Hello again Dear Reader! More information has come to light on what at the time was considered a minor exploit in the life of Captain Darling! Read on...if you dare (not sure why you wouldn't though?)...
After the Great War Captain Darling retired to his Franklin Street accommodation located in the city streets of Adelaide, South Australia. It was not long despite his idyllic surroundings before his need of adventure and excitement sparked the good Captain into action! Inspired by his desire of seeking the unknown and pushing the boundaries of the British Empire into unexplored territories he decided to again set off on a new escapade! Armed only with a mysterious map he acquired during his time on the Dark Continent and a small entourage he led an expedition into uncharted parts of the wide expanses of the Pacific Ocean!
Mid afternoon April 1st 1923 an excited crowd cheered seven brave explorers led by Darling as they departed Port Adelaide in the tramp steamer SS Titan. Three months later on a dreary winter's day five haggard survivors decamped from the Titan at the very same berth! The atmosphere on the pier on this occasion was totally different though! The gangway and quay was empty of crowds and rather quiet, in fact the only sound was that of the rain. Once the group of explorers and their baggage was ashore a motor vehicle was summoned for Captain Darling who bade his companions farewell and with his precious diary in his right hand and a large can of film in his left headed off to his Franklin Street retreat. The other members of the entourage sworn to secrecy dispersed and too retired to their homes...
This period of Captain Darling's life was shrouded in mystery and he made no official statements regarding it.
Dialling forward some 20 years and moving to the other side of the globe we find ourselves in a dark and eerie London Tavern in the company of several unscrupulous characters! Their conversation was made up of muffled whispers as they perused an old map, a few pages torn from a small book and a couple of tattered photographs. The group were deeply engrossed in these few items and their meeting dragged on for quite some time and it was just before the Publican declared last drinks that one member of this coterie stood and for the first time in an audible voice announced to the others, "So Gentlemen it's decided! We're travelling into the unknown and heading for Skull Island!".
Two photographs from Captain Darling's mysterious Pacific Ocean Expedition of 1923...
Captain Darling, Professor Teebagg and Lord Basket-Case being filmed in what is apparently an abandoned pigmy village...
Captain Darling warning the expedition of a fetid swamp blocking their path. This swamp had claimed their fellow adventurer Keith, Keith's fedora a grim reminder of this gruesome incident can be seen on a stump in the photograph!
This modern photograph is reputedly the central portion of the very map that Captain Darling had in his possession during the infamous Pacific Ocean Expedition which in the 1930's ended up in the hands of persons unknown and of less than honest reputations.....
A page that appears to have been removed from Captain Darling's Pacific Ocean Expedition diary, the last line appears to carry an ominous warning, "My prudent advice is to keep clear of Skull Island"!
Next time; FUBAR VSF meets Skull Island!
