Last night I was taken to a movie and orchestra performance conducted in aid of "Legacy", an organization formed among ex-servicemen under which the comfort and existence of the children of those killed is guaranteed. I consider it an excellent thing and think it might be expanded considerably with profit to all. The orchestra sounded good to me though the movie was nothing much, and I was taken by Joan and Alex and Peter, who left for Cooktown last night and will bring back their boat from where she is stuck at Point Barrow. They plan to sell her and the proceeds will supply the capital for their next venture, which comprises taking up many square miles of land, rounding up all the clean-skins (unbranded cattle), whose number is considerable, driving them to the south and selling them. That is to be done with the aid of an eight-horse wagon, four riding horses, two pig dogs and a few other things. They plan also to do some prospecting, grow crops, and other things, some of which I listed yesterday. They are nice kids and make me feel my age. I called to see them off on the Merinda and bumped into Fergie, the en- gineer, who was coming ashore to say good-bye to me so we both went over to the Puddicom houseboat to make my farewells. The freight got away from the warehouse before noon today, so there should be no doubt about it getting on board the Wandana, which is due about 7 A.M. tomorrow and sails about 5 P.M. Everything is in order, I think, the only uncertain quantity being my own departure, which I shall straighten out to- morrow or Wednesday. Now I have to pack the box which Van will take along on the Wandana for me. Wednesday, 6 October 1948. This must sooner or later come to a close and as Van left yesterday on the Wandana and I merely have to await the receipt of some cabled funds, Hides Hotel, where we really started the Cape trip, seems a good place. One or two loose ends were tied off yesterday. Captain Paulson told me that he had called at Portland Roads on his way down and poor old Joe had been given such a party by the miners on his return there that he was still rocking from it. A couple of minutes before Van and I left the hotel to catch the steamer, Terry McLeod, the cook of the Lochiel, turned up; some- body had been giving him a party too. He has further complicated his Canadian-Philippine nationality by taking on a half-caste wife. He has several boxes of shells which he has collected for Van. Bob Fletcher, the bar-man at the Royal Sovereign in Cooktown, called to tell me the latest news of that land of the lotus and of pleasant memories. I had a couple of drinks in the evening with Jerry Taylor, Atherton Hospital, and Dawn Huddy, librarian of the Cairns Public Library, both of whom were members of the Cooktown parties; the spirit of revelry had gone and reminiscence had taken its place, as Bob also said, in other words. The Merinda is due this afternoon and I shall meet her in, I think, since I have nothing else to do. Fergie Runcie, her engineer, will give me a welcome, I feel sure. Some day I hope to rewrite this journal, placing it in a narrative form, and when that is done I can record my pleasure at meeting the many, many people who have aided, welcomed and, I trust, remembered us. To me, at any rate, there will be memories of friendships made which I am indeed proud to possess.