#26 226 (197) FRIDAY AUG.14,1953 139 GWARU RIVER CAMP TO PERIA RIVER CAMP. 7:30 - BINIGUNI AT 7:50; BUDUMAGA 8:10; OPAIGWARRA AT 8:10; PERIA RIVER 9:120, UP EARLY. FLYS + TENTS DOWN, FOLDED + PACKED. CARRIERS STARTED COMING IN EARLY. MORE THAN ENOUGH. KEN HAS DONE IT ONCE AGAIN. KIM & I STARTED OFF AHEAD. PARTLY CLOUDY BUT THE HUMIDITY WAS HIGH SO THE WALKING WAS HOT. LAST CLOSE VIEWS OF THE ESCARPMENT - SHROUDED IN CLOUDS. KEN + GEOFF ARRIVED ABOUT 20 MINUTES LATER + KEN ABOUT 10: THIS CARRY WAS A PICNIC FOR THE MEN & THEY ARRIVED AT THE RIVER SINGING. PAY OFF LASTED ABOUT AN HOUR + I TOOK WHAT PICTURES I COULD AT 3.57 + 1/25. I STAINED + MADE UP THE STRIPED POSSUM THAT I BOUGHT LAST NIGHT. BOYS ALSO CAUGHT 2 MELONYMS WHILE CLEARING CAMP. SITE IN THE FORK BETWEEN THE 2 RIVERS. WHEN WE CAME THRU HERE IN MAY, THE WATER WAS RUNNING 2 FT. DEEP, BUT NOW THERE IS ONLY A TRICKLE IN THE PERIA. WATER IS FILTERED THRU SAND & IS GOOD DRINKING WATER. KEN + BOYS RIGGED CAMP MOST OF DAY. KEN + I ARE CAMPPED OFF ON THE WEST BANK WHERE WE GET THE MORNING SUN + AFTERNOON SHADE. POLICE RUNNER CAME IN WITH MAIL: LETTERS FROM MOTHER, DON CARTER + DON VERNON. WROTE TO MOTHER + KAY. RUNNER STAYING OVER NIGHT. NO HACKING OR TRAPS TONIGHT. WOMEN BROUGHT IN LOADS OF VEGETABLES PETER DARK FROM OPPI- GWARI - WONDERFUL TARO + PUMPKIN TOPS FOR GREENS. ALSO SAM & BEAUTIFUL SUGAR CANE (RED). GEOFF + I FOUND A GOOD SWIMMING HOLE + HAD A GOOD SOAP + SOAK. 227 (198) SAT. AUG. 15 138 PERIA RIVER CAMP. TODAY WE SAW OUR FIRST WHITE MAN IN MONTHS. THE MISSIONARY, FATHER ROGERS, FROM MUKAWA ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE CAPE VOGEL PENINSULA. HE CAME DOWN TO BALAWA BY SAILING OUT TRIGGER + CAME UP THE TRACK ON WAY TO OPAIGWARRA. WE HAD MET HIM FOR A FEW MINUTES BACK IN MENAPI WHEN HE + FATHER CHISHOM CAME BACK FROM A PATROL. STAYED FOR MORNING TEA + THEN PUSHED ON. FROM SYDNEY. A VERY LIKEABLE MAN - YOUNG. DID UP THE POGONOMYS. FIXING CAMP MOST OF DAY. BOYS BUILT A GOOD PATA PATA + WORK BENCH FOR THE MAM- MAN DEPARTMENT. WE PUT OUT 10 TRAPS EACH. GOOD BAT FLIGHT OVER RIVER BED. SHOT 1 TINY SHEATH TAIL BEFORE DINNER (SAME AS THE ONES FROM BINIGUNI AREA). TACKED WITH TSILENE AND SHOT A HYPERSIDERS ON TRAIL. COLLECTED A STRIPED POSSUM ON WAY HOME. DAVID SAW A WALLABY