76. In the afternoon Moreton returned from the reservation with two spears that I had asked him to bring, for my own collection. I paid him 10/0 and he promptly converted that into tobacco. He says they are all ready to re- port tomorrow for the long trip south. The peril of these waters and the inadvisability of indulging in pro- miscuous swimming was illustrated this morning by the shooting of two sharks, each between eight and nine feet in length. They were in shallow water, not more than waist deep and within ten feet of land. I think perhaps one of the worst things about this sort of region is that one is prone to become over- confident and to take chances, simply because one has not seen some of the things that definitely are here. I still watch my step very carefully, wherever I go. Monday 24 May 1948. Today has been marked by two things for me; violent pack- ing and the attack of some sort of indisposition. One of those things that make the joints ache and in general render one totally use- less. It hit me, whatever it was, after the bulk of my packing was done, so there is no great harm done. There is no news of our barge but the consensus is that it will come to- morrow; if not, there is a good chance that we shall miss the Alagna though we have no definite word about her. My opinion of Thursday Island and its busi- ness gets lower and lower, though I feel that we should have made the call that we said we would. The boys arrived back from Cowall Creek this afternoon and Moreton offered me another spear for a plug of tobacco. Tobacco is getting low with us so there was no dice until we reach Portland Roads and receive our new supplies, after which Van may take the spear, though we have urged Moreton to go out and kill some game with it. It is barely 8 P.M. but I think I shall turn in. I cannot see the keys very well and there is hardly a joint in me that works without a creak. In New York I should think immediately of flu but here one thinks of fever and I dread the thought. Perhaps it is the result of the stiff dose of atebreine I took yesterday. I hope so. Tuesday, 25 May 1948. There cannot be much more happening today except the possible arrival of the barge, which has not yet put in an appearance, though three pearling luggers have arrived and given Red Island Point the appearance of a busy port. Packing was just about concluded by lunch time and the whole Holland family came from Lockerbie to bid us goodbye but the likelihood is that the barge will not arrive until tomorrow, get us over to T.I., perhaps by noon, and we shall leave that place on the Alagna the following day. It does not allow much time here and I have a great number of things to find and purchase, if possible, but from what I have heard of the place, there is nothing of interest particularly to raise any desire for a protracted stay. The purchases to be made mainly consist of containers of various sorts, and the bug and snake departments sent me out grievously under-equipped, if I have been doing the correct things with the specimens taken. There is a lot of mailing to be done and letters to be written, which is one of the rea- sons for getting this day's entry made early. I need the typewriter for busi- ness purposes. I am very glad to say that I rose this morning clear of any slight fever which I might have had yesterday; most of the aches have vanished and I feel fit as a fiddle again.