134 THE LAST CRUISE OF THE CARNEGIE 



till one reaches the careenage is one convinced that this is a bus- 

 tling, industrious seaport. Into this inner harbor are crowded an 

 unbelievable number of schooners, barges, motor-tugs, and bum- 

 boats. Arriving as we did in the hurricane-season, the congestion 

 was at its worst; for it then takes courage to push off shore in 

 these dinky trading-schooners. 



The first few days were spent chiefly on board preparing the 

 enormous mass of scientific records for forwarding to Washington. 

 Captain Ault paid his official calls and made the necessary ar- 

 rangements for occupying the magnetic station ashore. Then 

 followed a flood of invitations from the local British community — 

 tennis-matches, teas, dinners, bridge parties, dances. It was 

 certain that our evenings would be well filled. 



Scott was swamped by the official mail that required answer- 

 ing. He helped Captain Ault with his correspondence to head- 

 quarters, in addition to his usual business with the ship's com- 

 missary and pay disbursements. But one amusing complaint 

 from the Chief Clerk in Washington served to add a touch of 

 humor to the whole business. On leaving Reykjavik we had paid 

 a large laundry bill itemized in Icelandic. There had been no 

 time to have a translation made before sailing, so it was forwarded 

 as it stood to headquarters. What was the dismay of the auditors 

 when they came to check up on this incomprehensible bill! 



Our work aboard was interrupted by a brisk trade in souvenirs. 

 Natives would come alongside in their row-boats and offer shark- 

 bone canes, bleached coral, beads, fans, and so on, in exchange 

 for old shoes or new shillings. There were also native tailors. 

 Prices seemed absurdly low, until we saw the long-promised suit 

 or trousers — delivered on board by proxy the minute before sail- 

 ing. And there were shoemakers (or so they styled themselves) . 

 But they were not so lucky as the tailors, who had come along at 

 the right psychological moment. We had just arrived from a 

 cold climate, and faced a solid year in the tropics. Everyone had 

 postponed the purchase of hot-weather clothes, and so we fell 

 easy game to the first outfitters that came along. 



One day Governor and Lady Robertson very kindly asked us 

 to tea at the Government House, and invited us to use their 



