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The Spike or Victoria University College Review Silver Jubilee 1924

Ottawa, Canada, December 16th, 1923

Ottawa, Canada,

.... The address given above is my permanent address, but at present I am working among an Indian tribe in Northern British Columbia, which accounts for the length of time required for your letters to reach me. I certainly don't forget my days at V.C., and only wish I could be back there again. Well I remember the good old times, when you and de la Mare were the fathers of the students. I saw de la Mare last time I was home in 1919, and was sorry to miss you.

With regard to the "Spike," I have been wondering what sort of an article you would like. At first I thought of something serious and heavy—latest developments in Polar Exploration or something of that kind. But after all the Pole is a long way off from N.Z., and probably doesn't interest your readers much. So I have just run off what I tried to make a humorous account of a little experience in the Arctic. Perhaps the humour won't take! But apart from the persiflage every detail is absolutely true. I don't know to this day why the wolf let go of my arm, it could easily have chewed me up, for it had a jaw like a bear's.

I hope you won't be disappointed with the paper. I am riding four miles each day to see my Indians, getting home about dark and without books or anything it is not easy to write anything decent in so short a time. If the article does not come up to the mark just believe that the will was not lacking, only the ability.

I hope your anniversary celebrations will be an unprecedented success. V.C. has made wonderful progress, and it reflects the greatest credit on the professors and old students like yourself. We certainly had a fine staff of professors. Good old John Brown—it would be hard to find a better man anywhere; he certainly was a father to me. I was sorry that the College could not reinstate von Zedlitz; he was an excellent professor and a man of the highest honour. I had a great deal to do with him and admired him immensely.

Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help things along. My permanent address is always Victoria Memorial Museum, Ottawa, and I shall be delighted to do what little I may for my old alma mater.

With kindest regards,

D. Jenness,

P.S.—Please remember me to Prof. Brown and Prof. Hunter, de la Mare, Eichelbaum and the rest. Some day I hope to see you all again.