-108- bully beef - total over 7 pounds. His pig was declined. The photographing over, I went to the Rakua River nearby for a day's collecting. Braided flood bed a good half mile wide; course gravel and cane grass islands. Main stream about 100 yards across, running fast and turbid and not crossable today. River bed very hot and almost a desert botanically. Ate lunch in second growth rain forest on the bank, then worked back to the main trail between the village and camp. Back in camp at 4:30. Monday, August 31, 1953: Max. 30.5, Min. 21 C. Day clear until late afternoon when we had a little rain from a thunderstorm. Cloud drift from SW. With Awani and Opaigwari carriers, Ken took 13 loads to Kwag- ira and left them in the resthouse for transport to Baiawa on Thursday. Spent day on plants gathered yesterday and some brought in by my boys this morning. An awani native brought me roots and leaves of the fish poison ("New Guinea Dynamite") which they call Duba. Perhaps a Derris, it is planted about the villages. The name Tuba (and its variations) for Derris is widespread. Opaigwari councillor brought a leg of his pig as a "present" for our boys, which we bought for 2 tins of bully beef and some salt. Tuesday, September 1, 1953: Max. 31, Min. 21.5 C. Dull most of A.M.; ditto P.M.; distant thunder to SW late afternoon; light rain started this evening about 7 o'clock. Collected toward the Rakua on a disused old trail which leaves the Peria about 1/4 mile below camp. Distance about 1 1/2 miles. Low lying country no doubt semi-swampy in wet season. Poor forest with scattered big trees and much Calamus and other vine growth. Crossed 3 small running streams with gravel bottoms, and turned back at a fourth. Scared up a wild pig; little bird life. Geoff took lunch out and completed his trail to the Rakua. Walk of about 1 hour 20 min. From where he struck the river the Gwariu Gorge was about 190 degrees magnetic. River broad, with gravel bottom and many cane-grass islands. Cane-grass mostly burnt. Muck the same as at Opaigwari, not more than 2 miles upstream. Wednesday, September 2, 1953: Max. 30, Min. 22.5 C. Dull until late A.M. clear P.M.; no rain. Collected on a circuit beginning about 1/4 mile NE of camp where a spring-fed stream rises close to the Peria. Followed this "Spring Creek" about 3/4 mile to its junction with the Peria, then up the Peria to camp. Spring Ck. carries twice the volume of water of the Peria. Crossings of both streams will over my knees