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"The
year 2010 is the 100th anniversary of the mysterious disappearance of the
famous Edwardian Archaeologist and explorer; Professor Jack Dawes. He and his
entire team simply vanished, whilst travelling up the Amazon to find the fabled
lost city of Noah. Now, a hundred years later, Doctor Amber Bellman is going to
retrace his journey with a team of her students in an effort to discover the
Professor's fate; what she discovers is a whole new world!"
Episode may contain the following warnings:
“All incidents and dialogue, and all characters with the exception of some well-known historical figures, are products of the author's imagination and are not to be construed as real. Where real-life historical figures appear, the situations, incidents, and dialogues concerning those persons are entirely fictional and are not intended to depict actual events or to change the entirely fictional nature of the work. In all other respects, any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Author’s notes about this episode:
[1]
The original Title for this episode was: ‘THE LOST CITY OF NOAH.’
[2] it appears that 'Professor Jack Dawes' wasn't as mad as people thought! In 2024 Arial surveys along the mighty Amazon River revealed scores of 'lost ancient cities' beneath the forest canopy! Please read the report from the well respected 'Smithsonian Institute' HERE.
It has certainly restored the reputation of Francisco de Orellana. He led an expedition down the river in 1541-1542, and his accounts of large settlements and warrior women (whom he likened to Amazons of Greek mythology) led to the river's name, the Amazon. While Orellana's claims of large cities were initially met with skepticism, archaeological evidence has since revealed that the Amazon basin was indeed home to complex societies with large settlements before European arrival. These pre-Columbian settlements developed sophisticated agricultural techniques, such as terra preta, to sustain large populations. You can read about the man in this 'WIKIPEDIA' entry HERE.
[3]
A ‘Jericho Tibbs’ original story.
[4] There is an 'ALEXANDRA' adult extended version currently available entitled:
"ALEXANDRA GETS THE JUNGLE FEVER."
Episode details:
Concept
date: 15th December 2018
First
published: 9th December 2019
Status: COMPLETED & PUBLISHED.
Location: BOOK SERIES 2 – EPISODE 3.
Revisions: 5 [last revised May 2020]
Version:
Final.
Published
Episode No. 15
Previous
episode: “Queen Eleanor’s last voyage to
the darkness.”
Next
episode: “The peculiar pirates of
Paradise Bay.”
Age
recommendation: 15+
Average
reading time: Approximately 75 Minutes.
Angel-in-charge:
Margret
Team Assigned: Team 74
Mission: 12 - 149021 - 12 – 2010
Human time:
Episode Preview:
"PROFESSOR JACK DAWES LOST EXPEDITION TO THE AMAZON'S SUBTERRANEAN WORLD."
1. IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF PROFESSOR JACK DAWES.
The Helicopter swung left, dipped a little and then listed right as the winds rose and dropped. The rain cascaded down the small window and Dr. Amber Bellman struggled to see anything outside as the gathering gloom of nightfall started to descend over the thick dark jungle.
Her companion and
assistant, Anzio Parker dropped back into his seat next to her and tried to
shout above the noise of the engine and blades; “According to the Pilot, we
have another fifteen minutes of this before we reach Telos.” He smiled and
shrugged his shoulders, then sighed; “Mind you, he said the same thing ten
minutes ago!” Anzio grinned and pulled a packet of mints from his shirt pocket
and offered them around.
The Doctor declined, despite her dry mouth; she had a pretty good feeling that
if she placed anything on her tongue, her troubled stomach would react with a
little violent eruption; the air-sickness pills were reaching the end of their
effectiveness. She prayed hard for a quick and safe landing with her eyes
closed tight.
The good Doctors other student-assistant; Yoki Azzurri leaned across the pair
and pointed at the little window, shouting; “Look, there’s lights down by the
river!” Everyone peered through the rain swept windows and could clearly see
the lights below and they were coming up quite fast.
"I'm really looking forward to a hot bath and some 'Jack Daniels'."
Muttered Anzio and wiped his mouth in anticipation of his favourite beverage,
apart from coffee. Everyone was jerked about in their seats as the helicopter
started to descend towards the helicopter pad attached to 'The Emerald Forest
Hotel'.
"Hold on to your hats and everything else!" Anzio shouted and gripped
the arms of his seat quite tightly. He glanced at Doctor Bellman and grinned;
her eyes were firmly closed, and she gripped her old leather briefcase with both
hands.
"Not long now!" Yoki said to no one in particular and gripped her seat's
armrests with hidden strength. She also smiled at the good Doctor and actually
would be seriously relieved to be on land again, even if it was the bloody
jungle!
The 'copter landed with a bounce and Doctor Bellman's party departed the craft
with some relief for the comfort of 'Emerald Forest Hotel'. Anzio pointed out
the flat-bottomed river boat, the 'Madre de Deus' moored against the nearest
river jetty. "That's our ride tomorrow." He said simply and Yoki
grinned broadly; "At least it can't drop out the sky and it comes with a
bloody lifeboat." They both chuckled, but the tired Doctor said nothing,
and they headed for reception.
They were a little surprised to be greeted by the Hotel Manager; his name badge boasted ' Miguel Joao Murphy'. Yoki smiled at Anzio; "Murphy. The Manager's name is bloody Murphy!" Anzio shook his hand and asked where the Irish name came from. The happy man informed the party that his Great, great grandfather was from Wexford and that's why the hotel logo is a shamrock and was called the 'Emerald'. In good English he also announced that the hotel sold the best Guinness in Brazil and kept a good stock of Irish whisky.
After they booked in, Miguel showed them the rooms he had allocated, telling
them several times they were the best in the hotel; "Very few insects and
snakes." He smiled broadly and Doctor Bellman asked if their guide had
arrived and the look upon the Managers face was priceless when she named their
guide.
The smile was gone, he rubbed his hands together and shuffled his feet;
"You have hired Senhor Crawford?" Miguel rolled his eyes and nodded
with some apprehension; "A most excellent man in the forest, but no good
around whisky and girls." He shrugged his shoulders and told them dinner
would be served at six; he left muttering to himself, and it wasn't flattering
about 'Senhor Crawford'.
Doctor Bellman threw her case upon the big bed and slumped next to it;
"Well, I didn't hire the fellow - I've never met him - he was hired by the
Geographical Society's office in Brasilia." She told herself and closed
her eyes, drifting off to sleep.
In the small bar, Anzio and Yoki were enjoying 'Jack Daniels' after a couple of
very cold bottles of beer. The little barman's English wasn't great, but he
knew his beers and spirits and always had a broad smile on his face -
especially for Yoki - who he called 'Angel lady'. The smile faded from his
happy face when a tall, strapping white man approached the bar.
Yoki prodded Anzio and whispered; "Now that's a good-looking man who looks like he knows his way around the jungle." Anzio nodded and said quietly; "He's probably an office clerk!" They both chuckled and then noticed the barman didn't pour him a whisky but placed the bottle on the bar with a clean glass.
"São esses dois
com a festa dos médicos ingleses?" He spoke directly to Carlos the barman
and jerked his thumb towards Anzio and Yoki, then smiled and poured himself a
large whisky. The Barman nodded and refilled their glasses without comment or
introduction of the stranger. The big man turned to Anzio and Yoki with his
hand held out; "I'm Jack Crawford." He said simply and grinned
broadly. Both Anzio and Yoki had a strange feeling that Jack Crawford seemed
strangely familiar to them, but those thoughts soon disappeared as the drinks
started to flow.
It was just before midnight when Anzio and Yoki made it to their respective
bedrooms - they had enjoyed the evening immensely; Jack Crawford certainly knew
how to recount tales, stories and legends of the Amazon with much humour and
whisky. Anzio loved his story about the cannibal tribe that worshipped a giant
Anaconda and made human sacrifices to the creature, which was part myth and
part bar story telling.
Crawford became really interested, when
Yoki mentioned the ill-fated 1910 expedition of Professor Jack Dawes. Both
Anzio and Yoki were actually impressed and a little amazed, that he knew about
the professor's total disappearance, whilst searching for the fabled city of
Noah.
He had the pair almost crying with laughter, when he likened their expedition
to a very, very late rescue mission. "I can see the old professor sitting
on a wooden crate, chewing on some half-cooked lizard, with a long white beard
wondering if they will back pay his old age pension!"
The drinks flowed and they only stopped to eat salt beef sandwiches and some
fruit - Yoki also had a bottle of cold water to accompany her 'Jack Daniels'
and coke. Anzio noted that Jack Crawford was running up a 'tab' behind the bar;
despite the notice that said this wasn't allowed. When jack went to the toilet,
Anzio asked the barman about that; Carlos shrugged his shoulders and whispered
in broken English that Senhor Crawford was good for any credit offered -
"He very wealthy man I think." Carlos said and refilled the drinks,
adding; "He say your money no good here. All on him."
But it was the arrival of the three strangers in the bar at about nine o'clock;
that Anzio remembered clearly. A well-dressed young white man, resplendent
white 'safari suit' complete with straw hat caught Yoki's attention. But
Anzio's and Jacks eyes were immediately drawn to the young woman that
accompanied him; she was a real beauty in a stunning silk jacket and dress.
The big African drew stares all round; he looked the sort of man you didn't
mess with. "Probably their bloody bodyguard or something." Whispered
Yoki and they watched the Hotel Manager falling over himself to greet and serve
them.
The three sat at a corner table drinking and talking very quietly amongst
themselves and Anzio also noted they spoke in fluent Portuguese to the waiter
and other staff they dealt with. "Rich tourists." was all Jack
commented but didn't take his eyes off the woman. The party broke up and Jack
left the bar, heading for the river boat, where he was staying the night with
his friend, Captain Carlos Henrique Garcia.
Anzio made his bed with some difficulty and slept soundly until his watch alarm woke him up at seven o'clock. He couldn't shake the image of the young woman from his mind; a real beauty he mused as he showered and shaved. The hangover had kicked in and paracetamol was necessary to get him down the stairs to breakfast.
Doctor Bellman was quite amused by the subdued behaviour of her young
colleagues at their breakfast. The pair were drinking bottle after bottle of
cold water and only managed some toast to eat. But they did recount their
encounter with Senhor Jack Crawford in some detail. Anzio informed the Doctor
that Crawford and his assistant would meet them at the river boat after
breakfast.
A very subdued Yoki whispered across the table to her companions;
"Apparently the gorgeous couple are a couple of rich tourists, travelling
with an old friend from New York. They're from Scotland. Carlos the barman says
the woman has 'Dr.' on her luggage, a medical doctor I suppose. But her husband
is stinking rich, probably owns a bloody castle in the Highlands or
something."
Doctor Bellman smiled; "Miguel told me that they're travelling on the river boat with us until the township at San Marco. A real doctor on board could be really useful." She gathered her papers together and pushed them into her old briefcase, adding; "If you’re finished, let’s get going."
"PROFESSOR JACK DAWES LOST EXPEDITION TO THE AMAZON'S SUBTERRANEAN WORLD" CONTINUES IN 'TEMPORAL DETECTIVES' BOOK SERIES 2 [EPISODE 3.]
Copyright © 2011-2025 0Stephen Williams. No reproduction of any part without permission.