Alligators On The Bhamu,

Western Papua

THE Bhamu is one of the numerous rivers of Western Papua and has little to recommend it as a home for even the most primitive of mankind. It ap pears, however, to be a paradise for alligators.

The annual loss of life there, caused by the saurians, is remarkably high. One can only conclude that either the num ber of reptiles in the river is abnormal or that the Bhamu-ites are very fond of bathing. Local officials at Daru do not incline to this latter theory.

A magistrate who recently visited the Bhamu was horrified to hear of the num ber of natives reported missing. Half

the male population presented honour able wounds, either the result of argu ments over the fair sex, or encounters with alligators. Life must be one long thrill on the Bhamu. At one village a constable with his right arm missing did the honours. At the next, the headman had lost his left! Both had been mauled by alligators.

The latest victim was brought into Daru hospital recently for treatment. He had been caught in the river, but got away with the loss of half of the top joint of his middle left finger. He had the nerve to say that the alligator was a full-sized one, though it had a very small “bite”!

Now what was the croc, thinking of, to let the rest of his meal put one over him like that? Do you think he had been chewing Betel Nut? —G.H.V.