KING'S SCOUT IN HONG KONG
Interesting Tale Of Travel
HOPES TO WRITE BOOK OF HIS ADVENTURES

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   Leaving Rangoon on April 17 two years ago on a cycle tour, which he hopes will carry him through every country on the map. King's Scout A.M.Appan, who was one of three of 15,000 scouts to be honoured with such a distinction in 1933, arrived in the Colony last Sunday by the s.s. Fuk Kuen from Formosa.
   Mr. Appan states that the object of his tour is to widen his outlook of life and to help to strengthen the bond of international friendship through the Scout movement. He also intends to publish a book in his own (Madrasi) language after completing his tour.
   Departing from Rangoon he crossed the northeastern border of Siam, after a week's journey, and cycled southwards through that country into the Malay States.
   He arrived in Singapore on November 25, 1933, and had an interview with His Excellency the Governor, Sir Cecil Clementi.
   One of Mr. Appan's most trying experiences was when he had to cross a mountain over 10,000 feet high near the northwestern border of Siam. For four days he was forced to shoulder his cycle while traversing a narrow mountain path. At night he had to sleep in a hammock hung up in the trees.

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Unconcerned Tiger

   "I almost fainted when I saw it." said Mr. Appan, when telling of his first encounter with a tiger.
   He said that in Siam he always followed the railway line, and one day a tiger suddenly emerged from the undergrowth and crossed the railway track just a few yards in front of him. The tiger, he stated, must have been on the track of an animal as it did not took aside but continued on its way and disappeared into the jungle on the other side of the track.
   Leaving Singapore by ship to Medan, Mr. Appan tracked through the jungles of Sumatra, encountering great hardships on the way to Padang, a distance of over 1,250 kilometres. Taking a steamer to Batavia, he cycled all over the island, and spent some time at Bali, the place which tourists never tire of visiting.

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Visit To Japan

   At Surabaya the Hindu Association presented him with a passage to Yokohama, where he arrived on June 6, 1934. At Tokyo, he was granted an interview with Mr. Korieko Takahashi, the Finance Minister, Mr. Matsuda Genji, the Minister of Education, and Mr. Kokhi Hirota, the Foreign Minister.
   After leaving Japan, Mr. Appan traveled through Shanghai, Amoy and Formosa, arriving here a few days ago. He intends to leave within a week, and plans to track through French Indo China, Tibet, Afghanistan, Turkey, and all the countries in Europe.
   Mr. Appan carries with him a large album in which are numerous photos of the various countries he had visited, and also many autographs of prominent personages.
   Today Mr. Appan will interview Captain W.J.R.Cragge, Aide de camp to His Excellency Administering the Government, Sir Thomas Southorn, and if possible he will secure Sir Thomas's autograph.