SI Bredin Exp .--Society ids 
AIR LETTER January 9, 1957 
Mr. Jack Randall 
lacht "Nani** 
Papeete, Tahiti 
Dear Jack? 
It has been a long time since I have written you, but I 
must write you now for several cogent reasons. First of all. 
Chuck Cutress told me that you might be available, and secondly, 
we may yet need some one to captain the KAREVA. She is being 
chartered to us without a skipper. I have already asked Mr. 
McConnaughey to recommend a captain whom he perhaps had employed 
before and in whom he had complete trust. I have not yet heard 
from him on that score, and if I should be uncommitted by him, 
might we count on you to take over as captain, helping out with 
the collecting of fish and such as your responsibilities as cap- 
tain sight permit? Mr. McConnaughey wrote that a captain could 
be had for $300 a month. ould that appeal to you, or what would 
be your minimum price? Naturally, we are tr - ing to stretch funds 
as far as possible. We shall also need a cook. The deck hand 
goes with the MAKEVA. I have also asked Mr. McConnaughey to 
recommend a cook if he could. May I ask the same of you here- 
with? 
As I wrote you, we hope to be able to board tile MAREVA on 
our arrival in Papeete on April k and to remain in residence 
until the day before sailing on the MONTERET, May 18. 
Chuck mentioned that you would also like to charter the 
NANI, but you will understand that I have the much sought after 
promise of the MAREVA from Mr. McConnaughey and cannot back out 
at this stage of the game. I cannot at this time envision that 
arrangement as falling through. Do let me know at your earliest 
convenience if we might be able to count on you as a captain, 
Mr. McConnaughey being agreeable to the arrangement, of course. 
Also, if we can get you, what would be your needs for collecting 
fish? What should we bring along in the way of containers? I am 
afraid we shall be limited as to deck space for carrying along boxes (16 
gallon tank chests) and there are the insect and the invertebrate con- 
tainers and gear to be considered. One last considerations the 
Smithsonian would claim first rights to all specimens and pictures taken 
during the cruise, but that I think is customary with all institutions 
and museums of our sort. I am sure you will have no objections to this 
for with the work piled up here in the M-iseum the Institution would 
probably be only too glad to have you work up and publish on the fish 
should you so desire. I wish I could write you more at this time, 
but I shall certainly keep in touch with you and look forward with a 
great deal of anticipation your reply to this letter. 
Sincerely, 
Waldo L. Schmitt 
Head Curator. Dept, of Zoolo 
