Papuan Patrol

To Heart of Gold Country Tiveri Watershed Visited

From Our Own Correspondent PORT MORESBY, October 6.

IN an interesting report of his patrol to the head-waters of the Tauri and Tiveri Rivers, Mr. Jack Hides describes the magnificent panoramic view gained from the top of the div iding range, between Papua and New Guinea, at 10,800 feet elevation.

It was on the fourth day out from Wau that he climbed, through a stunted and twisted growth, to the summit of a grassy knob, and from there, bathed in warm sunshine, he saw a view which, to quote his own words, “raised a cheer from the police and carriers.”

Far away to the south, stretching from Iokea Point to far in the West, could be seen the Papuan coast, and below, to the south, lay the Tiveri, flowing off into the south-west and joining up in the distance with a larger stream —the Lakekamu.

The mystery of the Tiveri water shed lay revealed. Towards the north stretched the Bulolo, Watut and the Waria rivers, and from the far dis tance drifted the drone of planes at Wau.

Mr. Hides reports the country from the range to be the very worst he had ever experienced in his patrols.

High mountain peaks, broken and distorted by deeply cut ravines, blocked their paths and forced them from the sides of the ranges down to the streams, hidden from sight by precipitous walls, which made the going a heavy and tedious affair, hold ing them up, and by keeping them back shortened the rations and dis heartened the carriers, who being de moralised, became weak, sick and useless.

The country was found to be very thickly populated on the Upper Tauri.

Mr. Hides estimated he saw about 6,000 natives in 40 or more villages.

The natives, though hostile at first — greeting the party with a shower of arrows more than once—became fairly friendly later though shy; inter changing food and pigs for trade knives and axes, with great satisfac tion. It was apparent that they had never before come into contact with Europeans. There were no traces of previous visits of white men.

The gardens throughout the coun try were well stocked and unusually large, some extending from the best part of a mile along river flats planted with banana, sugar cane and sweet potatoes.

Meeting With Hellmuth

Baum

Mr. Herbert Garbutt, from the Tauri goldfield, accompanied Mr.

Hides on his outward patrol, wishing to prospect the headwaters of the river. On their way down into the Mandated Territory, over the divid ing ranges, they met Mr. Baum (since killed) at his camp on the Upper Watut. He assured them that the country they had passed through was rich in minerals and that at some future date he hoped to visit Papua, as he felt certain he would strike pay able gold at a point between Kiapon (on the Upper Tauri) and Mt. Law son.

Hellmuth Baum was an associate of Capt. Detzner before the war and had accompanied him on many trips and was as well acquainted with the inland tribes of this Territory as any man. Yet, for all his knowledge, he was murdered.

The district through which Mr.

Hides and his patrol passed is con sidered highly dangerous by the Man dated Territory, and has since been declared closed.