Australian Party’s Experiences

Amid Sulphur Fumes

Australian Party’s Experiences at Pt. Patteson

INTERESTING note (dated August 22) from Mr. D. S. Askew, who went off with a party a few months ago to Port Patteson, Banks Group, New Hebrides, to investigate the sulphur deposits there: — “We are still carrying on our investiga tions on the sulphur deposits, but should finish it up now in about three weeks.

“We have been very unfortunate in hav ing struck such a long run of cold and wet weather. It is hard to believe that one is in the tropics. It has held up our field work considerably. Our camp is up about 1,500 ft. from sea level, and we get any rain that is going, and also very heavy fogs. With so much moisture in the atmo sphere, in combination with the gases and steam given out from the deposits of sul phur, the result is a form of sulphuric acid, which affects the eyes very strongly and makes continuous work very hard to carry on; quite often we have had to spell the labour and ourselves also on account of it.

“One good point about living up here is the complete absence of mosquitoes and sand flies, which are bad down on the coast.

I suppose the smell has got them bluffed.

It is certainly pretty awful at times, especi ally from the nearby mounds of dead sul phur. We don’t notice it so much our selves, but one or two visitors we have had up here have never returned for a second issue.”