(336) 337 February 19 20 Mayr busy packing. I dispatched a radio to J.R.Clay & Co., Samarai, owners of a vessel which would be much more suitable for our work and more economical to run: "Are you interested in"France"in exchange for"Royal Endeavor" if unaltered. Install Deutz motor at your expense."If I had been a bit later in leaving Samarai last July I might have made the exchange at that time. The "France"is a cumbersome soft-wood cargo carrier masquerading as a yacht; and the "Royal Endeavor" is a fast, compact, yacht of hardwood construction being used in the copra trade. The amount of money spent operating the "France" for the past years could finance two such expeditions in smaller and more efficient vessels. And in less time. Coultas will be difficult to convince on the proposition of exchange. The possibilities are very remote at this time anyhow. Captain Burrell declares he will not take over command of any smaller ship. I think that the sooner we can get rid of this ancient mariner and sea-lawyer the better for us. We are discussing little else beside the future of the expedition. Rather we should be in the field taking advantage of the dry spell. No collecting done. Weather fine and clear. February 20 21 Purchased a 2nd hand oil separator from a machine shop ashore. It is in good condition- and ought to save $ in lubricating oil consumption. I dispatched a radio to the Bank of NSW enquiring my balance.- Packed up some ethnological specimens to go to the Museum. Worked on the motor cleaning up. No collecting done. Weather fine. February 21 22 Installed oil separator with help of Eyerdam and completed work on main engine. Four of the boat's crew left to-day. Insufficient food and insufficient pay is the complaint. Two replacements were hired by Coultas later in the day. From now on the crew problem will get worse be paramount No collecting done. Weather fine. February 22 23 Continued work on motor. The routine work on a well-maintained deisel consists of cleaning essential parts. Sent two cases of ethnological material over to BP's wharf- Makambo to go to NY with Eyerdam's cases of shells. One Guadalcanal native engaged as boatswain with another as sailor which completes the crew complement for the present. A Chinese applied for the engineer's job asking 12 pounds a month and keep. I have communicated all the necessary information to Coultas from Dr. Murphy's letter of November 30th, 1929. I have suggested that it would be more economical and more convenient for the Museum to have Eyerdam work New Caledonia as a land expedition since he is anxious to leave in order to join the woman he is to marry. My arguments have always been in favor of the Carolines for this expedition. In regard to obtaining a smaller vessel, Coultas thinks the "France" too good a selling proposition for the final wind-up of affairs. In my opinion the "Royal Endeavor" is a better ship than ours as they are found at present and will sell better in two or three year's time. However, the chance of an exchange is very remote. No collecting done. Weather continues fine. February 23 24 Wrote some letters to-day.