SI Bredin Exp. — Society Ids. 
ccs Registrar 
AIR Bffl 
Dr. John E. Randall 
Tacht Hanni 
Papeete , Tahiti 
French Oceania 
August 16, 1956 
Dear Dr. Randalls 
I a® sorry that I did not realise sooner that you were spend- 
ing the year in Tahiti pursuing your studies on the life history 
o I the sea bass until I got to talking to Ted Bayer thin morning* 
I hare been looking around for s owe one who could give me some 
first-hand information on whatever opportunities there might be 
in Papeete for a three or four-weeks charter of a “boat* for 
taking fire of us around in addition to its own crew. 
A good friend of mine of some years standing, who mad® it 
possible for me to visit the Belgian Congo in 1955 and the west 
Indies for five weeks just this last Spring is now offering us i an 
opportunity of a month * s collecting in the Society Island#' 
distances what they are, that would not take us far, ^ but 
talnly would give us a personal and first-hand acquaintance 
«««.» of the reefs and littoral faunas not too many sea-miles 
removed from Papeete, Is there some yacht in the islands that is 
available for charter or loan if the owner is sufficiently interested 
in promoting sow® primarily marine biological Amvestigstions on 
the West Indian trip were Dr. Fen ner A. Chace, Jr. and wyself foi 
marine invertebrates. Op. A, C. Smith for botany, and •Jack’* Clarke, 
entomologist. We came home with a number ox interesting thi ng s, 
and some perhaps even more interesting observations on already known 
species. ' Wb hope to do something of this sort in -the Society Islands. 
Biologically speaking, a month is a very short time, but the oppor- 
tunity is one which the Museum should not overlook. 
I think that you have met Joe Morrison, associate curator of 
mollusks here in the Museum* He mentioned several people in 
Tahiti’ who might be of help, a I Sr. Frank Stiapson, Mss Aurora 
N&tua , a Dr. Torres of the Research Institute and hxs assistant 
Ben Baabridge, M. Bis el. chef d» Gendarmes who is an amateur 
conchologist , and last, but not least, an Establishment Donald. 
This last is a commercial firm which handles charters, Morrison 
says. It may be well known to you. I did write Miss Satua some 
time ago for information but there has probably not beer time 
enough for her reply to reach me# 
I hate to pose you so many questions, for you must be busy 
with vour studies and with your family responsibilities, but I am 
StaVto get together u estate of *het eoch ah e*j»dltihO ®»ia 
cost us, aside from round trip via Matson Line from San Francisco. 
I have asked for reservations for five on the March 23 Mariposa 
sailing. 
