2.9 Tues. 28 July 1953 156 GWARIN RIVER CAMP. TODAY MARKS OUR 6TH MONTH AWAY FROM HOME! ANOTHER 4 MONTHS & WE WILL BE PACKING FOR THE TRIP HOME. WE GAVE ALL OUR DOGS A HOLIDAY TODAY. THEY FIXED THEIR CAMP, WASHED CLOTHES BLANKETS & THEMSELVES IN RIVER. WE ARE DOING OUR OWN COOKING. MADE UP MY BAT. KEN, GEOFF & I WALKED TO BINIGUNI TO VISIT THE REST HOUSE & CHECK ON SUPPLIES & SPECIMENS. ALL SEEM IN GOOD SHAPE. BROUGHT BACK MY PILLOW, BLANKET & MORE HOW TO CAMP. BILS ABOUT 1 MILE N. OF CAMP THRU RAIN FOREST & GARDENS. SPENT A QUIET AFTERNOON AIRING CLOTHES & BEDDING, SHAVING, WRITING. WILL NOT PUT TRAPS OUT UNTIL TOMORROW & NO HACKING. KIM CAME HOME ABOUT 5 P.M., WHICH ONE OF THE VILLAGE BOYS AND GIVEN HIM TO DELIVER TO ME. A NEW SPECIES FOR THE EXPEDITION - A FREE-TAIL BAT ONLY 51 MM. T.L.I. MEASURED & SKINNED BEFORE DINNER. KEN COOKED A DELICIOUS DINNER OF PIGEON & VEGETABLES IN HIS PRESSURE COOKER. RELAXING AGAIN TONIGHT. VILLAGE MEN LEAVING FOR A WEEK'S HUNT TOMORROW, KEN HAS ASKED THEM TO BRING BACK WHAT MAMMALS THEY CAN SAVE FOR ME. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT. KEN MENTIONED CASUALLY TO ME THAT ONE OF THE MEN HAD SHOWN HIM A PORCUPINE SKULL. WE STOPPED AT HIS HOUSE & SURELY ENOUGH HE HAD A PARTIAL SKULL WITH LONG BEAK INTACT! PEOPLE OF ANY REGION ARE ALWAYS SO CASUAL ABOUT THEIR NATIVE ANIMALS EVEN THOUGH TO US IT MAY BE EXTREMELY RARE, SAME IN AUSTRALIA. AND IT IS HARD TO MAKE EVEN KEN REALIZE THEIR IMPORTANCE - TO ME. 3.10 Wed. 29 July 1953 155 RIVER CAMP. STAYED IN BED UNTIL 6:30. COOL SLEEPING & THE RUSH OF THE RIVER HULLS YOU TO SLEEP. KEN & I TALKED UNTIL MIDNIGHT ABOUT NEW GUINEA'S ITS PEOPLE. THEN WE WENT TO COOK FLY TO MAKE HOT BOUILLON. POOR LEN IS USUALLY AWAKE AT 3, 4, 5 & RARELY GOES BACK TO SLEEP AGAIN. EVERY LITTLE NOISE SEEMS TO DISTURB HIM. G. IS A SNARER SO IT IS JUST AS WELL THAT WE HAVE OUR OWN TRAPS AGAIN. KEN & I SLEEP LIKE LOGS. MADE UP MY BAT AFTER BREAKFAST & THEN KEN, LEN & I WALKED INTO BINIGUNI. I PACKED STUDY SKINS INTO KNOCK DOWN BOXES. ALSO PACKED SPARE TRAPS, HEAVY CLOTHES & COOL GEAR IN BLACK BOXES TO GO DOWN ON FIRST GARRY TO BALAWA. KEN & I CAME BACK FOR LATE LUNCH OF DELICIOUS VEGETABLES. WE SET OUR FIRST TRAPS THIS P.M. - 3:15 BAT, 20 Mus. Sp. Will Jack To- NIGHT FOR FIRST TIME. 6 P.M. TIME FOR BAT SHOOTING. 3.15 Thurs. 30 July 154 RIVER CAMP. DID NOT HIT ANY BATS LAST NIGHT. JACKING PRODUCED NOTHING (1½ HRS) HEARD FLYING FOXES & SAW SMALL BATS ON TRAIL. TRAPPING GAVE US 4 SPECIES 2 RATTUS & 2 MELOMYS - 7 SPECIMENS. BACK TO THE OLD ROUTINE AGAIN. WE