C. Chaplan in "Lime light". Wonderful. Laughed until I cried, at one sequence with C.C. and Buster Keaton. Thursday 5 February 1953 In port--loading machinery (including a weed-burner) and tractors for Australia. Geoff and I went to town in A.M. to do errands. Made reservation for 4 at Antoine's. Lunch on board. To town in P.M. to take pictures and visit antique shops. Saw opal bracelet for $4,500. All items expensive. Visited Presbytere where they have small museum of N.H. including a habitat group of Louisiana Black Bears. Early work of Bailey who is now at Denver Museum of N.H. I met a Mrs. Fairman who is artist at museum. It was closing time (4:30) so she walked me over to Plantation Book Store and introduced me to Mr. and Mrs. Leisure (they know Col. Deas of Charleston). After browsing for a while I talked with them and was introduced to a Mrs. Anne Shelley--turned out that she lives in Medellín ! Tells me that Fagans have been transferred (where?). Knew many of our friends. Flying back soon. Met Geoff, Alice Dickinson and "Midge" Colquhoun at Antoine's Restaurant at 6:00 P.M. A most wonderful dinner ($36 for 4) on the Exp. Oysters a la Rockefeller, shrimp, baked Pompano (in paper bag with sauce), Cherry Jubilee, Chablis wine and Anisette. Almost 3 hrs at table. Met Jim (chief mate) at Hotel Roosevelt. Danced until 1:30 A.M. Good music. Feet tired. Friday 6 February 1953 To New Orleans about 10:30 A.M. Wrote postcards until noon. Lunch--crab cake, milkshake and orange juice. Walked down Royal St. looking in antique shops. Bought some very good macaroons and candied ginger. Went to Plantation Book Shop where I picked up 2 more books for the trip (H. Ward--"C. Darwin"; Maury--"Phy. Geog. of Sea"); also 8 other books which I had sent home. Made me a present of "Cross Creek" by M. K. Rawlings. Book on Ostrich farming in So. Africa (with chap. on meerkats); another on the Raptors of Gr. Britain and Ireland by Jardine. Mrs. Leisure also threw in a libretto of "Martha" as "Lagnape" (?) for Dory. (The French for "something extra"--the idea of the "Baker's Dozen"). Saturday 7 February 1953 Course 288° at 2:00 P.M. Running west to the Texas gulf port of Beaumont. Blanket overcast with occasional misty squall closing in. 20 odd gulls following. Took M. F. Maury out to read--"The Physical Geography of the Sea". It is fascinating to read of this work that was organized by Maury more than 100 years ago. And this morning Capt. Erikson says offhandedly that "Oh, we know all about ocean currents now." Here is a man with no scientific curiosity. Maury says "I am wedded to no theories, and do not advocate the doctrines of any particular school. Truth is my object." His opening sentence "There is a river in the ocean-- and then follows a wonderful chapter on the Gulf Stream. "The Gulf of Mexico is its fountain". How interesting that I find this book, that I am in the Gulf of Mexico and that the new issue of "Life" contains the article on the sea. Course 6:00 P.M. 266° Picked up pilot off Port Arthur breakwater about 7:30 P.M. Passed town of Port Arthur at 9:30. Fractionating columns with their Christmas tree lights are scattered all over the landscape. Oil fumes strong. A clear red sunset after a blue sky afternoon. One freighter silhouetted against red sky with a wisp of gulls trailing off astern. Laughing Gulls joined ship. 1 Caspian or Royal Tern passed. 60 odd gulls at one time.