February 15 
We spent the morning packing last fehings, all our trunks 
and most of our gear having gone up to New York last Saturday. 
Bill wanted to make a last-minute visit to the Bank and the 
Smithsonian, and I went along. John Graf came with us for an 
early lunch at the Madrillon, and Melvin Hildreth joined us 
there. Mr. Walker drove us down to the station, and we boarded 
the four o'clock train. 
When we got in we went to Mort's, but we were both too tired 
and sleepy for the usual party, and went early to bed. 
February 16 
After one of Mort's leisurely breakfasts, we moved over to 
the Belmont Plaza, and arranged rooms for ourselves and for Roy, 
Jennier and Norris, who were to arrive shortly after noon. They 
did not come in time for the farewell luncheon arranged by the 
Firestone people but presided over by Frank Buck, which was held 
at the Ambassador. Mr. and Mrs. Carve th Wells were there. Dr. 
Blair and Crandall from the New York Zoo, Dr. Dickey, and others. 
Frank made a brief speech, and so did Bill. Then we went back to 
the hotel, picked up the boys, and went out to the Rockefeller 
Institute® to get our yellow fever vaccinations. We were much 
relieved to learn that 95 per cent of the vaccinees feel no 
reaction at all, and that not until the fifth or sixth day. 
We had our farewell dinner at Luchow's, with the Frank Bucks, 
Duff, Mort, and the Carve th Wellses. Then back to the hotel, 
where a telegram was waiting for us saying that the Geographic 
liked (and accepted) Bill’s ape article - said it was the best 
thing he had ever done. 
February 17 
The morning’s excitement consisted main ly in reading the 
New York papers® accounts of our expedition. The World Telegram 
had a good story about me, illustrated with a sappy picture of 
me trying on my sun helmet in front of a mirror. The Post carried 
a small paragraph which was entirely enclosed with stories of 
current disasters at sea - a nice frame for the story of us setting 
out on a small boat for a three weeks journey. The five of us 
had lunch together at the hotel, and at two o'clock Mr. Wells 
called for us in his car to take us over to Brooklyn to the pier. 
Brooklyn, as usual, was as big as all outdoors and twice as 
hard to find your way around in. After bumping over ruts in 
snowy backstreets we eventually reached Atlantic Dock, Pier 36, 
and all said, with one breath, as we saw the West Kebar, "'Why, 
that’s a b ig boati" It was a little larger than we had expected, 
and when we were tcbld that it was nearly 10,000 tons - aoout twice 
as big as the Silverash, we thought we might manage to be fairly 
comfoi’table. 
It was a bright, sunshiny day, with snow melting^ in the 
sun, but still piled high in corners of the deck. Bernice and 
