56 THURS. 26 MAR. 1953 MENAPI. RAT TRAPS - NOTHING. LIK-LIK BROUGHT IN ONE SPINY RAT, ALL CHEWED UP BY ANTS - MAY HAVE BEEN CAUGHT IN EARLY EVENING. WHERE IS THE RAT POPULATION? ISILELE BROUGHT IN A BANDICOOT. CRACKED ACROSS SKULL. YOUNG BOYS BROUGHT IN A SMALL LIGHT-COLORED RAT. ALSO 4 YOUNG RATS BUT NOT THE PROGENY OF 11690. PAID BOYS WITH 2 LARGE CRACKERS. SOME MEN FROM THE MOUNTAINS CAME IN TO THE VILLAGE IN P.M. ONE HAD A FIGHTING STICK WHICH I BOUGHT FOR ANTHROPOLOGY. I WAS SKINNING + PINNING SPECIMENS IN FRONT OF REST HOUSE - CONTINUAL STREAM OF LITTLE BOYS + ON UP GATHERED IN FRONT OF TABLE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY THINK OF THE WORK THAT GOES ON HERE. 2 MORE LIZARDS BROUGHT TO GEOFF. KEN LEAVES TOMORROW TO CLIMB MT. MANEAO TO SEARCH OUT THE LAND + ARRANGE FOR CARRIERS. HE WILL BE AWAY 2 WEEKS. OUT HUNTING TONIGHT FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS. SHOT ONE FROG-MOUTH. + DAVID CAUGHT ONE FROG. WENT N. THRU THE COCONUT + SAGO PALM PLANTATIONS. KEN HAS JUST COME IN OUT OF THE RAIN - HE WAS SLEEPING IN HIS HAMMOCK. DAVID + I STRUNG BAT NET TODAY NEAR HOUSE BETWEEN TWO COCONUT TREES. HAD WARM BATH (POURED FROM A CUP) AFTER HUNTING PLEASANT BREEZE. TEMP: OVER 80°. BOAT CAME IN TO BANIARA TODAY - RUNNER MAY BRING MAIL DOWN TO MENAPI TOMORROW. HEAVY RAIN + THUNDER + LIGHTNING AFTER WENT TO SLEEP.