Saturday 25 July 1953 Bottom Camp Kim had a Uromys; this and a Rattus was our catch. All traps came in this A.M. & packed in 3 swags. Our mountain work is just about over. Had lamp going in tent all day to dry specimens. A dull rainy day. Let up after 4:00 and LikLik Isilele and I had one more go at the long-tongued blossom bats feeding on the small-fruited fig tree in the dry gully just west of camp. Hard to collect as they darted up to the trailing fruit branches like humming birds. Eyes shine brightly. Brought home 2. Soft-brown. No tails. Sunday 26 July Last day at Bottom Camp. Finished packing my collecting boxes. Made up 2 bats. Will have to carry several trays of pinned out specimens in my special collecting box. Have another black box full of specimens. Some rain in A.M. but clearing in P.M. Saw small meteorite flash in sky about 6:30. Stars showing tonight. Finished packing skins & skulls. Geoff and I are relaxing tonight, reading on our beds--luxury. Several carriers have arrived. They will leave early tomorrow with our tents & flys for Biniguni Camp. Bama huta, Maneau! Monday 27 July Bottom Camp to Biniguni Camp on the Gwariu River. Up at 6 A.M. Rolled swags, struck tents & flys (sent special carriers off with these) & lined up loads for main carrier body. Lucky with weather--a sunny dry morning. Several women climbed up to camp to carry for us. One had "bau bau" (section of bamboo) pipe (2 in. dia.). They suck smoke into chamber from a cigarette inserted in hole at one end; the cigarette is removed, the smoke is air-cooled. Then they inhale this smoke (there may be enough for 4 or 5 people). Light not too good but I took pictures. Left camp at 8:50, trail fairly dry. The 3 counselors & our party brought up the rear. Reached Ginum River (dry bed) at foot of Maneau Range escarpment about 9:45. Trail then goes N.W. along foot of range, past the gorge of the Gwariu River which drains the south and west slopes of Maneau Range & then cuts N. thru Range. Arrived in our new camp about 11:00 A.M. It is located on N. bank of Gwariu River on an old terrace about 50 yds. from the water. Water vol. is good, clear & steady. Local mt. storms muddy it occasionally. Cold, good drinking water. Our 3 tent and work fly are in one line facing river. Cook fly on next lower terrace, & boys' fly is in back of us just inside forest edge. "Australian Pine" grows in & about camp & "pine needles" cover the sandy bouldery ground. Ken picked a fine site & prepared a good camp. Only danger is flash flood, but it would have to be a big one to put camp in trouble. Natives have cleared garden slopes in the rain forest across river. Sorted my gear out and boys rigged my bed & mosquito net(haven't used this since last May). Took pictures of the women cooking vegetables for men. Had heated stones over fire, put veg. on banana leaves, poured water over stones & when steaming covered whole area with more leaves. Carriers paid off after Kai--a very cheerful lot. One boy from Biniguni brought Geoff a 6 ft. snake he had been saving in a gourd. G. had quite a time getting him out & into the formalin can. At dusk I shot my first small bat for this camp--very tiny ears. Good dinner: stew, yams, "pumpkin" (squash), Taro, bananas, camp-baked bread. Ken told us there was an eclipse of the moon last night. I slept right thru it. Said Biniguni natives were all excited-- worried. Ken is bunking with me. He leaves for Baiawa next Monday with our first out shipment of specimens, excess gear & food. The end of the mainland phase of the trip is coming close. Boys had a wonderful time bathing in river as did we. We can see the northern Goropu peaks to the west down the valley. It is good to relax again. Weather is still unsettled--alternate overcast & sun & drizzle.