'I first met Luise Hercus when we were both invited to dinner at the home of Bob (R.M.W.) Dixon in the suburb of Campbell, Canberra, late in 1970. Bob had invited me to the Australian National University to give an account at a seminar in the Department of Linguistics of my field work on endangered languages in far north Queensland in January and June-August of that year. Luise sparkled, as usual, despite her lifelong commitment to self-effacement.' (Introduction)