Adventure Magazine

The Explorer by Arthur O. Friel is a complete novel set in the Venezuelan Orinoco region. The narrative follows Hammond, an inexperienced American youth seeking adventure on tropical rivers, and his companion Thomas, a weathered trader.

The opening chapter, "A Ship Comes In," depicts the steamer Delta approaching Ciudad Bolivar. Among its passengers are Venezuelan merchants and officials, plus two contrasting Northerners: Hammond, a college-educated American wearing new tropical attire, and the mysterious Thomas, a seasoned blond man in white who speaks multiple languages. When two criminal passengers attempt to rob Hammond at dockside, Thomas intervenes without violence, merely appearing at the saloon entrance. Upon arrival at Ciudad Bolivar, the town's health inspector greets Hammond warmly, noting his passport lists "travel and study," while privately acknowledging Thomas. As Thomas exits inspection, guards at the gangplank shoot dead the two would-be thieves. The adventure narrative emphasizes exotic locale, character contrasts, and danger on colonial waterways.