58 Kaindi - Lae Work for the road department in this area is a cushy racket. Bill Bradley is boss for the 1 1/4 miles above us to Edie Creek and the 2-3 miles of new road up Mt. Kaindi. He comes up from Wau about noon on Monday and returns at noon Fridays. Every day, in fact, they sally forth armed with bows and arrows (the arrows 5-pronged or blunt-headed, for birds). Picks and shovels are left on the road, where they get use now and then. Down towards Wau today I saw perhaps 20 road boys scattered on various jobs and about half of them working. Somewhere about the 2-mile of spread-out of labor was a white man sitting in a truck. Bradley helps old Bob Franklin with his rum Monday afternoons. Last night about 10 o'clock he was out in the night yelling at the moon, or just yelling. Wednesday, May 27. Waking to pump the lamp of a plant drying outfit which I had going through the night, I heard a good deal of light rain. A few light showers today; gusty E to SE wind at times; mist on the heights about us at times. A report that the weather in the Wau valley is really overcast; we are above the worst of it. Last night's was the last trapping for the locality, and it brought in the almost customary new addition to the collection, this time Peroryctes longicauda ornata (?). That was the only animal in traps. Van has been carrying and setting a few live traps. Not a single mammal has been caught in them. Van and I busy packing collections and gear. My afternoon spent on the seemingly endless figuring of weights for the transport in to Keglsugl, and out again. Richard Leahy returned to Zenag this morning, John driving him down to Bulolo, where he caught the milk truck to Zenag. Young Richard improved greatly on acquaintance. For a lad of 17 he is exceptionally serious minded and well informed. He needs training in tidiness as regards personal belongings. Leaves things scattered all over the place. Bob Franklin has taken on as helper this week 73-year-old Frank Brandon. Both came down on the invitation of Van to wish me happy birthday this evening. Three drinks before dinner finished our whisky. Much talk about mining in New Guinea. Frank spent some time on Woodlark Island and knows the few whites now there. After they had gone home we got down to a semi-final discussion on the air freighting in to and away from Mt. Wilhelm. As far as I can figure it, the air freighting is pretty well in hand. To return from the mountain we will either have to have two charter flights, or most of the personnel walk out. The cost of the air charters will determine this. Thursday, May 28. Having partly packed the Land Rover and trailer last night, we got a 7:20 start from Kaindi this morning and, after numerous stops, arrived at Lae at 4:45 pm. Weather good; road not very dusty, although our six boys, sitting in the back of the Land Rover, were gray rather than brown upon arrival on the coast. First call was at the Franklin plantation house close above Wau, to meet Mrs. Franklin. An attractive and capable, slim middle-aged woman in jodhpurs. Her living room very tastefully arranged and containing some good furnishings. Fine view of Wau and the Wau valley from the verandah. Colorful cannas and dahlias in the garden. The Franklin family lived 20 years at Kaindi. Their one son an officer in the Fleet Air Arm.