29 



May 22. Up at 7 for breakfast . Invited either or both 

 to go to Mandeville and Maix accepted. I drove slowly 

 and carefully and I think she had the time of her life* 

 She bought many small items and when we got back she 

 told Hermanse of every person we passed on the road and 

 of every sight we had seen. Both were pathetically 

 grateful. Had lunch and I left for Mendez Pen about 1. 

 Went all the way into Cross Keys by mistake but then got 

 onto my road and reached Mendez at 3. Mrs. Bovell was 

 getting ready to go to a funeral. We talked about Frome 

 and Marjorie and about the day P. A# missed us. She wasn f t 

 at all distressed by the incident. She has a plan for a 

 picnic and swim next Sunday at Alligator Pond and wants 

 me to come. Will go if I can get my talk fixed up on Fri- 

 day and Saturday. Am to call at 28 Seymour Ave. (off Old 

 Hope Road) tomorrow at 8.30, at which time she will have 

 more news of the party. Reached 2 Piccadilly Road in time 

 for a bath and complete change of clothing. Dinner. Black 

 Jack in the evening on the porch which kept me awake until 

 after midnight. 



May 23. Up at 7. Wrote up notes and packed specimens. 

 Went to Institute to read for my talk. Bernard pointed 

 out several references on the mongoose that I was glad 

 to see. This animal was introduced into the island in 

 1872 as an enemy of the cane rat. A previous attempt 

 to introduce the ferret failed because the chigoe flea 

 killed the young ferrets and prevented multiplication. 

 By 1882 the cost of rat catching had been reduced by 90 

 percent and the cane damage by 80 percent. (Rat catch- 

 ing cost calculated directly, cane damage indirectly by 

 rum production, as all rum was made from damaged canes). 

 By 1890, the value of the mongoose had passed its peak. 

 It is now and has been for years, a serious menace to 

 the wild life on the island. 



May 24. Stedman took my cutlass to a leather worker to have 

 a sheath made. Will cost five shillings. To Myrtle Bank 

 for bath and swim. Dixie Doodle for lunch with Mrs. Bo- 

 vell and Jim. He seems very nice, I'm sure I should like 

 him. After lunch, Mrs. Bovell turned her car over to 

 Jim and I took her with me. We stopped at Caymanas to 

 call on Paul and his wife. Paul is OK, don f t think I 

 would care much for his wife. Then to Mendez Pen, where 

 we talked until 7, had a light supper and I started back 

 to Kingston. Saturday night makes difficult driving in 

 Old Harbour and Spanish Town. Tomorrow's party off. 

 Reached 2 Piccadilly Road at 9.20. Bed after the 10 o'- 

 clock news. 



