Tuesday, 30 March 1948. As was to be expected there was nothing new in the matter of equipment when Len called at B-P's this morning; we knew, of course, that no work would have been done during the holidays and the call was merely a matter of form. Later in the afternoon a telephone call came from Dupain to say tyat four of Time's holds had been al- most emptied and there was no sign of our equipment. The fifth hold, said to be loaded with Cairns cargo, would not be touched in Townsville and doubtless it is there that our stuff is. Heavy showers during the afternoon and evening did little to break the thick, muggy heat of Cairns; I spent most of my day running around looking for other kinds of meat supplies than those we have as my companions do not like what we have already purchased. The fact that there is nothing else to be procured does not seem to enter the matter. The search was fruitless and was simply a repetition of previous searches. The little side trips, while productive of some specimens, do not do very much good and the enforced inactivity of our daily existences and the uncer- tainty of our future ones does harm to tempers and dispositions. Van is still indisposed and went to a doctor this afternoon; the trouble, the doctor said, is some local form of colitis, whatever that may be, and Van was delighted with his medicine, a thick, creamy mess smelling strongly of vanilla. Wednesday, 31 March 1948. And still the news is unreasonably bad. The unload- ing of Time should be completed this evening but for some reason not apparent, the coal re-bunkering is not to be carried out until next Monday and there is just a faint chance that she may arrive at Cairns a week far from today. It really is the most abominable thing and it happens in every nation, that one small body can hold up and do untold damage to the much greater balance of the population. To blame it on communism does not make any sense to me. We shall probably go away tomorrow for six or seven days but I am not quite sure just where as nobody feels inclined to transport us and it is quite possible that the railwaymen may decide to strike again tomorrow. I think they have had their turn and gone back to work but they may be feeling a lit- le tired now. The general idea is in the neighborhood of Bellenden Kerr, a mountain some sixty miles to the south of Cairns. I would hesitate very much in going out of telephone distance as it could be that the re-bunkering of Time might be carried out before next Monday. Anything can happen but it seems at present that our only chance of getting clear in time to take Yalata will be if the coaling is done sooner than expected. It would be too bad if, for the sake of a few local specimens, we were to miss the Yalata connection, through not being within telephone call. The usual supplies of food have been laid in and I think I shall make a deal that I shall prepare all the meals if the others will do the washing-up and clearing-up. They have complained so much about the food that the only thing I can do is show them that it is good and palatable, prociedd somebody takes time and pains in preparation. Their method is to grab and open the first tin they see; if they happen to find the bully beef is nearest, we have bully beef until it is gone, during which time there is a constant tumult about unbalanced and monotonous diets. Must take this out now and get some letters away or ready for mailing tomorrow. The usual evening storm (it is about 5:30) has started and there is a cool breeze blowing on my spine for a few moments.