The Expedition

T*HE following is a brief summary of the achievement of what the Lieutenant- Governor describes as “one of the hardest and most difficult expeditions ever under taken in any part of the island of New Guinea.” Details have been published in the Australian newspapers in August.

Patrol, led by Mr. Jack Hides, A.R.M., and Patrol Officer James O’Malley, left Daru on January 1 with 14 native police, 30 carriers and 8 tons of stores; proceeded 350 miles up Fly and Strickland Rivers in Government launch “Vailala,” with Mr.

Woodward, R.M.; left Mr. Woodward near Douglas Bend on January 10, and, for four weeks, fought their way upstream in canoes; on February 6, encountered great river entering Strickland from the north east: named this Rentoul River, and fol lowed it up for 41 miles. * Canoes were then abandoned, and one sent back with four police and two sick carriers. Party, comprising two officers, 10 police and 28 carriers, plunged into the unknown, going north-east.

They encountered, between the Ren toul and the limestone barrier, a vast area of undulating scrubland, with a large semi-nomadic population. These were shy, nervous people; they attacked frequently in small parties, but were easily frightened off. Isolated dwellings, built high on piles, on small cleared areas, were frequently passed. Bananas and sugar cane were grown. Game (pigeons, cassowary, etc.) was plentiful. For 45 days they relayed their stores over a vast plateau, and were faced on April 5 with the limestone.

It took seven days to cover 11 miles, over a limestone surface broken by great chasms and fissures, amid dwarfed and twisted vegetation. Police and carriers suffered from torn feet and bitterly cold rain—six were disabled. They abandoned half their stores.

From 7000 feet, they finally gazed far out over a series of thickly populated and intensely cultivated valleys, the Tari Fu rore River system. They descended from the limestone barrier, crossed the river (named Ryan), and a mountain, and entered the valley system. The Ryan, or Tari, seemed a tributary of the Kikori.

For five weeks, they marched through the Tari Furoro district, attacked re

peatedly by hordes of persistently hostile natives. They observed an astonishing system of irrigation and cultivation. There was evidence of constant inter-tribal fighting and cannibalism. The first tribes met were people with light brown skins and long, curling hair.

The party was refused food. They were conserving their rice, and were almost starving, in the midst of plenty.

Travelling north and east, they came to and crossed a mountain, about 13,000 feet (which they provisionally named Mt.

Champion) and came down on May 5 into another series of closely cultivated river valleys, part of the headwaters of the Purari. The river was the Waga, and the district, the Waga Furari. The Waga is a tributary of the Purari.

During May, they travelled east and south through this thickly populated region. The people were hostile and treacherous, and constantly attacked.

They refused to give or sell foods. The

men were bearded, and usually wore large wigs of human hair.

The party, on May 13, fought a day long battle against many hundreds of warriors. The native police were splen did —cool and unflinching.

Mt. Champion appeared to be the divide between the headwaters of the Kikori and the Purari.

At the end of May, the party turned south, and commenced the return trip across the terrible limestone barrier. They suffered great privations, chiefly from cold and extreme hunger, and were lucky to escape death.

South of the barrier, near the Erewa River, they met friendly tribes, who gave them food, shelter and transport.

They got down to the Government station at Kikori on June 19.

“Which is Hides and which O’Malley T* asked the officer there, as two scarecrows, bearded, tattered, torn and emaciated, crawled wearily out of the canoes.