UNDER SEA WITH HELMET AND CAMERA 



was thirty-five feet from waterline. We were pleased with her appearance 

 and performance after this transformation. 



When spring came (1937), we took Buc karoo to Nassau. My son 

 Richard, his wife, and her sister made this party but they had not "signed 

 on" for the contemplated cruise to the out-islands. In addition to the mo- 

 tion picture equipment, a little French camera to take still pictures had 

 been borrowed. A case for submarine work was made for it. Much dif- 

 ficulty in the design of a case is avoided if the camera used is made, as this 

 one was, to control the motions of exposure and changing film in one. 



We encountered the first inclement weather thus far experienced in the 

 Bahamas, and I had to confine myself to some work in the lee of Rose 

 Island, which is part of Nassau. The still camera had been procured and 

 a case constructed in such a hurry that I had no chance to try it out before 

 leaving home. Good subjects for photography were found and the film 

 was used up, but I had no confidence in the results of my efforts. A small 

 amount of motion picture film was exposed until the driving-belt in the 

 camera broke and a new one could not be procured. After a few days, I 

 returned to Florida, leaving Buckaroo for Richard to use, and went home 

 greatly disappointed, a year having been wasted as far as photography was 

 concerned. This loss was particularly impressed upon me when I found 

 that the still pictures showed nothing. The above details may not be in- 

 teresting but they are given to show how easily an expedition of this kind 

 may result in failure by not testing equipment nor carrying spare parts. 



An incident occurred one evening in Nassau that left me with a bright 

 recollection of the trip, however. I had an English Austin car, open tour- 

 ing model, "vintage" of 1929 which I had given to Richard. He received 

 it from the boat on Thursday, but the next day being Good Friday, he 

 found it impossible to obtain a hcense for it. With some difficulty, he 

 located one of the officials who had authority over the granting of licenses. 

 This gentleman informed Richard that the bureau would not be open un- 



