Monday
August 9
1926

It was a muddy sloppy sight that despite its nastyness [sic] appealed to us when we answered Umpah’s call of “Come and get it while its hot”. The river had fallen completely and was several inches below the banks. It was a good sight to see for if the high water had continued much longer it would have become monotonious [sic]. Walks were built around camp and if one stayed on them he didn’t get into the soft mud. The river had left behind all sorts of drift wood and mud which was certainly sticky. The sun, however, will soon dry it up. The most interesting feature [of] the day outside of the water dropping back to its level was a race between the Dyaks in the large {F3.22} prows. It was a thrilling sight. They paddled harder than I have ever seen them paddle before and had twenty or more men in the big prow. Posthumus and Dick shot pictures (movies) of it. In fact the race was started by Posthumus. The Dyaks had also finished their other small canoe and with two men in each they staged a race in these. The new canoe is carved most artistically at both ends with some sort of a dragon[’]s head curved gracefully both forward and aft. In the middle of the race the lighter canoe without the carvings upset due to their hard paddling and both Dyaks went sprawling into the water. Dick got them as they over turned with his movie camera. It should make a good movie for there is plenty of action in both the race scenes. As the river has fallen almost back to the level it sustained when we arrived, Posthumus, Leroux, Van Leeuwen and Doc are leaving tomorrow morning for head camp. Each man will have a canoe. Two others will carry additional luggage, food and soldiers (5). We are to remain here and when the transport returns from Head Camp get four Dyaks and go down the river to get movies and a collection from the people out a day or two from this camp. In about a month they expect the line will be ready into Explorators camp and we can then come up. Leroux and Stirling are going to go into the mountains first with Jordans. Van Leeuwen will stay at Head Camp and Posthumus will return here to keep the line running. I hope they keep their promise of our coming up in a month or so better than they kept some of the others. Still we will have an interesting time of it down the river with the people and our four Dyaks. A boat of the transport will pass us every five days[,] one coming up and the other going down so we will have some contact at least if the people below haven’t been shot and scared as they have been here.