ONE OF THEM + I WAS JUST IN THE MIDDLE OF MAKING A SKIN OF THE OTHER WHEN THE WAKONAI COUNSELOR, JACK, ARRIVED WITH 3 BATCHES OF MAIL! 5 LETTERS FROM KAY (23-27), DOROTHY #3, GARRY HARNED, RUS PETERSON, 3 FROM MOTHER. ALL WELL AT HOME. LETTER FROM AILJA DATED OCT.14 GIVING ALL NEWS ABOUT GEOFF. HE IS STILL IN SERIOUS CONDITION - HAS NOT LEFT SAMARAI + WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DO SO WITH- OUT A COMPANION. SHOWING SLIGHT IMPROVEMENT. LEN HAS DECIDED TO TERMINATE EXPEDITION. KEN WILL LEAVE FOR MAPAMOIWA TOMORROW WITH INTENTION OF TALKING TO SAMARAI BY RADIO + WILL SEND OFF CABLES TO HOME. WILL ASK BUNTINGS TO SEND BOAT TO PICK US UP AT BOLU BOWL ON NOV. 3. 2 CARRYS: 1 TOMORROW + 2ND SATURDAY TO WAKONAI REST HOUSE. TO BOLU BOLU ON MONDAY. IF GEOFF HAS DIED OR IF THE OPINION IS THAT HE CANNOT TRAVEL IN THE NEAR FUTURE, LEN+I WILL SAIL FOR NORMANBY TO COLLECT THERE FOR A FEW WEEKS. WE HOPE THAT GEOFF CAN BE FL OWN HOME AS A STRETCHER CASE. IN THAT EVENT I WILL ACCOMPANY HIM. NO PLANS CAN BE MADE UNTIL WE GET LATEST NEWS FROM SAMARAI. MUCH CONFUSION AT HOME - GEOFF'S CONDITION + OUR WHEREABOUTS. KEN GAVE ME HIS 2 GOODENOUGH SLINGS + COLLECTION OF STONE IMPLEMENTS. THESE WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE MUSEUM. WROTE NOTE TO KAY + CUGHT UP ON LATEST NEWS IN TIME + KAY'S CHIPPINGS. KEN HAD WORD THAT HIS FATHER HAD DIED IN WALES. GAVE HIM MY WATCH. 301 272 WED. OCT. 28, 1953 64 #2 CAMP. KEN LEFT EARLY THIS A.M. WITH NIKO. MY BOYS FOUND 2 BATCHES OF POGONOMYS YESTERDAY P.M. - HOLES IN TREES. ALSO SHOT A RHINO- HOPHUS IN CLEARING LAST NIGHT. TSILELE BROUGHT IN THE REAL PRIZE, OUR FIRST MELOMYS FOR GOODENOUGH. DARK, MOLE-LIKE FUR. THIS MAKE 22 SPECIES FOR THE ISLAND. REORGANIZED FOOD SUPPLIES + PUT OUT EXCESS FOR FIRST CARRY TOMORROW. SPENT DAY MAKING UP SLINGS. SPENT SHORT TIME OUT HUNTING. TO BED WITH TIME. 302 273 THURS. OCT. 29 63 #2 CAMP. SAILED FROM N.Y.C. 9 MONTHS AGO TODAY. THE 2 YOUNG BOYS I HAD ASKED TO LOOK IN THE SMALL CAVES ABOVE GARUWATA SHOWED UP TO DAY WITH 3 HIPPOSIDEROS - NEW FOR THE ISLAND - NOW 23 SPECIES. I WAS SO PLEASED WITH THEIR WORK THAT I GAVE THEM 3 STICKS OF TO- BACCO + 6 BOXES OF MATCHES + 3 SHEETS OF NEWSPAPER. I HAD BEEN AFTER THIS BAT FOR WEEKS. UP BEFORE DAY LIGHT TODAY: SAW THE LITTLE SHEATH-TAIL BUT DID NOT GET IT. FOUND A LOW BAT FLYWAY BEHIND COOK FLY. ACT LIKE HIPPOSIDEROS - FAST FLYERS. ALSO SAW