136 THE LAST CRUISE OF THE CARNEGIE 



beautiful tennis-courts. Some games were arranged a few days 

 later; but we were no match for the practised players of Barbados. 

 Ample opportunity for dancing was found. The party was 

 invited to a semi-formal affair at the Yacht-Club. There were 

 occasional dances at the Marine Hotel in Bridgetown, and at 

 Crane Beach. Besides this, there was a splendid floor on the 

 Aquatic Club pier, and music was supplied every evening. 



Early in our stay the party was conducted through the interest- 

 ing coral caves on Dr. Manning's estate. His beautiful grounds 

 include a superb sunken garden. A tea followed the walk, and 

 we made the aquaintance of an old parrot, apparently very 

 much at home in the world. 



By the end of the first week we found ourselves free to leave 

 the ship and to undertake the scientific shore work. A tent was 

 set up for the magnetic station near the "Transit of Venus" 

 monument; and another on the polo-field for the atmospheric- 

 electric comparisons. The local residents responded generously 

 to any request for assistance in connection with this work. Park- 

 inson and Torreson carried on the electric observations, while 

 Jones and Paul helped them out at the magnetic station on the 

 hill. Seiwell had returned to the United States on leave of ab- 

 sence. He was to rejoin us at Panama, leaving Paul temporarily 

 in charge of the biological and chemical work. 



While the members of the shore-party were engaged in the 

 magnetic observations on "Venus Hill" they usually took their 

 meals at one of the nearby hotels. The routine was so arranged 

 that a twenty -minute interval between two readings of the in- 

 struments would allow the observers time to rush down the hill 

 for a bite of food. One morning, when we were seated breathless 

 in the dining-room, the head- waiter approached one of the men 

 and said quietly: "I'm sorry, sir. But have you not forgotten 

 your jacket? We must not permit dining without a jacket, sir." 



The answer was simply: "But I have no jacket." 



The head-waiter was adamant, and our discomfited colleague 

 left the room. As he made his way to the door, someone heard 

 a remark from one of the hotel-guests: "Isn't that just like an 

 American?" This turned an unpleasant incident into a grand 



