-54- Tuesday 5/3/53: Somewhat cloudy day with very light southeast wind. Camp astir at 4 A.M. Most of our final cargo was on the beach by 5 o'clock. At daylight (5:45) all the cargo was still there. Evannett and Chapman had set up until 3 o'clock on the "Jessie" drinking. The boat boys, in typical Papuan fashion, would not arouse them when shouts came from shore in the dark. It was 6:50 when we raised anchor and left Menapi. Mountains, including Mts. Simpson and Dayman, very clear and blue as we chugged up the bay toward Cape Vogel. The Jessie a 46-foot Ketch rigged vessel drawing 5½ feet now, 6 ft. when loaded; 30 hp. Lister Diesel engine giving a speed of around 6 knots. Have on board as pilot a boy of Spiller's named Ananias. Also 7 Fergusson Island recruits who are being taken to Samarai by Evannett, and Native Medical Orderly "Frank" and his wife. Frank is returning to his station at Binigumi with a stock of medicines from Bialara. Another passenger, and one likely to be very important, is Inter- preter Diowowan, on loan to us by Peter O'Sullivan. Diowwan is a mountain man of such status that he can boast two wives. It was he who gave us very good in- formation on Mt. Dayman a month or more ago. Had engine trouble soon after starting. Off Sibiribiri Point, at SE tip of the peninsula, at 8:30. At 9:50 rounded Ipotete Island at NE tip of Peninsula; an intended flashing navigation light on this island (the only light on the NE coast is at Tufi. Opposite Mukawa Mission at 10:35. The 1-inch map gives a misleading impression of the coast from about Ipotete Island to Mukawa and beyond. Coast line is steep-to. Off Tapio at 11:30. Our pilot says the caves are under Castle Hill which rises to 800 feet about a mile west of the village. At about 3 P.M. anchored off Medino in 6 fathoms. Coast here much obstructed by coral patches; same off Tapio. Went ashore and found awaiting us 10 men willing to carry from Bialwa to Binigumi. They were given a stick of tobacco each with which to buy food for the night and tomorrow. Medino a small village of about 20 houses (?) most of them on the east side of a narrow deep creek and a native mission establishment on the west side. Bathed in a small stream coming out of the hills about 300 yards off the west bank of the creek and behind the mangroves which narrowly fringe the coast. Hills grassy with a savanna stand of such trees as Alstonia, Timonius, and Sarcocephalus. No true savanna trees, and apparently a very poor grassland flora. Grasslands of all this coast apparently secondary, though doubtless old established. The parting event at Menapi last night was a sort of musical put on by Molly Spiller. Four men with mandolins, one with uke, 2 "spoon men," squatting on the floor. Two men and two women dancing. The orchestra singing native songs to each selection. In most of the dances the two men wore grass skirts said to be the original dress for dances. Singing good though with little variety of tone. These people do not harmonize. Wednesday 5/6/53: Medino - Bialawa. Clear last night; heavy dew. From the an- chorage a fine view of the mountains from Mt. Simpson to Mt. Dayman and Goropu. Mountains cloud-capped down to ca. 5000 feet after 8:30. Showers on lower slopes of Dayman all afternoon, and at Bialawa after about 5 o'clock. Only light SE breeze today. Started to leave Medino anchorage at 7:30. Turned back twice on encountering patches of submerged reef. Water perhaps deep enough over them for our vessel, but Evannett taking no risks.