BEGINNING OF JOURNAL OF L. J. BRASS IN DUPLICATE. Monday, 3/2/52: At Lennon's Hotel in Brisbane to attend to business before leaving for New Guinea. Brisbane suffering a heat wave. Temperature 95F. for past 2 days, but dropped to 85° max and 21% humidity today. Much of day spent in making arrangements for the arrival and departure of Tate and Van Deusen. Their ship from New York is almost a week behind schedule and is due about noon on the 13th. They have plane reservations with Qantas for departure for Port Moresby at 10:30 A.M. on the 14th. Even if the ship arrives without further delay, there would not be time for arranging for clearances from Australia by normal procedures especially as the 14th is a Saturday. Had to lunch U.S. Consul Charles M. Carson, Bob Dunting and Dennis M. Williams. Dunting is head of A. H. Dunting Ltd., our expedition agents in Samarai. He is en route for Canada and England. Williams is Dunting's agent in Brisbane, and has been very helpful. Dunting reports that our cargo has arrived in Samarai in apparently perfect condition. He has lined up as transport and supplies man for us a man named Wynn, ex-District Officer, who knows the country. A good man, says Dunting, though not in the superlative class of C.J. Adamson, who did our transport in 1933-34. Dunting has very kindly offered us the use of his house in Samarai. Says the boarding houses there is "bloody awful." Tuesday, 3/3/52: Have documents all in hand for Geoff and Van: (1) Income tax clearances from Australia; (2) permits to land in Papua; (3) permits to re-enter Australia from Papua. The taxation clearance man (Houston) and Migration Office man (McLeod) very friendly and helpful. Documents left with Dennis Williams, who will meet the "Pioneer Glen", take Geoff and Van to the Qantas office to pick up their air tickets, etc. Called on Dr. D. A. Herbert, Professor of Botany and Science Dean at the Queensland University. Learned over the usual mid-morning cup of tea that the University has quite a number of science students from southeast Asian countries, especially Ceylon and Java, the latter mostly Chinese. Building proceeds very slowly on the new University site at St. Lucia in the western Suburbs. Only about £25,000 a year available for construction. Made a second visit to the Queensland Herbarium and talked with Francis, Everist, Blake and Smith. Had to lunch J.T. Brooks, ex-Chief Inspector of Customs (retired), and interested in medicinal plants, who will use his influence if the "Pioneer Glen" is further delayed and quick Customs clearances are needed by Geoff and Van. In afternoon called at Dept. of Agriculture & Stock to see R. W. Peters (cotton man). Cotton acreage this year in Queensland 16,000, all American Upland. In absence of R. Veitch, Assistant Under-Secretary (Technical) talked with George Simmonds about an unfortunate occurrence in which Archbold Expeditions was involved a couple of years ago — collection of mammal specimens in North Queensland by J. T. Roberts (a local man) without prior arrangements for the necessary permit. The Dept. forgave us long ago and issued a permit to Roberts. Wed. 3/4/52: Took off from Brisbane at 11:50 last night on Qantas DC4 "Bird of Paradise" flight to Port Moresby. A full passenger list. Mostly young or youngish men; some women and small children. Part of the night was taken up with breakfast, for which passengers were aroused at 4:15: Tomato juice, corn flakes, fried fish, rolls and tea. This was nicely timed. The trays had scarcely been cleared away when we struck rough air in clouds over the Coral Sea and the hostess was tossed flat on her back in the aisle.