130 



arranged, the course of the flight and other details. It was doubtful 

 whether they could manage to get the plane away that afternoon, 

 but he confirmed that in any case we could leave Durban early in 

 the morning. Later I was told that the Dakota would leave Pretoria 

 before dawn next day, would arrive in Durban, Stamford Hill, 

 at 6 a.m., and get away as soon as we got aboard. 



It was a terrific relief to hear this definite news, and I arranged 

 to be fetched by an army car at 5 a.m. Friends were told of these 

 arrangements and I sent the following telegram to my wife on the 

 ship: 



'PROBABLY LEAVING DAWN.' 



And it was only then that I cabled Hunt as follows : 



'HOLD ON STOP GOVERNMENT SENDING PLANE.' 



Within a short time I was being subjected to an intensive bom- 

 bardment by telephone, from near and far. Would I confirm that 

 the Prime Minister had granted a military plane? When did we 

 expect to leave } etc., etc. Then a new phase started. Would I be 

 prepared to take a press representative ? I said that would have to 

 be considered, and then there came a succession of more such 

 requests from cinema, newsreel, television, and other agents, until 

 I began to wonder if there was going to be any room for me on the 

 plane. I told them all that the matter would not rest with me. 

 Would I take it further ? So I asked the Military Authorities to get 

 in touch with whatever person or department was necessary and 

 to put the matter to them. I gathered it would be the Prime 

 Minister's secretary, but in any case the answer eventually came 

 back a flat 'No, only Professor Smith'. 



At the end of an expedition such as ours, financial matters were 

 often troublesome in many ways, and as ready funds would cer- 

 tainly now be of prime importance, I sent the following telegram 

 to the President of the South African Council for Scientific and 

 Industrial Research in Pretoria: 



'GOING COMORES IN PLANE GRANTED BY PRIME 

 MINISTER TO FETCH COELACANTH WILL 

 COUNCIL KINDLY GRANT FIVE HUNDRED 

 POUNDS TOWARDS EXPENSES.' 



