adzed on one side. Today we set out the ramp and had 7 boys digging trenches to carry the dry land stringers. Had all the sawn number from last boat shifted to the base and stacked between the godowns and made a general clean-up in pre- paration for stacking the ramp decking when it arrives from Lake Sentani. Am rather apprehensive lest this decking should be delivered behind the agreed date ie one month from the 24th of April. There is certainly no chance of the whole lot being here by that date and I realised that when I set time of deliv- very at one month. It is rather disturbing though that 250,pieces which Ebali advised having despatched a week ago have not arrived. Paid off 20 Sentani coolies this evening. This leaves us with a payroll of 32 Sentanis and 37 local coolies. The Patrol boat "Bantam" returned from Sami at daylight this morning. The gesagheber and native doctor left on a short trip to some villages on the north coast. May 17th N-easterly weather. Heavy showers of long duration commenced about 4 PM and extended to after 9 o'clock spoiling our morning's work. No sun through day-- disposition of coolies-- 20 making cargo raft 10 collecting sago leafstakks for raft. 10 excavating and setting logs in place on ramp. 8 putting atap roof on mission house. 6 Radio shack. 4 whitewashing interior of mission house. 3 making shelves in godowns. 6 making bathroom site. Sent 2 drums (x 10 gals) of aviation spirit to Ebeli by four of the returning Sentani coolies. Paid the boys each two days wages for the job. Had Mielcke write Ebeli a letter in German (as he knows no English) asking him to make