temporarily altered us and the vein of our relationship. It is difficult to say if it is worth while receiving mail out here at all. If a letter requires something to be done there is nothing to be done about it. If someone wants something or wants to know something this someone must keep on wanting it or wanting to know it. And after the excitement, the merriness, and the temporary change there is a deep didactic pessimism in turning back the wheels to the old workaday relationships again. January 28th. Once more up the mountain with Ona - for the last time. Hamlin had a bad day yesterday, and although it was the turn of a good day to come along, and although it was a beautiful day, it was a bad day. The birds of Bougainville were away visiting. We climbed completely over the mountain without seeing a bird. We looked neither to the right nor to the left for crested pigeons, nor heard any, nor saw any, which saved me from a certain nervous breakdown. Neither did we see any redbreasts, thrushes, hawks, or long-tail pigeons. We stopped and stared at the views where, in several rare places, it is possible to see down from the summit through the thick vegetation. It seemed a little bit sad to be leaving all this lonely beauty. I looked at Ona and I think Ona looked at me. And that was all. Coming we shot a parakeet and two yellow-bibbed doves. We got back to camp in time for noon kaikai. The rain clouds were making in the valley and in the