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The Mystery of Astove Island

Page history last edited by Michael 12 years, 3 months ago

back to The Caverns of Ophir

 

8 December, 1934

 

Our Heroes are on an island in Lake Kivu ...

 

Montage!

 

  • poke around the island for signs of Belgian gun-running, and wave down a fishing boat in Lake Kivu (there are a LOT of them), go to Costermansville: a day

  • recuperate and see to immediate needs in Costermansville:  a day.

  • drive a couple of rented cars from Costermansville to Uvira, on the shores of Lake Tanganyika:  a day. Very scenic, along the Ruzizi River (about a 2% downhill grade).

  • wait in Uvira for the next lake ferry:  two days

  • ride the S.S. Liemba from Uvira to Kigoma:  a day (including stops in Usumbura and Nianza). There are other lake steamers on Lake Tanganyika, but you can't beat the Liemba for cachet! In Kigoma, we send telegrams to the outside world.

 

Gen. and Mrs. A. C. Lewin, who left Heston in a Miles "Hawk Major" on
November 26 to fly home to Kenya, have reached their destination. They landed,
owing to an air-lock in the petrol pipe, about 20 miles short of Kisumu on

December12, the rest of the journey being completed bv lorry.

  • ride the East African Railways from Kigoma to Tabora, and thence to Mwanza (on the shores of Lake Victoria) by the new branch:  three or so days. Also very scenic. Narrow gauge railway mostly built by the Germans, and has first-class carriages available.

  • wait in Mwanza for the ferry:  a couple of days

 

the Montreux Fascist Conference is held in Switzerland

  • ride the ferry to Kisumu:  a couple of days at most. Kisumu is where we purchased or rented our steam launch for travel to Rubondo (drumma).

 

Back in Kisumu on the 21st of December, a couple weeks after coming up from underground.


 

 

There is regular steamboat service around Lake Kivu, with at least two substantial steamships; plus hundreds or thousands of small sailing or rowing vessels operated by fishermen.

 

a steamship at Costermansville

 

Goma, at the north end of Lake Kivu, has a population of about 25,000 persons, of which a few hundred are Europeans (officers of the Force Publique, government officials, a few commercial entrepreneurs, and a lot of missionaries).  There is no telegraph line from Goma; a rudimentary airstrip exists, but without scheduled flights. The provincial government operates a radio here. There's a barracks for a company of the Force Publique, a couple of small hospitals, and a big Catholic church. Any buildings of note are made from blocks of volcanic stone, with sheet-metal roofs. 

 

Costermansville (modern Bukavu), at the southern end of Lake Kivu, has a population of about 15,000 persons. It has very nice subtropical weather.The town is built along five narrow peninsulas; a river separates it from the town of Cyangugu, in Rwanda. Since Rwanda is a mandate trust territory, overseen by Belgium, there's not really much in the way of border controls.This is a sort of resort town for the Belgian Congo, pretty comfortable by "heart of darkness" standards; there are some basic hotels, swimming pools, bars, hospitals ("white" and "native"), etc.  There is a Catholic cathedral here, along with a government-operated radio transmitter, and a primitive airstrip.

 

Costermansville

 

dashed red line shows our route back to Kenya

 

Kisumu, a port on Lake Victoria. Pop. about 4,000. A busy port, with warehouses, cranes, etc. -- even a shipyard. Tea, coffee, tropical fruit and cane sugar farming are important in the area, as is the fishing industry. There are two hotels for Europeans, a small European hospital, another hospital for Africans and other non-whites, a sort of yacht club, a swimming pool for the whites, an ice works, a couple of weekly newspapers operated by missionaries, and other municipal services (a few telephones, but no central electricity or sewage). Corrugated iron and papyrus thatch make up most of the buildings; wide verandahs are common. A lot of the population are Arabic or Indian (Gujaratis, Punjabi Muslims, Hindu Punjabis, Sikhs); there is a small Chinese community. Railway staff and policemen are Sikhs, various other Indians, and Africans. A British officer oversees the police; the senior Sikh sergeant is a veteran of the 14th Ferozepore Sikh regiment, and served in the Boxer Rebellion! The KAR has a company-sized barrack compound here, but there are often no soldiers present. There is a mosque, a Hindu temple, a Sikh temple, a couple of small Catholic churches (one is technically a cathedral), and a lot of various Protestant churches operated by missionaries. Every day, a four-engined Imperial Airways AW.15 "Atalanta" passenger plane lands at the airfield, going either north towards Cairo, or east (to Nairobi and eventually to Capetown, South Africa). Once or twice a year, the RAF puts on an appearance. There are large numbers of mosquitoes in the town, which is one of the most malaria-infected areas in Africa. In the lake hippos and crocodiles are a threat to one's health. Dystentery is also an issue, what with the lack of proper sewers and all. Convicts are employed clearing the papyrus and other shore plants, hoping to keep the mosquito population down.

 

22 December, 1934

 

While standing at the railway platform, Our Heroes witness the return of two trucks of King's African Rifles troops. There are about two dozen of them, many injured; their officers have been killed. They tell of how they were attacked by some sort of animal-men (but apparently not were-leopards) a day or so north of Kisumu. Our Heroes agree to investigate.

 

"If we don't go now, guess who's going to get sent to investigate the problem anyway?"

 

23 December, 1934

 

Our Heroes set out, riding in the two KAR trucks, along with eight soldiers and a Vickers gun.

 

26 December, 1934

 

While searching the countryside for the animal-men, Our Heroes find the wreckage of a crashed aircraft ... it came down about a week before we found it (so about 19 December).

 

 

The aircraft was apparently a flying wing, capable of speeds over 400 miles per hour, with a tremendous range. This may have been only its fifth flight. There's no sign that the aircraft uses any Martian technology (none of the super-metals or squishy bio-mechanical machinery, at any rate); the wings and fuselage were covered in wood. Markings and logos on various components, and painted on the wings, are those of Boulle and his various companies.

 

the roundel used on Boulle's flying wing

 

The 4-man crew were wearing helmeted pressure-suits, or something like that; they all died in the crash We also find some flight logs, and aeronautical strip-charts. The charts reveal that the aircraft was based on Astove Island, in the Seychelles; it had been making flights out to as far as Ceylon (in the Indian Ocean) and Ascencion (in the Atlantic). There was some sort of refueling base or landing strip on the western coast of Africa. The distance from Astove Island to Ceylon is about 2,000 miles; to the west coast of Africa, about 3,000 miles; so the range of the aicraft is at least 4,000 miles, but not more than about 6,000 miles. Of interest to Lotta and Fury:  the wreck of a galleon is shown on the charts of Astove Island, just off the northern shore.

 

27 December, 1934

 

Our Heroes bury the bodies of the airmen (3 caucasian, 1 asiatic), and gather some items from the wreckage for analysis later.

 

John Paul Chase, the last member of the Dillinger gang, is captured by police in Mount Shasta, California.

 

28 December, 1934

 

A bit after midnight, the camp is attacked by about 8 lizard-men, carrying various ray-guns. Their eyes glow or reflect red in the darkness! One of the KAR soldiers is grabbed by the lizard-men; but before they can carry him off into the darkness, they are slain by Fury's 45mm gun. Some sort of animated mound of dirt (a dirt devil? an elemental? a golem? we don't know) manifests in the camp; but the lizard-man and the dirt-creature are all rapidly slain by honest human firearms (and Fury's cleverly-placed explosive charges). 

 

Among the blasted corpses of the lizard-men Our Heroes scavenge some belts and vests, and several odd ray-guns.

 

In the day, we finish rummaging among the aircraft crash debris, and decide that our wounded KAR soldier really needs to get to a hospital.

 

29 December, 1934

 

Japan renounces the London and Washington Naval Treaties.

 

30 December, 1934

 

First test flight of the Martian M130 China Clipper.

 

1 January, 1935

 

The adventurers and the KAR detachment return to Kisumu. The soldier is placed in the hospital, and Our Heroes tear off their rotten clothes, have a good meal, a few stiff drinks (from what's left after New Year's Eve) and fall fast asleep in decent beds!

 

The GPU becomes the NKVD.

 

3 January, 1935

 

After a full day of rest and recuperation (and a flurry of telegraph-sending by Major DeLacy), Our Heroes set out for Nairobi this morning, arriving late in the day.

 

The trial of Bruno Hauptmann, accused of the Lindbergh kidnapping, begins.

 

4 January, 1935

 

On to Mombasa! The train leaves Nairobi at 8:30 in the morning, and arrives at Mombasa at 10 o'clock at night. DeLacy is met, around midnight, at his hotel by several British officers and other officials.

 

5 January, 1935

 

The wreckage of Boulle's aircraft is examined, and a storm of encoded telegrams are sent to London; more return. Major DeLacy and Bill Davis are ordered to return to London. Ivanov and Nora Cullin will accompany them, along with some of the more significant bits of the airplane, and some lizard-man ray-guns. The party of four leaves Mombasa on the overnight train, bound for Nairobi.

 

Lotta, Fury and Qua Lin will head for Zanzibar, to find their crew, see how the sale of the Calgarian went, and to obtain a new vessel. The party agrees to meet again in Zanzibar.

 

Notes:  per the Kenya Gazette for July 1935:  mail by ship from Nairobi to England takes 18 to 21 days (by train from Marseilles); by air, 6 days.

 

6 January, 1935

 

Mid-day in Nairobi:  DeLacy, Davis, Ivanov and Cullin board the mighty Armstrong-Whitworth transport, bound for England! They will be six days on the journey, via the Sudan, Egypt, Greece, Italy and France.

 

12 January, 1935

 

DeLacy and his party arrive in London, and are put up in a not-very-grand hotel.

 

13 January, 1935

 

DeLacy and Davis meet with Top Men, Boffins, Brass Hats, and Spymasters for several days. An offer is made to send the party to some sort of highly-dangerous training course operated by the secret services; kindly refused for now. Ivanov spends the time in England at bars and dance halls; he also buys some replacement insignia and other bits-and-pieces to keep his uniform up to date.

 

The British government agrees to provide limited support (12 Royal Marines) for Major DeLacy's reconnaissance of Astove Island.

 

23 January, 1935

 

DeLacy and crew begin the six-day flight back to Kenya.

 

28 January, 1935

 

DeLacy and crew arrive in Nairobi

 

29 January, 1935

 

... and arrive in Mombasa in the morning. By the end of the day, they are on a ship bound for Dar-Es-Salaam (it's about a 200 mile trip).

 

30 January, 1935

 

DeLacy and crew arrive in Dar-Es-Salaam, and take the morning ferry over to Zanzibar.


6 January, 1935

 

Captain Lotta, Fury and Qua Lin board a small steamship bound for Dar-Es-Salaam.

 

7 January, 1935

 

They arrive in Dar-Es-Salaam, and take the morning ferry to Zanzibar. There, they find the rest of Lotta's crew, who have sold the Calgarian for £25,000 (a pretty good deal, considering the short notice and the location). Lotta and her crew begin looking for a new vessel.

 

8 January, 1935

 

A total eclipse of the Moon, visible in Europe, Africa, Asia and Alaska.

 

11 January, 1935

 

Miss Amelia Earhart (Mrs. George Putnam),

in spite of strong official opposition and criticism,

has succeeded in flying across the Pacific from Honolulu to
Oakland, California, a distance of 2,400 miles,

in 18-1/4 hours. This is the first time the Pacific has been

flown solo and by a woman. Miss Earhart -- who was the

first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic and across the

United States -- flew a Lockheed "Vega" monoplane,

and left Honolulu at 4.45 p.m. (local time) on Saturday,

January 12. She had good weather on the whole,

although she encountered much cloud and ran through several

rain squalls; she flew at an average of 8,000ft. Her "Vega"
was not only equipped with wireless, but she also carried

flotation gear in case of descent into the sea. Needless to say,
she received a tremendous reception on her arrival at Oakland.

 

14 January, 1935

 

A not-too-decrepit steam trawler is purchased, to be overhauled and converted for use by Lotta and her gang. Named Fury's Fate, the main hatch can fold open to form a landing platform for a flapter. The cost of purchasing, repairing and converting this vessel comes to £22,500.

 

15 - 25 January, 1935

 

The Fury's Fate finishes overhauling, conversion, and some working-up voyages in the general area of Zanzibar and the Seychelles. Fury and Lotta make some flapter flights over Astove Island, discovering quite a lot of secret military preparations:  anti-aircraft guns, huge runways and hangars, a factory, radio towers, and a dock with a couple of steamships present.

 

16 January, 1935

 

Ma and Fred Barker are killed in Florida by Federal agents, after a four-and-a-half hour gun battle.

First flight of the enormous Latecoere 521 flying boat, intended for Transatlantic passenger service.

 

24 January, 1935

 

Unfavourable weather conditions have forced the Ellsworth-Wilkins expedition to
abandon its idea of a trans-Antarctic flight this season.


Only one square mile in area, Wake Island, in the Pacific, has been transferred to the control of the U.S. Navy "for administrative purposes." It is rumoured that the island

is to be used during the spring as a base for experimental transpacific flights.


According to a report from Washington, President Roosevelt has approved the construction by the Government, at a cost of /i,000,000, of an airship which

will be larger than the new Zeppelin now under construction at Friedrichshafen

for Atlantic air services. This will lead to the formation of a private company

which will co-operate with the German Zeppelin group.

 

25 January, 1935

 

Five Italian soldiers are killed near Wal Wal by the Ethiopian army; Mussolini begins mobilizing two divisions for an invasion of Ethiopia. Ethiopia again asks the League of Nations to intervene, and begins a general mobilization.

 

gaming note:  the Ethiopian air force in early 1935 consists of three old Potez 25-A2 biplanes, and a half-dozen transport aircraft. The pilots include Mishka Babitchef (an Ethiopian with a Russian father), Andre Maillet and Paul Corriger (both Frenchmen), Baron von Engel-Janosi (a Hungarian Jew), Hubert Julian (a famous and flamboyant African-American pilot), three Ethiopians, and a couple more foreigners.

 

26 January, 1935

 

The Incident of the Rampaging Altar Stone, in Zanzibar. Somewhere in Stone Town, Zanzibar, there is a new attraction ... al-Madbah, "The Altar of Sacrifice".

 

 

 

30 January, 1935

 

Our Heroes are together again! We meet at a tavern, al-Inqayis Shahm ("The Greasy Eel"), and the plot against Boulle ripens.

 

Astove Island

(this information represents what is known about Astove Island before our reconnaissance)

 

Astove Island is part of the Aldabra group of the Seychelles. It is 24 miles SSE of Cosmoledo Atoll. It is a raised coral island of most peculiar form: a single stretch of land, Astove Island measures nearly 5 miles north to south and about 3.8 mi at most east to west. The island encloses a shallow lagoon. This has a maximum depth of 10 ft, and the only exit is a winding passage in the southwest, called Gueule Bras Channel.

 

For obscure historical reasons, Astove Island  remains a French possession.

 

The only settlement is on the western coast. There is a crushed coral and stone airstrip on the north east point of the island, and remnants of a former coconut and sisal plantation. Today, the island is rarely visited - usually by archaelogists researching the dozens of ship wrecks in the area. The near-vertical drop-off from its outer reef edge is a ideal for fishing.

 

Astove's unusual structure has raised questions about its formation. It was suggested that Astove is not a true raised atoll, but rather a reef flat, with the lagoon being washed out later. In any case, the lagoon indeed grows slowly, owing to rainwater, acidic from the soil's humic acids, dissolving the lagoon's carbonate rock bottom. This causes the unusual milky-white color of the lagoon's waters.

 

Here is a modern photo of Astove; we'll get a map from Kevin.

 

map showing Astove Island

 

31 January, 1935

 

A dozen Royal Marines, including a sergeant, arrive at Zanzibar in mufti. They are spirited aboard the Fury's Fate, which departs at sunset with a sailboat in tow. The trip from Zanzibar to the vicinity of Astove Island is about 1200 miles, but the Fury's Fate won't be proceeding directly there. There will be a few practice landings on deserted coasts, and firearms checks on sand-spits where nobody can hear us practicing.

 

Ivanov begins cleaning up the galley, heads and pantry aboard the Fury's Fate.

 

7 February, 1935

 

Edna "The Kissing Bandit" Murray and Jess Doyle of the Barker-Karpis gang are captured in Kansas.

 

9 February, 1935

 

The sailboat, with Our Heroes and the 12 Marines on board, lands on a deserted part of Astove Island late at night. The Marines are left to guard the boat, and to watch some nearby areas that might have Boulle's guards; they are told to depart at 2 a.m. if they don't hear from us, and proceed back to the ship; the Fury's Fate is lurking away from the island, out of sight. Our Heroes proceed across the island, mugging a couple of guards on the way; Ivanov snags a beret with Boulle's insignia from one of them.

 

10 February, 1935

 

After midnight, Our Heroes arrive along the edge of the runway. Another of Boulle's flying wings is being prepared for flight, and a score of other aircraft are parked on the apron before the two reinforced hangars.

 

  • two Heinkel He-70 :  German high-speed transports (single engine, 2 crew, 4 passengers, 180 mph, 1300 miles range, fuselage made of magnesium!)

  • two Arado Ar-80 : experimental German monoplane fighters

  • three Fokker F.VIIb/3m : Dutch tri-motor transports

  • six Fiat CR.32 : Italian biplane fighter aircraft

  • two CAMS 37/12 :  French amphibian biplane (one engine, 3 seats, 114 mph, 1140 miles range; can carry 660 pounds of bombs or torpedoes)

 

a simplified roundel used on Boulle's aircraft

 

Our Heroes sneak into one of the hangars, rummage through the paperwork, break into a safe, etc. Among other things obtained:  more navigation charts; and technical manuals in Spanish, from an Argentine source, possibly for the engines of the flying wings. Fury provides a set of small bombs to string along the flight line, timed to go off after our departure; and some larger bombs to leave in the hangars. After the flying wing departs, we sneak out to the flight line, plant bombs, and steal the two Heinkel aircraft (Nora and Lotta piloting) and one of the French amphibians (Fury piloting). A set of glorious explosions lights up the night sky behind us as we depart!

 

The Heinkels fly to Kenya, landing at Mombasa; the amphibian lands at sea near the Fury's Fate, lets them know they should head back to Zanzibar, and flies onward to the Comoros Islands. Delacy sends the radio message which signals the Fourth Cruiser Squadron to begin speeding towards Astove Island, to "render aid."

 

In the evening, Our Heroes in Kenya (Nora Cullin, Major DeLacy, Bill Davis, and Qua Lin) send a message to Lotta, and board the overnight train for Nairobi.

 

11 February, 1935

 

Those of Our Heroes headed for England board the Imperial Airways flight for England. 

 

The keel of the U-boat U-1, first submarine to be built in Nazi Germany, is laid at a shipyard in Kiel, with much public fanfare.

 

12 February, 1935

The dirigible USS Macon crashes and sinks in the Pacific Ocean off Point Sur, California. All but 2 of the 83 persons aboard were rescued.

16 February, 1935

 

Those of Our Heroes meeting with the British Government arrive in London, for a stay of at least 2-1/2 weeks. They won't be back in Kenya till before 11 March. This gives Lotta, Fury and  Ivanov a month to goof around in the Indian Ocean.

 

From Rome, the first detachments of Italian troops left for Italy's African colonies as Benito Mussolini continued silent as to the stand he means to take in the Italo-Ethiopian controversy.

 

On to separate adventures:   Back to Blighty, and Hoist High the Jolly Roger

 

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