ascent with us and Len turned him down, with equal celerity. We do not quite know what to make of the Govt. people with which we are saddled as none of them is equipped for the job, nor rationed, nor equipped with porters, and we are not sure whether we can get enough for our selves, let along any visitors we may have at the time. Also, we are not prepared to feed them, cook for them, do their laundry and teach them their business, for such a protracted period. We think that the Betty Ann may reach Menapi either tomorrow or the next day and that she will bring the stores which now are on order. That is important, as those stores must be in here before we leave for the mountains, and until we get them our transport problem cannot even be posed, let alone be solved. 18 April. The Betty Ann came in about 1800 hours tonight, bringing mail and bills from Samarai but none from outside; she also brought all the supplies for which we have been waiting, so tomorrow will be an admin day, checking rations and invoices, paying the bills and perhaps beginning the job of preparing the loads for the mountains. I did an [illegible] unscientific, perhaps unforgivable thing today - ate some of the specimens belonging to the Museum. The boys have been getting some very plump and enticing crayfish from the creeks and I have enough for the Fish Dept. Today's catch was eaten as hors d'oeuvres with our evening rum ration, and, with the addition of tomato sauce, tasted quite good. An eel, which came in the catch, smelled so bad that we turned it over to the boys, wiping out the whole Fish Dept. selection of specimens for the day. Len and the Dutchman were out together this morning and I have not had a chance to talk to Len about it but notice that he has been remarkably quiet ever since they set out at 0800. The Betty Ann will probably leave tomorrow and go up the coast a bit but Bill Mason speaks of going in to Samarai on the Ruru, so we are preparing mail this evening, just in case.