At least, the Gara man understood without any difficulty . It is well known that the New Guinea native has a facility for languages. Was surprised, however, to find that Kim speaks seven: Susu, Mailu, Motu, Milme, Bay, Dobu, Bwaidoga (his mother tongue of Goodenough Isle nd) and a passable English. He explained that in some of these languages his knowledge was only as much as the English we ordinarily speak to the boys. Saturday Dec. 22: Hot and sultry; much overcast; slight S to SE intermittent wind; no rain. Two days ago there was a radio report that the "wet season" had begun at Lar and in Australia. This is the second such report. The first was weeks ago. Packing up and the boys hunting insects. Made photos of all the boys in the afternoon (Kim, Edewawa, Galuvina. Tauqova). Sunday Dec. 23: Ernie Everett arrived early with the "Sirius", having stayed the night at anchor at Delina Point, and by 8:25 we had the cargo aboard and had started for Samarai. Arrived at 12:40 pm. Ailsa and Ted Gribben had returned from Australia by Corsair yesterday, and with Dusty, were just leaving for Nou Nou when we tied up. Ted's operations for cataracts were successful . They were leaving on the "Kedeluma" and will return January 2nd. Meanwhile I am in occupat on of Dusty's house, with an icebox full of good food and wine for Christmas. Rus and Lionel had returned from the Trobriands on Thurad ay . They came back on the "Chinampa", the only vessel scheduled to make the trip in from the Trobriands before christmas. Boats have not made the trip conveniently for them, and they have lost a lot of time in consequence. Little more than a week was spent on the Trobriands. They based at Liluta, somewhere about the center of the main island, Kiriwina. The amal take was good for the time spent there. A total of 89 specimens (42 skins and skulls) of 19 species. Included were Phalanger orientalis, Echymipera, Protemnodon, Rattus ruber, Hydromys. The rest were bats. They were given the use of the Catholic Mission at Liluta, the school being closed down to make this possible (or was it for Christmas?). The Lumleys loaned them a motor truck (there are wartime roadsgoing to most parts of the island of Kiriwina). A number of caves were visited, mainly by Lionel, I understood. The Hydromys was got by fortunate chance. Lionel, out jacking one night, noticed a native carrying it, transfixed on a spear. It was on a swampy part of the island, and was crossing from a dried out pool to a place where water remained. The Trobriands were experiencing very dry weather. The vegetation was as I anticipated: nearly all second growth rain forest, with a fringe of primary around the shores. Monday Dec. 24: Got my cargo ashore. Called on Government. Sent telegram Womersley at Lae for an export permit for the Botanical collection (14,700 herbarium sheets, 229 bryophytes), and to Department of Agriculture, Port Moresby, for permit to export the Zoological materials: 1382 Mammals 822 Herps 20 birds 57 Freshwater fishes 50,000 Insects 250 Ectoparasites Listed my ethnological gatherings: a small lot of 55 items for export. Will wire after christmas for permission to export these. Have a dozen duplicate pieces for the Govt. Anthropologist. Dis some organization of the cargo in preparation for the big packing ground: Rus says he has about finished his packing, but things of his are still lying around. Rus left early in the afternoon to spend Christmas at Sedeia Catholic Mission. He will leave Samarai for home on the 28th.