-93- Tuesday, July 28, 1953: Day almost completely overcast, but only a few drops of rain. Temperature in my rent this afternoon 92 F. Had my two plant drying units set in place yesterday and today have one in operation on partly dried and formalin-preserved material brought down from the mountain. Gave all boys, including cooks, a holiday which they have spent in the river bank, bathing, washing clothing and blankets, and just plain enjoying themselves. Geoff, Van and Ken to Biniguni to examine collection stand there and bring a few needed items from our boxes in the rest house. Wednesday, July 29, 1953: About 50/50 overcast and bright sunshine; no rain; some stars showing tonight. Smoke in the air from new garden clearings being burned by the natives. Spent the morning at the rest house in the village examining plant materials sent down from the mountain. Wynn had sent four herbarium bundles to the coast without my knowledge. All packages in the rest house in good condition with the exception of a few outer sheets in one herbarium bundle which was wet on the way down from Top Camp and was not properly cared for by Wynn. Returned to camp at noon to find the temperature in my tent 96 F. Now have a fly rigged over it. My tent is my work place where I prepare plants in the afternoon and thus escape disturbance by [illegible] any wind that blows. [illegible] After attending to my molded specimens from the mountain, I found time to do a little collecting in the river bottom. The usual pioneer species one expects to find on the lowlands (Saccharum, Pipturus, etc.); also a Begonia and a white-flowered balsam which occurred on the mountain. Thursday, July 30, 1953: Mostly sunny until early afternoon, then overcast. No rain. Clouds have been heavy over the mountain since we left it, suggesting continued mist and rain, although the Gwariu, chief drainage stream of Mt. Day-man, has had only one freshet of a few inches since we established camp here on the 27th. Worked half a mile or so up the bed of the river this A.M. and returned through the forest. Both habitats poor in plants. Losima, the #2 cook, saw a spirit last. A keen hunter in off hours, he was down at the water's edge with a headlight and a flashlight, catching frogs. Suddenly, as he related it, a great big luminous eye stared him in the face. He turned to retreat, then thought better of it and looked back. The eye was no longer there. At this juncture in the story, Kim, the sophisticated #1 cook, explained to the listeners that the spirit was looking at the ground. Soon the eye appeared again. Taking no chances this time, Losima raced across the boulders toward camp with headlight burning and flashlight directed behind to dazzle the spirit, fell, and smashed his collecting bottle against his chest. The obvious explanation is that he saw the reflection of his headlight on the water. But the boys will not believe that. The incident is another strike against this camp. The hunters are out in pairs tonight in the forest away from the river.