THURS. FEB. 26, 1948 HIDES' CAIRNS HOTEL, NO. Q. ALL 4 OF US ARE TOGETHER AT LAST! G.H.H. TATE CAME IN ON THE 10:30 P.M. PLANE. GIL BATES HAD HIS PICK-UP TRUCK THERE AND LEN, GEOFF & MRS. BATES & I DROVE BACK TO THE HOTEL WITH ALL G'S LUGGAGE. WE WERE AWAKENED AT 7: P.M. BY A GIRL WANTING TO KNOW WHETHER WE WANTED MORNING TEA. BREAKFAST AT 8: THEN WE WENT OVER PROVISION LISTS WITH LEN. TO BURNS PHILP TO MEET MANAGER WHO SHOWED US AROUND & INTRODUCED US TO HIS DEPARTMENT HEADS. TO BANK TO MEET MANAGER WHO WILL HOLD OUR AMERICAN DRAFTS. TO P.O. - MAILED A LETTER TO ITAY (CAIRNS #1). MET "ERNIE" STEPHENS - PRES. OF CAIRNS NATURALISTS CLUB. HAD A GINGER BEER WITH HIM. INVITED US TO A SPECIAL CLUB MEETING TONIGHT TO HEAR LEN GIVE AN INFORMAL TALK ON NYASALAND. LUNCH AT HOTEL. B-P. WAREHOUSE VERY MODERN (FOR CAIRNS) - A FINE PLACE TO UNCRATE GEAR, DRY SKINS & SKULLS, UNPACK & SORT OUR GEAR. CONCRETE FLOOR, TIN ROOF & SIDES, LIGHT & HIGH-CEILINGED. IN P.M. WE SPENT TIME PICKING OUT FOOD & PROVISIONS FOR 1ST PHASE OF TRIP (AT B-P). FOUND SOME ENGLISH BRASS PICTURE WIRE FOR SNARES, TO HOTEL FOR SUNDOWNER WITH GIL BATES & MR. BROOKS (A DENTIST & BEETLE COLLECTOR). DINNER, MR. STEPHENS & MR. WYER CALLED TO TAKE US TO MEETING. LEN GAVE AN INTERESTING TALK & GOOD QUESTION PERIOD FOLLOWED. THEN GEOFF & I WERE ASKED TO SAY A FEW WORDS. I BROUGHT GREETINGS FROM THE LINNAEAN SOCIETY. WE ALL WENT TO HAVE TEA & COFFEE AFTERWARDS. A FINE INTERESTED & INFORMAL GROUP (07 & Q'S). THEN TO AIRPORT. WE STAYED UP UNTIL MIDNIGHT TALKING WITH GEORGE. HAS HAD A FAIRLY GOOD TRIP BUT RAIL STRIKE UPSET EVERYTHING. G. LOOKS WELL. REMEMBER GIL'S STORIES OF CAUCUS & CACTUS & HORSE.