SUN. 24 MAY 1953 TOP CAMP. KEN + J., DAVID, JIMMY + NITO DECIDED TO MAKE ANOTHER TRY TO REACH THE RIVER GORGE SOUTH OF CAMP. KEN WAS STOPPED LAST TIME BY A DROP OF 300 FEET INTO THE GORGE; MEASURED MY SPECIMENS + TURNED THEM OVER TO HIK LIK + ISILELE TO SKIN + PREPARE FOR FILLING WHEN I RETURN TO CAMP. LEFT CAMP AT 9:15 + CUT DOWN SLOPE BEHIND MANEAU RIDGE, UP + DOWN SOME STEEP GULLIES IN SCRUB - WATER FALLING SOUTH, OUT INTO SMALL GRASS PATCH, THRU ANOTHER NARROW SCRUB BELT + THEN ANGLED dOWN A BIG OPEN FERN + GRASS FIELD. AT FAR CORNER WE CUT THRU LOW SCRUB + FOLLOWED DOWN SEVERAL DRY STREAM BEDS UNTIL WE REACHED THE BRINK OF LAST DROP TO KWARIU RIVER. DOWN BY THE SEAT OF OUR PANTS TO A VERY LOVELY MOUNTAIN BROOK IN A NARROW BED, ELEV. 1840 M. AT 11:30 A.M. COLD CLEAR SWIRLING WATER. SEVERAL BEAUTIFUL POOLS AT SPOT WE CUT RIVER. MOSS COVERED ROCK LEDGES. THE OTHERS "BOILED THE BILLY" WHILE I COLLECTED PLANTS FOR LEN. FOUND ONE WILD BEGONIA. DOZENS OF FERN SPECIES! ALSO ORCHIDS. QUITE POSSIBLE WE WERE FIRST WHITE MEN AT THIS SPOT. COLLECTED SOME PEBBLES. UPSTREAM COMPASS BEARING 145°, ELEV. at 1: P.M. 1850 M. AFTER STIFF CLIMB UP WE CAME OUT ON FIELD WHICH BOYS HAD FIRED ON WAY DOWN. NO DAMAGE. MUCH EASIER WALKING. BEAUTIFUL CLOUD EFFECTS TO WEST - GOROPU. HOME AT 3: FRANK HAD ARRIVED FROM BINIGUNI WITH CABLE FOR LEN. MARIE BETTER SO WILL STAY ON HERE AT TOP CAMP. HAD HOT BATH. JUST ABOUT TO SIT DOWN TO WRITE LETTERS WHEN BOBBY SPOTTED 2 SCRUB WALLA- BIES ON OTHER SIDE OF FOREST. DAVID SHOT THEM - OUR FIRST OF THIS SPECIES FOR TRIP. VERY SMALL + DARK (4#8oz. + 4#3 2oz.!). WROTE LETTERS (MOTHER, KAY, T.D.C.). 2 LETTERS FROM MOTHER + 1 FROM DR. TATE.