Unknown Papua
p. 72 · Read in the full issue
Progress of Jack Hides’ Patrol
From Our Own Correspondent.
Port Moresby, Feb. 1.
NEWS has been received that the patrol up the Strickland River across to the head waters of the Purari in Papua, under Mr. Jack Hides, A.R.M., accompanied by Patrol Officer OMalley, had travelled 380 miles up the Strickland by January 10.
There the party disembarked from the “Vailala,” on account of rapids, whirl pools and currents, which prevented the vessel proceeding any further. The party continued from this point up stream in four large canoes.
Mr. Woodward, the resident magistrate of the Western Division, who accompanied the party from Daru, returned in the “Vailala” down the Strickland on January 10, leaving Messrs. Hides and O’Malley with 29 carriers and 12 native police.
The country they hope to enter soon is said by the Lake Murray natives to be thickly populated, and a guide from the district reported a large river from the east, five days’ journey ahead, named the Tomu, alleged to be as big as the Strick land, and thickly populated along its course and even into the mountains. This is good news, and contrary to what was expected.
The Tomu is thought to be the Carring ton River of Everill’s Expedition of 1885.