-65- Kin, the #1 cook, arrived about noon with Bomara carriers, fresh bread and much needed cooking and eating gear. A good strong lot of carriers. An unfortunate sequel to Van's arrival yesterday. He failed to check in his carrier loads as instructed by me. Result: a 35 lb. drum of rice disappeared into the carrier camp last night and was returned 1/3 full just as I started for Maneau. A good part of the missing rice was found in possession of the departing Binigumi V.C. From his 90 traps set last night, Van had a 10% catch of Rattus and Melomys (from forest). Wednesday, May 20, 1953: Clear morning; heavy frost; temp. at 6 A.M. 38 F. Mist clouds overhead and sometimes in tree tops through afternoon. Night again clear and starry. Set up Max. and Min. thermometers under a Libocedrus bark shed this evening. Morning spent in preparing remainder of 55 numbers of plants collected yes- terday and starting my drying apparatus. Afternoon in field near camp. A good take, including Araucaria # (= A. Cunninghania ?) and the tree fern Cyathea # , growing on forest edges and occasionally on the grassy slopes. At this altitude the Araucaria grows on slopes as well as on crests of ridges. Ken arrived in camp about noon with 12 Wapona carriers and the last of the cargo for this camp. The end of a very successful, if sometimes rather doubtful loading transport operation. The Waponas according to Ken, are missionized and a scrourging lot. Thursday May 21, 1953: Minimum temp. last night Zero C. Sunny bright and cloudless day; first without mist at some time over camp. My morning spent in preparation of yesterday's take. Afternoon in the bottom of the gully close to camp. Collection mainly ferns and most of it still to be catalogued. Two big Marattia spp. and a small Cyathea collected. Most small epiphytic ferns too dried out to collect. The locality is rich in ferns. An unusual admixture of low and high altitude elements in the flora. Lowland elements include a Freycinetia, a small Pandanus, a small palm, a big tree fig, and a nettle tree (Laportea). High altitude plants include at least 2 spp. of Vaccinium. Ken with two boys tried to open a track down into the Gwariu Valley. At 1300 m. came to a cliff several hundred feet high and had to turn back. This valley promises well for collecting in all fields and more work will be done to find a practical route into it. Friday May 22, 1953: Max. 21 degrees, Min. 1.5 degrees C. Thin high over- cast at dawn; temp. 45 F. Mist from about mid-morning to 2 P.M. Light rain be- tween 12 and 1 o'clock. High broken clouds with stars and moon shining through tonight. Work still goes on in making camp comfortable, boys when available improving living and working quarters. Big job today was on the boys' house. It was ap- parent that if left to themselves to do it (in working time) nothing much would be achieved. Today Ken supervised. The roomy bark hut covered with a fly to make it rain-proof, was barked in at the ends, floored with bark, and grass stacked over the floor bark for bedding. With their mats over that and 4 blankets apiece, the boys should be comfortable in any weather. We have been most fortunate in having no real rain on the mountain to date.