Sunday 29 March 1953 Palm Sunday (59) A quiet Sunday-- a hot heavy day with some light rain & an occasional breeze. Isilele skinned a Melomys & Lik Lik a fruit bat. They did fairly well but will never be as good as David, who acted as their instructor. Also had a small Bandicoot which I made up. Wrote to Dr. Anthony details of first week in camp. Mission boat with bishop was due in Menapi today but failed to arrive. Hope to send mail to Samarai on her. Today all the village girls had their best dyed grass skirts on. While our skinning lesson was inprogress, they all crowded around for a close look. It was rather disconcerting since they wear nothing above the skirt! Some have good figures & many have faint facial tattoos. Tonight David & I jacked around Rest House--2 flying foxes--Dobsonia & Pteropus. One hung up in coconut and one of small village boys climbed tree without any foot strap--went up very fast. Gave him a cracker for his trouble. Len is better today but did not go out. Boys are collecting for him. Caught a Gecko here in Rest House. Dinner tonight: rice, curried meat, chutney, boiled potatoes, canned peaches, with rum and milk sauce, glass of lemonade. Geoff's insect trap is on every night but not much is flying tonight. I'm falling asleep in my chair and it is only 10 P.M. Gentle rain again. Monday 30 March (60) Menapi. Strong breeze today with some light rain. Cold spell--temp. 78°. David and I went jacking in big scrub NE of village. Combed the place back & forth but no animals. Out for 3 hours. At 10:30 P.M. in front of Mission, shot a flying fox. In afternoon Geoff and I and 5 boys visited same rain forest to look place over and to collect. We scared a few small bats out of trees but could not catch them. Trail very wet but my boots are wet proof so far. Isilele has sore foot so we gave him the day off. Village boy brought in a beautiful kingfisher--tied by legs at end of stick. Put in formalin. The cracker trade keeps up with Geoff on the receiving end most of the time--lizards and butterflies. Brought home 2 bottles of ginger beer from Bill Mason's. Mission boat arrived late in A.M. with bishop. Off again at 2:00 P.M. Did not see. The "Ruru" is in again but is not going to Samarai. "Govilon" due on Thursday. Mail will go by this boat. Felt good to get to bed tonight. Will write today's diary tomorrow. Tuesday 31 March (61) Menapi. A beautiful clear day with the SE wind blowing off the bay. Skinned the flying fox and a mouse from the rain forest that does not look like Mus--a silver brown. While I was at the skinning table, Father Chisholm and most of the village youngsters came by singing a responsive chant. The ceremony was the planting of the Cross on the sands. The young voices were lovely. Combination of incense swinger, robes, rough wooden cross and grass skirts. Took several pictures. Miss Kinear brought us a bottle of ice cold water from Mission frig. Unpinned many specimens today--it was a good drying day. Set a new trap line of 25 today in the rain forest west of the stream. David, Lik Lik and Isilele put out 100 traps in big rain forest n.e. of village. Len out today . Feeling much better. Jacking with David tonight--nothing except flying foxes. Found a tree with small Series--tube nosed bat. Tried to switch them and shoot while hovering--but no luck. Tried to switch bats in front of rest house--nothing. Lovely view of village and coast from top of ridge to north of village. Took pictures of boys. David had beautiful flowers in hair and stuck under arm bands. Len and G. in bed--lead regular life compared to me.