 Hundreds of dramatic behind-the-scenes adventures are all part of the Clyde Beatty story. Here is the adventure entitled Mystery Island. Not long before the start of World War II, Clyde and Harriet Beatty made an extensive tour of Australia and Borneo, where they captured many valuable specimens of animal life. On the return trip to the United States, they were aboard a tramp steamer which carried eight passengers in addition to its cargo. They had passed through the Fiji Islands and were approaching the Samoas when their ship was caught in a sudden violent storm. I thought this storm was bad this afternoon, Clyde, but I believe it's even worse tonight. I know. It's developed into a regular hurricane. Clyde, I'm frightened. Now, honey, this is a good old tub. She'll weather this all right. You need to get your mind off it, that's all. That's easier said than done. If we got out of this cabin, it might help. Let's get on to the passenger's lounge. Maybe we can promote a hand to bridge. All right, Clyde. Anything's better than sitting here watching the furniture slide back and forth. Lead on. Steady now. Uh-huh. Wow. Brad, we don't have to go out on deck. Me too. Bad enough in this companion way. Better hang on to my handle, honey. Thanks. Yeah. Well, a couple more for the sufferers. How goes it, Drake? Well, I've had better times in my life. Here, sit down, Mrs. Batey. Thank you. Hello, Mrs. Bolton. Mrs. Batey? I'm glad you're joining us. How about a hand to bridge? It suits me. That is, if Mrs. Batey will be my partner. I'd be happy to. Oh, there's the captain. Let's ask him how long this storm may last. Hey, Cap, we want our money back. May I have your attention, please, everybody? What's up, Captain? This storm has become more violent than we anticipated. I don't want anyone to become panicky, but certain precautions must be taken. I want all of you to return to your cabins and put on your life jacket. Life jacket? What happened? Please, let me finish. Our, uh, rudder control is jammed. Which means that we must try to steer the ship, be just the engines. Now, in these seas, it will be a difficult job. It will undoubtedly be blown off course many miles. But, Captain, you told us to put on our life jackets. Are we in real danger? I'll be honest, Mrs. Batey. It may be necessary to abandon ship. We return to Clyde Batey in just a moment. Now, here is Clyde Batey to continue his story, Mystery Island. A combination of skillful seamanship and good luck prevented the captain's fears from being realized. But it wasn't until many long anxious hours later that we began to feel comparatively safe. By dawn, the heavy seas had subsided a good deal, and the wind had blown itself out. I had the small dining room practically to myself at breakfast, and when I finished, decided to go up to the bridge and have a talk with the captain. Hey! Good morning, Mrs. Batey. Good morning, Captain. I, uh, gather everything's under control now. Well, not exactly. We're still having trouble fixing the rudder, but the emergency's over, for the time being, at least. Four of which your passengers are extremely thankful, Captain. Here's your position, Captain. I marked it on the chart. Oh, thank you. Mr. Batey, have you met Mr. Myers at first meeting? Yes, we've met. How are you, Mr. Myers? Fine, thanks. Son of a rough night, eh, Mr. Batey? Plenty rough. Mr. Myers, did you check this position? Aye, sir. It's correct. We're about 60 miles south of our course, sir. That's very odd. I don't understand this. Big pardon, sir. You see that small island, the starboard? Aye, sir. Which one is it, sir? That's what's so strange. If this position report is correct, that island is not on the charts. But I thought this territory was completely charted. Yes, sir, did I. But here's one that's apparently been missed. Pardon me, Captain, but do you mean that island ahead is just now being discovered for the first time? Ah, now that's hard to say. But it definitely isn't on my chart here, and they're the latest available. Of course, it looks to be quite small. Can't be more than three or four miles across, eh, George? I wonder if there are some beautiful natives on it. You may have a chance to find out, Mr. Myers. I'm going to put in an anchor to the leeward side of it until we get the rudder control fixed. The author should be quite calm there. It'd be fun to go ashore and have a look around. Any chance, Captain? Ah, all right with me. If the mate here wants to take some of your shore on the launch, I'd see no harm in it. All right, folks, let's get aboard. These all who are going in this debate? Yes, I didn't get much of a reception when I mentioned the idea. Just, uh, my wife and Drake and Fulton are going. Well, that'll make five, then, including myself. Long the cook wants to go. Watch your step, Mrs. Beatty. Come on, Drake. I'm ready. I wouldn't let this run anything. You're the same way. Anything's better than staying on this top. You're the most important one of all. Here, give me the basket, Wong. There, that's it. Here you go, now. Well, looks like we're all set, Myers. Good. Hey, I just noticed you brought some artillery along. Oh, force of habit, I guess. You never know when a .45 will come in handy. I'm afraid all you'll see to shoot at on this island will be coconuts. All right, men, lower weight. Hit the center now. Don't drop the ball. Drop the ball. Yes, drop the ball, line, Wong. All right, now to get this motor started. Sure ought to be a lark, honey. We'll get to look over a tropical paradise island that's untouched by human hands. Well, this lagoon looks nice and quiet. Made to order. Okay, Wong, jump out and hold the line until we can beat your .45. Wong, look at Tommy. All right, now everybody out. Heave on the ball line. Here's where we get our feet wet, honey. Here you go, now. Oh, isn't this beautiful kind? So calm and peaceful. Yeah. I'm expecting Dorothy Lamore to step out of the jungle any minute now. Oh, that chimpanzee of hers, eh? Well, what shall we do now? Any suggestions? I've always had a yen to climb one of those big coconut palms like the natives do. Oh, later, Fulton, later. If we're going to explore, why not set right out through the brush here and see what's on the other side of the island? That's a good idea. Is it all right by you, Mrs. Beatty? It sounds wonderful. Providing you can guarantee we won't run into a bunch of hungry cannibals. I can guarantee that, Mrs. Beatty. If there were people on this island, they'd have met us before now. Oh, what are we waiting for? Let's go. Yeah. It doesn't look as thick as I expected through here. Wait till the boy's back at the office here about this. And my wife. She'll think I dreamed up the whole story. Coming, Wong. All right, coming, Mr. Morris. Oh, look at the bird and the monkey. It's just like in the moon pitches, huh? What a spot to relax for a few years. I can see now why people are always saying they're going to move to a South Sea island. Might be fun to catch, you know, living like Robinson Crusoe. Wait a second, Holland. What's the matter, Matty? Look through the trees there. An animal? What is it? That's odd. It looks like an antelope or a gazelle. Well, that's impossible. That's what I was thinking, Fulton. Look at those horns. They're like corkscrews. They're almost two feet long. But how do you account for an animal like that being here? They're turning off. Fulton, you're something of an amateur naturalist. How do you account for that? Well, I don't. Maybe if I hadn't seen that animal with my own eyes, I wouldn't have believed it possible. Unless I'm badly mistaken, that was an African species of antelope. Exactly. I've seen thousands of them in Africa. But I've never heard of such an animal in the South Sea island. See, you did a fine, Mr. Beatty. See, we may have stumbled onto a discovery that'll shock zoologists from here to London. Let's push on. You know, this is getting interesting. Music We must be halfway across the island by now, aren't we? I think so, honey. You getting tired? Oh, I'm not tired. But I have worked up quite an appetite. Well, why don't we stop and sample Wong's lunchbox, getting this little clearing ahead? It's a good idea. How about it, Fulton? Great. I'm all for it. I could eat one of those misplaced antelopes we saw. The last one was big enough to feed this whole bunch of us for a year. Hey, Wong! We're going to have some lunch now. Bring that basket along. Wong coming, Mr. Maher. Wong coming. Well, this looks like a good spot. Yeah, it's a good spot. Mr. Maher, you folk help self. Wong, be back any minute. Oh, where are you going, Wong? Wong, go back to Spring, we've got to get him water. Make some tea. All right, Wong. Beatty. Look at that tall grass over there. Isn't that a pile of bones there? Yeah. It sure looks like it. Come on, let's see. You fellows investigate while I spread out for lunch. Yes, it's a skeleton of a large animal. Must have been one of those antelopes. Wait a minute, wait a minute. Look at that skull on the sides of those leg bones. That was no antelope. Good heavens, Beatty. I must be losing my mind. Huh? This is the skeleton of an elephant. What? It was a young one, not fully grown, but what an elephant nonetheless. I can't understand it, but I believe you're right at that. Oh, now wait a minute. Let's not let her imagine it. Wong, Wong, what's the matter with you? What? How long for your life? Dimmer down, Wong. What's the trouble? Lion. Wong, see, lion. Biggy lion. Oh, no. Oh, Wong, your imagination's running wild. Hey, what? Beatty, Beatty, is it possible? Wong wasn't imagining that, my friends. That is a lion. Clyde Beatty will return in just a moment. And now, back to Clyde Beatty and Mystery Island. Blown off course by a tropical storm when the rudder control was damaged, the ship on which Clyde and Harriet Beatty were returning to the United States anchored on the lee side of a small uncharted island in the South Pacific. While repairs were being made, the Beaties and a few others went ashore. The party was amazed to see a species of African antelope and later found the skeleton of a young elephant. Then, while they pondered the mystery, a full-grown lion appeared at the edge of the clearing in which they had stopped. Beatty, what can we do? We're going to run for shit. Now, tell me where you are, Wong. But that lion... The worst thing we could do is run. If we can stand our ground, I don't think he'll attack. Why take the chance? Why don't you shoot him? I couldn't kill him with his 45 unless I hit him squarely between the eyes at point-blank range. Clyde's right, Mr. Great. Try not to show your afraid. I'm afraid I'm not that good an actor. He's going away. You all right, Beatty? Yeah. But look, he's circling the clearing. He's going to be between us and the ship. Let's see, don't say that Wong wish he not come. Don't we all? What do we do now? Maybe the contrary will go back the way we came. That doesn't leave us much choice. We'll have to push onto the beach on the other side. We're over halfway there now anyway. That's it. Then we can follow the beach around to where the launch is, right? Right. Come on, let's get going. Clark. God, you think we'll run into any more? I don't know, honey. It's all like a crazy dream. It just doesn't make sense. Lions on a South Sea island. Incredible. You know, people won't believe us when we tell them. I just hope we're able to tell them. Somehow this tropical paradise has lost a lot of its charm in the past 10 minutes. Let's stick close together now. I'll lead the way. Myers, do you want to bring up the rear? Yes, and I suggest we don't waste any time. If we can't be more than half a mile or so from the beach now, I think I can hear the surf. I thought I had a good moment to go, too. Full speed ahead, then. How are you doing, honey? All right, Kai. Hey, what happened to Myers? He'd be light here. He stopped to tie shoelaces. All of them, come on, Kai. We should have let us know. We'd better wait for him. I guess he didn't want to slow us up. Listen. Good grief. Let me through here. We've got to get back. Clive! Clive! Clive! We're coming, Mike. We're coming. Wait. There he is. And there's the lion. It's going to attack him. Stay back. They're all of you. Clive! That lion will get some boots. Look, baby's running right at it. Clive. Shoot, little man. Shoot! He hit it, but he didn't get him. That dropped him. Oh, fresh heaven. Oh, come on. Myers, all right? Oh, he's just saying it. Cut him off. He'll be okay in a minute. Oh, brother. Oh, that was some shooting, baby. Oh, please. We go now. Just a minute, one. Give me that canteen. What? That lion. Here. Is the water, Mr. Bater? Easy, fella. Here. Take a swig of it. Thanks, sir. Here. I'm all right now. Good. Let's get on through to the beach before any more of these cats show up. This is easier going. At least if anything more shows up, we can jump in the water. It doesn't seem possible. Things could look so peaceful from the beach here and inside that jungle. I know what you mean, Mrs. Bater. You still all right, Myers? You want to stop and rest a minute? No, I'm all right. I think we'd better keep right on going. The captain probably expected us back before now. Bater, look. That pile of rocks just ahead. Oh, yeah. I was just noticing it. What do you make of it? I don't know. But they couldn't have piled up that way by themselves. That's certain. It looks like a marker of some sort. You don't suppose it's a grave, do you? We'll soon find out. Let's have a look here. Let's throw these top rocks to one side. All right. There. Here's another. Well, look. There's something under this one. What is it? Wait. What is it? I'll be careful. There's something wrapped in an oil-skin raincoat. Just a minute. It looks like a book. That's what it is. The whole mill dude. Let me brush it off here. Yeah. Some lettering here on the front. What do you mean, Betty? Uh, ship, slug, SS Cape Town. SS Cape Town? Are you sure? That's what it says. Why? I've read about her. She disappeared over 15 years ago without a trace. On the way from South Africa to San Francisco. South Africa. Hey, this may be adding up. Let me look at the last entry in this law. What do you mean, Betty? Let's see. Here we are. 17th, 1923. This will be the last entry in the ship's log. The three remaining survivors and myself intend to cash the log among some rocks and put out in the lifeboat this afternoon in an attempt to reach an island inhabited by human beings. Go on, Betty. Go on. Johnson died this morning of fever. But not before he eliminated our chance for survival on this island. Before anyone knew what he was doing, he slipped back to where the ship lay aground and released all the animals from their cages and pens in the holes. Great Scott. There's the answer to this whole riddle. Captain Maynard, who died yesterday, and Johnson were both buried at noon among the rocks at low tide. Now it is time for us to make our bid for life. God saved the king. Signed J.R.W. Travers, second mate, SS Cape Town. Oh, those poor men. So far as I know, they were never heard from. That's too bad. But under the circumstances, I guess they did the only thing possible. We'll take this ship's log back with us. Captain Hanson can see that it gets turned into the British Admiralty. Yes, he'll have to make a full report of this. Let's get back to our ship. Sure, I don't want to get stranded on this crazy island. Neither do the rest of it. Let's keep our eyes peeled, or maybe we'll spot the wreckage of the Cape Town. So, that's the story, Captain. Did I cover everything, Maynard? I think you did, Mr. Beatty. That's amazing. If I didn't know you were both reliable men, I'd swear you made the whole thing up. Except, of course, the ship's log backs up everything you said. There wasn't much left of the wreckage, but we saw enough to know it was the SS Cape Town. Well, one more mystery of the sea is solved. I guess, gentlemen, that we have a great deal to be thankful for. What do you mean, sir? Well, of course. What do you mean, sir? Well, according to the log here, the Cape Town was in a storm such as here in last night and lost her propeller. She was blown aground on the other side of the island. That might have happened to us. But for the grace of God. Right, Beatty? Aye, aye, Captain. And much as I like lions, I wouldn't want to have to live with them on a little island. And now, here is the star of our show. Hi, Beatty. I hope you enjoyed this story of one of the most mysterious experiences I ever had. I'll bring you another exciting story the next time we meet.