173 

 prefer not to have any public exhibition then, and gave my 

 reasons ; but added that if he wanted it done we could go into the 

 matter. He at once said that the decision must be mine alone, and 

 I trust that those who were at the Strand at that time will under- 

 stand my reluctance. 



In the afternoon some hundreds of guests from all over the 

 south-western Cape, invited by telephone only that morning, 

 assembled at tea-time. Dr. Malan had asked me privately if I 

 would address them, to which I agreed, but said also that I was 

 so exhausted it would be a terrible strain to speak in Afrikaans. 

 He patted my arm, and took it on himself to announce that he 

 wished me to speak in English. After several speeches the 

 company, composed of leading scientific and public personalities 

 of the Cape, filed slowly past the Coelacanth bier, while crowds 

 assembled outside in the street, and their cameras constantly 

 clicked and buzzed. 



After that day of intimate contact, we left the Strand knowing 

 that behind the solemn, stony face of the newspapers lay a warm 

 humanity and an active if dry sense of humour. It left us with more. 

 Back at Ysterplaats my wife put into words what had been filling 

 my mind; she said, 'That man could do no wrong to anyone.' 



We learnt that night that the Dunnottar Castle was due at 

 7 a.m. next day. Early transport was arranged, and we arrived at 

 the docks as the ship was being made fast ; but as the Port Officials 

 had not yet arrived, there was no entry. Time was precious, and I 

 was raging at the gangway when a door opened in the side of the 

 ship near by and Captain Smythe jumped out and hailed us, 

 naturally dumbfounded that we could be there, as may be under- 

 stood. One of the officers had seen us on the quay and had hastened 

 to tell him. In spite of the guards, we all went aboard through the 

 same hole. 



On our voyage in that ship from Mombasa southwards I had 

 found 8.30 a.m. very late for breakfast, and had had occasional 

 passages with the head waiter, for I much preferred having my 

 simple meal at children's time, 7.30 a.m. I left my wife and Smythe 

 and went to the dining-saloon, now just 7.30, and seeing this 

 head waiter coming from the kitchen, stood at the side of the 

 door, and as he passed said, 'Would you mind if I had breakfast 

 with the children?' He started, and with bulging eyes stared 



