100 
The physical examinations have yielded three patients with partial 
albinism and spontaneous nystagmus, one girl with a healing septic arthritis, 
several normal adults and children with a remarkable bluish ring entirely 
surrounding the optic disc, but not unlike the crescent of unmyelinated 
nerve that is sometimes seen on the medical border of European fundi. This 
ring usually goes along with increased bluish-pigmented streaking of the 
retina. We are not seeing this in the Melanesians of the Banks and Torres 
Islands. 
We are still under pakape and being feasted all day long. Thu^ after 
a morning breakfast at two houses — which we solved by sending half of our 
number to each — we had a lunch at 11:30 a.m. for all of us at another home. Then 
in three successive homes we had supper tonight, with grated hot taro at each 
( te uoa taro ) along with chickens and fish cooked wrapped in leaves, and 
also some baked taro. This was a welcome contrast to the balls of coconut milk 
covered taro ( poke ) which we had for the past two days both morning 
and evening. All three meals were excellent, but any one of them was ample 
for our whole group, and yet it was tactless to decline or to be unable to 
eat any of them. 
In the late afternoon I again crossed the island over the hill, Te Mau' 
unga, with Christopher, Ataban, and Noel, who have become ray almost constant 
companions. However, they all compete for attention and get bored when they 
do not get what seems more than the others are getting. 
On the radio station which Rick operates during Arthur's absence, Rick 
learns that the Alpha Helix did reach Santa Cruz this morning at Graclosa 
Bay, and the plane did arrive, but it did not depart, and there is no explan- 
ation for this. The hurricane is apparently not coming this way. However, 
the wildly turbulent sea with waves crashing on the reef, and the Inner reef 
too turbulent for even inner reef fishing and all canoe launchings for deep 
sea fishing impossible, make the arrival of the ship on schedule a matter 
of little import if we cannot get things to and from it. In the seas of 
the last two days we certainly could not have done so. The high tide waves 
are coming right up to the trails beyond the first row of shorelined 
coconut trees, and such invasion of the living sites by the sea did not 
even occur with the hurricane in February. Thus, Rick admits that this is 
the roughest sea he has seen here since his arrival in March. I certain- 
ly hope that we can finish our work here well and depart approximately as 
planned. 
Don and I are still sleeping in the chief's house on a huge Tikopian 
mat we share together and with Harry, his son. We awake each morning at about 
5 a.m. to find the church officials of St. James, the Mota-speaking church, 
discussing morning service loudly to wake us up, and as soon as we are awake 
it is suggested that we join them for the services. 
We plan to try to put on the tuberculin and mycotic skin test antigens 
tomorrow, and to continue the physical examinations through to the end. 
Rick is still giving most of his time to translating for us, and informing 
us of the local problems, the current activities, and general logistic 
support. He cannot keep this up much longer and will have to get back to 
his own work which our visit has so completely interrupted. 
