#

April 22. 1945

Dear Mother:

Today a few of us went out to the beach—the most wonderful spot you have ever dreamt of or seen in any technicolour south sea film. There was a long stretch of clear sand, not too wide a strip and a single small rocky promontory from which you could dive and this is the spot we chose. Just about here too was the estuary of a small stream which ran parallel to the coast for a short distance only separated from the ocean by a sand bar. When the tide comes in and it was today the water runs up stream so you can float gently up the river with your heels pleasantly sliding over the sandy bottom in the shallower places. It is advisable to roll over occasionally to see where you are going in case you bump into a rocky corner. There was not much surf today but beyond the little sandbar the waves were big enough to be very enjoyable. You don’t swim out very far because there are sharks and barracudas waiting in the deep waters. The water is unbelievably warm—it would be nice to lie around in it all day. Of course the rocks were so hot you could only stand still for a short moment. So far this weather has been perfect—just what I have been waiting for for years I think. All of us thoroughly enjoyed the day and John said it would be interesting to see if in some months our letters home would be as full of praise for this place as they probably are now.

On the way home we passed through town and being Sunday some of the natives were decked out in all their splendour making a very colorful scene. Some of the men had modern good looking tropical suits, others had even black coats and white starched collars. I don’t know what the women were wearing since every dress seems different—some all white, others multicoloured, one or two of the younger set wearing shorts skirts and silk stocking and this get up certainly looked out of place around here.

All the natives as soon as they start to walk I think must also start to carry things on their heads so their carriage is naturally very good. They carry anything from 80 lb sacks of grain, or a large bundle of sticks, or baskets to such small items as one box of matches. We must have passed hundreds of natives on the road today and nearly all were toting something on their beans.

Great concern in our room last night when I found a hole in my mosquito bar. Sabotage? I pointed this out to our boy this morning but it has been unrepaired. His name by the way is Amadubangora.

With love from
Tony.

[Editor’s note: Transcription provided by collection donor.]