Chapter Ten 

 STARTS AND STOPS 



I CAME back suddenly, to the early afternoon of the 24th 

 December 1952, to the table in the saloon on the Dunnottar, 

 to George Campbell on his feet at my side, his hand on my 

 shoulder, shaking me back to the problem of the Coelacanth, to 

 the reality of the hard times ahead. He squeezed my shoulder, 

 and looking at my troubled face, smiled and said, 'Cheer up, 

 J. L. B., you'll win'. That is how patients are brought back to life. 



There was no ordinary telephone for the use of passengers on 

 that ship, the only one was on the bridge for official use, but 

 Captain Smythe had told me that the bridge and telephone were 

 at my service. I realised that I was almost certainly in for some 

 record telephoning, so asked for the head of that Service in the 

 Durban Post Office, gave him a brief outline of the situation, and 

 asked if he would kindly make things as easy as possible. After 

 that the Post Office was marvellous. The willing and efficient 

 service all members of that organisation gave us there is one of 

 our most pleasant recollections, for it certainly lightened our 

 burdens all through that most difficult and exhausting time. In 

 the matter of finding a wanted man I would back the South 

 African Post Office any time against Scotland Yard or even the 

 famous Canadian 'Mounties'. 



Practically all the funds for my support, work, and expeditions 

 come from the South African Council for Scientific and In- 

 dustrial Research, which administers the funds allocated by the 

 Government for scientific work. I was responsible to that Council, 

 so they came first to my mind, and who better than their President, 

 at that time Dr. P. J. du Toit, formerly head of the world-famous 

 institution of Onderstepoort, and he had been one of the most 

 outstanding of all its Directors. Yes, T. J.', as he is known, was 

 the man to consult. Would the Post Office kindly find Dr. P. J. 

 du Toit at Pretoria, and say I wished to speak urgently to him ? 



