New Guinea-Papuan

Discoveries

Letter to the Editor.

IVfUCH has been said about new ex 'LT'L plorations and discoveries in Papua.

We here in the Mandated Territory have not enough to say of the many exploits of our intrepid prospectors, re cruiters and patrols.

The men who have been over and about the Mandated Territory and the Papuan border, and beyond, without even a breath of publicity for their discoveries, are too numerous to mention here. We, however, can prove these by photo graphs and other valuable data supplied by these men on their return. Our Government, here, know them; and the glory remains theirs.

The huge matted-hair head-coverings were discovered neair the head-waters of the Sepik some ten years ago; and, later, some of these were sent to the Museum in Rabaul, where they now repose. I have the photographs by me now, as taken then.

The huge garden areas noticeable amongst many of the mountain tribes is something known long ago. It may also interest some to know the cycles, as it were, that the garden or the agri cultural class of natives run in with the cannibals and headhunters.

It may also be pointed out that head hunters are not necessarily cannibals.

In taking a glance at that part of New Guinea that lies between the Papuan- Mandated Territory, at its southern boundary, to the Dutch boundary, at the Aitape extremity, one finds we go from cannibals, between the Waria and the head of .the Ramu, thence to garden people, towards the Sepik. Here, we emerge again to cannibals. After leaving the Sepik, in the big kunai areas behind Aitape, we meet again the gardener, with his beds of yams, etc., all so neatly arranged and subdivided that, in looking down, it reminds one a little of southern rural England. We then go on to the back of Wanimo, towards the Dutch area, and again we meet the cannibal. The agricultural people are, generally speak ing, very peaceful.

The expedition, taken in 1906 to deter mine the Dutch border, the Wattle expedition up the Ramu, the exploits of Leahy Bros., are only three that lead the list of explorations. Many, too, have gone so deeply into the unexplored country that they really did not know where they were; and they, too, were away for months on end and still had no line of police boys and other artillery.

We are not selfish, or jealous, but “honour to where honour is due.”

I am, etc.,

R. Macgregor.

Madaiig, T.N.G.

Mr. A. B. Farquhar, manager of the Colonial Sugar Refining Co. at Labasa, Fiji, left Suva on a world tour by the Mariposa on March 10.