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to write notes on the events of the past few days while they were 

 still fresh in my mind, especially what I had learnt at Dzaoudzi. 

 Soon I became so engrossed in getting the many points into their 

 correct order that I forgot all else, and was brought, not to earth 

 fortunately, but to look at it, by Ralston, who shouted 'Bazaruto', 

 and there it was far beneath us to starboard, the clouds at that 

 time being wispy and thin. We cut across inside Cape Sebastian, 

 when the cloud over the land shut down again, and the plane 

 became once more just a noisy box encased in cotton-wool. I 

 went on with my notes. 



My ears suddenly told me we were at a lower altitude, and 

 looking out I saw the lakes about Inharrime, with glimpses of the 

 sea between the ragged clouds. We dropped to only a few hundred 

 feet above the dunes, and in quick succession passed the Limpopo 

 mouth, then along the chain of coastal lakes about San Martinha, 

 Chefina Island, and the Incomati mouth, and there was the 

 Polana beach and the bay of Louren90 Marques, all old 

 friends. 



We touched down at 6.20 p.m. Our Vice-Consul Phillip was 

 waiting at the airport, and there were greetings and inquiries 

 from the various Portuguese officials. My chief concern was 

 refreshments for the crew, who again alternated between coffee 

 and cool drinks with sandwiches. 



Despite my great stress, I had always kept in mind the Brig- 

 adier's request that the crew should not be driven too hard. This 

 had been a long and trying day, and eager as I was to return I 

 put this to Blaauw and suggested a night in Louren^o Marques; 

 but like horses scenting home they were all eager to get on and to 

 reach Durban that night. I asked Phillip to telephone my friend 

 Dr. George Campbell in Durban to find me an absoutely trust- 

 worthy photographer to meet the plane, for I wanted to have my 

 precious films developed at once. 



It was raining as we took off at 6.45 p.m., and in the gathering 

 gloom it seemed a flight that would never end. I had discovered 

 that the crew had all been on holiday when they were abruptly 

 recalled for this flight, and while they had not offered any account 

 of their reactions, it was only natural that there should have been 

 some degree of resentment. I spoke of this, and said that some 

 compensation for them would be to have participated in what 



