L. 21. P. 33 Sheltered (from drifting logs) side of a huge bend in the river, moved head to tail as it were, so that we whites can step across from raft to raft. I settle crowd to supper with me on my raft. Archibald reported good progress by the "Ronald S." which had been traveling from 4 a.m. till nearly 6 p.m. She ought to be in the big swamp now. We ourselves expect to make Oroville in a few hours tomorrow. Several large fruit bat colonies were passed today, it was about 5 o'clock when we tied up our rafts. Looking at the trees where fruit bats roost, most appear dead or nearly dead; Archibald and I suggest that the bats kill them. How? Mechanically, by wearing away bark & foliage with the constant ability of climbing lots of many hundreds of individuals. However, there are quite a lot of trees in similar condition which are bat nests, so here is an alternative explanation—namely that flying foxes prefer that kind of tree to roost in. Saturday, Aug 3. A splendid night's rest for all. No rain, no worry about rising or falling river. Set away at 7.30. The day promises to be fair and we hope to reach Oroville Camp today in a few hours. The river flowed on in gigantic sweeping bends. One raft carrying boys only got mixed up with snags & overhanging trees but they cut their way out of them without trouble, they lightly loaded. We heard a shot ahead of us just the long bank of the Oroville airplane steamer, not anchored with second growth, five in sight. She stops meant that here had arrived. All rafts clung to the right bank and edged cautiously down by holding into the vegetation for no one wanted to be swept past. I got in about 12.30. We at once occupied every house in the camp (they are palm-roofed tropical huts). Tonight I talked with Dick for the first time since Black River when we commenced rafting. I have been listening each night but not transmitting. The "Ronald S." expects to reach Pargi Island (15 miles below the mouth of the Alice River) by tomorrow. So all's well.