34 Cornelius Samalo, a cross-eyed Ambonese, started today as mandoer over the Sentanis. Marcus commenced as mandoer in charge of the Hollandias on the (The Ambonese 25th. (the latter = soldier) Papuan A good day's work. Had some fresh meat today from one of the colonists. The scale of values seems all wrong in this country and in the Indies generally. For instance, today we pai £4.50 for 5 kilos meat and 30 eggs, while a 14 meter heavy log costs only £3.25 in coolie wages at 25 cents per day for 13 men. Fresh food is abundant here and cheap. Since arriving we have had daily supplies of greens, eggs,-fruit and tombok, besides plenty of eggs, fowls and twice in the week fresh meat. Fish is also plentiful. April 30th. Three more local men enrolled for work this morning, making with 9 Makassars, 99 coolies on the job. Today we have another 80 meters of ramp stringers. With yesterdays 60 meters a total of 140 meters or 1/3 of our estimated requirements. ed Obtaining permission to use a quantity of portable tramway and 2 one ton hoppers used by the Government for filling swampy land. Shifted to our base camp all the rails we want and nearly completed laying a track of 150 yards from a quarry on a steep hillside to the aeroplane ramp site. A lot of filling will be neces-sary to make our site habitable and usable in wet weather. Results for the week are good considering that we have done only four days actual work in the preparation of the base. Today, being the birthday of Princess Juliana, was a holiday for the Government service. Follwoing the fashion of the country we worked the coolies 8 hours, making 48 hours for the week. May lst. AXXX The event of the day was an invitation for the members of the expedition to eat