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February 15

We spent the morning packing last things, all our trunks and most of our gear having gone up to New York last Saturday. Bill wanted to make a last-minute visit to the Bank and the Smithsonian, and I went along. John Graf came with us for an early lunch at the Madrillon, and Melvin Hildreth joined us there. Mr. Walker drove us down to the station, and we boarded the four o'clock train. 

When we got in we went to Mort's, but we were both too tired and sleepy for the usual party, and went early to bed.

February 16

After one of Mort's leisurely breakfasts, we moved over to the Belmont Plaza, and arranged rooms for ourselves and for Roy, Jennier and Norris, who were to arrive shortly after noon. They did not come in time for the farewell luncheon arranged by the Firestone people but presided over by Frank Buck, which was held at the Ambassador. Mr. and Mrs. Carveth Wells were there, Dr. Blair and Crandall from the New York Zoo, Dr. Dickey, and others. Frank made a brief speech, and so did Bill. Then we went back to the hotel, picked up the boys, and went out to the Rockefeller Institution to get our yellow fever vaccinations. We were much relieved to learn that 95 per cent of the vaccinees feel no reaction at all, and that not until the fifth or sixth day. 

We had our farewell dinner at Luchow's, with the Frank Bucks, Duff, Mort, and the Carveth Wellses. Then back to the hotel, where a telegram was waiting for us saying that the Geographic liked (and accepted) Bill's ape article - said it was the best thing he had ever done. 

February 17

The morning's excitement consisted main ly in reading the New York papers' accounts of our expedition. The World Telegram had a good story about me, illustrated with a sappy picture of me trying on my sun helmet in front of a mirror. The Post carried a small paragraph which was entirely enclosed with stories of current disasters at sea - a nice frame for the story of us setting out in a small boat for a three weeks journey. The five of us had lunch together at the hotel, and at two o'clock Mr. Wells called for us in his car to take us over to Brooklyn to the pier.

Brooklyn, as usual, was as big as all outdoors and twice as hard to find your way around in. After bumping over ruts in snowy backstreets we eventually reached Atlantic Dock, Pier 36, and all said, with one breath, as we saw the West Kebar, "Why, that's a [[underlined]] big [[/underlined]] boat!" It was a little larger than we had expected, and when we were told that it was nearly 10,000 tons - about twice as big as the Silverash, we thought we might manage to be fairly comfortable.

It was a bright, sunshiny day, with snow melting in the sun, but still piled high in corners of the deck. Bernice and