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84   Dominica 31.
Have been rather annoyed several times to see the children teasing Jackie - the dog. He spends a great deal of time up here in our rooms, and the reason is probably that no one else treats him decently. Mr. Tavernier pretends to be quite knowing about it, but he uses a cane on him on the least provocation. They have made no attempt to train Jackie to good habits, yet punish him severely for every little lapse. I could cheerfully take a cane to them once in a while!
VII-5-36  Sunday. Forgot even to mention Independence Day yesterday. No one here ever heard of it.
In the morning Mrs. Stebbings phoned to tell me that there is no bus from Portemouth on Monday. The motorcycle fixed that however. She says they've had little rain up there.
Spent the morning on the last months accounts and financial plans. We decided we will probably have to stay a little longer on St. Thomas, Puerto Rico, and Jamaica, and leave out Haiti in order to keep the monthly average down. We wouldn't be particularly disappointed to be ready to start home now. Things are pretty monotonous, and we chafe at many of the inadequacies down here.
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VII-6-36  Spent the morning packing, and servicing the motor. Got water in the battery, though I'm sure it wasn't distilled water. It was rather rainy all morning.
At 3 P.M. put the motor and knapsack aboard the M. L. Hope and started for Portemouth. The coast is quite varied, - saw two tall waterfalls, several hill-top savannahs, palm-fringed beaches, and cliffy promantories. Watched the coast "road" most of the way. At PA. Round saw a truck on the road, but learned that it brings bananas from the interior to the coast and can get to Portemouth only by boat. Entered Prince Rupert Bay about 6 P.M. and saw the large hill-promantory - the Cobrits, on the north. Landed about 6:20, just as the rain started in. Put on the slicker and started across the island. The road is well paved and graded but slick, and I got only two thirds of the way by dark. The last mile was under construction, muddy and rough. Capt. Stebbings had sent a man to hail me and show the way to the house (Londonderry), which is on a high knoll overlooking the valley which is filled with coconut palms. Put the motor in the garage and went up to the house. The Capt. showed me a nice large room, and I hurriedly changed into my clean clothes for dinner. Then met both the Captain and Mrs. Stebbings more formally, and also the two large dogs and two cats. [[strikethrough]] Almost before [[/strikethrough]]