Monday
July 19
1926

We were out of Quaker Oats and had rice and hash with coffee for breakfast. Leroux loaned us a can so we will have some tomorrow. The {F2.4} coffee was good. At 6:45 we were off and everybody feeling good. The mechanic of the motor boat who had fever yesterday was better today, it being his well day. Tomorrow he will probably be sick again. We progressed a little more rapidly due to having used some gasoline the day before altho it was slow going. The sun stayed behind heavy low hanging clouds most of the early morning so it was not uncomfortably hot. The river bends and turns continually and we cover considerable distance without getting anywhere. On some of the bends we were headed back for we could see the tops of the Van Rees mountains we had left behind at B.C. During the morning the scenery was practically the same as the day before. In the afternoon however it changed from the swampy saw grass to larger and better trees. sazo [sic, = Sago] palm groves appeared now and then and the further we progressed the more numerous they became. We also saw large trees which looked like huge oaks. They had a large yellow fruit on a vine clinging to the trees and a close up view of this fruit disclosed the fact they were similar to grape fruit in appearance. Birds of all sizes and appearances were seen frequently. Dick shot a crockadile [sic] about five or six feet long but he shot him thru the intestine and lost him. They must be shot thru the head otherwise they get away, altho they die. We had seen three or four previously but were not close enough. This one was a good shot for he was sunning himself on a large tree trunk out of the water. He was “matie” [sic, = mati (Malay, “dead”)] dead however for when Dick reached the spot his insides were strewn all over the water. Dick and a Dyak searched the vicinity (jumped rite [sic] in without fear of them and was after him for he was anxious to get a crock.) but they could not find any trace of him. As we progressed farther up the river large mud flats appeared and we saw several more. Leroux took a turn steering. We got on several bars due to the low water but were off in no time. The lower water makes for faster progress. As we came around a big bend in the river we had our first view of the first and second range of the {F2.5} interior mountains. It was a beautiful sight. The cloud affects [sic] were particularly striking. The peaks, one in particular, it must of been Doorman top, stuck up thru a high layer of fluffy white clouds and below stretched the huge blackness of the lower parts and two ranges. Beneath this were lower clouds. The mountains were certainly massive. One peak was at least ten thousand feet or more. Dick shot a picture of it with the wide glassy river and jungle shore in the foreground and the clouds and mountains in the back ground. It was about four in the afternoon and was rather dark for the sun was behind the clouds but I hope it will be a good picture for the affect [sic] was very beautiful. Becker, the navy man in charge of the motor convoy said we were making good time. He was headed for a bivoc [sic] around the bend used before so we run [sic] until five to reach it. The water had dropped so much since then, however, that it was impossible to get to it with the motor boat, so we had to go [to] the opposite shore and make a new camp. It was almost dark so it was a hard and slow task to get things ship shape. To add to our discomfort it rained before we were all set and we got somewhat wet. Matt[’]s bedding was dropped in the water and he had a wet bed to sleep in. Then the canvas leaked and we had to fix that. Dick went into the woods on landing and in five minutes returned with two large crown pigeons. They were as big and as good eating as a turkey. They have a crown of beautiful blue feathers and are beautiful birds. We ate in the rain and had coco[a] and hot spaghetti. Mr. Heinz’[s] product tasted well. There were practically no mosquitoes, however, so that helped some. Everybody was happy, never the less, and we sang and talked from behind our netting while the rain pattered on the roofs. Dick and the johnies [sic] prepared the pigeons. We are smacking our lips in anticipation of our feast tomorrow. We fell asleep with more comfort than we had thought possible under the unpleasant conditions which existed. Everyone is a good fellow in the crew and helpful hands including Leroux[,]{F2.6} Becker, the Dyaks and soldiers make our trip most enjoyable. A helping hand here and there when conditions are tough makes life very pleasant and everyone in this transport are [sic] anxious to do more than their bit. That[’]s why we are having such a good time.