escape. This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.
