"(131) yacht "Ramadi", I found that he would be attracted toward the command of the "France." So we discussed the possibility and turned it into a certainty. On July 13th I gave Lang his notice; it was one bolt through his drunken haze that had a slightly sobering effect. Cruickshank will be perfect - a retired Lieut. Commander of the Royal Navy, a thorough gentleman, and a skilled naviga- gator, who knows the Solomons and the waters East of New Guinea. In addition he will have his wife, who I know is the rare type that can be an addition to a ship - look after the galley and keep the form up. They will bring two Malaita kids with them at 10 bob a month to wash, iron, and wait on table, and the rest. Mrs. Cruickshank has promised to find me a cook who will take Tera's place, which will put all his time (and David's) on the kids; when at sea they will stand watch. The new skipper will take command after the next steamer (about the middle of August). He and I are excellent friends; I like Mrs. Cruickshank; we shall get on famously. On July 17th I signed on two Solomon Is. natives as boats' crew - Tera'i (Timothy-Mission Kristened) of Malaita and Uuga of Kia-Upatel - each at 25 shillings per month. Paul, the Gizy hand, jumped the ship to "make paper" with the government and so he received as pay from me. He simply worked his passage and did it very well. The crew refused to sail on Saturday night - July 14th - just when I had the skipper aboard and fairly conscious. So, we had to wait until Monday - the 16th when we got away from Carpenter's wharf where we lay since Saturday night at 8:30 A.M. steaming out of the harbor and setting all sail as soon as possible with a fair wind for New Georgia. The captain fell desperately ill of seasickness, which contin- ued much to my sardonic glee throughout the passage. July 17th Passed the Russell group this A.M. Reached Vanuana about 4 P.M. when we started the engine in order to get inside Wick- ham Anchorage before dark, the wind falling light. Anchored at 6.