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15

     After the luncheon stop we pressed on but scarcely for two hours with frequent rests; the morning had about exhausted us.  At about end of two hours more we decided going was just too tough and besides hopeless, so we camped, after scouting around to find a bit of a level place.  Began to rain quite briskly about time we got bedded down.  Spread ponchos and my raincoat to catch water.  We got plenty of dirt and debris, surprising amount I though.  Small debris and dust seemed to wash down off leaves of trees.  Each poncho caught it seemed about a canteen and a half of water.  This poncho water tasted as ponchos smell and plenty strong at that.  We put lemon juice and sugar in it.  Young put in a bit of brandy.  These additions helped kill the dreadful poncho taste.  To get my rubber raincoat collected water used a tablespoon.  It tasted tarry as H.  I could only down just so much of it.  Thought if I took any more than the dozen or more tablespoonsful that I did that it would nauseate me.  Perhaps it was the mixing of poncho and raincoat water that produced the effect.  So the crew said. 

     The birds, particularly the mocking birds were a nuisance, dropping droppings right and left on men and ponchos as they were playing around in the trees over our heads.  One of the mocking birds chased a female fly catcher away. 

     Had some difficulty in getting fire started with the punk wood of the surrounding trees.  Had not Barron built us a couple of Beeswax candle ends I [[strikethrough]] [[?]] [[/strikethrough]] doubt if we would have succeeded.  Made quite a large fire after we got it underway.  Was seen from deck of sub.  At 8  Crawford signaled sub with Veery pistol and got an answer from Lynch.  We were just up near crest of slope of 2nd (?) ridge.  But Crawford had to climb a tree near top of ridge to get enough elevation to see Eden Id.  Only got up here by turning at right angles to course we had been pursuing.  With sun so high in heavens, especially around noon, it is not much help in directing one's course.