Monday 27 April 1953 (cont) --out jacking; it is very peaceful. I followed up the creek bed tonight to do some still hunting. Found a cuscus but only wounded it. Fell on steep hillside. Got our boys to help search but he must have scrambled away. Boys searched all morning for bat I shot last night--no luck. Ken measured and skinned again this A.M. Geoff came out to skinning fly and we all had a pleasant morning. "Ru" brought a supply of candy bars with him and he is good enough to share them with me. Good! A native friend of mine from Dabora stopped by this P.M. Gave me 5 oranges for a present. I returned by giving him 2 sticks of trade tobacco and a pkg. of life savers, to his small children. Unpinned more specimens and packed them. Good fresh-baked bread today, and plenty of jam. David shot a "flying squirrel" at 1:00 A.M. 2 rats and a Melomys ended our catch for the day. Tuesday 28 April Menapi. Word has come by radiogram that the "Ruru" has been repaired and will be home this Sunday. We could leave for Baiawa next Monday. B. is our jumping off point for Maneao. Father Chisholm returned today after a walkabout up into the hills. Finally found my bat (or at least the blow flies found it) Nothing new--Miniopeterus. Another Bandicoot in my traps. Dennis caught a rat in his house. Boys brought in 2 Melomys. Repacked all ammo boxes for various camps. David out jacking early A.M.--nothing. He & Isilele looked all morning for the cuscus but could not find. Lik Lik helped skin. Packed a few more foxes this P.M. Will run the drying oven tomorrow to see if I can get skins ready for Samarai. Skulls dry. Will also have to wrap and repack all bats in formalin. Have been trying out orange juice powder (dehydrated)-- not very good. Molly Spiller sent up a batch of her wonderful cupcakes today. We had them for A.M. & P.M. tea. Will have 2 empty ammo cases to pack skulls in. David and I were wing-shooting for bats but we were not on the beam to- night. Len had boys bring in several staghorn ferns today for Ailsa. Fern is very large and quite decorative. Fair all day. Full moon. Wednesday 29 April Menapi. A beautiful moon shining over Goodenough Bay, the village dancers all dressed up in feathers, grasses, flowers and tapa cloths. At least 20 drums-- and a number of new dances. Small boys and girls and many others sitting around. Everyone happy. This was their farewell to us. Len made a fine speech which was translated by the village policeman. Hard rain after lunch. Rigged up drying shed for my specimens. Did a good job of drying. All skulls dry and ready to pack. David shot a cuscus in scrub back of Mission and a flying fox in camp. A Mus, small Rattus, short-tailed Rattus and Melomys. No jacking tonight. Losima caught small red Rattus in boys' house. Conflicting news about arrival of our boat. May be here tomorrow or Friday. McLaren brought me a watermelon today & village people gave us pineapples, paw-paws and bananas. After dance, 5 of boys with guitars played a few songs and sang. Raining again--Ken has just come in--too wet for his hammock. Traps come in tomorrow. Thursday 30 April Menapi.