�Jim Wells was extraordinarily popular in all circles in which he moved, and numbers of his young friends were present to testify their sorrow...�

I went with Dad to the funeral, driven by Jo. I don�t remember much of it except the loving warmth of everyone there and - incongruously - the ugly brown straw hat I wore.

In the Supreme Court, the Judge-President said that �Advocate Wells had only recently joined the Cape Bar.. .in all his work he had shown considerable promise of a successful career.. .he had already become popular among his colleagues...�

The Cape Argus: �The young advocate had a most distinguished scholastic career. Gifted with a brain that enabled him to sail through examinations with ease, Jim was one of the most brilliant of the young men to be called to the Bar recently. Added to a scholarly ability was a vital and engaging personality that bid fair to make its mark at the Bar. He had the perfect voice for pleading in court. All who knew him predicted an outstanding career for him.�

To add to our distress, Paddy�s brother committed suicide the next day. He said he felt Jim was at peace and he wanted to be too.

With much sorrow, it was decided that we should carry out the plan which had already been made for going overseas, and further plans were made for Russell to have a short trip as well. And so, three weeks later, we sailed in the Carnarvon Castle. It was routine, sometimes weekly, to see friends off on the Friday mailboat, and we had a tremendous send-off, although it was not the joyous occasion in usually was, as we and our friends were still too shattered at our loss.

It is difficult to describe my feelings on that voyage. I was desperately sad at losing Jim, but I - perhaps feverishly - entered every event on board although often when dancing I wondered suddenly whether I should be - and then comforted myself with the thought that Jim would have wanted me to enjoy myself. We travelled 2nd class, but the 3rd was full of my university friends on a NUSAS tour, Margaret Shaw among them, and I spent much time with them. In the Second Class Derby I won a heat cutting narrow tape with curved nail scissors, and then in the finals I was horrified to learn that people had MONEY on me! I was fleetingly attracted to a young man, nephew of the small grocer at the bottom of Kloof Nek Road, and Dad indicated to me that he didn�t think much of my choice! Except for the sad shadow which was with us all the time, it was a lovely voyage. On Christmas Eve I was embarrassed to get, from the purser, a very nice bedside clock which had been entrusted to him by Harry. I could do nothing about returning it, and in writing to thank Harry I begged him not to do that sort of thing.