When he came, after a little time, I asked him if he needed a man, and he said, "Yes." He told me that I might go with him to his ship, and began work. We loaded coal for Portugal. After we were ready for voyage and 50 miles from Cardiff, that same night, there were many ships ready to sail. That night, at midnight, I was guardian for the lighthouses. I see a large bark, and it was suddenly ahead of us. It was French. It was going to turn and couldn't make it, so it fell on us. I did not lose my mind. I managed to speak to the captain to hurry, because we were going to have a collision. The captain ordered, and we gave the bark such a ram that Heaven seemed to it like a squash. Then we returned to Cardiff for repairs, both ships for repairs.

We were in the right-of-way. The Frenchman paid all the expenses. When all our troubles ended, we began our voyage.

After two weeks we reached Portugal. We unloaded the coal and reloaded mineral, pumice stone. Then we went to Cardiff. But I did not like the idea for sailing only that distance. My mind was to go to Cape Town to hunt for diamonds.

I went back to the boarding house and waited for a ship to Cape Town. There was a schooner, American with four masts, with 3000 tons, which took 27 sailors; but at that time the Greeks had gained a bad name, so I and another Cretan had to sail under another nationality. Lo and behold, we managed it and sailed as sailors. God had it, and we disembarked for Cape Town. We went out to sea and began our trip. Before we reached Cape Town, there began all our troubles!

Then I realized that we were in storm and deep water. At midnight the storm death caught us. I happened to be on the first mast. Lo, there came a great wave and covered the ship from one end to the other. I found myself on the mast. Both of us were swept into the sea. The ship was immovable as it fell under. I was so dazed and thought I was sleeping. At once I see my mother, and she says to me, "Don't be afraid, my child, there is nothing the matter." At once I awake and I see, with terror, a great wave, and it throws me back on the ship's masts. I took hold of the rope and came down on the deck and went to my room. I took off my wet clothes and began smoking. After two hours, the danger was past, and they were seeking to find out who were lost and who were not. The captain found out that four were lost; one Austrian, and Italian, a Frenchman, and I! They were more sorry for me than for the others, because the captain has a soft heart for me, and so did the whole crew.

When the sailors came down to change their clothes, I was in my berth and smoking my cigarette. They see, all of a sudden, smoke in my room. The Cretan says, "What is that smoke?" ... he finds me, hugs me and kisses me and tells me I am saved. Then they informed the captain that I was safe. They kiss me and tell me, "God gave you His good blessings." The Cretan said to me, "Alex, you escaped the danger; we won't have any more misfortune." Then they inform the captain and tell him that Alex is down. The captain says, "Bring him here." As soon as he sees me he says, "God saved you."

We started our journey and, after one week, we reached Cape Town, English possession. When we anchored at the Cape Town port, we were waiting for off-leave to go unload the coal. The next day, the ship came and took us to Tokon. But before the ship took us we remained for two days at anchor. What happened to me:

I began to fish from the ship. I throw the bait and catch one lobster of five pounds instead of the fish. I don't lose any time but take a sack and make holes, sew two wheels on it, one at either end, put two irons on the bottom and a piece of salt meat, tie it, and threw it down into the sea. And, in an hour, I had the "pull". I try to lift it; nothing doing. I call two sailors and the Cretan to help me lift it. We couldn't do it. I think what to do. I tie the line to the ship's hawser (παράγγο), and we three pull it. As it began coming up, what should we see? The sack, full of lobsters! Even hanging outside! Then we brought it to the deck of the ship. The captain and the purser see it, and they say, "What fisherman brought them in the ship?" They said I did. The captain, the purser come and tell me, "You devil! We did not expect that you could do it." So we had lobsters for one week.

The next day that we went to Tokon, the sailors began to leave, all of them. I remained, also the cook and the Cretan, the second mate, German, and a German little boy. The next day, when they began unloading the coal, the workmen were Greeks, Italians, Portugese, and nationality you'd want to see. I ask an Italian if there happen to be any Greek boarding house, and he says to me, "All you want."

"Can you take me to see?"

"I am going to take you to one where I stay."

And he takes me to one Corfuan, who had 10 years in Cape Town. His name was George Kouris, from Corfu. He had wife an Englishwoman, two sons, and a little girl. His wife was dead, and he had an African woman for cook.

In the daytime I did not know what to do. All were telling me about the diamonds, how the Greeks all made money, and told me to go there myself. They tell me, "You must have about 50 lires, until you find work.".

Then I made up my mind to go from the ship. I asked money from the captain: nothing. Then I decided to take whatever clothes I could and go away. One night I began to put on as many clothes on myself as I could, but the little German brat saw me and goes and tells the captain, "Alex is getting ready to go." The captain tells the child, "Don't say anything" and he informs the gatekeeper, "When a sailor comes all bundled up with clothes, stop him." As I go to get out of the door, he says to me, "Stop." I say, "Why?" Then the captain says, "Hold him. I want him."

All night I stay in a room, with a sack full of clothes on me. In the morning, they take me to the court and ask me why I left the ship with so many clothes on. I tell the judge, since the captain didn't give me money, I was obliged to sell my clothes to buy tobacco. Then the judge tells the captain, "Do you want this man?"

"Yes, I want him," he answers to him, and they put me in jail until the ship got ready to sail. In the jail I remained for three weeks. In the jail where I was, I saw a terrible thing: they had a negro to be judged, to be lashed 50 times, with a whip of 12 straps. The negro was a giant of seven feet. When they brought him in the courtyard of the jail, every man came out to look on the guilty. They tied him on the ladder, all naked, and began to whip him. You could see the ladder to jump in the air, hollerings and wailings, and they threw him unconscious, and put salt in his wounds, and locked him in his cell. His crime was that he had seduced his 15 year old sister, and for this he was punished in that way.

I, poor wretch, was waiting to see what they'd do to me.

After three weeks, the ship was ready to sail, for us to go. When they took me on the ship, they told me to work; but I made-believe I was crazy and didn't listen to anybody. I had a knife and kept sharpening it, day and night. Neither did sleep come to me. The Cretan would come to me and tell me to work. I tell him, "Keep off, now, and don't bother me," showing him the knife. Then he told the captain and the secretary to leave me alone, and, we'd start off, want to or not, I had to work. And, so, I was left alone.

The day the ship hoisted anchor, I lose no time. I remain only with my underwear and my flannel. I had, too, on my belt, the strap with my knife. Then I decided to escape. I go to the deck of the ship and give a dive and say, "Good-bye, Cretan." The height must have been 50 feet. I fell in. Near by there was an Italian ship, and in a half hour I neared it. I knew Italian well and I tell them, "Do me the favor and save me, because I will die." (Here give the Italian.) They, poor things, when they heard their own tongue, at once gave me a rope and took me on the ship. When I went on it, at once the poor things did not know what to do for me. I, from cold, was trembling, like a ship. And they at once gave me a glass a brandy, and I was saved. The other ship was forced to stop. But, in order not to be caught, I asked them if it were possible for them to let me off on land. And, as the boat was ready to go out, to take the captain, they put me on the bow of the boat, tied. And, when we reached the wharf, the same time there came the boat from the ship I had run away from. My troubles were enough, but I had to have a fever too. Th captain came and saw me and said, "There is the devil. Catch him!"

Then I ran so fast, as if I was a bird, and went about the town until I reached the Corfuan's place and told him not to tell anybody a word. And I remained in his house for two weeks, until the ship went away. Then I went out and was looking for work. But, since I did not find any work, I was hearing one and the other to say that it was very easy for anyone to go to Zanzibar where the diamond fields. Then I found work in a train, with 4 selinia per day and I was paying my board 4 selinia.

One day, I made up my mind to run away in the morning. So, I took enough food for two days. When I went there where all the workers went and got out at the first place, I didn't get out, because I wanted to go farther up. When I reached the last the last station, I got out and ask which is the road that goes to Zanzibar, where the diamonds are. One tells me, "That's the road. It is a long road but it is straight."

In the evening, when the sun went down, I began to pack. I look on one hand: forests not possible. I look on the other side: forests. I see smoke in one part and go toward that place, to pass the night. On the way, I hear the roarings of lions. I saw myself, like an ignorant man, "Now I don't escape. The beasts will eat me up."

At once I found a tall tree and went up it, on the top, as far up as I could. On my belt I had my knife. Also, I had my belt-band, which I took off and tied myself to the tree and stayed there until the morning, at dawn. And all the time I was praying to God to save me. During the night, the lions were gnashing their teeth and roaring; but I pretended to be indifferent. Then I said, "Now, God, give me courage!"

But, my good luck: when they were coming up, ten feet up, I don't know how it does it, but the branch of the tree breaks and the lion falls down and hurts itself. The others saw it unconscious. They go near it and lick it, until it became well. From that time I didn't see another one to come upwards. I was looking to see when it would be daylight.

But, how I could sleep! All the night! In the morning, as it dawned, I see all the lions going to the mountains and the forests. Then, poor wretch me, I get up and cross myself and say, "It could be worse!"

I get down, I took the same road I came, and went to the train. I go inside and come to Cape Town. The Corfuan sees me and says to me, "Where were you, dog. Since you escaped, again you are lucky. You could hear them saying how easy it was to go to Zanzibar for diamonds! In that way, many were lost. The beasts ate them up. But you were lucky. Now, my child, the best thing for you to do is to look for some work: here, near, cook or sailor. The schooners pay well, from 10 to 15 lires per month; and when you get money, then you can go anywhere you want." And this I did.

After two days there comes a friend of mine from the rails of Zanzibar, with 300 English lires. I knew him from my home town, where we were sailors together. And, as he sees me, he says to me,

"You! (Βρέ) Alec, how did you come here?"

And I say, "Don't ask me."

He says, "Have you any money?"

I answer to him, "I haven't any. I owe three weeks' board."

At once he ordered the Corfuan, "That boy is the best, that one from Galaxidion. Give him anything he wants to eat, and I am responsible." He says to him, "What does he owe you up to now?"

"Ten lires," Kouris answers.

And, at once, he takes the amount out and gives him 10 more lires. Then I took courage. His name was George Katsides, from Ekvouliagmenis, opposite from Corinth, but a gentleman of the first rank. He was on the "road" as supervisor over 200 negroes.

I was working, but you can imagine what I suffered from then on, to get away from him. First I go to Uncle (μπάρμπα) George, the Corfuan, and I say to him, "What do I owe you, Uncle George?"

"Two lires," he says, "but don't say anything to your friend, because he'll give them in two weeks."

He said this because he knew the man for a long while. Then I took different measures, and, the next day, he takes me and dresses me sporty. He takes me to the best store. But I knew better English than he. I was liked by him because I did whatever he told me. Every day he gave me 5 lires for pin money. But I used to hide the money in the ground until I knew what would happen. I remembered only my mother and sent her 25 lires.

When she received them, she was dressed in mourning, because she thought that I was dead or was lost. After two months I got answer and was relieved. Then, what do you that friend of mine does? After one month he was without a nickel, but I, in that time, had hidden 50 lires in the soil and I gave five lires a day until it was time that we almost had nothing. When he saw I didn't give him any more, he goes to the road and says that the road at a certain place is alright. He gets drunk and quarrels with the guard and soaks him a beating. Then, ten officers came and put him in jail and charged him 10 lires and one month in jail. He didn't either ask for me or for the other man and so he was indicated. Those who are for little punishment they put to work in the gardens of the officers, who have palatial homes.

One day I was going downtown. I see a carriage driver and ask him if he saw my friend.

"He is serving," he says to me," he says to me, "and every day they take him out to work in this place." The next day I lose no time and go to the courthouse and take out his deliverance papers.

As I reached at the mansion, I see the officer, and he says to me,

"What do you wish, Sir?"

"I came with order to take my friend."

"How much did you give, at the court?" he asks me.

"Ten lires," I answer him.

And he says to me then, "I give you 20 not to take him, because he is a good worker."

"I can't accept and not take him, because it would be my shame," I say to him.

That officer had a great big garden, as large as three blocks square, and the Court had given him 10 prisoners to work it. And, when he saw my friend and was a good worker, he liked him at first sight.

I gave him 5 lires for spending money, after I took him with me. But he became drunk the very first day. What does he do? The same night I was cooking in the kitchen, he goes in my room and takes my clothes, takes them to the pawnshop and gets 10 lires for them! I said nothing but I say to another friend, "Go at once and take my clothes out of the pawnshop and save them until I pay for them." Then he took my clothes without more ado.

The next day I saw in the paper an ad for six sailors for a small island near Cape Town, with good pay. I tell my friend, "Come, let's go to a good work. And we'll make money."

The poor thing says, "All right," at once. When we reached there, the captain says to us, "Do you know three more?"

"We know an Italian," I say to him. We take the Italian, two Mexicans, and two Indians. And thus we were ready to take a trip, the next day.

We all take our clothes and left that night and reached at the island. There was a shack and another one as kitchen. The island was about seven miles wide and long, and another island near there must have been about two miles long but higher than this, and there were seals on it.

The same night we ate and slept well. In the morning, the second mate tells us, "When you go to the hunt, be sure to divide up in sections," and ordered us how to behave ourselves: not to hurry, so as to find the best time and place, so as not to get hurt by the seals, because it is a case of life and death. "If you keep yourself safe from the big ones, you are all right." He gave each one a dart, a spear, according to each one's height. But the spear was wild wood, as strong as iron; on one head it was like a sheep's head and on the other it was all straight. The mate told us to kill only the little ones and not the large ones.

The next day we went seal hunting. The first day we killed about 50 little ones. But the second mate was looking on all the time. And my friend was leader and did not let a single one get away from him. The most of the 50 he himself killed. When we finished the hunting, at once we took off the skin with all the oil and then we put them in the ship. The next day we had the work of gathering the bird manure, the birds that came to the island. He had to get a ton full of this for the grape yards of Cape Town. And we gathered also eggs that sell for two selina. That work kept on for one month. After we had gotten so many barrels oil, so much manure, and so many eggs, we finished that trip. Such a trip is made once a year, in August. Then the schooner came and loaded all our work, and we left for Cape Town. When we reached there, we unloaded all our things; and the next day we were paid our wages, each one 50 lires. My friend, though, took 60 lires, because the second mate said, "If I had sailors like him, I'd have brought twice as much from the hunt."

End of Part 2 --> Go to Part 3