#25 224 (195) WED. AUG. 12, 1953 141 RIVER CAMP. BOYS OFF EARLY TO BRING IN TRAPS FROM THE MAIU. ONLY 2 RATTUS. HAD 1 MELOMYS IN MY TRAP LINE. 2 OF "MY GANG" BROUGHT IN 8 MORE POGONOMYS. GEOFF WAS DOWN RIVER WITH HIS BOYS NETTING FISH AT 1 A.M. HAD A GOOD CATCH, SAVED A FEW FOR SPECIMENS, BUT HE TURNED OVER MOST OF THEM TO COOK FOR LUNCH. THEY WERE #1. KEN & DAVID ARRIVED BACK IN CAMP AT 2:30 P.M. FROM BRAIWA. ALL GEAR DOWN AT REST HOUSE SAFELY. SHOT 2 LARGE PIGEONS ON WAY HOME - COOKED IN PRESSURE COOKER FOR DINNER. DELICIOUS WHITE MEAT. NIKO, LILIK, TSILELE, AND I WENT DOWN THE GWARIU STREAM BED TO SET 30 WATER TRAPS FOR WATER RATS. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF CASCADES THAT TUMBLE DOWN THE ESCARPMENT & END IN DEEP POOLS BEFORE FLOWING INTO THE GWARIU OR MAIU. THE CASCADE OF BINIGUNI CREEK AT OLD BINI- GUNI VILLAGE IS A LONGLY RUN OF WATER. WE SET OUR TRAPS ALONG THE QUIET POOLS & REACHES. HAD MY SNEAKERS ON + DID A GOOD DEAL OF WAD- ING. SAN JUNCTION OF M. & G. + FOLLOWED A FLOWER-FLOWER TRAIL HOME; ABOUT A 2 HOUR JAUNT. HOME FOR A GOOD SWIM IN RIVER, THE RUM + GOOD FELLOWSHIP FLOWED MORE FREELY TONIGHT + THE DINNER WAS EXCELLENT. NO HACKING + HOME TOO LATE TO BRIT TRAPS. HEAVY SHOWER IN P.M. CLEAR TONIGHT. 225 (196) THUR. AUG. 13 140 RIVER CAMP. OUR LAST DAY AT THIS CAMP + A BUSY ONE. BOYS ONLY HAD 1 RATTUS IN RIVER TRAPS - NO WATER RATS. ALSO 2 RATTUS IN LOCAL TRAPS. WRAPPED ALL DRY SKINS AND PACKED 3 BOARDS WITH PINNED OUT MATERIAL. GAUZE-WRAPPED ALL FORMALIN SPECIMENS. RE- PACKED ALL MY BLACK BOXES + BOYS LASHED THEM TO POLES FOR CARRIERS. LATE IN P.M. A FEW BOYS CAME IN WITH 15 POGO- HOMYS, 10 SMALL BATS + A LIVE STRIPED POSSUM (DACTYLONAX) WHICH I WAS GLAD TO HAVE - ONLY MY 3RD FOR THE TRIP. I WILL SKIN HIM TOMORROW AT OUR NEW CAMP. I HAD TO BREAK OUT THE FORMALIN AGAIN TO SAVE THE RATS + BATS. THIS SHOULD RUN MY TOTAL CLOSE TO 1400 NOW. SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST 1500 BEFORE WE LEAVE FOR SAMARAI. ONCE WE LEAVE TOMORROW, WE WILL REALLY BE SAYING GOODBYE TO MANEAU. A HEAVY RAIN IS COMING DOWN + KEN IS WORRYING ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT CARRIERS WILL SHOW UP TOMORROW OR NOT. THEY HAVE NEVER FAILED HIM YET. HE HAS REALLY DONE A REMARKABLE JOB FOR US. HIS COMMAND OF THE LANGUAGE, HIS UNDERSTANDING + LIKING FOR THE NATIVES HAVE MADE OUR ROAD EASY. WE ALSO HAVE PLENTY OF TOBACCO + SALT! AND NEWSPAPER. GOOD NIGHT, DARLING. I'LL BE CLOSER TO HOME TOMORROW!