Hurrah Hurrah Chin Chin! the water dropped about an inch during {F3.21} the night. That isn’t much but it is an encouragement any way. We can now hope that it will drop another inch tomorrow. It was a quiet Sunday all around. The soldiers and the natives played and sang during most of the afternoon. Their music is very melodious and pleasing. It is similar to Hawaiin [sic] music. During the day the water dropped a trifle more. It was just descertainable [sic] and no more. As it looked rather good in the mountain districts which we have not seen since the high water because of storm clouds it might be that it will continue to fall the next several days. It doesn’t look too well over in that direction though. We had run hurriedly through our mail and I spent most of the day in the clambo looking over it a second time. I got a good many more interesting information from the clippings which Leroux and Van Leeuwen refused to translate for me when I asked him about what it was all about. Posthumus did[,] when I presented one small clipping[,] translate it. It was about another bird supposed to be from the Smithsonian wanting to come to New Guinea on an airplane expedition. Matt never heard of him. Also learned that our former K.P.M. captain is in the discussion in the papers in some form or other but can’t make it out. [sic] what it is all about.
