2 
*•* 
occasion, and that if we wanted sometdng we could ask Smithsonian for 
it, rather than see if it were available here. He will no longer 
allow anything of ours to be kept outside the lab building, putting 
the squelch on such things as a dermestid colony, a pile of lumber and 
bamboo stakes, cages, and the shorebird trap. I feel that he has 
become somewhat unreasonable, and really can't determine whether this 
is being caused by some emotional problem of his own, or whether we 
are the cause. If we are he has not been willing to discuss the 
problem, though I have tried several evenings to draw him out on the 
matter. 
Following a particularly bad incident early this week I have had 
two long talks with him. The first included the executive officer 
and got nowhere as we still had our hackles up about the incident. 
Then Wednesday night we talked for two hours. The CO feels that he 
has been too naive about the project, that he has let us "get away" 
with too much in the past, and now feels that we are interfering with 
the operation of the station. He doesn't want us to leave, he doesn't 
mind having a third man here, who, incidentally, will be housed in an 
empty room in the CPO's quarters if we ever get him; so I am at some¬ 
what of a loss as to just what it is he wants. He told me he didn't 
want to cooperate through friendship anymore, which stunned me a bit, 
and that from now on he wanted this to be just a business deal. Then 
this morning he apologized for his behavior of the past week, said 
he'd realized that he did value our friendship, and hoped that I'd 
forgive him. So you figure it out, 
I feel that the apologies given by both of us cleared the air 
a good bit, but I realize that we'll have to proceed very cautiously 
from now on. We will naturally conform to all of his directives, as I 
believe we have in the past. I have made it clear that I realize we 
are here as guests and have no intention of doing anything which dis¬ 
rupts the station's routine, but that I feel that our work is important 
enough that it shouldn't be disrupted by petty incidents for which I 
can't find a rational explanation. 
I think it's best to let the situation sit awhile now to see 
what the apologies achieve. The CO has voiced no complaints about 
any of our personnel except Roger, whom he will not permit to return, 
so that if we obey all his directives and keep a level head at all 
times things should run smoothly again. I'll keep you informed as I 
feel the situation merits. 
Most sincerely, 
\s£> 
William 0. Wirtz II 
Research Curator, Pacific Project 
cc; Dr. Charles Ely 
