Marco Polo and the Great Trek

Writer: Murray Stewart.

Having rounded the treacherous Cape of Storms on their expedition to the Far East, Vasco Diaz, the captain of the Santa Flatulata, dropped anchor in the calm waters of Nice Nè Lagoon. On board were Marco Polo and sixteen sea-sick but relieved crewmen.

As discussed previously, young Marco was eastward bound to a domed palace behind a huge wall made of china. He planned to meet up with Pa who must have arrived by now, and was apparently staying with a real-estate developer called Kubla Cohen. Shouldn’t be too difficult to find, he thought. Can’t be too many Jewish developers with a leisure resort in that neck of the woods.

Sheltered in the lagoon, Captain Vasco set about doing what saltydog sea captains do. He got drunk. But first he instructed the handymen to repair the shredded sails and plug the hull with Polyfilla. Others were sent to find fresh supplies and water, while the rest were told to fell Stinkwood trees from the surrounding forests, and schlep them back to the ship.

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