(331) minute, which meant that a whole series of connections had to be taken down to adjust it. The present wage bill on the ship amounts to 4l pounds a month (not including the pay of the collecting staff). Mail for Auki and Su-u, Malaita came aboard from the Post O. No collecting done. Squalls of rain and NW wind all day January 23 24 Started the motor at 6 A.M. and the ship proceeded to Carpen- ter's wharf for fresh water. I found the manager of Burns Philp, Mr. Scott, in his office at Makambo and raised a cash loan of forty pounds, which I turned over to Coultas. From this I sent postal orders covering the wages due the four Polynesians to Noumea. So much of the remainder went in paying small bills about town that I had to get another five pounds, this time from W.R. Carpenter & Co. We cast off at 1:20 after lunch and proceeded to Gavutu where we tied up at the wharf. A small bill was paid and Coultas made a few purchases. We spent the night at the wharf much against my will because of former experience with rat invasion. No collecting done. Weather fine. January 24 25 Additional work on the motor did not let us get away until 10:30 A.M. Proceeded through the Mholi Passage under power and anchored off Sieto. We could not make the run across to Auki before dark and the old captain does not like spending the night at sea. This forebodes trouble both for him and for the expedition. I worked on the motor until dark; one of the pumps giving trouble. No one went ashore collecting. Mosquitoes joined us after dark. Light rain squalls during night. January 25 26 Started motor and vessel under weigh by 6:30. Cleared reefs and course shaped for Auki. Small flocks of noddies seen en route. Set head- sails and foresail to take helping northerly breeze. Anchored in Auki harbor before lunch. Capt. Burrell took the mail ashore. Worked on motor replacing a broken stud on air-charging valve. We have to interview the District Officer before we can do any collect- ing on Malaita. This is the first time the govrnment has made such a stip- ulation; but this is Malaita. Mr. Wilson, the govt. officer, refused invitation to dinner. Many natives from Auki Is., came aboard including Paulo and Wai Rong, Capt. Crookshank's servants who worked in the cabin and galley for us while he was with the expedition. Eyerdam ashore after shells. No other collecting done. Overcast sky with showers during afternoon and evening. January 26 27 (Sunday) Worked on the motor until 10 A.M., when Mayr, Coultas, and I went ashore to discuss our intentions with Mr. Wilson OHMS. He almost alarming- ly pessimistic about the Ari-Ari natives in the vicinity of the big range in South Malaita; and would not give us "a fifty-fifty chance of getting out alive". These people live only for suspicious hatred and treachery which keeps them in constant fear of anything foreign. "Why would they miss such an opportunity to destroy a few white men?" These sentiments do not jibe with what I have heard from more reliable sources. However, he expects to be relieved very shortly by Mr. Barley, who is a sensible gentleman. Meanwhile we smilingly agree with Mr. Wilson and he even accepts an invitation to lunch. The settlement on Auki Is., which numbers 150 people and is the