L. 24, P. 22 a Drysdale and Mr. Twyman, all missionaries. It was nice to get under civilized conditions once more. Mon. Nov. 9. Clear and very pleasant. Almost chilly early morning. Word by canoe from Mibu that the "Quest" on which I shall cross over to Daru (she's a sailing cutter) has just gone across, but Beach will send her right back, so I ought to get out of here about Wednesday. Left three of my boys to work in the camp under Rand. And today I sent the fourth, Aia out with thirty traps to set them in the scrub behind the rubber groves. May not get anything but hope to pick up a few specimens to allow me to classify the locality. Got out the partly dried material from Sturt Island amp and set it to dry some more. Have to wath pretty closely as there are two cats and a dog here. Made up a bait for the trapping out of boiled rice, peanut butter and dripping (lard). Went over to the mission where we had a violent discussion of the phonetics of the Gogodara language about which I know absolutely nothing. But we had series of small boys up on the veranda who were made to pronounce words of their native tongue over and over again. Put a few traps in the staore to find out which brands of house rats are inhabiting it. Tues. Nov. 10. Fair. No special news. Going to radio VIG this a.m. In the afternoon went over to the mission to tea. Caught two small bats there -- Eptesicus, I think. In the evening the mission folk came over to supper with Gordon and me. About nine thirty we heard the rattle of an anchor chain. "t was the "Quest" back from Daru. So I'll be leaving on the tide tomorrow morning. Wed. Nov. 11. Picked up traps and packed up. Aia caught a Melomys muscalis, so savanna can't be very far away behind. Any way Gordon and took a walk out behind the rubber and saw swamp mahogany and the climbing pitcher plant of Daviumbu. The "bush" was probably pretty thick before so much woodcutting took place. It begins just beyond the rubber trees only a quarter of a mile back from the river. There is said to be a swamp back there beyond which savannas occur. The termite hills among the rubber afe of savanna type, big reddish-earth mounds, with their bases partly excavated by bandicoots, probably Isoodon. Transferred the collections frm the one ship to the other, and after an early lunch went on board. Got away from Madiri about one. The wind was light at first but later in the afternoon freshened. We had to beat against it though we had the outgoing tide to help us. Anchored at six off Magobi Island. We had passed the village of Auti on the upper end of Kiwai Island about 4 p.m. The "Quest" sails well. She beat a couple sailing canoes with double outriggers. But then she can come a good deal closer into the wind. About ten thirty I awoke to find the boat which had anchored to let the rising tide go by just beginning to swing. So aroused the crew and we got sail on her once more and slipped on down the river. Reached Mibu about 3 a.m. and anchored as the tide was again about slack. In the morning I was rowed up the Mibu creek to Mrs. Cowlings plantation, a distance of about half a mile. She was there with quite a staff of laborers and her little girl Sharret (It's a queer name and I don't know how it is spelt), aged about 13. Mrs. C. showed me all over the estate, a coconut plantation of about 300 acres which has been allowed to to run down a good deal. She is at present reclaiming it actively. After breakfast I took some pictures and went off to the boat. Thur. "ov. 12. Part of the last paragraph belongs under today's date. The wind was very weak until the afternoon and then we went fast down to Toro passage between the mainland and island. Got through the strait about three o'clock but then we stuck repeatedly on the sand until about six when we got enough water to fhoat us clear. Even so with "aru in sight on the horizon we had to go a long way out to sea