of Wanderings in Papua
p. 51 · Read in the full issue
New Travel Book
American Movieman Writes of Wanderings in Papua
[yiß. GEORGE C. DROMGOLD, one of the leaders of the Shackleford- Dromgold expedition which visited Papua last year, writes interestingly to the editor from California under date July 26. ‘‘l am in complete sympathy with James Norman Hall’s article in a recent issue of the Pacific Islands Monthly in which he suggests the preservation of recently discovered stone age tribes in Central New Guinea,” he writes. “An excellent idea this, but I sadly fear the fulfilment of Hall’s ideals will never come to pass.
The three ‘M’s’ will eventually soften up these interesting, primitive people as they have in other remote parts of the big island, “Within the next few weeks I will have finished writing a book-length narrative of the Shackelford and Dromgold moving picture expedition in Papua. The book will be illustrated with approximately one hundred selected photographs made dur ing our wanderings in Papua. Travel books as a rule are deadly, heavy reading, for it seems that nearly everyone has written one. With this in mind, I have endeavoured to keep my narrative light and humorous in the manner of ‘Life and Laughter Midst the Cannibals,’ by Major C. W. Collinson.
“Speaking of Collinson reminds me that only recently I read in the pages of your magazine that his close friend, E. H.
Pybus, passed away in the Solomons. At the time I read this notice I could not
help but wonder if his favourite dish, ‘The Governor’s Joy,’ had something to do with his sudden demise. He was in variably ill after partaking of this original dish, yet he continued to eat it despite the unpleasant consequences.
“I thoroughly enjoyed Samuel Russell’s book on Tahiti and French Oceania. It is very compact and yet answers all questions regarding the Society group in the most reliable manner. Russell is an old-timer in eastern Polynesia and is one of the few white men who speak the Tahitian language perfectly.
“I have just received a very cordial letter from W. T. Wells, Secretary of the Australian Museum, granting me permis sion to use certain material from an article on Motuan Tattooing by R. V. Old ham, of Port Moresby. This interesting article recently appeared in the Museum Magazine.”