A patrol officer in recent years walked from Mailolo to Saibutu in 4½ hours, Most reports are that the road is bad. From Malamodau it crosses the very rocky Awabula and climbs steeply to a hamlet on the crest of a leading spur which, from Seymour Bay, does not look too difficult. I thought that as Shaw Mayer based at Saibutu in 1939 (?) it might be a good spot for us for a foothills camp, but not a remnant of the original forest remains between where and the lowlands or for at least 500 feet up the very steep slopes of the mountains. Grasslands occupy the Saibutu valley according to the 1-mile map, but no grass was seen. A patch of secondary grass, with Albizzia procera, between Naiya and Ubulia-a-1. The only primary forest I have come across in Seymour Bay is in the half-swamp belt between Iamelele-I and the coast, and along the floodbanks of the creek at Pagululu. Met on the road to Saibutu a group of about ten men and women en route to Mapamoiwa for nipoma treatment; the women carrying loads of food in kitbags on their heads. The day we landed we met the whole population of Mailolo, and a young girl, on a similar mission. The Mailolo men numbered five and included a councillor. A number of fair-sized flakes of mica lying about Saibutu resthouse. Was informed that a white man named "Dimmie" (Jimmie Bird, according to Lionel) had done some digging and built a home in the mountains, then gone to Samarai. Lionel informs me that the mica venture was a failure. MacGregore, in one of the old annual reports, relates that the men of the west shores of Hughes Bay carried in their armpit bags flakes of mica which were used as looking glasses. Learned upon return to camp that the Iamelele villagers refused to carry the sick boy to Mapamoiwa for medical treatment. Lionel therefore sent a report on the matter to Crosby. Friday May 25: More thunder up the valley (and more sulphur smell from the thermal area). Considerable cloudiness; slight showers in the afternoon. This appears to be normal southeast weather for this area. Morning spent in preparation of the 20-odd plant members collected yesterday. Nothing exciting. Best thing probably a small Ophioglossum from a mossy path. The second growths are made up the usual rain forest genera, but here the species seem largely different from those of Normanby, or the mainland, for that matter. I did not see much of the rain forest second growths on the lowlands of Goodenough Island. Collected near camp in afternoon. All second elements except a Polygonum and a Cera-tophyllum from a muddy cut off bend in the forest. yesterday was another big day for mammals: today I think 6 or 7 specimens were on number 10 (same with species): Phalanger, Petaurus, Echymipera, Rattus, Pogonomys, Pteropus, Dobsonia, Pipistrellus and Tadarida. Our records show that 15 species have been collected by others on the island, including 3 probably Pogonomys. Lionel left after lunch for Saibutu with his boy Tinker and five carriers on the first stage of a reconnaissance of the Mailolo road. This is a critical time for us. The mountains are Fergusson are the most difficult by far on our itinerary. Approaches must be bad, or more biological work would have been done in the high country. I doubt if any biologist has been above two or three thousand feet on the island. Today's news on the thermal cruelty is that, under dire threats from Lionel, the boy was carried to Mapamoiwa yesterday. Sat. May 26: Some cloud but no rain. Spent the morning in the thermal area close to the SE of camp. Photographed sulphur blows, boiling springs, fumaroles. Nothing spectacular, but there should be some interesting colour