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-2- Johnny were already aboard. (B. is to sail with us), and quite a crowd of friends were seeing off the other fellow passengers. Mr. Rahbeck of Firestone and Mr. Finch of the Barber Line were on board, and when our friends had said good-bye we settled down in the dining room for some liquid refreshments. I needed a couple of stiff drinks to make me forget Carveth Wells gloomy remarks on life at sea. He considers that one always takes ones life in one's hands when one sets out on a ship, and sleeps with one hand on his life belt and the other on a knapsack already equipped with brandy, aspirin, and other lifesavers. His first comment on seeing our ship was "Good Lord, she is loaded - way down below the Plimsoll line!" I don't think he really expects ever to see us again. We sailed finally at five thirty, pulling out of the ice filled harbor just as dark and cold settled down. Expecting bad weather, I unpacked a few things I thought we would need during the first few days. After a supper which we were all too tired and too excited to enjoy, we went early to bed. February 18 To our surprise, we woke to find calm blue seas and sunny weather. We straightened out the cabin, which is none too large considering the amount of books, cameras, typewriter, stationery, etc., that clutter it up. In a wool suit and a camel's hair coat I was quite warm enough on deck, and too warm inside the rooms which are thoroughly steam-heated. The passengers quarters are under the bridge, under the captain's quarters. We have to cross about thirty feet of deck to reach the dining room, which adjoins the officers quarters in the center of the ship. The dining room is small, but holds two tables, one seating seven, the other six - if they sat at one table it would make thirteen. The ship carries twelve passengers, and the captain eats with us. The captain, Bernice and Mr. and Mrs. Zarpas are at our table. The Z's are from Lagos - he is a Greek trader there - and are on their way home after a few months leave in the States. Norris and Jennier are at the other table, with Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, Miss Nelson, Miss Wells and Mrs. Hedges, all missionaries, and all Disciplines of Christ except Miss Nelson, who is Evangelical Mission, all are headed for the Congo, and all (except Miss Nelson) veterans of fifteen to twenty years out there. February 19 - 23 I realized the ship was rolling when I first awaoke, but as I got out of bed and found myself hurled from the bunk to the washstand and back again, I realized that we were in really rough weather. For four days we rolled and pitched constantly, with waves sweeping the deck, sudden rainstorms lashing us, even thunder crashing over us one afternoon. I worried for a while about our cargo, which is gasoline and kerosene, and wondered how much rolling about was necessary to generate spontaneous combustion, but eventually got more or less used to it. Our cabin was twice awash, the first time in the middle of the night when a large wave rolled in through the porthole in Bernice's room
