278 THE LAST CRUISE OF THE CARNEGIE 



them he removed whatever he wished from the chafing-dish in 

 the center, or from the side-dish of pickles. When everyone 

 had finished, steaming towels were passed around to take the 

 place of our napkins. 



By some magic. Captain Ault himself found time to see a base- 

 ball-game in Japan. In describing this game he says: "The ball- 

 game was a good one and we nearly collapsed from laughter at 

 the unusual manner of playing baseball in Japan. They were 

 up to all the tricks, bunts, hooked slides, pulling off a double 

 steal of second and home twice. It was odd to see each batter 

 bow to the umpire behind the plate when he came up to bat and 

 if a runner spiked a baseman when sliding, he bowed and cere- 

 moniously tipped his cap. Nobody bawled out the umpires, of 

 which there were three — regular world's series style. But the 

 home-plate man was the chief "shogun." For an outfield catch 

 he would rush down the field as far as second base and for a foul 

 catch he would outrush the catcher by five yards. He insured 

 good pitching by calling everything a ball that did not cut the 

 heart of the pan. Everybody was smiling — even the third base- 

 man after making three wild throws. They say baseball is even 

 more popular in Japan than in the United States." 



During our stay in port, several dinners were given in our honor. 

 The most impressive of these was at the Imperial Academy of 

 Sciences in Tokyo. There were about fifty members present. 

 The average age of our hosts was sixty -two, so even Captain Ault 

 felt like a youngster. Several addresses were delivered felicitating 

 us on our work and at the end of the ceremonies we were presented 

 with a fine copy of the two-volume report on the Pan-Pacific 

 Scientific Congress held in Japan in 1926. From the roof of the 

 building in which we dined a magnificent view of Tokyo was ob- 

 tained. On the areas destroyed by the great earthquake and fire 

 there now rise substantial cement and steel buildings with wide 

 boulevards and canals replacing the narrow, crooked streets of 

 former times. It is impossible to admire these people enough 

 for the energy they have shown in rebuilding one of the largest 

 cities in the world — all in the space of a few years! 



Another dinner was given in Kamakura a seaside resort not 



