t 
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The thing that is holding us up right now, or rather giving both you 
and me seme anxiety, is t>je lack of an actual sailirig date for the New fork 
to Hatadi freighter, especially as we have the two May dates for the Nile 
lx)8ts. They lewve Juba every two weeks. ¥e are all hoping toat the freighter 
will leave close to April 1. Every day after that date would shorten the 
Congo trip just timt much because we cannot upset the bi-weekly departures 
from Juba. Tou were hoping for a full ii5 days in the Congo. This would bring 
us to Juba on or about Kay 29th, adding 20 to 21 days to this for the Nile, 
including Luxor, and would land us in Caijro on or about June 17 or 18. The 
AAA Nile itinerary occupied 19 days. Is it feasible or practicable for you 
to start hose at so late a date? Can you spare the time? fhe Museum will 
grant me as much leave as is necessary and Sexton, too, hopes that he can 
make the Nile trip with us, 
I hope that Mrs. ftredin will continue on tore ugh the whole expedition, 
for from vtiat Hoogstraal said she should find the Nile trip rewarding. It 
will be certainly restful and surely highly interesting. If Mrs. Bredin has 
never been to Egypt she should not miss it. 
The way I am breezing along here does not mean that I am umindful of 
the marvelous opportunity you folks are giving us musevm people of seeing 
something of a very intriguing part of the world. It is one fro® which the 
TJ.S.N.M. has so little in the way of natural history material and a region 
where we shall be able to make some si|33ificatii discoveries in the way of 
inv.’srtebrate and other small animal life. This ejqjedition is also a grand 
opportunity for making a film that neither the Museum nor the rest of os 
could otherwise make. 
I am hoping that you can give the time needed for the hS day tour in the 
Congo, plus the 2D days or so that the Nile, Juba to Cairo to New York trip 
will require. If you jaust be in New York before ttet we may have to cut down 
the tour to 30 ds^s to make the Kay 15 Nile boat or else fly from Costemans- 
ville to Khartoum, taking the boat and/or train down river from thsat point. 
I hesitate even to mention the possibility of flying Sabena to Leopoldville 
by way of ^oissels. This is their regular route to the Congo but I feel that 
Mrs. Bredin* s heart is set on that freighter to Matadi and she should have it. 
It will be very nice if you can put off your return to New York until June 
19 or 20, Mharton would have to fly haae from Costersansville because he must 
be back at the (diversity the first week in June. 
I shall have all costs totaled by tlie time I get back from this unavoidable 
California trip, January 2h through February 7. It mediately thereafter I shall 
move along the collecting gear or such things that need to be delivered to 
Stanleyville. Also, after I l»ar from you about return dates I shall make the 
necessary plane reservations, Leopoldville to Stanleyville} Coatermansville to 
Juba; and Cairo to New York; for kiiarton and Sexton, New York to Leopoldville} 
and for barton alone, Gostermansville on by way of Paris, Binissels, and 
London, with a night in each place so that he will have a full day to consult 
with the site specialists in the national museums in each of these countries. 
I recormend Sabena for ffriarton, at least, because they regularly go to New York 
by way of Brussels and do all or most of the Congo flying. Tiie result would be 
a round trjp ticket with stop over privileges in the Congo for Wharton. 
