Our last collecting in Moorea was done at the '»Captain»s place*” Though 
he lived and had his hone in Tahiti, he had recently purchased a modest holding 
here on the shores of Nuarei Ba;r* No wonder he was proud of it — a typically 
Pol^mesian layout among the coconut pains, beautifully green, and well shaded: 
before the house a wide beach of golden yellow sand; across the green-blue 
lagoon and surf -whitened fringing reef lay the darker blue of the open ocean 
under a cloud-flecked sky; garden patch to one side; a stream of fresh water 
to the rear, superlative fishing out front; tvro hours by boat from here or 
from Cock’s Bay to civilization in Papeetel Vfliat more could one ask or want 
of French Oceania? 
Tlie lovely weather that ushered in this day was rudely interrupted at 
supper time by violent gusts of wind from the S.E* — two hours of squalls be- 
fore they gave waj^ to a light, as the Captain called it, ”dry” breeze from the 
North* At six in the morning of the 13th of May we cleared the Vaiare Pass 
for ”home.” At eight vre came to anchor in Papeete. We certainly seemed to be 
running head-on into a rainy spell. The luxuriance of the vegetation on all 
the islands bespeaks of frequent showers* But what about temperatures? The 
average is 77 degrees F; low, 59 degrees and hi^ in May around 84 degrees. 
The yearly rainfall totals about 4^ inches of which 29 fs-H in the December - 
March period, and 19 inches, April through November* 
Day times now we were busily engaged in packing specimens, gear, and 
personal belongings* Evenings we were equally busy in other directions as 
friends invited us to one farewell party after another — Mrs. Phillips to 
K 
dinner with Bengt Danielson of Kon Tiki fame and his wife: the i^'^ac^smuths and 
their daughter Barbara one night — he was the Chef de Surete for this part of 
the French world; Jack and Mrs. Randall and daughter Laurie another evening 
aboard the "Nani," and so on. 
