"Thursday, July 1st, Mary and Jo lunched with me at the Stokes and came to the boat to see me off. It was a boiling hot day. We got to the boat at 3 P.M. The crowd was terrific. The boat was crowded with Italians who were either sailing or seeing friends off. I could not imagine a greater crowd or greater noise and confusion. Finally, we got off at 5:30 and it was a relief to feel the cool sea breezes. The journey was a delightful one. The second-class passengers were allowed to use the first-class swimming pool, and the time went by sunbathing and swimming. I made very good friends and found quite a lot of people who were interested in Baba."

Before continuing with Quentin Tod's account of his trip to Italy, I would like to give some of the highlights of Baba's stay in China during this same period (June 22-28, 1932), before we were all reunited in Italy:

My brother Herbert had seen Baba for five days in September 1931* in London and East Challacombe, before departing for China in October on a two-year professorship at Nanking University under the auspices of the League of Nations Cultural Exchange in Nanking. At this period, China was in a state of upheaval and constant disturbance. A few months later, Baba cabled him that some of his disciples would be visiting him in Nanking and would he arrange for their stay until Baba arrived to pick them up on his return across the Pacific from California.

On April 29th, 1932, my brother went to Shanghai to meet these disciples who were coming from India on their way to attend Baba's speaking scheduled for June at Hollywood. He met them with a cable from Baba in California saying "Stay in China and await instructions." The boys were naturally disappointed.

The morning of their arrival saw the assassination of the Japanese leaders at Honkew, Shanghai.

Prior to the arrival of this group in Shanghai, my brother had no house in Nanking, and no furniture. Presumably he was living either in the college grounds or in rooms. He was always economizing, with a purpose of course, at this period it was to help Meredith Starr with East Challacombe Retreat and to help in any capacity Baba might ask. Also, my brother had only expected Rustom and one other. He searched for a long time for a house, and found one in which the boys, seven in all, and himself lived in very simple style.

On May 27th Rustom left for Honolulu to await Baba. Pendu, Jal, and Gustaji stayed all the time with my brother in Nanking.  He introduced them to his foreign and Chinese friends who, as he wrote, were often very puzzled.

* see Part 1  Vol.  XI-2