Our average speed from Bwagaosi was 8'3 knots. Very good. The Ostbornes well satisfied with the performance of the ship. Propose to beach her upon return to Abaleti and give more pitch to the propellers, for more speed which the engines are expected to give. We had a slight NE wind on the way across today. Kwalapan Bay is a roomy, apparently shallow mud-bottomed harbor, with shores flat on the west side, somewhat hilly to the east, where there is a small slipway and a village of a few houses. Neate has a store at this slipway. The Neates, father and son, live in good houses on top of c. 400-oot Kulumadau Hill. A third house, which would be considered good in any part of the world, has been given to me to live in. Facilities include a refrigerator and a plunge bath. We have a fine view of Kwaipen Bay and the mountains to the SE. Island in these parts entirely forested, but the forest all -except swampy parts - appears to be second-growth of various ages. There is indication of heavy rainfall - according to the records of the government station which used to be on Kulumadau Hill, the annual average is 165 inches. Kulumadau is reached from the anchorage alternatively by a small creek (which we followed on the high tide) and a motor road which ends in a short causeway in the bay. The launch goes up the mangrove creek as far as the road crossing. A shed there for storage of cargo. We loaded our gear there, on a good new International 2-ton truck and went in second gear over swamp to a cyanide plant under the rise of the hill. Unloaded there and had the assistance of Neates Gosiago labor line to carry our stuff up about 800 yards of zigzag track to the house. On its upper reaches the mangrove creek is made very pretty by an abundance of treeferns (like a species which occurred in similar situations on Sudest and Rossel); an unusual feature for a mangrove creek. Big birds-nest ferns and clinging freyci-netias give another luxuriant touch. A movie man could get some nice backgrounds along the creek. Have never seen a mangrove creek so attractive. Dined with the Don Neates. Reg, the father, and his wife, are away on a visit to Australia. The Neates have two fine strong children: Donna aged about 3, and about 1 year. Mrs. Neate (Margaret Burr) comes from a small cattle station in the Gloncurry district of Queensland. Attractive, intelligent, woman of good education, who takes much interest in her surroundings. Is well informed on Woodlark. Don has told us about red gums (apparently a Eucalyptus) which appears to occur in only two distant localities on the island. Offers to take me to one of the places by launch. His father has a copper show there. Don tells me that population of the island is now about 600, and is on the increase. Old reports indicate a much heavier population, numbering thousands, in the early times of white man's contacts. According to an article by "E.W. H., a Resident of Ferguson Is.", in Pin for June 1954 smallpox, introduced by repatriate cane fields laborers from Queensland, wiped out whole villages toward the end of the last century. Friday Nov. 2: Showery with thunder to about 8:50. After that overcast with breaks of sunshine. Boys rigging a fly and sleeping benches for themselves and a work table for Rus. I am utilizing Exxxxx as work table a homemade desk with pigeon holes which I found outside the house. One pigeon hole is marked Captain. After the rain I took a walk with Don and the Ostbornes. Visited first the Neate's trade store, then the remains of the old gov't. station, and Reg Neate's house, on the top of Kulumadau Hill. (Our house is on the top of the hill, but at about 50 feet lower elevation than the highest point, where Reg Neate and the old gov't. station are situated. A native hospital, beyond the gov't. station, was not visited. Trade store well built and well kept. Don doing the trading himself, at least today. Reg's house is old but in good condition and well furnished. A small vegetable garden contains a few tomatoes, spinach (Amaranthus) a few cabbages, and climbing on the wire net fence, passion fruit