P17 SAT. FEB. 14, 1948. Day 24 Hr. 00 On Board 3/5 Marine Phoenix Av. Sp. 16.12 Knots Lat. 24 - 31 S Dist. 387 Long. 176 - 58 E 394 From Suva ; 746 to Auckland. Course - Various AT SEA AGAIN. A FRESH BREEZE AND A ROUGH SEA, IT IS GOOD TO FEEL A LITTLE MOTION AGAIN. QUIET TONIGHT. ON DECK AT 8: A.M. BIRD LIFE VERY QUIET TODAY. A TOTAL OF ONLY 6 BIRDS : 1 TROPIC BIRD, 4 PETRELS, 1 ? (BY LILLEY). THE T.B. WAS WELL ASTERN - DID :: R.B.T.B. NOT SEE TAIL WELL - NO IMPRESSION OF BLACK ON WINGS. SAW ONE PETREL FAIRLY WELL - BROWN ABOVE, MEDIUM SIZE, WHITE UNDERPARTS, WHITE EX- TENDED FAR OUT ON UNDER-WING SURFACES. ANOTHER PETREL "DARIT", AS WERE 2 SEEN BY SPEIGHT (ONE HAD SOME WHITE ON UNDERPARTS). ONE BY LILLEY - BROWN HEAD, DARK ABOVE, SOME WH. ON UNDERPTS. TODAY I MEASURED THE T.B. FEATHERS THAT MRS. SPEIGHT BOUGHT IN PAGO PAGO (17 - FROM RED-TAILED T.B.). 13 WERE IN GOOD CONDITION (19.50"- 18.75 - 18.15 - 18.15 - 18.00 - 17.60 - 17.50 - 17.15 - 17.10 - 15.95 - 15.70 15.10 - 15.05 = AVER. = 17.22"); 4 HAD ABRADED (PROXIMAL 4/ OR DISTAL) SHAFTS (14.65 - 14.25 - 14.05 - 13.60 = AVER. ~ 14.14). COMBINED TOTAL = AVER. 16.50" PLAYED DECK QUOITS WITH MR. SPEIGHT & DR. LILLEY - MY HORSE- SHOE PITCHING STANDS ME IN GOOD STEAD AND SO FAR I HAVE COME OUT AHEAD WITHOUT MUCH TROUBLE. IT IS GOOD FUN ON A ROLLING SHIP. HAVE NOT PLAYED SHUFFLEBOARD YET. WE HAD OUR BEST COOKED DINNER ON THE TRIP TONIGHT, A DELICIOUS FILET MIGNON WITH GOOD FRENCH FRIES AND GREEN PEAS, CHILLED LIQUID FRUIT BOWL & ICE CREAM. MR. WILMOT WAS AT DINNER, AND WE HAD AN UPROARIOUS TIME TIDDING HIM. TOOK OFF WEATHER + POSITION DATA IN P.M. ON BRIDGE. MR. SPEIGHT KNOWS CURATOR OF AUCKLAND MUSEUM. WE WILL HAVE 8 HRS. ASHORE & GEOFF & I THOUGHT WE WOULD CALL ON HIM, WENT TO CAPTAIN'S ROOMS AFTER DINNER TO SHOW BIRD TO HIM. HAD NEVER SEEN ONE LIKE IT BEFORE. GAVE ME A CIGAR BOX TO SHIP HIM HOME IN - OFFERED ME D.D.T. TO PUT IN BOX. GAVE ME AN EXTREMELY INTERESTING STAMP COVER - ONE OF FINAL LETTERS FROM TIN CAN ISLAND (NIVAFOU), WHICH BROKE OUT IN A RASH OF VOLCANIC ACTIVITY IN 1946. HAS "ALOHA !!! W" QUENSELL" WRITTEN ON BACK OF ENVELOPE. CAPT. USED TO DROP OFF & PICK UP MAIL THERE QUITE REGULARLY. TALKED FROM 8:30 - 10:30. SLEEPY NOW - MORE ABOUT DINNER TOMORROW.