V. E. B. NICHOLSON & SONS 
COWiDR. V. E. B. NICHOLSON, O.B.E., R.N. 
D. V. NICHOLSON 
R. A. NICHOLSON 
TRAVEL SERVICE 
YACHT CHARTER SPECIALISTS 
P. O. BOX 103 
St. John'B, 
Antigua, B.W.l 
28th October, 
CABLE ADDRESS 
TRAVEL— ANTIGUA 
Dr. Waum 3c».iitt 
The Smithsomian Institution 
l.iNiTED States NatioI'IAl Wuseum 
Washinrton 25 
D. C. 
Dear Or. Schmitt, 
I MUST apologize for BEING SO LONG IN REPLYING TO YOUR LETTER OF CCTCBER 8TH. 1 HAVE 
3EEN WORKING ON THE MOLLI HAl'/K TO GET HER OFF FOR HER FIRST CHARTER. ALL IS FINISHED NOV/, 
AND SHE IS ON HER WAY, 8UT IT KIND OF HELD UP WORK IN THE OFFICE. 
I HAD ACTUALLY STARTED THE LETTER, BUT WHEN I GOT TO THE PART ABOUT PAYING ME, IT GOT 
RATHER DIFFICPiLTi I MUST ALSO MENTION THAT IT IS NOT ME THAT IS GETTING PAID, BUT THE BUS- 
INESS, FOR SOMEONE ELSE WILL HAVE TO TAKE OVER MY JOBS '/VHEN ! AM AWAY. HOWEVER, THAT IS 
ALL RESOLVED NOW THAT I HAVE YOUR SECOND LETTER, FOR WE WILL BE PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO ACCEPT 
YOUR OFFER OF $!G0.00 PER WEEK. ThAT IS JUST THE FIGURE WE HAD IN MIND, SO I AM GLAD IT IS 
THE ONE YOU CAME UP WITH TOO. 
AS YOU SAY, 1 WILL HAVE FEW OF THE SHIP'S RESPONSIBILITIES, SO WILL BE ABLE TO GIVE MY 
WHOLE MIND TO THE COLLECTING AND PUTTING AWAY AFTERWARDS. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE TREATED THIS 
TRIP AS MY "holiday", AND NOT BE PAID, BUT I ALREADY HOPE TO BE ABLE TO SAIL THE FREELA.NCE 
UP TO THE States next summer with Lisa, so that would have to be my actual "holiday". 
I am so PLEASED THAT YOU WOULD LIKE ME FOR THE FIVE FULL WEEKS. I WAS GOING TO SUGGEST 
COMING FOR JUST PART OF THE TIME, TO SAVE YOU THE EXPENSE INVOLVED, BUT IT WILL CERTAINLY BE 
GOOD TO BE WITH YOU FOR THE WHOLE TIME. NoW, TO YOUR OTHER OUESTIONS 
I AM SURE THE CARIBEE CAN MEET YOU IN TRINIDAD, AND IT IS CUSTOMARY FOR THE OWNER OF 
THE SHIP TO MEET THE EXPENSE OF GETTING HER TO THE PORT OF EMBARKATION FOR HER CHARTERERS, 
>;E HOPE TO 5E ABLE TO ARRANGE THE CRUISE PREOEEDING YOURS TO END IN GRENADA OR TRINIDAD, SO 
THAT IT CAN ALL WORK IN WITH HER SCHEDULE. 
Your next question was concerning the eating capacities of the white crew. I believe 
THAT Captain BOPtSEAU asks a certain set amount for food per person pep. DAY, RATHER than 
charging things AT COST PRICE, AS WE DO. AS ! RECALL, THIS FfGURE IS VERY REASONABLE, AND 
COMPARES FAVOURABLY WITH THE AVERAGE PRICES ON OUR CRUISES, HOWEVER, ! AM WRITING TO HIM 
ABOUT THIS, AND WILL FIND OUT JUST WHAT THE EXTRAS WILL AMOUNT TO FOR YOU. 
It will be fine to go back to Barbuda again, and f hope we will have even more success 
A SFtOND TIME. I AM FLATTERED TC THINK THAT THERE Wiy. BE AN AMPHIPOD NAMED AFTER MEl FOR 
THIS TRIP, IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE A FAIRLY SMALL DINGHY FOR PULLING OVER THE BEACH, SO I AM 
FINDING OUT ABOUT CAP. I BEE'S BOATS, iF THEY ARE NOT SUITABLE FOR PULLING OVER THE BEACH, WE 
WILL HAVE TO HIRE A NATIVE SLOCP. WE COULD ALSO ANCHOR AT THE MaRTELLO TOWER AND HAVE THE 
HORSES MEET US THERE, BUT THIS WOULD MEAN A LONGER RIDE. 1 AM THINKING OF MAKING A HAMMOCK 
TO SPEND THE NIGHT OUTSIDE THE CAVE. IT WILL BE FULL MOON ABOUT THREE WEEKS AFTE.R WE START 
THE CRUISE - PERHAPS WE COULD CATCH IT FOR OUR CAMPING PARTY. 
I THINK 1 HAVE MENTIONED EVERYTHING MENTIDKED IN YOUR FIRST LETTER, EXCEPT FOR THE STAMPS. 
1 AM RETURNING THE $5.00 YOU SENT FOR THEM, FOR THe/ ARE TORTOLA STAMPS YOU NEED, AND CANNOT 
BE OBTAINED HERE (THOUGH t TRIED). I SUGGEST YOU WRITE THE ADMINISTRATOR OF TORTOLi\ - I DON'T 
REMEMBER HIS NAME, BUT PERHAPS YOU HAVE IT IN YOUR DIARY. I THINK THAT ONLY 'J,S. CURRENCY IS 
USED IN Tortola, so the full $8.10 would be needed. ! am sorry I cannot help you on this from here. 
F! 
iM YOUR SECOND LETTER, YOUR FIRST QUERY WAS WHETHER I WOULD BE ABLE TO COME FOR THE FULL 
"EEKS. I WILL INDEED, AND SHALL ENJOY WORKING SCIENTIFICALLY FULL TIME. 
/ 
