187 (158) Mon. 6 July 1953 1178 MIDDLE CAMP. A SLOW DAY - NOTHING EXCEPT RATTUS + MELOMYS BESIDES THE BATS. FINISHED MAKING UP SKINS EARLY. ABOUT 2:30. MY THREE DAYS + IT LEFT CAMP FOR THE ATAIRI RIVER (WE THINK THAT'S ITS NAME) BY THE TRAIL GEOFF CUT A FE_{W} DAYS AGO. MADE IT IN 75 MINUTES - FAST GOING. ELEV. 1370 M. A LONELY WILD SPOT WITH THE FAR BANK RISING ALMOST VERTICALLY FOR A 100 FEET OR SO. TREE FERNS GROWING FROM THE SHEER WALL. A LOOKING PREHISTORIC IN THE GENTLY SWIRLING CLOUD MIST THAT FILLED THE GORGE. BEGINNIS GROWING ON THE ROCKS - MOSSES + FERNS COVERING EVERY SQUARE INCH OF AVAILABLE SPACE. NOT A WIDE BROOK - YOU CAN CROSS IN A FEW STEPS - BUT A NOISY ONE. SWIFTS WERE FLYING LOW. THE BOYS SET THEIR TRAPS + I ALLIGED MY PIECE OF SHAD NET (THE ONE I USED AS A RAT NET ON CATE YORK) IN A FLUME. I HOPE TO CATCH CROSSOMYS - A WATER RAT. NOT MUCH CHANCE. DAVID WENT IN FOR A BATH. THE GORGE IS VERY LITELY FILLED WITH PLANTS NEW TO SCIENCE, BUT LEN HAS A BAD SHOULDER + THE TRAIL IS SO STEEP + SLIPPERY (ROOTS YELLOW CLAY UNDER A SHALLOW HUMUS) THAT HE WILL NOT ATTEMPT THE WALK (YOU NEED BOTH ARMS + LEGS TO CLIMB OUT OF THE GORGE). HIS BOYS HAVE COLLECT- ED NEW PLANTS THERE EACH TRIP. BACK AT CAMP ABOUT 4:30. NO HACKING. TO BED EARLY + A SOUND SLEEP AFTER MY STRENVOUS WALK. 188 (159) TUES. 7 JULY 1953 177 MIDDLE CAMP. DAVID FINALLYISHED ANOTHER GIANT RAT LAST NIGHT - THIS TIME ANISOMYS (I TRAPPED ONE AT TOP CAMP). ALSO 2 BROWN RING TAILS. ALL THE REST RATTUS + MELOMYS (3 RATTUS FROM THE BROOK). MISTY CLOUDS DRIVING IN MOST OF DAY WITH SUN SHOWING OCCASIONALLY. 2 CARRIERS ARRIVED FROM BINIGUNI WITH 1/2 DRUM KEROSENE (BUT NO NELSON'S BLOOD - ROM TO YOU - LEN + GEOFF WERE SORE UPSET - THEY ONLY HAVE A 1/2 BOTTLE TO LAST THE WEEK OUT!). WE HAD EXPECTED MORE CARRIERS BUT KEN IS NO DOUBT HAVING TROUBLE GETTING MEN TO CARRY BECAUSE OF THE PIG FEASTS. HE IS HOPING TO MOVE LO DOWN TO BOTTOM CAMP NEXT MONDAY. TRAPPED ONE SMALL BROWN RING TAIL TONIGHT. NO LUNN WITH BATS. 8 MORE TRAPS TO EACH BOY - NOW HAVE 69 TRAPS IN GORGE. BOYS BROUGHT IN 2 FLOWER FRAGMENTS OF A LOVELY SALMON + YELLOW RHODODEDRON FROM THE GORGE. NOT BEING ABLE TO COLLECT THERE HIMSELF IS BREAKING HIS HEART. READING + WRITING IN BED. LAMP WARMS UP TENT VERY QUICKLY. 189 (160) WED. 8 JULY 1953 176 MIDDLE CAMP: GEOFF'S 55TH BIRTHDAY. GANG G - MY LAST BAR OF CHOCOLATE.