26 Naturalist at Large 



Rosamond finally agreed. Our warm clothing and heavy- 

 overcoats, which we had needed for the North Atlantic 

 crossing and were not likely to need again, and sundry 

 purchases made in England filled it up. Father's agents in 

 London arranged to handle its transfer to Boston, and I 

 mailed the key about two hours before train time. Just as 

 we were ready to leave for the station, it occurred to me 

 that all those coupons were in the trunk. I rushed down- 

 stairs in a frenzy. In the old Metropole Hotel, where this 

 affair took place, there was a letter box right by the door 

 of the elevator. By inexpressible good fortune I reached 

 the bottom step just as the postman, key in hand, was un- 

 locking the box. I spotted the letter and made a grab for it, 

 pushed a half sovereign into the bewildered postman's palm, 

 and jumped for the elevator. Before the postman could yell 

 "Stop thief," I had the key extracted. We just made the 

 train. 



By nature I am a timorous person. Physical bravery is 

 no part of my make-up and all my life I have dodged trou- 

 ble rather than looked for it. For this reason, while I have 

 traveled a good deal, I have few adventures to recount. 

 My friends often counter with the statement, "But you 

 catch poisonous snakes with your hands." This, of course, 

 is only partially true. You need the right sort of stick and 

 then, when you know how, picking up snakes, whether 

 harmless or poisonous, is no trick at all. 



My wife and I, however, made one trip in 1906 which 

 for some reason was crowded with thrills. A family friend, 

 Sir Frederick Palmer, Chief Engineer of the Port of Cal- 

 cutta Authority, gave us one of the Survey vessels for a 



