-26- Last evening there was a cocktail party in the Bunting house (Russ Webster, host) to introduce us socially in Samarai. Twenty-one people present, most of them previous acquaintances. A lively crowd. Samarai is much like old, pre- war New Guinea. Considerable drinking, mostly bottled beer and rum. Nowadays, of course, there is refrigeration in every household, and electric power. Thursday 3/19/53. Our cargo was loaded on the Govilon this afternoon. We are to sail for Menapi at 6 in the morning. Our personal papers and valuables are deposited in the manager's private safe at Bunting's. The suits that we wore on the journey from the States have been sent to Brisbane for dry cleaning; they will be returned to Samarai for storage by Russ Webster, our host at Bunting's house. Met today an erratic, very commercial-minded man, Captain Ted Smith, who in 1948 transported our Cape York Expedition party from Cairns to Red Island Point, near Thursday Island. Smith has just returned from Australia with a small vessel for use in a native trading venture he began about 18 months ago on the eastern end of Cape Vogel Peninsula. Intends to open stores on Good- enough and Fergusson Islands. Is interested in the exploitation of bat guano deposits in caves on Cape Vogel. Talks a lot about it, apparently, and on that account is known as "Bat-shit Smith". Caves about 3 miles inland from the village of Dabora on the southern coast are not accessible enough to be of present commercial interest, he says. Another cave, about 1/2 mile from the coast at Tapio on the Collingwood Bay coast and at 600 ft. elevation, offers greater possibilities. Several entrances to this cave, but Smith has been in only one. Smith offers to take us to the Dabora caves in his boat, without charge. For charter work he would ask "no more than ten pounds a day." A reasonable rate for a boat that would carry us and our cargo comfortably. Friday 3/20/53. Sailed from Samarai for Menapi, Cape Vogel, on the Govilon at 7 A.M. We are 3 days ahead of schedule in taking the field. The ship is about a 55-footer, with Lister engine, a jib and a leg-o-mutton mainsail. Native skipper. Reputed to do about 5 knots but we had a slight nor-wester against us and a set of current practically all the way. Passed East Cape (ca. 32 miles) at 3 o'clock. Got to Wedau, where we tied up to a small wharf, at 1 A.M. Sat- urday. Our own cook feeds us on the boat. Until rain squalls came over in the middle of the afternoon, we were comfortable under a tarp rigged over the for- ward hatch. After that we crowded in the wheelhouse. The greatest discomfort was the lack of a privy on board. Arrived at Wedau, we set up our camp cots under a partly starry sky on the wharf. By 3 o'clock we were driven aboard by rain and spent the rest of the night sitting up or stretched out in various nooks. Saturday 3/21/53. Left Wedau at 7 A.M. and dropped anchor off Menapi about 3:30. Called in at Baniara Govt. station and went ashore there for a few min- ut es at ca. 2 o'clock. Cadet Patrol Officer Tony Skewes, i/c Baniara, came on with us to Menapi. Sort of showing the flag and intimating Govt. interest in our party. Slim dark-complexioned young fellow, with bristly hair and x slightly stopped. Has the reputation of being an efficient young officer.