Thursday 9 April 1953 (cont) a white Cuscus ! Sent David out to shoot it. Came back in a little while with a 12.5 lb Cuscus--brown feet, white and some cream wash, a few rusty spots. Len out for long hike east along coast to savana forest country. Heard Wallabies. Back late for lunch and tired out. Worked on specimens all afternoon. SE breeze all day (and tonight). Rice and curried meat for supper, jam, bread, pineapple and limeade. and coffee. Sent David out jacking tonight in same spot they found the ♂ Cuscus. Back an hour later with a ♀ white Cuscus and its 1 large young ! Also 2 ♀ brown Cuscuses--1 with 1 pouch yg, other w.z. White ♀ has brown feet and brown dorsal wash--no spotting. I shot another Miniopeterus at dusk. Checked my specimen tags against catalog. 199 is the new total. Boys took body of ♂ Cuscus to Kai (eat)--gave some to villagers. Our Rest House is upon 3 foot posts as are all village houses in Dabora. Chickens, pigs, cats and dogs wander around underneath. Almost 11 P.M. Village goes to bed very early. Stars out bright--no moon, until A.M. Wind coming up. Friday 10 April Dabora to Menapi by "Ruru". Boat came day early. Ken Wynn on board returning from ascent of Mt. Maneao. Boys spent A.M. skinning out 3 Cuscuses. I tagged all the alcoholic bats.Injected 2 rats and 1 small Bandicoot which boys had in traps. Bought 1 Melomys from villager. Boat in early--asked them to wait until 5 P.M. so Len and I could finish off some of our work. The big ♀ Cuscus is unspotted but has a brown wash. Boat could not come back tomorrow so Len and I packed our gear and waited for boys to bring in traps. David found a small brown Cuscus on the way so he tied him on a pole and we brought him home on the boat. After dinner tonight we had a meeting to hear Ken's report on his ascent of Maneao. We decided on our "summit camp" which will be at the last water. Top of mt. is 2 hour walk from camp. Plan to make this our first camp and stay for about a month. Start for top about 1st week in May. Boys happy to see Ken and getting back to Menapi. Skinned out baby Cuscus just before boat left and finished him at Menapi. All specimens left here seem dry and in good shape. Patrick and Jimmy--boys who went with Ken--are quite proud of themselves. Ken may have been 1st white man on summit. Brought home a Possum--long hair, dark brown c-oll. over 2000 Met. Dog ran off with lower jaw. Reports lots of mammal sign. SE Trades blowing strong tonight. No jacking. No traps. No bats flying. Saturday 11 April Menapi. No trap line to run this A.M. Boys will bait up again this P.M. Spent A.M. skinning out formalined rats from Dabora and David's Cuscus. Made up skins in P.M. and unpinned dry specimens. Ken and Geoff spent A.M. fixing forearm of a shotgun. Ken is very good with mechanical problems. Geoff's boys went fishing in the tiny stream in back of camp. Came in with 4 eels & 3 kinds of small fish. David brought in a very long-tailed fringed lizard-- our first. Boys have been excited all day about party Ken is throwing for them tonight. He has bought some rations and betel nut. Some of the village women brought their black clay cooking pots and were boiling rice. Village men drummers and dancers showed up after dark and started warming up. Boys all decked out in fancy lava-lavas and arm and head flower bands. Our boys were singing at same time as village boys--seems to make no difference to either group. Ferguson chant and "sissing" is very monotonous. Each dance tells a specific story. Father Chisholm rang Mission bell at 9:30 and 10 P.M.