235 206 SUN. AUG. 23, 1953 130 PERIA RIVER. ONLY 1 RATTUS IN NEW LINES. TOMMY HAD 3 IN DAVID'S LINE. THESE PLUS A VENOMOUS, 4 PAPAYA MYSTERY SMALL BANDICOOT - AMONG WHICH NERI PURCHASED YESTERDAY IN MATCHES - I FIND THE GUSCUS GAVE ME A BUSY DAY. WHILE HUNTING TONIGHT, A GUSCUS (ALMOST POSITIVE) JUMPED ONTO THE SIDE OF A HOLLOW TREE DUGGED IN, PEERED OUT FOR A SECOND, THEN DISAPPEARED. THEY ARE VERY FAST, NEVER FOREGONE THE GROUND. ALLO, I DO NOT HAVE THE STRONG GUSCUS ODOR. MANY "FLEAS" FEEDING IN TREE TOPS - DID NOT SEE ANY. THE A.M. WAS MILD & SUNNY - A PERFECT DAY FOR PICTURE TAKING. A FEW OF THE CAMP, THE WATER COURSE, VEGETATION AGAINST THE BLUE SKY, AND SOME OF NATIVES FROM BIRNIGHINI NMA ROMI VISITING. ONE BOY HAD HIS HAIR ALL REDDED UP - PROBABLY DECORATION FOR THE DANCE + FEAST THEY HAD PLANNED TO HAVE AFTER GETTING US AT THE GOVERNMENT PATROL. OUT OF MIND, THE SAME NATIVE WHO SOLD ME THE BANDICOOT YESTERDAY ALSO BROUGHT IN A YOUNG CASSEWAY HE HAD CAUGHT. WHEN HE FOUND OUT THAT I DID NOT WANT IT, HE SOLD IT TO THE BOYS FOR A TIN OF TAPERED MEAT. THE DAYS CERTAINLY HAD THE BEST OF THAT. BAGGIN (KIM) COOKED A PIECE OF THE HUNTER + SERVED IT ON BUTTERED TOAST AT DINNER TIME - ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS. MOON WILL BE FULL TILL MORNING. FROGS + NIGHT BIRDS IN FULL CHORUS. 236 207 MON. AUG. 24, 1953 129 PERIA RIVER: FULL MOON - A SOFT-FIRED, BEAUTIFUL NIGHT. I WALKED DOWN TRAIL TO THE NEXT RAVINE, ARRIVING THERE ABOUT 5:45 P.M. WE WAITED UNTIL 6:15 BEFORE WE STARTED HOME HUNTING ALONG THE WAY. SHOT SMALL BAT AT RIVER? BUT WE COULD NOT FIND IT IN TALL GRASS. SAW ONE OF THE GIANT FROGS + HEARD SEVERAL MORE CALLING THEIR OWN WITH DUCK CHILLS. DOBSONIA! ALL THRU THE WOODS, THEY ARE WELL ADAPTED TO COVERING INNOCENT PLACES. KIM & LOSIMA WERE WRITING (8 P.M.) WITH MY HOT DINNER: 2 KINDS OF FISH + A BOILED PRAWN - GEOFF + MY BOYS NEEDED THEM THIS AFTERNOON. DELICIOUS. SOUP, OF COURSE. THEN CURRY RICE + CHUTNEY + SWEET POTATOES + TAVO (MIXED APRICOTS & BANANAS) FOR DESSERT. AND TEA. I'M GAINING WEIGHT AGAIN. ONLY 2.1M. RATTUS IN TRAPS. NATIVE FROM AWANI WAS USING "NATIVE DYNAMITE" - A NINE-FOOT - TO POISON THE ISOLATED POOLS IN THE RIVER BED. HE KEPT THE LARGER FISH & I COLLECTED THE SMALLER ONES FOR THE MUSEUM - ONE RED-SEAMED KIPPEL FISH + ANOTHER SMALL ONE HAD VERTICAL SEABEAT STREAKS IN THE SIDES. THE ROOT IS POUNDED BETWEEN STONES + THROWN INTO THE POOL. 2 SMALL BOYS TOUGHT ME 15 OF THE LARGE HIPPOSIDEROS - FOUND IN HILLWATER.