THE LOT. Bought from Mr. Thomas Craig. Gave me some "Cat's Eyes" - half round operculum plates from certain kind of sea shells (?). Could be made into lovely necklace. A windy day with heavy rain at intervals. Went home to lunch in my bare feet. S/S ERNEBANK still loading copra. Still no word from our charter boat "Jessie". Dirty weather has her holed up somewhere on coast. Don't know when we will get away now. Tonight as usual Ailsa, Dusty, & I are spending a quiet evening talking + reading with our feet on the coffee table. 261 (232) Fri. Sept. 18, 1953 104 SAMARAI. Today saw a continuation of last night's relaxation. "Dusty" stayed home again to rest his trash. We both bur- rowed into our books and stayed there with time out only for meals. I was reading a book about a remarkable escape from the German camp for British aviators Stalag III. "Dusty" was a bomber pilot shot down early in the war; he spent 2½ years in this camp and helped in the organizing that led to the escape. Book: "The Wooden Horse". It has been another dirty day with rain squalls blowing down on the island every hour or so. 262 (233) Sat. Sept. 19, 1953 103 SAMARAI. Word has finally reached us that the Jessie. will arrive this weekend. This means we will be able to leave either Mon. or Tues. for Goodenough. Everything is ready to go on board at a moment's notice. I saw Mr. Wilson in Bunting's office this A.M. to make reservations south for the middle of December, both plane + ship - the latter times only 4 days to Brisbane + may be better that waiting for the weekly plane. However, I have not yet heard from Mr. Williams in Brisbane concerning sailings to London in December. Spent the P.M. reading. Ailsa invited Geoff and Len for dinner. Geoff is looking better but is still not himself + his arm is still half limp. "Dusty" showed a few of Len's Menapi Kodachromes - none of them very good. He also showed us his own pictures of local mainland + island spots. The small islands with their reefs + beaches are lovely. They have a boat, the Wari - motor + sail. The rain has stopped us from going out to the islands for a swim.