Chapter Sixteen 

 FLOTSAM AND JETSAM 



A CHAOTIC account of a chaotic time. 

 The days and nights that followed our return to Grahams- 

 town on the last day of 1952 were something of a nightmare, of 

 which it is difficult to give a coherent account. My Secretary had 

 gone on holiday with her family and left no indication of her 

 whereabouts, nor should I have worried her had I known them, 

 for the Christmas-New Year period in South Africa is dedicated 

 to release from work. She was due to be away for another two 

 weeks. At that time even the Prime Minister rests, at least he 

 tries to, but of course unexpected events like wars or Coelacanths 

 may intrude. 



Despite efficient handling in my absence, there was the usual 

 accumulation of troublesome matters, reports and queries and 

 inescapable financial commitments and payments. I find myself 

 constantly grateful that while I have enough to eat and a com- 

 fortable dry bed to sleep in, I am free from those cares that 

 great wealth brings. There is more than enough to do besides. 



From the moment we arrived, telephone calls came constantly 

 from far and near. Would I confirm this or that ? Were we going 

 to remain in Grahamstown ? Could such and such a representative, 

 press, radio, television, cinema, publishing, and others, come for 

 an interview ? 



In normal times pressure of this kind would have been hard 

 to bear, but now it was almost unendurable, for I had been 

 virtually without sleep for a whole week. Fortunately even in 

 normal times I can do with less sleep than most, and my body and 

 brain are rather like a worn engine whose minor deficiencies are 

 concealed when it functions at high speed. My wife was equally 

 overwhelmed, and tore herself into bits, acting all at once as 

 secretary, buffer, and general assistant. Even the laboratory boy 

 was away enjoying a restful holiday I 



