lOI 



While I waited on the bridge, my mind was racing, trying to 

 probe the future; would this call never come, half an hour 

 already gone? I called up the Post Office and inquired as to its 

 progress, impatient at the delay — they had not been able to find 

 Dr. du Toit, but the Pretoria office was busy. It is amusing to 

 look back on my early impatience, for I had still much to learn. 

 My wife came up to the bridge and was talking to me when the 

 telephone went. I jumped, but a Quartermaster standing by took 

 the receiver and was apparently having his own conversation, 

 a series of *Yes, yes, yes', so my attention switched back to our talk, 

 when we heard him say a final 'yes', and 'He's right here', followed 

 by 'Professor, your Secretary wants to speak to you' ; and there 

 was Mrs. McMaster, to say that another cable had come from 

 Hunt, addressed to the University authorities this time, wisely 

 covering my possible absence, and it had been sent over to her. 

 It read as follows : 



'HAVE SPECIMEN COELACANTH FIVE FEET TREAT- 

 ED FORMALIN STOP ABSENCE SMITH ADVISE OR 

 SEND PLANE REPLY— HUNT DZAOUDZI COMORES.' 



She told me she had intended going on a short holiday that 

 afternoon. Would it be in order ? I assured her it would, though 

 later, selfishly, certainly wished I hadn't. 



My wife left, so I returned to my restless pacing up and down 

 the bridge, covertly watched by sailors polishing brass. The 

 telephone again, I was there in a bound, but it was for the Chief 

 Officer. Up and down, up and down, a cheery greeting from the 

 Chief as he went, then the telephone again. Sorry, there was no 

 trace of Dr. P. J. du Toit, he could not be found anywhere. I was 

 left feeling quite bewildered. I knew that with all his interests 

 he travelled often and widely, but I had just not expected him to 

 be unavailable then. 



Well, something had to be done quickly, for if P. J. wasn't 

 there I'd have to get on myself. In my mind I went over the 

 Cabinet Ministers one by one. Donges and Sauer stood out, 

 they were old Stellenbosch University contemporaries, and were 

 personally approachable on that account, but there was nothing 

 to justify it beyond that, their interest could at best be only 

 general. My choice for several reasons settled on Eric Louw, 



