Evening star., 1962-12-27

OOAtAnuCu rtOm rage AL
the committee could select
them.
Donovan in Charge
I'VE hope to send another
ship In two or three weeks"
she said,
James B. Donovan, New York
attorney who negotiated the re-
lease Of the prisoners in ex-
change for q $50 million food
and drug ransom, will be in
charge Of arranging for another
ship.
The African Pilot was
strangely quiet and seemed
almost deserted as she steamed
into Port Everglades Is miles
nortehast Of here and docked
at 9:01 am. Only a few crew
members lined the rails. One
waved a handkerchief.
4" All Of the refugees were asked
to remain below to prevent
dangerous crowding Of the
rails.
Without prompting from Red
Cross officials, they pitched in
to clean UP the five shelter
deck areas below the main
deck, which they had occu-
pied during the voyage.
/. There will be many more
Of us to come" said one refu-
gee woman who bossed the
cleanup work in her compart-
ment. "We want to leave
things okay for them"
Then began the tedious lob
Of checking the refugees
through immigration and pub
lie health, which would delay
them at the dock for 2 or 8
hours. This accomplished, they
were to be taken in to the audi
torium.
Nine children were Isolated
with probable cases of measles
during the overnight voyage
but medical authorities saw no
reason to quarantine the ship.
One little Cuban boy roamed
Il the ship, looking up at every
American he met and calling
out cheerily, Hello, Kennedy"
Food was sent aboard so that
some Of the refugees could eat
breakfast while others were be-
ing processed
About IS minutes after the
ship docked. the first refugee
a child-waS carried down the
ships ladder.
Two women and 10 children
we're taken to Jackson Memo
rial Hospital in Miami.
Capt. r. F. Barber Of the
Coast Guard said the pasSen-
3 gers would be taken off the
. ship at the rate of 300 an hour.
Ambulances on Pier
Several persons on stretchers
were lowered over the side and
placed in waiting ambulances.
About this time several refu-
gees appeared on deck. A small
girl appeared in a red dress,
drinking milk, and watched the
activity,
The Ill, aged and pregnant
were assisted gently down the
gangplank. One Negro crewman
carried q small boy and was
= rewarded with a smile for his
, help. The crewman flashed
back q big grin.
At 1918 am, the refugees
began leaving the ship in a
steady stream. Most were neatly,
even extensively dressed, and
looked like passengers coming
off a cruise liner. Teen-age
girls were in smart frocks and
high heels.
Careful Of Makeup
The women obviously had
spent much time over makeup
and hairdos. They held on to
their skirts, which swirled in
the breeze as they walked down
the gangplank.
From the ship, they walked
to a covered pier TO receive
smallpox vaccinations and fill
out immigration cards.
Devoting her last voyage to-
this erTand Of mercy, the 20
year-old African Pilot entered
the port at $50 am. The
rugged old workhorse Of the sea,
which had carried ransom sup
plies to Castro Cuba for the in
vasion prisoners, now goes into
mothballs.
Seasickness, nervousness and
the mild outbreak of measles
aboard the ship failed to damp
en- the enthusiasm Of the refu-
gees who gave up everything
they owned to escape COM
munism and join loved ones in
the United States.
Only about 400 observers saw
the freighter come in. The port
was closed to all but newsmen
and authorized officials. A big
sign said welcome" in English.
An American flag flew from
the stern Of the freighter. One
tug went out to help her In to
the dock.
Remained Awake
Joe McGowan, Associated
Press reporter representing
American news agencies on the
African Pilot, said many pas
sengers remained awake
through the long night. too
nervous and excited TO sleep.
II have q bed" said one ell
. derly refugee. but who could
, sleep at q time like this2"
A tingle Of excitement swept
. through the ship when the en-
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