Thursday 16 April 1953 (cont) Bill Mason going to Samarai soon. Had the young Q social set at my elbows while unpinning specimens. Young boys stop by at every chance. Food continues good with plenty of fresh fruit. Kim baked excellent bread today. David shot 1 bat on wing tonight—only head and 1 wing left (Scoteinus) Wrote up specimen notebook tonight. No jacking. Friday 17 April Menapi. Boys brought in 2 Melomys & a Rattus. Spent A.M. making up bats & day's catch. Another perfect day for drying. Ken fixed one of knock-down boxes & after I dried skins in heat of tent packed them for shipment. 116 study skins & skulls exclusive of bats in formalin. Total 393. Dutch botanist Dr. R. Hoogland, arrived by foot from Baniara. Same chap we met on plane—Brisbane to Port Moresby. He watched Len make up his specimens. Dennis Lamb dropped in to see our work and stayed for lunch. Has boat & trading post over near Cape Frere. Collected small bat with my first shot (Scoteinus). Billy and Niko brought in a small Cuscus. David and boys went up to rain forest near Banapa. No luck. David and I out jacking in scrub up hill from mission. Saw nothing except small bats over streamed. Shot yell. naped fruit bat near camp. Trades blowing hard tonight. Len had a beer party tonight before supper—Ken became very talkative & kept asking "Ru" Hoogland about situation in Indonesia. Back to normal with many Dutch still on Islands. Going to sleep in my chair. New moon tonight. Saturday 18 April Menapi. Worked on specimens in A.M. Ken & Jimmy put in screw caulks on my mountain boots. In P.M. worked on preserved bats—tagging with metal numbers. High wind all day kicking up sea which breaks on coral reefs. "Betty Ann"— Bunting's boat came in at dusk with local mail from Samarai & our supplies for next few months. No bats tonight. David & Lik Lik went jacking early & brought home 2 small Cuscuses. One had tiny pouch young. Could not have been in pouch more than few hours—still unattached. Hung them in shed with door closed. Dog got in & jumped up & dragged one down & away. Could find no trace of body. Dogs are cringing scavengers here in Papua. Small, prick-eared, short- haired. Rumors of wild dogs in mountains. Wrote Dr. Tate reporting on first month's work. Had 400 specimens this A.M. Geoff opened up an Army ration box and we had baked beans with hot dogs for dinner—good! He also turned over several fresh-water prawns that his boys collected to us for an apetizer. Gave me some ration cans containing candy and jam. I wish I could weigh myself—have certainly gone under 190 ! Hoogland out botanizing with Len today. 11:00 P.M. and last in bed as usual. Boys are singing in their rest house. Breeze keeps us comfortable. Very few mosquito pests. Sunday 19 April Menapi. A busy day in spite of only a few specimens. Boys skinned out cuscus and I worked on skeleton—first I have saved. Also kept stomach & contents. Ru kept me company most of A.M. observing—and also the 1/2 dozen village girls who stop by whenever there is any activity. Spent P.M. packing up my 2 collecting trunks with gear for top camp. Also sorted out clothes & put with roll of bedding (swag)—weighed 36 lbs—a carrier load. Ken was busy sorting food. Bill Mason goes to Samarai tomorrow & is taking mail. (Wrote Kay & enclosed p.p. 65-78 of diary). Ailsa sent me out a bottle of passion fruit to keep me company among the rum drinkers. Ken had a new soccer ball bladder sent out &