-43- Sunday 4/12/53: Ken, Geoff and I, on a visit to Baniara Government station to discuss Mt. Dayman with P/O O'Sullivan. Walked the four miles to a canoe landing opposite the island on which Baniara is situated. O'Sullivan had invited us down today, but no canoe awaited us. A boy I brought along lit a smoke signal and made a flag of his red lava lava. No response. Then a small canoe turned up and Ken went across the 3/4 mile strait to send a bigger canoe for Geoff and me. The morning began over- cast, and by that time light rain was falling. Half an hour later, or 1[illegible] hours after our arrival at the landing, five hospital boys came across from Baniara to spear fish in the mangroves. They offered their canoe, and with one of them and my boy paddling, set out in pouring rain to make the crossing. A fresh southeaster blowing, and quite a chop in the strait. The canoe old and rotten, and the out- rigger so waterlogged that instead of its acting as a stabilizer, we had to sit on the far edge of the canoe platform to balance it as a counter weight. When almost across, we were met by a fine big Government canoe manned by a policeman and a couple of prisoners. Ken's canoe man, it turned out, was a prisoner doing four years for the murder of his wife. He was over on the mainland to do some fishing. Prison life is not hard on Papus. Tremendously heavy rain began about 1:00 P.M. and continued until four o'clock or thereabout, when the weather looked like taking up. Left by canoe on the return journey about 5:15 and were barely started across the strait when rain pelted down again. Arrived camp 7:05 thoroughly wet with sweat, although we wore raincoats. The road follows the shoreline, and on it are many small bridges across streams, most of them consisting of a single log [illegible] with handrail. We did some precarious balancing on the more springy and uneven logs on the walk to Baniara. On the way back, in the dusk, and then darkness, with only one weak flashlight, borrowed at Baniara, and water rushing under the bridges; the crossings were a bit frightening. Feel that our journey to Baniara was unprofitable. O'Sullivan cordial enough, but obviously unwilling to discuss the mountain. Barely glanced at a copy of Ken's route report which was given to him for his information. O'Sullivan planned to climb the week on a forth-coming patrol in company with Tony Skewes. It seems possible that he feels that Ken's ascent has deprived him and Government of the honor of being first there, and he resents it. Difficult to guess at any other reason for his attitude. Monday 4/13/53: Heavy rain again this morning. Overcast and occasional light rain through the day. Weather seems to be coming from SW. Little field work. My morning spent on accumulated collections from the Dabora trip. In afternoon segregated and weighed most of my gear, and supplies, for the proposed top camp on Mt. Dayman. Made application to Baniara for Employers Arms Permits for six of our boys, ( fee 3/9 each). This legalized their carrying guns to shoot for expedition purposes. Ken Wym made the round trip to Baniara again today, taking mail to go on a Government boat which came in this afternoon, seeing to arms, permits, etc. Talked again to Peter O'Sullivan re Mt. Dayman, better results this time.