(359) 340 The inhabitants seem quite friendly, one old man in particular that I later recognized as a sort of medicine man. He will join our party along with two others; they provided sweet potatoes for supper and a somewhat delapidated house for shelter. The terrane on this side of the range has always supported a large population which continues well over to the east coast of the island. Since the punitive party and "Malaita war" many villages have been moved. The spurs below 2500 feet are covered with secondary growth which is noticeable as old garden and village sites. The formation is unusually rocky; but for the most part the typical reddish soil. Rain began to fall about 3 P.M. At night after kaikai I was given a lot of advice by my companions about care and discretion in dealing with the men living around Arorla. I acquired much information concerning the punitive expedition and its results. No collecting done by me. Weather cleared up at night. March 6 My party now numbers seven. After a breakfast of sweet potatoes we left Toho and descended to the Kwairafa river. Following this stream for about a mile we crossed at an elevation of 500 feet. This I should judge to be very nearly the middle of the island. Here we started a long climb passing through several villages around 2000 feet. Rain commenced at 2 o'clock. The people of these settlements regarded us rather suspiciously as we passed by. No one spoke. Gardens and secondary bush seem to predominate. We made Arorla shortly after 3 and I was stationed in an outlying house after the occupants had been politely asked to leave. Two of my fellows insisted on standing outside with guns (I have two with me). One pounded out several calls on a big wooden drum, the usual hollowed-out tree trunk while I made effort to dry out my clothes. In about half-hour's time a party of fifteen men hove into sight on a trail leading into the bush in front of the house. All appeared to be armed with something or other- a club or bush knife; there were three old Snider rifles. Then ensued a parley with my men and two came inside to interview me. One of these proved to be the man I had been told to find, - "Charlie" Bubomai. As we talked, others came in, tobacco was passed around, and the Sniders, etc., were laid down. This show of strength and the method of parleying with a stranger I judge to be a kind of formality, emulating the customary practice of the recruiters on the beach who used the covering boat and the armed salutation up until about eight years ago. What I witnessed to-day is a survival of it with no particular purpose; they did not impress me by their display that they were on their guard and not to be trifled with. I told Bubomai what I wanted and he said he would try for carriers to-morrow. I answered questions on all sides which seemed to emulate from suspicion rather than curiosity. No collecting accomplished. Rain continued throughout night. March 7 Not many locals are interested in working as carriers because of the long distance back to the Kwairiekwa. Bubomai declared we should have anchored the ship at Sinerango or Ulimburi. Arorla is only about eight hours from the east coast. The high mountain which we want to establish a camp bears NNE from here and is known as "Torombusu" (Kolovrat on the charts). There are no settlements above 2000 feet on its slopes; but a route is known to its summit which can be followed from our present position on the Kwairiekwa. The name Torombusu evidently means something about wind. Bubomai tells me this is the first time Arorla has been visited by a white man alone. The Catholic Fathers have been to places on the western side of the Kwairafa. The people of Arorla did not run away into the bush when the punitive expedition arrived which saved the place from being destroyed. It was used as a base by the Govt. and many of the inhabitants acted as guides. Some districts behind Tacka Tacka and Uru are reported