THE "GOOD ENDEAVOUR" LEAGUE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 274, 21 February 1941, Page 2

THE "GOOD ENDEAVOUR" LEAGUE

Wliat ho, what ho, ma hearties. Get well muffled up for we are about tn start the ascent of M-t. McKinley. This peak as you know is the highest in Alaska and reaches 20,000 feet (8000 feet taller than Mt Cook) so you can expect something strenuous. Now this time I'm going to leave Butinsky behind, even though he is a goat lie's not used to the snow and lee. Well off we go. We have climbed well into the snow line with the assistance of horses and sledges. So we have a flying start from 6000 feet up. You will notice that the ground is mostly a coarsc kind of scoria. As we get Up you will see the great ice caves with hard rock bottoms. That is funny but nevertheless a fact. Scoria on the base fell from the crown when this great mountain was in eruption and then the larva solidified round the core. Well let's get on. Up, up, we go. Now out with your ice axes, all of you. There will be some pretty hard precipices to scale shortly. Yes here is one right ahead. Just see that sheer drop, its at least two thousand, and people at thci foot look like ants. Noav first mate, keep the crew in line ahead', and pass out the life line. Each one of you make a loop round your bodies. All, that's better—off we go. Wet are past the half way mark, and I see that none of jou are tired. Good, but we'll have some hot cocoa iust the same. You see the clouds hide the peak, but even here as you look out to sea, you can get a marvellous view of the coast line. Yes that is part of Canada, and further south, you can see land belonging to the U.S.A. You know it has been said that in very fine weather, from the top of Mt McKinley you can actually see Asia —that means part of Russia as it reaches towards Alaska. Look at your maps and you will understand. Now up again and we must get home before nightfall. OUR STORY Scotland has good reason to be proud of James Nasmyth, the brilliant engineer and inventor of the steam hammer. An interesting story is told of the origin of the name J Nasmyth. A certain forefather of James Nasmyth, being a Royalist, took refuge in a smithy, disguising Himself as a smith. But his pursuers saw him make an awkward blow with his hammer and caught him crying, "Ye're nse smytli!" Born at Edinburgh on August 10, 1808, young lames was educated at the High School where he soon became known by the clever models I he made. At this time he collected ctfins, and one day Sir Walter Scott came to see him, and gave him a shilling coin towards his collection. James Nasmyth was very energetic, and while still a youth even turned his bedroom into a brass foundry! After working for some time in a large workshop at 10s fi week, he eventually opened his own business. Some of his workmen were so idle, however, that he had to Invent machines to take their place! , But his business prospered and his fame spread throughout the world. 1

His greatest triumph of all was the invention of the steam hammer. And the credit for this he nearly lost through a Frenchman patenting a steam hammer he had made from Nasmyth's sketches Avhich he had seen. Nasmyth's hammer was so cleverly made that it could crack the shell of an egg in a wineglass without injuring the glass. Yet the hammer weighed two and a half tons, and could beat into shape the largest masses of metal! At the age of IS James Nasmyth retired from business and settled down to study—especially astronomy. He built a large telescope for studying the stars, and with its lid discovered that the surface of lite sun was mottled. Although he died in London in 1890, his deeds ensured that his name would live forever.

w FOR YOUNG READERS ONLY W

(Aboard for the Goodwill Cruisen {S-t/ ' J =- PETER THE WHALER 8 I of- WHALE ISLAND 8

RIDDLES '' Which arc the cleverest letters in the alphabet?— The Y's (wise). ! " What is the diflercnee between a new penny and an old shilling'?— Elevenpence, oi course. Wliat letter ilo you only see in 0 the evening?— The letter U, because !i it always comes after tea (T). e Why is the Bank of England like a blackbird?— Because it often chan--0 ges its notes. Why is Dad's Aveater like a,banan\ 1 skin?— Because they are both easy to c slip on. c Why is a caterpillar like a greedy L 1 boy?— They both make the butter--11 ny. You want rac to ccme to make me 11 go off. What am I?—A cracker. 1 What would happen if baby s-wal-n lowed his spoon?—He wouldn't be able to stir. Why is a bootblack like the sun? —He is always shining. e * LAST WEEK'S COMPETITION 0 t 15 LIMERICKS s 1 i, n Quite a lot of budding poets 1 ~ have discovered. Here are the winners:— Ann Littlejohn r> There once was a Whaler named i. Peter, , Who courted a fair sanorita. ~ his chances were few As everyone knew, He's a lump on his nose from a j skeeter. , (Just fancy you knowing about that) Charlie Armer - There once was a girl named Molly, . Who had a boy-friend named Wally. - He took her to town, by) golly; ; And bought her some hard-boiled lollie. Janet te McLeod There was an old man called Peter, Who was once chased by a moskeeta. Ho tried to run, But Oh, what fun— It was for the fleeta-skeeta. Margarej Grant There was an old man with a beard, Who said J'lts is just as a I feared, Two owls and a hen Four larks and a wren Have all built their nests in my beard." Brian Chalmers has also sent in an entry, but his is more of an epitaph. Here it si:— Beneath this silent stone is laid, A noisy antiquaaed maid, Who from her cradle talked till death And never before was out of breath. Quito good lad, but. not quite the thing. Still lam so pleased withthe entries that I am awarding tree picture tickets to all the above, and also Brian you have given me ao idea for next week. Read balow. NEXT WEEK'S COMPETITION EPITAPHS Now you have all read Brian Chalmers verse. See if you can make up one as funny, or funnier, if you like, and send in the result to me. Three best ones will receive free picture tickets with my best com- . pliments. DAILY ANECDOTE "PEACE, PERFECT PEACE" ' Dr. A. L. Peace, famous organist, also composer ct many well-known hymn tunes, including St. Margaret, " was in 1875 appointed organist of Glasgow Cathedral as well as the university. He was held in such high esteem by all who knew him that one day his clergyman laughingly remarked that he dared not give out Bickerstetli's hymn, "Peace, Perfect Peace," because everyone present would be thinking he was referring to the organist.