 adventure ahead the national broadcasting company presents another in the series of famous stories for the young of all ages adventure ahead this week an exciting story of Western Africa talking drums by Waldo Fleming the story of a young man who dared to go into the jungle and learn the secret of the mysterious and sacred talking drums adventure ahead the Gold Coast of Western Africa a wilderness of unknown mystery steeped in jungle law and native superstition untamed uncharted forgotten by a world at war young Philip Bering came back to the Gold Coast after a year in the States anxious to return to the land he knew as home hello Commissioner I didn't expect a reception when I landed oh your father up north I wanted to see you before you started in there yes here we can talk in my office there the shanty natives can't seem to work or do anything unless they're noisy about it that's right sir put us a good sign they're happy and that's peace with the world yes I only wish things were as peaceful up in the north country where you're going for them what do you mean sir has there been any trouble about the railroad well the works progressing slowly much too slowly you mean we haven't reached a point way yet the construction gangs are about 10 miles from a point we now the 10 miles in this jungle is like a hundred miles anywhere else but what's wrong the last letter from my father just a few months ago said the work was going along okay things have changed since then Philip what do you mean commission your father says the native workmen act as if they were under a spell of some kind that's strange yes and difficult to understand frankly I'm glad you've come back to the Gold Coast Philip because you speak a shanty you get along well with the blacks understand their custom habits religion that's right commissioner it's just possible Philip that you can find out what's wrong up there but you can succeed where other white men have failed well I'll certainly do my best commissioner it's important young man very important that the railroad be completed all the way to a punt way on schedule with depending on your father and his workmen to finish the railroad on time your name wouldn't be Philip barring would it yeah I expect a word are you Mr. O'Hara my father's new former yes that I am but it's just might to me friend all right Mike what happened the car and we'll be getting along right you're familiar to you yes it sure does something about this part of Africa the shanty country sort of appeals to me maybe so but it doesn't appeal to me that's all the trouble we've been having lately trouble what do you mean Mike the way the natives have been acting like they were scared afraid to work harder and finish the railroad on time but well why why are they like that why are they scared I'll show you why I don't see one listen listen you hear that talking drums in Tampani drum you hear them all the time nowadays in the closer our work when get to in punt way the noise of the drums get seems to be a lot of them scattered around the jungle the religious drums they're sacred and maybe so but they're a nuisance every time they hear them drums the natives just stop what they're doing and listen like like they were scared and my guess is they're talking about trouble trouble for the railroad in Tampani the shanty talking drums come back Philip yes father like I wrote I I feel I belong here on this old coast well I'm not so sure Philip but since you're back maybe you can make yourself useful I don't know why you're not so glad to see me are you sure of course I am Philip but this is no place for you you belong in a civilized country where you can study your music and live a normal life no place for you sir the railroad before that steel track reaches the point where you there'll be a trouble I'm sure of it but maybe I could help if you knew something about those drums they use and what they're talking about maybe you could help them as it is there's much for you to do naturally you can stay in the construction camp here live in my tent just as we used to live who toss you'll take care of us he's always done he's inside of the tent I think you'd be glad to see you well I've got work to do yes I see my best you come my best Philip come back yes here I am so glad you come back but really long time miss you I missed you too Tossie and the gold coast things haven't changed much in a year well yes some things change since you go away what do you mean I I cannot talk about that with white man which doctor is no like you mumo cheap no like oh why what's wrong with the native of Tossie what's bothering me why is there trouble I I cannot tell the white man I cannot tell why not well I I want to tell you about Philip I want to tell you father because you're so good to a taxi let me work for you but I am a shanty I cannot tell white man what is wrong all right it's not some time I wish you'd talk to me take me into your confidence like you used to do well I you listen I hear what companion drums what is it a Tossie the message yes message from the mumo cheap that were my people tell me a Tossie what are the drums say I cannot tell you I am a shanty message not for white man I cannot tell you Mr. Manning oh here's mark you hear them drums just now of course now what's wrong with the native well our roadbed surveyed her run right through that grove of trees up ahead there yeah and these blacks claim it's a sacred grove and they won't cut them trees who said the trees were sacred you mumo chief of the tribe north of here he's the one probably sent that throw message always something here lately always something to hold up our work yes Mike yes how far is your mumo tribe from here it's supposed to be five or six miles northeast why I'd like to send you up there Mike and talk with the old man he was on his mind all right mr. batting his drumming and agitating our workmen got a stop I have an idea that old your mumo himself as a hand of the troubled nature of you could talk to him maybe you could find out what's wrong what bothering him it sounds like a good idea to me mr. batting but I I can't speak a shanty take along a native who knows some English you can use them as a guide to what about your son Philip Philip oh that's out of the question he's a real smart lad mr. batting understands these are shanties talks to them like they were his own brothers he'd make himself useful no maybe you're right yes take Philip with you there is going in the right direction led oh yes I know most all of this part of the jungle yes that's so yes it tossing I used to hunt up here along this trail looks like awful wild country around here oh it's not so wild when you get used to it a shanties can pick a path through here even on the darkest night that's something else they don't like about them natives never know when they're going to sneak up on you some night can't trust or one of them or you can trust most of Mike if you understand them then what do you mean well they have strange tribal customs and ceremonies their religion's jam full of fetishes about not cutting certain trees or not crossing certain rivers and things like that but you have to learn to accept their fetishes in witchcraft even if you don't believe them well who says what's a fetish and what is well the witch doctors mostly not the drums yes must be getting near the village say who plays them drums the witch doctors they're probably announcing our arrival right now it's the first time I've ever seen a native village careful now we're friends come to see great chief Jamumo come on my sure he says Jamumo is expecting this must be the chief's hut yeah I'll say that what a layout hey look look at those skulls yeah hope mine never gets up there oh Jamumo great chief of a shanty oh Tana Noah we bring peace my father who builds railroad sends his greetings hello Jamumo hey you come here to talk of peace peace the railroad great Jamumo must be built all the way to a point but the shanty people want no railroad bring only trouble thickness thickness you will see all the shanty people sick and much trouble over the proverb when the snake is stirred at bite Jamumo means if we continue to build the railroad he means to stop us somehow but he can't women great Jamumo no Kotoko Monkantoa we want only peace we want to help a shanty railroad gives much work to your people many work for my father this i know and my people give much help and now great Jamumo we need your help hey hey how can i help great white man nim barring hey he is not great without your help he bows to you who are truly great Jamumo hey he do this yes great Jamumo you speak how can Jamumo help white man barring he asked you to remove taboo go know from trees near river where we were he asked that you send witch doctor with his drums to our railroad camp to remove the taboo if curse of a shanty god is taken from trees by witch doctor we can cut trees and build our railroad yes i help you if you help me what do you mean great Jamumo i send witch doctor and to banish drums to railroad camp and take away isanusi from trees but witch doctor and don't must stay at camp uh uh to protect you from evil spirits uh i want witch doctor and drums at railroad camp say that sounds pretty good man that's the trouble man sounds too good makes me suspicious they're taking a funny offer man all right i don't know we gotta get that railroad through to a point way oh great chief Jamumo yes you have decided your offer very kind oh great Jamumo for my father and his workman i accept well doesn't require doesn't require it is well ati mai oh can i ati mai i'm all i'm all the momo i can i i take it to the atari great Jamumo ati mai take him to bani drum go live in white man village atari Jamumo take gunu isanusi from trees okay i will do and then stay with white men ati mai this keep evil spirit from railroad camp good deal about him so good who helped build railroad you you understand i understand great Jamumo i take drums and go i understand so great Jamumo i understand and everything seems to be all right mr barring the fetish is gone the trees are down and the blacks are working again that's right sir well you two suddenly got results but somehow it's incredible that Jamumo would send his witch doctor here he's going to stay here father with his drum yeah almost too good to be true doesn't seem possible at all Jamumo is suddenly turned friendly well you can thank young philip here for putting it across sir he sure made friends with that old chief how well they'll have to be getting along okay mike i just can't understand what's that sir why Jamumo wants one of his witch doctors here at our camp well Jamumo said atchi mai would keep away evil spirits so we can build a railroad yeah but the drums well so that atchi mai can communicate with Jamumo somehow i've got a feeling those drums are gonna be in trouble of course i may be wrong let's go have a look at them philip let's see those talking drums these are the talking drums huh yes sir there's a large one for the deep low tones and a small drum for the high tones by pounding on them with those heavy sticks the witch doctor sends out his message in some sort of shanty coat yeah you you atchi mai ato me atchi mai ato you speak english dumb i understand titika ato tell me other drums in jungle like these who can only ato are always too dumb they're made out of wood a tree trunk and painted over with those weird designs don't worry we all touch them go on back to your drumming these drums are very sacred to these shanties only the witch doctors are allowed to touch them that's why i'm surprised and suspicious if you know who sent them here right at our camp you know i think this atchi mai will stand watch it come here yes but philip yes those drums the talking drums you understand them well yes what are they saying what's atchi mai drumming on them i i cannot tell you that i cannot tell no sir but i haven't given up yet what about the men sir the natives on the road gang that's a good 30 more out today 30 they all claim they're sick too sick to work i wonder what i don't know i wonder that has anything to do with atchi mai and the drums very possible but there's no way we can tell unless we could understand the language of the drum but you try it philip yeah but i'm gonna have another talk with atachi tonight maybe maybe he'll tell me the secret of the talking drums atachi i want you to help me help of course i help you i do that i want you to tell me about those shanty drums atachi i want to know the secret of the talking drum yes i want you to tell me how to understand them when they speak no no no no bas philip i cannot tell you about umpani but you must tell me if i talk about sacred drums to white man they will kill me oh oh well men of gajumumu witch doctors atchi mai but well i i won't tell them they'll never know no no i cannot tell white man are you right atachi we can't tell white men about the drums but you could tell me but you are white man some ways i am but some ways i'm not i'm not understand bas philip but you mean well my skin's lighter than yours that's true enough but i'm not like most white men i understand the shanty because i've lived here almost all my life yes i speak your language i know your customs your religion your gods of the jungle yes that is so atachi if you told me how to understand the drums i'm sure the spirit of an empani would not be angry because i've lived with the shanty so long i'm i'm almost one myself well i i could tell you and spirit of an empani not be angry with the barachi mai and jhumumu if you tell me about the drums atachi i give you my word the jhumumu or the witch doctor will never know it'll be a secret between you and me and the great spirit of an empani all right all right i tell you bas philip i teach you thank you atachi how soon can we start now tonight all right and uh how long will it take for me to learn one two nights and not long but we must hurry all right atachi tell me everything that i must know to understand the talking drums now you listen bas philip all right remember the drums speak only words a shanty word i don't like it mr barring i don't like it how many new men sick today 15 but they ain't really sick it's going to be trouble now you're almost done finish you remember what i tell him i won't forget it happy if you remember that they talk it is not hard to understand some funny drums now you listen bas philip all right atachi mai send message to jhumumu you hear yes tell me what to say all right this message or or great jhumumu chief of all a shanty yes yes uh many men oh yes many men sick here that white man is right right boss man chief worry we need our men to work on on that mean railroad oh oh yes all our men make seem sick but when time comes and you give the signal yes these men rise up to fight all a shanty will join to kill white man drive railroad from our land we fight soon right well then we have in a minute to lose we'll be soon much fighting and that's why jhumumu wanted that witch doctor here with his drums so atchimai could excite our workmen and make them revolt you know tell atchimai that i help no tough no he'll never know but right now i'm going to tell my father about the whole story the reason atchimai is here and the reason the natives refuse to work we have much time here shanties are mobilized for battle there's no telling when they mistrike and every one of our workmen will join him when the fight starts twice there'll only be three of us against at least a thousand of them it certainly won't be a long fight we might as well organize ourselves the best we can mr barry mr barry his life our rifles most of our guns are gone what must have been stolen out of the storehouse last night and something's wrong with the car she's busted won't run and it looks like oh jhumumu's out smarter this at every turn what do you mean the ashandy tribes are planning to attack and kill it maybe tonight attack it wait listen huh let's learn the secret of the drums he had and afraid it's too late they help us now well but what are we going to do mr barry i don't know i don't know well i've got it what did they say fill up the drums atchimai relaying a message to jhumumu in the jungle it just said hold yourselves in readiness the time has almost come tonight we strike and there's only one thing we can do what's that leave everything get out of here fast as we can head for the coast and lose the railroad what else can we do for them i don't like to just give up but we can't hold off all those natives i i'm from pulling out here myself but isn't there something we can do only wish there were for them but to stop this rebellion we have to exert a stronger power over the natives than old jhumumu himself it's hopeless a stronger power than jhumumu hey i've got an idea what is it those talking drums they're sacred to the native why do shanties believe anything they hear on those drums i don't see you and if i could send a message on those drums and tell them to stop fighting you yes i know the secret of entampani i i could pound out a message i think and say it was the voice of the spirit of entampani even if they didn't believe the message perhaps it would confuse them i don't know fill it hey listen to them natives that must be on it all right the workman that must mean they're about ready to well they won't be long no let's get out of this jungle the drum it's a signal hachimai he's drumming the signal the attack yes hey let's get out of here they'll kill us oh where can we go oh we can't wait here in the tent the drums the drums father you must let me try to stop them with a talking drum but they're all the way across the clearing you'll be shot down it's dark i can run it's worth a chance all right son but i'll go with you you may need help thanks father let's go careful now there's actually right in the doctor you go ahead look at those drums i don't take care of him let's go let's go white man go away oh no we won't you cheap faker i call us empty they're killing you out of the way you phony witch doctor let me out those drums good thing they can't see us in the dark well here goes good luck do not fight the white men do not fight them they are your friends it's working Philip it's working they're going back there must be peace always peace in the shanty country the railroad will bring this peace make friends with the white man go back to your work i command you the great god of the talking drums has spoken to his people informally opening this new link in the railroad between ipundway and kama says i would like to pay tribute to the man responsible for its construction mr hs bearing and to young philip bearing for his service in averting bloodshed furthering the cause of peace on the gold coast and aiding materially in the completion of this rail i am directed to extend to you the thanks of the government and to confer upon you a scholarship of one thousand pounds to be used anywhere you choose to further your study of music thank you commissioner well that's quite a surprise getting all that money a philip yes commissioner it's the least we can do to show our appreciation oh i'm afraid most of the credit goes to otasi here thank you but i never would have learned the secret of the drums if it hadn't been for otasi well we try to give the native boy something for his work hey barry that's right commissioner i know want money when i help you but philip you my friend like you say you are almost a shanty yes i know otasi well philip yes father how soon do you think you'll leave to go back to the states for your music scholarship i'm not going back father well what did you say i said i'm not going back i want to stay here on the gold coast but why well as far as my scholarship goes i think there's a great field for musical research in the ashanti talking drums and besides this is my adopted country i want to stay here with you and the railroad and otasi this is the land here on the gold coast where i belong the land of the talking drums adventure ahead has presented the story talking drums by waldo phleming in a radio dramatization written by tom groutin in today's play the part of philip barring was played by jack manning others in the cast were wano hernandez ken rinard jim tanzi nicholas joy and bernard lenro the music was composed by leo tamponki and the orchestra was directed by anri noscoe the entire production was under the direction of joseph mansfield nbc and the affiliated independent stations present adventure ahead as a public service this is the national broadcasting company