Laurel outlook., 1944-10-25
laurel Wac els OF
Life In New Guinea

simplified and there is nothing we
need. Seems that due to ali the
insect life in a climate like this,
rayon hose and skirts would be out
of the question.
Oh, yes! l saw a sand crab the
other night. 1t was very much like
huge gray spider, and I would
hate to wake up and find one looK-
ing me in the face. l was told the
sand crabs are poisonous and inflict
a wound much like snake bite.
The post is along the beach, which
is pleasant for the girls who like
to swim. Most of them work such
hours that they have a couple of
hours at noon for going swimming
or playing in the water. I have
steeled myself against it, as I don't
like being wet, and so l confine
myself to looking off across the
water and watching ships that may
be in sight. Also there are spots
where one can stand and see the
mountains. Needless to say, those
are my favorite places to stand. l
believe that mountains are noun
tains; anyway they look like the
good old Rockies, and that is good
enough for me.
| remember the first sight we
had of land, and after being on the
water l thought l had never before
seen anything so beautiful. There
was a small hill in the foreground
and it was covered with green veg
citation. On the top were palms,
and in the distance the mountains,
which had a look of blue. 1t was
like a set on a movie lot and it
was all very hard to believe. May
be it was the sight of terra firma,
or it may have been that the blue
Of the water was getting to be too
much; at any rate | could ask for
nothing nicer.
The sunsets are beautiful, es-
pecially when the sky is rosy or
ange, and the palm trees are sill
nouetted against the sky, and the
evening star is visible in the west.
Also when the stars are shining
(the moon has not yet been ful)
hat is lovely too. l still have not
seen the southern cross, but 1 keep
OOking. Like the other night wher |
was gazing upward trying to find |
t, | fell into a ditch in the sand.
There are many kinds of shells |
md poor quality coral in the sand. |
We see many of our planes fly
ng overhead, and since we have
,een here the boys have really put
N some air shows for us. Some
ines they will fly a few feet above
he water and of a sudden will
woop up into the blue. Or they
will fly out quite far over the water,
urn and head back towards the
each, flying very low and usually
With one wing higher than the
ther. At the last minute they will
,ull. it up into the air and just clear
he trees. All 1 can say is, "Thank
eaven they are our planes"
Our barracks are some of the pre-
abricated kind. About a foot of
he wall above the floor is screen
nd then about four and a half
eet up the wall they have screen
gain. The ewes of the building
xtend quite way out, to keep the
ain from coming in. Looks very
luch like a screened porch. And
nough the days are hot the nights
re cool, especially this time of
ear, and one needs a blanket at.
light. We have mosquieto nets
YER the beds, to keep out the bugs
nd insects.
This is the start of the rainy
eason, and does the water come
own! A peculiar thing, the rains
sually are at night, and the sun
lines during the day.
Peg Adams is here too and 1 see
er quite often. We often laugh
,out being brought together down
this part of the world.
I am getting to know the differ
1t coins. The Australian system,
hich is the same as the English,
now know what they mean when