ALBACORA 197 



jutting promontory. This village, Puerto Lopez, was 

 within sight of La Plata Island, but an Ecuadorian 

 sportsman named Emilio Estrada, who was going over 

 our plans with us, became so enthusiastic that he made 

 an additional suggestion. 



"A few miles south of Puerto Lopez," Sefior Estrada 

 said, "you find Salango. Here, at the water, a friend 

 of mine has an hacienda with a cook and a houseboy 

 and a bathing beach. I can arrange for you to have 

 it." 



"Things," said Jo Manning, "are looking up." 



"We certainly would be grateful," Lou said. 



"It would please me to have you working in my 

 country," Estrada said. "Perhaps a few officials or a 

 few scientists will call on you, but you will have 

 no interference. It is a short sail from Salango to La 

 Plata. It will be a comfortable way to work." 



At two o'clock the next day the Mannings, Lou and 

 I hopped into a Ford station wagon. John Manning had 

 arranged for the station wagon, plus an additional 

 truck, which was to follow a day later with supplies 

 and a few bottles of liquor, some soda and drums of 

 water. A driver named Carlos, who spoke a little Eng- 

 lish, came with the station wagon. When we started, he 

 headed directly into a traffic jam that would have done 

 midtown Manhattan proud. After ten minutes he honked 

 vigorously and pulled over to a house. A rather flat- 

 nosed man wearing a sweat shirt and dungarees ap- 



