142. Saturday, 11 September 1948. This morning Van, Don and I started up to George's camp with two blacks and two pack animals. Last night was warm again but the going was easy and we had no trouble of any kind. The day itself, after we got there, was not especially exciting, culminating with strong wind and some rain; there was not much, just enough to persuade all the creatures I had expected to pick up on my way back after dark to stay in their respective lairs. Don got a fair number of birds and George and Van were planning to go out with jack-lights shortly after I left, but the weather being what it is, I doubt if they will get much. They plan now to stay up there until Wednesday, so I suppose I shall go up daily until then, and the day after they return here, they speak of moving out of this camp entirely and getting somewhere nearer Cooktown. That place and the country nearer to it than we are here is the locality where a number of creatures which we have not yet taken have been found and as our time now is so short, I it seems reasonable for them to go to where those things are. For myself, I don't quite know what I shall do; owing to the season I am pretty well out of luck in all departments, both here and elsewhere, but else- where would at least be a change though I hate to give up these comfortable quarters. I think I shall wait a day or two so before deciding as they may change their plans anyway. Sunday, 12 December 1948. Again simply a day of routine with nothing very much to enliven it. The rain last night prevented Van and George from getting anything with their lights just as effectively as it did me and that part of the forest seems to be about collected out now. Moreton and Roy, with Jack Roberts' boy, Nuggie, spent the whole day out today and came back completely empty-handed. I shall go up there again tomorrow but shall make that the last time; on Tuesday I shall get at the mail and on Wednesday the camp is going to be broken up anyway. Also I have decided that I shall not move out with the mammal party on Thursday; mail goes out that day, supplies will be coming in on Sunday and in general it seems better that I stay here, particularly as their plans are un- certain and it is necessary that I be more or less fixed. Collecting would pro- ably be better for me elsewhere and certainly could not be worse, but the other jobs which fall to my lot seem to make it inadvisable. Monday, 13 September 1948. This is the first of my trips to the mountain camp and now I am back, having finished my last little Red Riding Hood trip, with the big bad death adder after me through the dark woods. George and the others will come down on Wednesday and on Thursday will move out of the area. So far as I know, the rest of us will stay here through there is nothing much to be caught and I myself am still pretty well crippled. On my return here I found that Len had inadvertently left the rum bottle out and Joe had been at it; Jack Roberts was here also, as he has been every night since we arrived but fortunately he does not drink. Marie Brass, having first decided to go out last Sunday, changed her mind to tomorrow and now has picked a week from tomorrow. We, all of us, are due in Cooktown with the job completed, two weeks from today, so I think it quite possible that she will decide to wait until then. Tomorrow I shall have to get into the job of mail and supplies and there will be incoming mail on Wednesday. I hope the answer to a number of questions will be in it - where we sail from, the date, the stops the ship will make and the many other things about which we are uncertain.