4 



We dropped our hook in Cap Haitien har- 

 bor about seven o'clock on Monday morning. We had risen 

 at dawn and set out from our anchorage behind the reefs 

 so that we would waste no time in obtaining final permis- 

 sion from the Haitian government to carry on our search. 

 Since our discovery of the ballast, we could hardly wait to 

 get overboard with our diving equipment to explore for 

 the Santa Maria, which we had convinced ourselves must 

 be there. We resented the waste of even another day. 



Scarcely was our anchor down when we were hailed 

 from the shore. A Haitian voice informed us that the Cap- 

 tain of the Port wished to see Mr. Link immediately. Ed 

 went ashore to be met with a storm of disapproving words 

 from the port officer, but because the latter spoke in the 

 native tongue, Ed had to wait for an interpreter to inform 

 him exactly how he had displeased the captain. Why had 

 we exceeded our permission to go out on the reefs on Sun- 

 day by staying overnight? he was asked. Officialdom was 

 pacified when Ed explained that we had been afraid to risk 

 towing Reef Diver back in the heavy seas. 



Search for the Santa Maria 187 



