-56- creek, the move could not be made until tomorrow morning, but we spent some hours in organizing for the carry and putting things shipshape with the cargo being left in the resthouse for later carries. Had about finished lunch when Jimmie, one of the two Gowiago messengers who were sent overland from Monapi 9 days ago to drum up carriers and foodstuffs, arrived in camp. He had walked around the head of the bay. Bore a note from Ken written at Moi Biriri Creek canoe landing. A few carriers had turned up from Kwagira at 10:30, but he was short of bearers for 20 loads. Expected to have everything at Kwagira today, and go on to Biniguni tomorrow. Ken has finished with Jimmie. Declares him unreliable and untruthful. I should like to know the whole story. Spent a couple of hours in the field this afternoon, up to ca. 1/2 mile from camp along the government track which goes easterly toward Medino. Ridgy terrain. The highest hill (200 ft. according to the 1-inch map) forested to the summit. Other rain forest in gullies. Most ridges and some hollows grassy. Grass on average a little better than knee high. Some Imperata, but so far as I can see mostly "kangaroo grass" (Themeda australis?). Concentrated on grass associates, the grasses themselves mostly past fruiting. Collections not yet prepared. Must have about 20 app. from the grass country. A few yards inside a rain forest gully, found on the base of a tree the first filmy fern (Hymenophyllum s.l.) I have seen on the trip; a tiny thing with roundish leaves (No. 22096). Forest appears moister and richer than in the area we examined on the Cape Vogel Peninsula. Wallaby signs abundant on the grassy ridges. None shot yet. Friday 5/8/53: Baiawa. Fine morning; mountain clear and blue until 8:30. Showers on slopes after 12:30. Raining and thundering there from about 3 P.M. Thunder showers here beginning at 4 and sprinkling still (7:90). No messenger having arrived from Ken last night, we started full scale col- lecting this morning. Geoff and his crew brought in a snake, a freshwater fish not previously collected, lizards, and various insects. Van has 90 traps out tonight; has not yet shot a wallaby or any other mammal. I prepared my 26 numbers from yesterday and put them on to dry; collected over 20 numbers on the grasslands and in the edge of the rain forest. At six this evening the Baiawa village policeman arrived with two letters from Ken. He and his men had carried from Kwagira to Biniguni this morning (3-31/2 hours) and returned to their village (probably 6 hours of travel). Ken arrived at Biniguni with all the loads he set out with yesterday morning. Has arranged with the Baiawa and Kwagira village policemen to have about 30 carriers ready to transport us at daylight Tuesday morning. Is trying to get Opalgwari people to carry at the same time, and suggests that we bring 50 loads with us. Ken's arrival at Kwagira yesterday was in heavy rain, presumably in the afternoon. This is excellent news. Better than I expected. And we can collect here for another couple of days before we close down for the trek to Biniguni. Looking down on the village from the heights of the resthouse during the rain this afternoon, it seemed a wretched place. Thatched houses smoke-stained and godden. The bare ground wet and seepage water running under one of the houses and across the mangrove mud. Presently a grass-skirted woman headed out toward the mangroves in the drizzle, on an obvious mission, to be soon followed by two under- standing village pigs. Most white men in New Guinea do not eat village pig. Saturday 5/9/53: Baiawa. The first day without rain since we have been here. Mountain very clear early this morning; upper and middle levels under cloud after