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cliff - [[underline]] really vertical, [[/underline]] I cut along the top of the 
talus for a long way but could find no way up so at last I tried the root- 
route. Succeeded in getting up to the 190 foot level & above me was 
only about 1 0 feet more of actual cliff but there I was stopped. Getting 
down was naturally much harder than getting up & my arms got so tired 
hanging on to those banyan roots that I contemplated the possibility of 
doing a King Albert! - but nothing like that is going to happen to me this 
trip! 
So the old warrior still rests in his stronghold! The rocks encountered 
were pretty poor but I did get orbitoids higher than I have gotten them 
previously. 
We also got 10 bottles of land shells and some spiders. We have 
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had heavy showers off an on all day. The worst hit us along the coast so 
we just squatted smoking in the nip & watched the rain beat down the 
tiny lagoon waves and blot out the reef. 
Home early completely drenched and cold - but hot tea & a hot bath 
have done wonders. 
Late this afternoon I caught a 2 foot green lizard in a bread fruit tree next 
to the house. I've pickled him for the museum. Funny thing is that Willy 
(who handles all sorts of spiders bare-handed) is scared to death of 
lizards! He positively groaned when I handled the beast - 1 who do 
[[underline]] not [[/underline]] like handling spiders! So Willy, too, has an 
Achilles heel! 
Harry Ladd - Diary and field notes, 1934 - Vol. 1 
Transcribed and Reviewed by Digital Volunteers 
Extracted Oct-11-2015 11:35:03 
Smithsonian Institution Transcription Center, Smithsonian Institution Archives 
