BIGGLES IN THE JUNGLE

by Captain W. E. Johns

First published May 1942

CONTENTS – Page 5

List of illustrations – Page 6 (Frontispiece by Terence Cuneo and four illustrations by the same artist on pages 23, 75, 121, and 185)

I. BIGGLES MEETS AN OLD FRIEND (Pages 7 - 16)

Biggles is introduced as "Squadron-Leader Bigglesworth, D.S.O." (This book does not have a Second World War setting, so it is slightly surprising that Biggles has his Second World War rank. If the war is on, why is he not on active service? This book must be set before the Second World War). His comrades are introduced as "Ginger" Hebblethwaite and Captain, the Honourable "Algy" Lacey. The book opens with our heroes flying an amphibian machine off the coast of British Honduras and they arrive at Belize. “Ginger has been largely responsible for the trip. Bored by a spell of inactivity, he had threatened to go off alone, taking the aircraft, an amphibian named Wanderer, if the others refused to bestir themselves. Biggles, always tolerant, had proposed a trip to Central America to examine the possibilities of an air service between British possessions and the mainland and the West Indies. This project, he declared, need not necessarily be definitely pursued. It provided an object for the flight, as opposed to aimless wandering”. Biggles goes to meet a fellow he knows in Government House called Carruthers, normally senior Resident Magistrate, but at the moment acting Governor, whilst the Governor is on leave. Biggles “did him a good turn some years ago, when he was British Vice-Consul at La Paz, in Bolivia”. (Biggles was in La Paz in Bolivia for three short stories in Biggles Flies Again (1934), set out in chapters two, three and four of that book, but there was no reference to Carruthers). Carruthers invites them to stay at his bungalow and after dinner, they discuss the various problems that Carruthers has as acting Governor. One problem is that native chicle-hunters are afraid to go into the forest. (Chicle is the milky latex of the sapodilla tree, used to make chewing gum). Carruthers says “There is wild talk – rumour, of course – about a fellow who calls himself King of the Forest, or some equally fantastic title; but what his game is, if he really exists, I haven’t yet been able to discover”. Three white men have disappeared after going up the “Unknown River” on “a crazy treasure hunt”, one of whom has a wealthy and anxious father in the United States and the father is “kicking up a nice row” now his son can’t be found. Ginger asks about the treasure and he is told it was alleged to have been seen years ago by a fellow named Carmichael. Biggles suggests arresting the King of the Forest, but just finding him is a problem. There are rumours of a secret town in the forest. Biggles offers to use his aircraft to look for the King of the Forest, if only to pinpoint where he is on the map for Carruthers. Biggle says that he was contemplating a survey flight up the “Unknown River” “just as a matter of curiosity” anyway. Carruthers is very thankful for the offer of help and with the consent of Ginger and Algy, Biggles says they will start in the morning.