L. 25, P. 12. Thur. Dec. 24. Veryhigh tide yesterday afternoon; peak about 3 p.m. Tide this morning not yet low, but expect to see low tide about 8 oclock. Moon only just past half, not due for full for about 5 days, so tides not increased on its account. Probably due to west winds blowing in from the Arafura Sea and banking up the tidal waters in the Torres Straits. Will watch today to see what happens. If I get big tides like yesterday's for my traveling I ought to get down to the mouth of the Mai Kussa fairly quickly. Took rather [illegible] long walk this morning out to the chain of water holes where Brass and Rand stayed over night on their way back from their western jaunt. Turner off about ten minutes before reaching water hole place and took old trail leading due S. About a mile along it came on a set of creeks, some tidal, others with fresh water, with a number of gardens and considerable expanses of bamboos on the south side. Found limestone exposed in the bedds of all of them. They evidently have a way out to the SW river (of this camp) some where above where Rand and I went in the dinghy a couple of weeks ago. The waterhole streams flow S and join those mentioned above. Very heavy rain this afternoon with some thunder and lightning. Tide even higher than yesterday -- only a couple of feet below the wharf -- high water about 4 oclock. Two more specimens of Petaurus brought in. Talked with Gaindi this morning. He knows the names of all the R. M.s of Daru since the year 1. Asked him about Dactylopsila. He said if he had to go out and get one he would walk out along the trails (which means through tree savanna until he heard one chattering in a tree, and then he'd cut t the tree down. He states that Sambaram, Bebedeben and Gubam are all on the banks of this river (the N branch, so if that is the case our map is all wrongly drawn. Fri. Dec. 25. Christmas Day, and the day when Moresby said he would be on the air as usual, and so far I haven't heard a squeak out of him. He Promised to call me at 9.50 however, and he may do so. But if he isn't working his regular scheds with the voice stations he may also have no date with Daru. In that case I should have to wait over until tomorrow. The two extra canoes for the trip came in yesterday. Tide at 9.10 not yet quite low. Boys playing another game of cricket to celebrate Christmas. 10 a.m. Moresby is not on the air at all this morning. Don't know whether he'll call tomorrow or not. And on Tuesday when I asked him about Christmas Day he said he'd be on the job as usual. I listened in periodically through the day but VIG did not tune up once. Heard plenty of other stations late in the afternoon. Hope Port will call tomorrow. Sat. Dec. 26/ This is a great game. Moresby again neglected to call. Even though it wasn'this day for calling, I thought he might have done so in view of having missed yesterday's schedule. Showers getting pretty frequent. Fixed up shelter over one of the canoes this morning. Tide high today about 5 p.m.; some six inches only from flooring of wharf. About fifteen more local natives came in today, including six women. All came from Rouku on the Morehead River. Sun. Dec. 27. It took just half an hour this morning with four boys taking turns at pulling it over, to start that darned radio motor this morning. It's a most unreliable piece of workmanship. Expect to talk to Oroville this a.m. at 8 oclock. Got through to Oroville. He is going to try to get Thursday Island to call me at eleven. He has no sked with VIG today. Have arranged to listen at three p.m. and six p.m. for VIG and Oroville will call again at 5.30 to see what's happened. Also trying for "IG at 6 a.m. tomorrow morning. Going over now to try.