Bulolo Monsters

WHILE horticulturists of Bulolo (N.G.) bemoan drought and deluge, lament ing the meagre reward of their toil, Dame Nature does a little bit of gardening on her own just to show these amateurs what can be done if they only knew how to do it.

The result is a giant sweet-potato, measuring 2ft. in length, and weighing over 451b5., which was found growing in the high ridges of stones and gravel piled

up by the dredges in their wake, and known locally as the “rock-pile.”

Along the whole glaring, shadeless stretch not a particle of ground remains, and the bleached stones become so scorchingly hot under the fierce sun that it is astonishing how any plant can sur vive in such uncongenial surroundings, much less produce a prodigy. Yet in our gardens, in spite of careful shading and daily attention, all we manage to rear are a few undersized weaklings, without strength to hold up their heads under a local shower.

The place where the Wape native found this tit-bit, worthy of even his colossal appetite, is close to the lake which has been dug for building the new dredge, which is now under construction.

This spot seems predestined to fame for the production of prodigies. Recently, a strange aquatic monster made its ap pearance in the lake. It was seen one afternoon by three Europeans and some natives, who at first took it to be a large tortoise. The creature stayed on the sur face for about fifteen minutes and, watch ing its movements, they were able to see that it was more like an enormous fish, and appeared to have two large ears or fins. Closer investigation was not pos sible, as it remained in the centre of the lake, which is about 300 ft. wide, and none of the boys could be persuaded to swim out.

It has since been seen several times by natives, with the result that swimming in the lake has lost all attraction.

Large conger-eels have been caught in the vicinity, so it is thought that the ap parition may prove a giant of that spe cies. With the construction of the dredge starting it is unlikely that the monster will be able to preserve its incognito as successfully as its famous contemporary of Loch Ness.—C.F.

The native, on the bank of the lake at Bulolo, with his giant sweet-potato.