[Cape York Expedition journal] January 30 to December 3, 1948
Page 5
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Transcription
P3 SUN.- FEB. 1, 1948 DIST. 409 MILES DAY 24 HRS. 30 MIN. AVER.SPEED 16.71 KNOTS MILES FROM S.F. 698 MI. TO PAGO PAGO 3442 COURSE 226.27 ON BOARD 5/3 MARINE PHOENIX LAT. 29.50 N LONG. 132.56 W WE HAVE LOST 5° OF N. LAT. + GAINED ABOUT 6° OF WESTING. DAY PARTLY OVERCAST. LIGHT RAIN SQUALL IN P.M. SUN OCCASIONALLY. WE LOST OUR GULLS LAST NIGHT, BUT AT LEAST ONE OF YESTERDAY'S ALBATROSSES IS STILL WITH US - THE ONE (AD.) WITH BROWNISH-WHITE SPOT ON LEFT WING, DID NOT SEE IN P.M. WE HAVE ANOTHER - VERY DARK ADULT-WITH ^ IN LATE P.M. 7 BIRDS AT 8:30 A.M., 4 AT 6:P.M. NO OTHER BIRDS SEEN TODAY. NO STEAMERS. NO WHALES. THE PACIFIC IS AN EMPTY OCEAN; AS S.F. IS AN EMPTY HARBOR. CONTINUED READING DARWIN'S LETTERS TODAY; ALSO A FEW PAGES OF TARL PEARSON'S "GRAMMAR OF SCIENCE" - THE LATTER TAKES A LOT OF READING. THE MAIN INTEREST OF THE DAY WAS IN MEETING NEW PEOPLE. A CHAP WHO HAS SPENT MOST OF HIS TIME READING IN ISOLATION TURNS OUT TO BE A CULTURAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE BRITISH CONSULATE TO AUSTRALIA (MR. CHARLES WILMOT). HE IS RESPONSIBLE TO THE CONSULATE FOR THE INTRODUCTION INTO AUSTRALIA OF ALL MANNER OF ENGLISH CULTURAL ATTAINMENTS. MUST GO CAUTIOUSLY OR "C" WILL STICK IN AUSTRALIAN THROATS. LATEST IMPORT "OLD VIC" COMPANY. KNOWS THE FOUNDER OF PENGUIN BOOKS WELL. STARTED ON SHOESTRING, ORDER FROM WOOLWORTH'S SAVED ENTERPRISE, PROFIT-SHARING, COMPANY IS PRACTICALLY A CAUSE NOT A BUSINESS. TOLD STORY OF "NEW YORKER'S REPORT ON HIROSHIMA BEING PUBLISHED AS A PENGUIN (500,000 COPIES). WOULD LIKE TO SEE PENGUIN PUT OUT MORE COLOR PLATES OF ART ETC. IN FOLDERS; ALSO RECORDINGS ON PLASTIC (E.G. FAMOUS PASSAGES FROM SHAKESPEARE). ANOTHER, AN AUSTRALIA - MR. JOHN F. GAFFNEY - TEXTILE REPRESENTATIVE IN AUST. FOR AN AMERICAN COMPANY. VERY PLEASANT, WELL SPOKEN, NO PRETENSE OF KNOWING EVERYTHING. ABOUT MY AGE, OR A LITTLE YOUNGER. HAD TO EXPLAIN DARWINIAN THEORY TO HIM. THERE IS NOTHING LIKE HAVING HAD TEACHING EXPERIENCE TO MAKE YOU THINK CLEARLY ABOUT A SUBJECT. COULD USE A LITTLE. ASKED HOW AUST. WOULD REACT TO HAVING THE ENGL. SEND THEM A CULTURAL REPRESENTATIVE - ANSWERED THAT IT WAS WELL TO HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO CHOOSE FROM VARIED ASPECTS OF CULTURE. (THN) DR. AT OUR TABLE: DR. ALAN B. LILHEY. AUSTRALIAN COUPLE = MR. + MRS. ROBIN C. SPEIGHT, CAPT. WAS AT TABLE TONIGHT. HE