Tuesday 19 May 1953 Top Camp. 30° F. about 6:00 A.M. Frost on ground in patches. Spent rather a c-hill night in spite of ground cloth on wooden pata-pata (raised 3 feet off ground) blanket under sleeping bag & winter pajamas & wool socks & wool helmet. Just not used to get warm & to see the view. Goropu loomed high, clear & rugged to west. Great basin south of Maneau range swings in a giant horseshow (open end to west) about this basin. Highest point seems to be on other (s) arm of horseshoe. David had 4 rats. I had 4 rats & 1 Melomys--both new. 10 c/o of our trap set. Geoff and boys busy all A.M. & part of P.M. building frame for my tent (which Ken will bring up from Middle camp), cook house, outhouse, & wash stand. David & I went thru the specimens in good style. Len & 2 of his boys botanized to Maneau summit this A.M. (2700 M) Took bearings. Not too good for pictures. No natural grassland. Has all come in after mossy forest burned off by generations of wandering natives. Easy 2 hr climb from camp. David & I went out jacking at 7 P.M. I shot 1 cuscus in mossy forest in gulley next to camp. Very dark, small feet, white belly. Lovely clear night. Jacking warmed me up. Not so cold tonight. To bed at 8:30. Moon overhead. Kim came in with Lik-lik & Isilele & 10 carriers this A.M. Ken may be up tomorrow. Boys have barked in their fly to keep warm. Wednesday 20 May Top Camp I am writing these notes in my new bed! There are X ed sticks at head and foot. Two poles are lashed to these X---X and my ground cloth stretch between them-- like a stretcher. Sleeping in my winter pajamas, sweater & socks & in the sleeping bag. 3 more Rattus & 1 Melomys in traps. Lik-lik and Isilele did very good job on the possum. Ken arrived in camp with 10 carriers at about 11:00 A.M.--came from Middle camp. Brought my other trap swag & coll. box 39-- all set now for next 5 - 6 weeks up here (also ammo box). Put my end of the collecting fly in order. 2nd tent came up & Geoff had it rigged in P.M. Also built small shed for our Max. Min. thermometer. Ken is freezing. Haå had 11 years of warm living. Took in all my traps. Put 18 along brook in mossy forest 27 in grass. Lik-lik & Isilele have 25 each in grass. David has all of his in mossy forest. Clouds blew in at dinner time. Clear by 7:45. Lik-lik and I went jacking until nine. Nothing. Ken, dressed in a jungle suit & my parka hood & with a jack light, tied to gun barrel of his 22, went out looking for Wallaby. Isilele, wrapped in a blanket, went with him. No luck. Len is leaving on May 29th. Pigeon stew (Ken shot it this A.M.), rice, peas, beef rissoles & ham for dinner. Camp is really on a permanent basis now. Thursday 21 May Top Camp Another beautiful day--and night. Have just come in from jacking south along edge of the mossy forest. Goropu Range clearly visible in moonlight. Heard Wallaby 40-50 feet away in scrub. This A.M. we had 11 Rattus of 2 species in traps (V.D. 4; L.L. 2; I. 3; D. 2)--1 new species trapped in edge of scrub and out in grass. David, Niko and Ken cut trail to river 1500' below us, the south, Finally stopped by 300' drop to the river. Brought back some interesting plant specimens. Lik-lik and Isilele worked with me most of day on our specimens. A quiet day in camp. Boys were putting bark around the cook shed. Len worked close to camp collecting. Geoff had his light in the edge of the scrub-- nothing. He is disgusted with collecting up here. The important insects at this camp are all small & G. has had no experience with these--but he has four more weeks to learn. We are scheduled to leave here for Middle camp on June 22. 3 weeks at Middle camp; 2 weeks at Bottom & 6 weeks in and near Biniguni--then a week or so collecting on way back to Samarai, arriving there about 3rd week of September. Ken has just gone to bed with 4 shirts, 4 prs of socks, my parka hood, 3 blankets, & his jungle suit. 10 P.M. Hope I sleep warm too.