Mount Vernon (AP 22) - Naval Cruise Book

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burning in the fireplace. Christmas meant plum pudding and spiced apples. Christmas meant home. The ship moored that day in Mombassa, Kenya Colony, Africa. Mom- bassa was the idea of Africa which lives in the mind of the adventurer. It was the color of the jungle: unwanted orchids hacked from the trees by gardeners, basket weavers at work in the street, grasshopper cakes frying over charcoal, red fezed, nightshirted man pedaling his sewing machine. The Hindus who operated the stores enjoyed the bartering as much as the selling. The crew was initiated into the salesmanship rules of the East. The sale is secondary to the art of wrangling for the final cost. The price of animals was so small they appeared aboard ship: monkeys, dogs, even a goat. On the quarterdeck, Lieutenant Kirkpatrick, found a little grey monkey hiding. Attempting to be friendly, the GOD reached to pet the monkey. Covering its face with its hands, the little fellow cringed and shuddered. The GOD went closer. Eyeing the hand, the monkey suddenly grabbed with both fists, bit, wrinkled up his nose, and spat. The sentry ran aboard and reported, Mr. Kirkpatrick, look, sir. What they saw was an elephant, being led to the ship by its owner, a sailor. Stores arrived aboard in straw filled crates of bamboo or palm frond. - ' ,« n ,b i

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Where oranges, apples, tomatoes, and papaya belonged, nnillions of cockroaches thrived. The progeny are still ship ' s connpany. Eggs (two dozen count) were packed in the same type of crate. The bakers dis- covered that the African count for twenty-four was sometimes eight. Sides of meat came aboard: water buffalo with a refreshing wild flavor. Some cuts were tender, but most were like piano wire or shredded wheat. Dr. Taber was forced to issue warnings about eating green fruit; too many were joining the Head Trotters Club. From Mombassa. the ship sailed to Addu Atoll, Maldive Island group. Seated on the equator, the tiny island was the perfect movie setting for a Dottie Lamour film. Under way again, the captain told all hands they were going into combat area — Singapore. The next afternoon, under a clear sky, the ship sailed into the Jahore Straits. The channel was narrow and the ship could not maneuver. After proceeding well into the channel the ship had to halt to allow a floating mine to slip by, missing the ship by a foot. The British ship following exploded the mine with rifle fire. The radios picked up an air raid warning: There were Jap planes coming. When the red circled bombers of the Nipponese flew into sight, rain clouds blew over and a heavy rain screened the ship from