Wednesday April 25: No rain today. Cloud drift and a good breeze from the NE. The Administrator's yacht Laurabada II, en route from the Anglican Mission at Wedau, picked up Womorsley and Gray for Samarai about 7 AM. Sent to Buntings for storage five packages of dried herbarium specimens. Botanized north along the government track to the top of a ridge about 200-300 feet high which must be near Sibonai village on Sewa Bay. The map seems to be inaccurate for this locality. Fine tall forest to where the track crosses the Lebudown River which there consists of several dry gravelly channels. Beyond these channels is 200-300 yards of swamp across which the track is carried more or less on parallel pairs of small logs; a fine tree-fern (Cyathea) collected in the swamp. Swamp luxuriant with climbing aroids, pandans, etc. Only one of the tree-ferns seen. A Petaurus and a Petaurus (sic) shot last night by Rus, accompanied by Gray. A Hydromys and one of the small grey rats in traps set by boys. Total of about 150 traps out. Lionel has meat lures and steel traps out for Satanellus. The boys who were left yesterday to clear the mountain camp site returned about one o'clock. They cut tent poles, split palm for floors, etc. This exploration party much overloaded with VIP's. Two village policemen and three councillors, all expeting pay. Have asked for 35 carriers to sleep here Sunday night ready for a start for the mountain camp early Monday. Thursday April 26: a small shower at daylight; hot day; wind still from NE. Followed my track (improving it for the carriers) to the Lebudown, then down the stream to a bit past the intersection of the government track to Sewa Bay. Half mile or so down from where I struck it, the Lobudown rather suddenly disappears (the water rather) under the gray gravel of the bed. The water apparently reappears in the swamp visited yesterday. Nothing of particular note in plants. Vegetation of banks largely the common regrowth fig (Ficus aff. cascaria). A few smooth sago palms below the govt. track. Nothing fell to the guns last night. Nothing in traps. Lionel caught some- something in his Satanellus trap, but it got away after much struggling and biting of the wood of the cage under which the 4 steel traps were set as a precaution against catching some domestic dog. Lionel and Rus to Bunama in Izod's small launch. About 4 hours each way. They returned about 5 o'clock, without having found the caves or being able to find out anything about them from the local people. Izod wrote me about these supposed caves some time ago. Rev. Grant spoke of them too days ago and on his information I marked their position on the map. There may not be any caves there. The local natives may have been suspicious of our intentions and therefore denied knowledge of them. Cave burial was formerly practiced by the people of Normanby. Had as visitors today Father McGee and Brother Gormley of the Catholic Mission of Sedeia Island. They came to see Izod and were much interested in inspection of his sawmill. The Catholics have a station in Normanby. They have become very active in far eastern Papua since the war. Friday April 27: Another hot day with some breeze from the NE and a few light showers after 11 AM.