NOT ALL EXPERIENCES ARE USEFUL 207 



rid of it for ever. But the remora was satanic. It deceived its 

 host with a twist and blonk! — it was once again glued on. 

 The shark went on its way with a pitiful expression on its 

 face and with the triumphant remora waving like a flag. 



To mistake a shark for a tunny — a thing which is easily done 

 — is one way of avoiding anxiety. 



One day, His Excellency the Head of the Eritrean Govern- 

 ment, Tedia Bairu, joined the Formica on cruise. It was 

 simply a friendly visit. He wanted to see these odd Italians 

 at work underwater. 



Tedia Bairu was most impressed. He wanted to have a try 

 himself, at least to swim with a mask on, so into the water 

 he went, accompanied by Raimondo Bucher. Bucher set 

 about showing His Excellency how to go under. He ducked 

 and disappeared. At ten yards distance he stopped and 

 looked up. Between himself and His Excellency a pretty, nine- 

 foot shark was swimming by. Raimondo went up in a hurry, 

 expecting His Excellency to faint in his arms. 



Tedia Bairu: 'Stupendous, that tunny, wasn't it?' 



On another occasion, the Viceroy of Eritrea, the Bituodded 

 Andergacciou Messai, was on the Formica, accompanied by 

 a dozen and more ministers, military officials and other 

 dignitaries. In addition, there were the soldiers who, while 

 they were not numerous, were enough to turn the Formica 

 into a sort of landing assault barge. 



Priscilla, Cecco, Giorgio, Tesfankièl and I were still at 

 Dur Ghella. We saw our dear ship arriving, flags flying. 



