back to Shipton's Flat to get, that they finally managed to get away. I busied myself after that by cutting a trail in to the open rock expanse over which Parrot Creek runs and spent the rest of the morning soaking my heel in one of its pools but the rolling of stones under my foot made things uncom- fortable. In the evening the horse boy came down with a note from Len saying that a tree-climbing kangaroo had been shot by Roy; that was one of the main reasons for coming up to this camp, since that variety is new to the Museum, not only to our collection. Between that kangaroo and my two taipans I feel that we have had a successful trip. Just as we had finished our supper Jack Roberts and his wife came to call, which about ended the evening. I had hoped to be able to get some business and other letters written but shall have to wait until tomorrow. Tuesday, 7 September 1948. This day was not marked by anything in particular and it is not too easy to find anything to say about it. George caught a small goanna in his traps, the first we have had for the area; I saw one the first time I went to the waterfall of Parrot Creek and shot it but it fell into the swiftly moving stream. This morning I went again to the fall and saw another; it saw my shadow on the water and was into it before I could have raised my gun. In the afternoon George and Moreton moved out to establish a camp in some rain forest only two or three miles away; they had no difficulty this time with Jack Roberts' pack animals but on arrival George found that he had forgotten his cameras. I shall probably take them out to him tomorrow morning; I feel that I can walk that far and as I am going out to the camp for two or three days I had better see what sort of place it is and what I shall need there. The mail comes in tomorrow morning by pack from Cooktown so there may be clerical work to be done in the evening and certainly there will be mail to go out the following morning; the horses take two days for the trip to Cooktown so we shall not be able to catch the Thursday plane south. There are two planes weekly connecting Cairns and Cooktown however and I think the other leaves on Monday morning. The weather seems to be warming up somewhat with the new moon; last night I could have done without my socks and shall leave them off tonight but the windbreaker is still an essential. The midday heat is blistering but about 3.30 or 4 P.M. there is a most pronounced and noticeable drop in temperature. Wednesday, 8 September 1948. Again I have little to relate in this and soon must think of some other subject than the scar- city of news. Australia seems rather to run by moons, new and full, and with the advent of the new one, the weather has turned warmer. It is no longer necessary to wear socks in bed, as I said yesterday, and tonight I may even try leaving the windbreaker off. Midday today I walked into Shipton's Flat to get the mail, only about a mile total, and was dripping when I returned. I think a bath and a bit of laundering is the program for the afternoon. Len got in from the Finnegan camp at noon and reported good mammal col- lecting there. Of course there has not been a report from George and I doubt if I shall be able to get up to see him this afternoon; the foot is still not too comfortable and since I cannot use my heel, all the weight goes on the ball of the foot which was smashed a long time ago.