I Married Adventure

by Osa Johnson

  * * *

  —

  We were on our way in a cab back to the hotel. Martin was still smiling.

  “It’s all nonsense,” he said.

  “What’s all nonsense?”

  “This thing about cake. Not being able to eat it and have it too. We’ve been doing it all along.”

  I was thinking about something else, about how hard he’d had to work on this Borneo trip, and never a word said about it.

  “What I mean,” he said, “is that we’ve had the fun of going to places like Borneo, and then of coming back and showing our pictures, and sort of living the fun all over again.”

  “Yes, I know,” I said.

  “Why,” he continued enthusiastically, “I ate my cake once again for every youngster in that audience this afternoon.”

  “Yes,” I said, “but there’s one thing wrong with this whole business. You never tell anybody how hard you worked in that horrid, steaming jungle.”

  “Well, gosh, you worked just as hard as I did.”

  “I haven’t stood, bathed in sweat, for hours and hours over developing tanks, and over cameras and sound machines that were all corroded. I haven’t seen the work of months—twenty thousand feet of film—lying under my hands, ruined by mildew!”

  My husband pulled his lips in while he thought about this. Then he grinned.

  “Maybe not,” he said, “but you had the work of managing things—helping win the confidence of the natives and seeing that I had good food, too, and taking care of me and keeping me from having fevers.”

  “That was my job, and it isn’t important now. But that beautiful picture. It is beautiful, the critics all say so, yet it looks as if you photographed it as easy as pie.”

  “Oh, well, it’s been fun, too. Even the hard part has been fun.” He sighed with an intense satisfaction.

  We had had dinner sent up to our room and were just sitting down to it when the hotel phone rang. The clerk said that two little girls were in the lobby and wanted to interview us for their school paper.

  “Why, sure,” my husband said. “Send them right up.”

  “Here,” I said impatiently. “At least have some soup while it’s hot.”

  There was a light rap at the door. I opened it, and in walked two rosy-cheeked schoolgirls. They carried brand-new notebooks and freshly sharpened pencils.

  “We’re writing an article for our school paper,” they said in a lovely bird-like duet. “You see, while we made a lot of notes on your lecture this afternoon, we need a few more details.”

  “Well, fine,” said Martin. “I hope you’ll make a special point of mentioning that proboscis monkey. He was one of the chief reasons we went back to Borneo.”

  The blue-eyed girl dismissed this at once. “First,” she said, “we want to know more about the Rajah of Sarawak at Kuching, and your dinner with him and the Ranee.”

  “Oh, I see—well—”

  “We know, of course, that he is the White Rajah, the third generation of the Brookes to rule—”

  “That’s right.”

  “Did you dine in a palace?”

  “Well, maybe you’d call it a palace.” My husband grinned. “Anyhow, it was a very nice house.”

  “Palace,” said the blue-eyed girl firmly, and wrote it in her book.

  “You see,” Martin put it, “we’d had no luck at all on our first trip to Borneo—with the proboscis monkey, I mean, and—”

  “What else happened at the palace?” The blue-eyed child was now looking at me.

  “Well,” I tried to think. “We went to the grandstand on the parade grounds and witnessed a most interesting pageant. Troops drilled, natives wrestled, wild men from the interior danced and pretended to fight.”

  “Oh, that’s wonderful!” said the brown-eyed little girl. They both scribbled like mad. “And did you sit in the grandstand with the Rajah and his lady?” she asked. “As their guests, I mean?”

  “Yes. Yes, that’s right,” Martin replied with a longing look in the direction of our fast-cooling dinner.

  “And,” put in the brown-eyed girl, “about the Sultan of Johore?”

  “Why, he gave a banquet for us at the palace,” I said. “It was really very nice. He was most gracious.”

  “Did the sultan wear a crown or a turban, and were there a lot of jewels in it?”

  Martin looked at me. “He wore regular dinner things, didn’t he, Osa?”

  “Turban with jewels in it,” firmly said the blue-eyed child.

  “That proboscis monkey—he’s a rare fellow, and I think—” My husband tried again.

  “And about flying the way you did over those jungles?” asked the brown-eyed one. “Weren’t you afraid?”

  Martin was uncertain. “Sometimes, of course,” he said. “But, we had done so much flying—sixty thousand miles over Africa and all—”

  “Yes, but in that storm. What if you had had to make a forced landing?”

  My husband was quite earnest. “Oh, we’d have managed somehow, I guess,” he said.

  “But all those wild people and animals and snakes, and things—what about those?”

  “It wouldn’t have been any fun, of course,” Martin smiled, “but when you fly over countries where there are no regular air routes, landing fields, or radio beams, you just have to—well, sort of take those chances.”

  “And, of course,” I added, “we had a wonderful pilot and a very fine plane.”

  “Oh, yes,” my husband said. “While you’re about it, you might put down there that we flew thirty thousand miles over Borneo.”

  The two little girls seemed suddenly aware of our fast-chilling dinner, and took a hurried and embarrassed leave.

  “Don’t forget about the proboscis monkey!” Martin called after them as they ran with sudden shyness out the door.

  We were at the airport the following morning at six o’clock to catch the plane for Burbank, California, and, as Martin had said, it might as well have been the middle of the night.

  “I wish we had thought to get the names of those two little girls,” he said.

  “I was just thinking the same thing,” I said. “Why couldn’t we write to the school board at Salt Lake?”

  He nodded. “I’d like to send them some photographs of the proboscis monkeys. Those two cute babies, clinging to the limb. Glossy prints, you know, for illustrating their story.”

  I laughed out loud at that. “You and your monkeys!” I said. Then, on second thought, “Let’s send them a picture of the sultan, too. They’d love that.”

  Martin grinned. “Sure,” he said. “With a turban on.”

  “Sweet, weren’t they—so eager to do a good job of reporting.”

  “Yes,” he replied. “Grand youngsters.”

  “Do you know what I’ve been thinking?” I asked suddenly.

  “Well, I can make a guess.” My husband studied me earnestly. “You mean, buy a home?”

  I nodded. “Just a little one.”

  His face puckered anxiously. “That’s something you’ve always missed a lot, isn’t it?”

  “Yes, but we’ve had each other, and that’s what really makes a home, isn’t it?”

  He squinted reflectively. “I wonder just how one goes about this business of adopting kids? he said.

  “Oh,” I said, talking excitedly and fast. “I didn’t know you’d thought any more about that, but I’ve found out just what to do. And about the house: We could have a little place in the country, couldn’t we, with room enough for the pets?”

  “Sure, and the children could play with them.”

  We were boarding the plane.

  “That’s a fine idea,” he said. “I like it.” He smiled.

  There was the sound of the motors starting. Slowly the plane swung ’round and rolled down
the runway.

  Martin looked toward me, still smiling.

  I shall always remember that smile.

  The Martin and Osa Johnson Safari Museum is located in Osa Johnson’s hometown of Chanute, Kansas. It was established in 1961 by Osa’s mother, Belle Leighty, in cooperation with local volunteers and is open to visitors and researchers throughout the year. This national award-winning museum features exhibits and collections relating to the Johnsons’ lives and achievements. Additionally, it includes the Imperato African Gallery, Selsor Art Gallery, Stott Explorers Library, and Henshall Archives. Educational programs and special exhibits are regularly offered.

  The museum is governed by an active Board of Trustees. Additionally, honorary trustees help carry on the museum’s mission within a range of professions. Among honorary trustees are zoologist Jack Hanna, former Senator Nancy Landon Kassebaum, oceanographer Dr. Robert Ballard, author Clive Cussler, film historian Kevin Brownlow, comic book writer Roy Thomas, and others.

  Johnson films and photographs provided by the museum have been used in many diverse programs and publications, such as National Geographic, Fox (“Night at the Museum” movie), The Oprah Magazine, BBC, History Channel, Smithsonian, Reader’s Digest, and HBO.

  Ongoing exhibits of Johnson photographs can be viewed in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge-Jambo House at Walt Disney World in Florida, the Sandakan Heritage Museum in Sabah, Malaysia, and at other partner organizations worldwide. Also, the Johnsons’ story continues to be a culture and fashion inspiration (Martin + Osa and other brands).

  For information about the museum, its traveling exhibits, and Johnson books and movies available from the Osa’s Ark Museum Store, please visit Facebook and SafariMuseum.com. Museum staff can be contacted directly at osajohns@safarimuseum.com, 620-431-2730, or 111 N. Lincoln Ave., Chanute, KS 66720 USA.

  Put yourself in the adventure – join Martin and Osa on their thrilling expeditions!

  All you need is a SMARTPHONE and an intrepid spirit.

  Throughout the Martin and Osa Johnson Safari Museum are QR Codes providing more artifact details, and access to thousands of bonus photographs, as well as clips from the Johnsons’ films, or films about them! Here is a sample code to get you started on your safari.

  Watch a short narrated film clip about Martin + Osa Johnson’s African Flying Safari.

  Step back in time and watch the opening of the FIRST film ever recorded in sound in Africa.

  Courtesy of the Martin and Osa Johnson Safari Museum

  Never used a QR Code before? Follow these simple steps:

  1. Find and download a QR Code Reader app…there are many available, and even the best are FREE!

  2. Open the QR Code reader on your phone.

  3. Hold the device over a QR Code so that it’s clearly visible on your smart phone’s screen.

  Two things can happen when you correctly hold your smartphone over a QR code: the phone automatically scans the code; or you’ll have to press a button to snap a picture, not unlike the button on your smartphone camera.

  ENJOY YOUR JOURNEY!

  Index

  Note: Index entries from the print edition of this book have been included for use as search terms. They can be located by using the search feature of your e-book reader.

  adders

  air safaris

  airplanes purchased for

  in Belgian Congo

  in British East Africa

  flight training for

  fuel and

  hazards of

  interviews on

  Ituri forest pygmies and

  to Lake Rudolph

  lectures on

  money earned from

  to Mount Kenya

  to Mount Kilimanjaro

  North Africa and

  in North Borneo

  Osa’s Ark in

  private lake landing in

  to Serengeti plains

  Spirit of Africa in

  Akeley, Carl

  cameras designed by

  illness and death of

  Mount Mikeno grave of

  in Nairobi

  Serengeti plains and

  Albert Nile

  Alimbongo Mountains

  Allan, Mrs.

  Aloni

  American Museum of Natural History

  African Hall of

  Amour

  Anderson, Dr.

  Andrews, Roy Chapman

  anniversaries, wedding

  antelopes

  Apia, Samoa

  Archer’s Post

  archery

  askaris

  Astor Hotel

  Aswan, Egypt

  Athi Plains

  Athi River

  Atree

  Ayer, Pat

  Balawan, Sumatra

  bamboo forests

  bananas, alcohol made from

  bathing taboos

  Bêche-de-Mer

  Beck, Martin

  Belgian Congo

  air safaris in

  Alimbongo Mountains of

  camera crew in

  domestic dogs in

  equipment used in

  gorillas of

  Irumu

  Ituri forest pygmies of

  Kasenye

  Kibondo

  Lubenga Mission

  Mambasa

  Mount Mikeno of

  rail journey to

  Rutshuru

  Wambutti pygmies of

  Bengasi, Libya

  Berbers

  Bessie

  chimney climbed by

  New York traffic stopped by

  paint drunk by

  policeman’s hat stolen by

  vermouth destroyed by

  zoo placement of

  betel nuts

  big-game hunters

  Big Nambas tribe

  chanting by

  chief of, see Nagapate

  children of

  description of

  dress of

  headhouse of

  houses of

  narrow escape from

  reaction to films by

  village of

  women of

  biltong

  birds, game

  blackbirding

  Black Hawk, Colo.

  blinds, photographic

  blowguns

  Boculy

  bokus belong bell

  boo-boo drums

  Booth Hotel

  Bora Bora

  Borneo, see North Borneo

  Boy Scouts

  Brann, Dr.

  Bray, Mr. & Mrs.

  British East Africa

  air safaris in

  Athi Plains of

  Athi River of

  blinds built in

  Bureau of Native Affairs of

  camp routine in

  Embayo

  Embu

  equipment used in

  financing and

  fishing in

  Garissa

  Guaso Nyiro of

  heat in

  illnesses and

  Isiolo

  Ithanga hills of

  Kaisoot Desert of

  Kedong Valley of

  Kiu

  Laisamis

  Lake Paradise in, see Lake Paradise

  lava beds crossed in

  Marsabit

  meat hunting and

  Meru

  Mount Kenya of

  Nairobi, see Nairobi, British East

  Africa

  Ngornit

  Ol’ Garai River of

  prices in />
  rail journey in

  rhinoceros charges in

  Shaba hills of

  Southern Game Reserve of

  Tana River of

  Thika

  Voi

  voyage to

  water holes of

  British North Borneo Company

  Brooke, Sir Charles Vyner, rajah of

  Sarawak

  buffaloes

  Bukhari

  Burbank, Calif.

  burials:

  Ituri forest pygmy

  live

  bushbucks

  Cairo, Egypt

  Calgary, Canada

  Callahan, John

  cameras

  chewed by lions

  at Lake Paradise

  in North Borneo

  on Serengeti plains

  in South Seas

  Cannes, France

  cannibalism

  Cape Town, South Africa

  carousels

  Carstens, Vern

  celery, wild

  Center Island

  Central Park Zoo

  Ceylon

  Chanute, Kans.

  Chaplin, Charlie

  chariot races, roller-skating

  Chicago, Ill

  China Sea

  Chogoria Scottish Mission

  Christmas:

  in Denver

  at Isiolo

  in New York

  on Riviera

  circuses

  City of New York

  Civil War

  cobras

  cockatoos, pet

  cockroaches

  Coffeyville, Kans.

  Congo

  Congorilla

  Conrad, Opal

  Cook, Milton

  Cook, Mrs. Milton

  cooking

  Cooper, Merian

  coral, poisonous

  Cotter, Mr.

  cows

  Crampton, Mr.

  crocodiles

  Dal

  dances, native:

  of Espíritu Santo

  Ituri forest pygmy

  of Malekula

  of Tomman

  Darbishire, Mr.

  darts, poisoned

  Davis, Hugh

  Davison, Dorothy

  Davison, F. Trubee

  Deelia

  dental clinics

  Denver, Colo.

  devil-devils

  dogs, domestic

  Douglas, Dick