Monday, 1 March 1948. Very hot and steamy night with no breeze whatever and some rain which increased the humidity. Have not yet reached that comfortable stage when I sweat for an hour and then am dehydrated and sweat no more. Called at Howard Smith, S.S. Agency and learn that there is nothing new in the matter to the arrival of Time. Still due on the 9th. Called at Saml. Allen and Sons, large firm and agents for Spence of Brisbane, who had written to them about me. Good contact. Capt. Barnum, young German seaman, (Name is Gunther Bahrenemann, I find) skipper of the Yalata, small ship about 89 feet in length, recently on Cairns-T.I. run. May be useful to us if Wandana does not perform according to schedule. George, Len and Van had a good trip over the week-end, Len getting a vine which has only been found twice before and George getting some bandicoots and other things that Van is now working on in the warehouse put at our disposal by B-P. They also brought in a tree snake and multitudes of insects for me but I steadfastly refuse to do anything about them until I have the business side of things properly in control. Dupain, manager of B-P, is going away for ten days on Wednesday and our affairs will be handled by Pierson, chief clerk. This memo just to help in remembering Pierson's name. The rail strike is partly over since the Queensland Govt declared a state of emergency. Some men have returned to work but quite a small minority, according to the paper. Instead, the Cairns dockhands and wharfies have now gone out and the SS. Belinda, which arrived last Friday, is still not unloaded, nor has the work of unloading yet begun. Tuesday, 2 March 1948. Pretty busy in morning running around getting various odds and ends finished and getting food and stuff for a trip to Chillagoe which George and Van are making from tomorrow for about six days. Introduced myself at Saml. Allen's and consider them good alternative source of supply for things which may not be available at B-P. Several army and navy barracks along the wharf are being taken over for use as a museum for Cairns in the days to come and one of them has been placed at our disposal for all purposes, mainly preparation of specimens as they are brought in from the small side trips. It is much more comfortable and suitable for our purposes than the tin shed B-P gave us, though we shall have to use the latter when and if the cargo comes in. The strike news does not improve at all and the tie-up, so far as we are concerned, is somewhat serious as our budget is limited and we are spending much more than we expected to do in hotel bills. The small side trips help a little in cutting down expenses, of course, but certain forms of equipment, which we have on board Time, have been to be purchased in order to equip the side trips. One thing that has happened and which may have a decisive effect on the strike is that all the beer has been consumed. Other places are practically out of much more serious commodities and a threat of a general strike is looming up. So far as the outlying places such as this are concerned, this is a general strike; no matter what there may be available in Brisbane, it cannot be brought here by any method except air, which would run costs completely out of range.