4 



right to the top and there the U. S. Coast and Geo- 

 detic Survey has constructed a tower about 40 feet 

 high, We climbed the tower and had a grand view of 

 the whole American base, as well as of the hills as 

 far back as the Blue Mountains ♦ After coming down 

 from the tower I was too tired to start out right 

 away so we cut the flower spike out of a "coratoe 11 

 or May Pole ( Agave sobolifera S.-D.). The flowers form 

 a pyramidal spike four feet high by two feet through, 

 at the end of the leafless ten foot pole. The plant 

 exudes a gelatinous say that gets all over everything ♦ 

 I nearly caught Norris with my cutlass when it slipped 

 out of my grasp because of the goo. The flowers were 

 swarming with small insects, mostly Anthicidae. Having 

 finished the spike, Lewis suggested that we go back 

 through the bush instead of along the path, in hope of 

 finding an iguana. So we started down over the honey- 

 comb rock, very rough and unpleasant to fall on, cut- 

 ting our way through the thorn bushes and cacti. Half 

 way down, a large iguana surprised us by jumping from 

 the crotch of a tree, fully five feet above ground. 

 This was the first direct evidence that Lewis had that 

 the iguana could climb, though a statement to that ef- 

 fect had been published in 1851. We failed to get the 

 lizard and continued down to the shore path. I worked 

 my way slowly along the path to where we had landed and 

 immediately stripped and lay down in the water to soak. 

 Our drinking water had given out and I was dry. After 

 20 minutes in the water I felt much better and was all 

 ready when the launch returned at 2.30 with a fresh 

 supply of water, beer and ginger ale. Collected termites, 

 ants, dragonflies, shells, etc. until 5.15 when we left, 

 going the long way around and having a fine view of both 

 the Goat Islands. Got away in the car at 6.30 and re- 

 turned to 2 Piccadilly Road without incident. Dinner 

 was waiting for me and after dinner we had a call from 

 Ivan; he was living with the Cooler's in 1937. Fixed my 

 catch, wrote up my notes and to bed at 10.00. 



April 24. First of all went to the Jamaica Auto Association 

 to meet Miss Nixon and Mr. Duquesnay. He offer^ed a 

 1937 Ford coupe for Six pounds a week. We went first 

 to a photographer for a sitting (finished prints to be 

 ready in one hour), then to the National Bank of Canada 

 for |100 in British (Twentyfour pounds, thirteen shillings 

 and four pence), back to the J A A to prepare the papers 

 (rental of car and application for driver's permit), 

 back to the photographer where the prints were ready 

 (in less than an hour) and to the traffic Bureau. No 

 trouble in getting permit (Ten shillings). Back to the 

 J A A to get the car and then back to the Institute. 



