-68- made a very steep descent of around 200-300 m. to the stream. In that lower part of the valley the Gwariu runs in a deep gorge. We should be able to open a trail to strike it above the gorge. Collected in dryish forest on the upper slopes of the Gorge at ca. 2000 m. Virtually a forest of Araucaria, great g trees 3 - 5 ft. through at the base. Libocedrus abundant and up to 2 ft. diameter. Podocarpus # a common dsmaller tree. Galbulimima also collected. At upper edge the forest contains many small Araucaria and Libocedrus trees. These and rotten old mossy logs plentiful on the ground, suggest a regenerated forest. On this upper edge a Weinmannia which occurs elsewhere as a small tree in ferny regrowths, is the most abundant tree of the closed forest and attains a height of ca. 15 m. and diameter of 30 cm. Woody undergrowth and ground ferns largely different from those of the ravines. Forest easy to walk through. Sparsely mossed on trees, practically none on ground. Cassowary droppings abundant in this forest. Thursday May 28, 1953: Max. 22, Min. 2 C. Warmest morning since the thermometers were set up. Only a light frost. Clear morning with gusty wind up valley. Mist off and on, from down valley after 12:30. Preparation of the residue of yesterday's big gathering of plants kept me in camp to 10 A.M. Botanized after that in the nearer parts of the Gwariu Valley, just over the divide from & camp. Much scrambling fern (Gleichenia and Sticherus in dense tangles within forest margins. A fire hazard in weather still drier than this. At 2:15 a policeman arrived with mails, 3& days from Baniara. If ever I hear these Armed Papuan Constabulary called flat feet, my hat will be in the ring. #1 cook down with fever (?) the past two days. Two field boys lame with feet punctured by bracken stubble on burned grasslands. #2 cook turned out an excellent batch of bread. The rubbery substitute sold by bakers in the U.S. will taste even less like bread after eating the product of our native cooks. The fathers of our boys used stone axes. Friday May 29, 1953: Max. 21, Min. 4.5 C. Rel. humidity, 6:30 A.M. 88% (clear), 1 P.M. 89% (overcast), 5:30 P.M. 89% (wisps of mist). Warmest night and early morning for some time; soon overcast; mist in camp hollow and tree tops by 10 o'clock; short burst of sunshine in afternoon; clear tonight. Definite cloud drift from SE this AM; mackerel sky and pink afterglow at sundown. A few slight drizzles during day. Grass wet this AM. Policeman left for Baniara 7:15 AM carrying mails. Seemed in a hurry to leave this cold country. He has from us 5 sticks of trace tobacco for smokes and the purchase of food en route. The usual accumulation of specimens kept me late in camp and my collecting was done near by, mostly in the relatively low and well lighted forest of the slopes. Most interesting plants a sub-alpine type Rhododendron with small tubular red flowers, growing as a slender tree on the forest margin, and a splendid fern, Leptopteris, which may be a new species. It will not be out of reason to expect 10% new plant species from this mountain. Today I passed my 1000th collection number for the trip.