Yams Again.
p. 30 · Read in the full issue
More Tales of Shipwreck.
IN the January issue of the “Pacific Islands Monthly,” a correspondent, “Bullwhanger,” in reply to a previous article from the pen of A. J. Vogan in praise of the humble yam, expressed his opinion of the vegetable in some what forceful words. Now another correspondent from the Solomon Islands chips into the discussion; Sir, — Re “Bullwhanger’s” article on yams at Utupua (“P.I.M.”, Jan. 25, 1933), I would like to ask “Bullwhanger” a few questions.
Well! “Bullwhanger” aren’t you put ting the rough stuff across? Do you honestly believe what you say about yams? Also, at Utupua, did we not save the stove and even to the bread the cook had set the night we struck?
Also did we not do pretty well for food and if it had not been for sand flies, mosquitoes and land crabs would we not have done all right?
Own up Bill.
Yours, etc.,
“Oil Her Up Bill.”
We showed this letter to “Bullwhanger,” who replies: — Despite my Solomon Islands friend’s letter I still hold a poor opinion of yam as an article of diet and, since he has brought up the question of kai kai on Utupua, will go as far as to say that the only thing in that line (fit for white stomachs) that was ever on the de lightful island of Utupua was taken there by the ill-fated schooner which took us both there.
I know that it is beside the point to mention that that ship always carried a, hoodoo and though her name was “Mascot” (why make a secret of it any longer?) she would have been better named “Nemesis.” Certainly we got the stove ashore and the bread as well, as “Oil Her Up” says; but it wasn’t her fault that we got even our carcases off her because “Oil Her Up” knows what sort of a mess she was in half an hour after we struck. One good point she had —her boats were in good nick- —and it was this that allowed us to get some of her stores ashore. But if “Oil Her Up” fancied those stores as kai kai after they had been on Utupua a month, he would enjoy a snack with Caesare Borgia.
No! I am still of the opinion that the line of edibles on Utupua would tax even the ability of an expert Chow cook to make into tempting dishes, and that goes for the “bush” pig and the hard-backed crabs too. As for mos quitoes and sandflies —they were the only inhabitants of Utupua who got any good out of that wreck.
Yours, etc.,