CHAPTER IX 
HOMEWARD BOUND 
We began packing our collection and equipment for the re- 
turn trip on July 15th, the work being directed by Messrs. 
Stoner and Job, although all hands assisted. A few articles 
necessary for our quarters that had been purchased at St. 
John’s were presented to the Defense Force as a partial return 
for the use of such of the equipment of the quarters as had been 
loaned us by their courtesy. Arrangements had also been made 
for the chartering of the sloop ‘‘Resolute’’ to take our effects 
to St. John’s; and, as before, these arrangements were made 
through the firm of Bennett, Bryson and Co. The uncertainty of 
the time of the arrival of the Quebec Company’s vessel ‘‘Pa- 
rima’’ caused a good deal of annoyance. It seemed impossible 
to secure any information regarding the movements of the ves- 
sels, which was doubtless necessary as a war time precaution, 
but was nevertheless extremely aggravating to a party as large 
as ours. If our goods were sent away on the ‘‘Resolute’’ too 
soon, we had to pay for the time lost in waiting for the steamer ; 
but it would of course have been much more serious to have the 
sloop come too late, as missing a steamer would have been simply 
disastrous, involving a delay of at least two weeks with our equip- 
ment and baggage shipped away on the sloop. 
During the whole time of our stay in the West Indies the di- 
rector of the expedition was haunted by a fear that something 
would happen to the steamer on which we were booked for the 
return passage. There were-all sorts of rumors afloat. Many 
times we heard that the Quebec line steamers were to be com- 
mandeered by the Admiralty for the use of the Allies. The tak- 
ing off of any one of them would have involved extremely ser- 
ious consequences to the islands, and even severe food scarcity 
to their inhabitants. The margin of commissary supplies was 
a slender one at best, and with the responsibility of eighteen 
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