- 2 - 
Johnny were already aboard (B* is to sail with us), and quite 
a crowd of friends were seeing off the other fellow passengers. 
Mr. Rahbeck of Firestone and Mr. Finch of the Barber Line were 
on board, and when our friends had said good-bye we settled 
down in the dining room for some liquid refreshments. I needed 
a couple of stiff drinks to make me forget Carveth Wells gloomy 
remarks on life at sea. He considers that one always takes ones 
life in one’s hands when one sets out on a ship, and sleeps 
with one hand on his life belt and the other on a knapsack already 
equipped with brandy, aspirin, and other lifesavers. His first 
comment on seeing our ship was ’’Good Lord, she is loaded - way 
down below the Plimsoll line!" I don’t think he really expects 
ever to see us again. 
We sailed finally at five thirty, pulling out of the 
ice filled harbor just as dark and cold settled down. Expecting 
bad weather, I unpacked the few things I thought I would need 
during the first few days. After a supper which we were all too 
tired and too excited to enjoy, we went early to bed. 
February 18 
To our surprise, we woke to find calm blue seas and 
sunny weather. We straightened out the cabin, which is none 
too large considering the amount of books, cameras, typewriter, 
stationery, etc., that clutter it up. In a wool suit and a 
camel ’ s hair coat I was quite warm enough en deck, and too warm 
inside the rooms which are thoroughly steam-heated. 
The passengers quarters are under the bridge, under the 
captain’s quarters. We have to cross about thirty feet of 
deck to reach the dining room, which adjoins the officers 
quarters in the center of the ship. The dining room is small, 
but holds two t ables, one seating seven, the other six - if they 
sat at one table it would make thirteen. The ship carries twelve 
passengers, and the captain eats with us. The captain, Bernice 
and Mr. and Mrs. Zarpas are at our table. The Z's are from 
Lagos - he is a Greek trader there - and are on their way home 
after a few months leave in the States » Norris and Jennie r are 
at the other table, with Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, Miss Nelson, Miss 
Wells and Mrs. Hedges, all missionaries, and all Disciples of 
Christ except Miss Nelson, who is Evangelical Mission, all are 
headed for the Congo, and all (except Miss Nelson) veterans of 
fifteen to twenty years out there. 
February 19 
:3 
I realized the ship was rolling when I first awaoke , 
but as I got out of bed and found myself hurled from the bunk to 
the washstand and back again, I realized that we were In really 
rough weather. For four days we ro led and pitched constantly, 
with waves sweeping the deck, sudden rainstorms lashing us, even 
thunder crashing over us one afternoon. I worried for a while 
about our cargo, which is gasoline and kerosene, and wondered 
how much rolling about was necessary to generate spontaneous 
combustion, but eventually got more or less used to it. Our^ 
cabin was twice awash, the first time in the middle of the night 
when a large wave rolled in through the porthole in Bernice's room 
