Savages

Treacherous Attack by Savages N. Guinea Officer’s Terrible Experience

From Our Own Correspondent.

Rabaul, Nov. 1.

pROPPED up with cushions, with

almost every portion of his body

bandaged and with his left leg ampu tated, A. D. O. Nurton described the

attack which took place inland from

the Rai Coast, on the mainland of

New Guinea, on the morning of

September 24.

"AT about 9.30 a.m. a small armed party, consisting of eight men and five women, came running to my fenced-in personal camp,” said Mr. Nurton.

“I immediately buckled on my ‘armour,’ which consisted of the metal of a 501 b. bis cuit tin, covered on the outside with khaki material and lined inside with a thick row of cotton wool, covered with calico. After arming myself, I halted the party at the gate of the compound and I noticed that one of the men wore the cap of lulucui, while another wore a tultul’s cap.

“They addressed me in piteous tones and appeared to beg to be allowed to enter,

and as a sign of friendliness threw down their bows and arrows. I had the impres sion they were survivors of a fight, and I tried to tell them that I would send for an interpreter from the road gang. I allowed them then to enter the compound and ordered them to place their bows and arrows against the fence, which was specially constructed for defensive pur poses. The ground for six feet outside and inside was thickly planted with razor edged and needle-pointed ground-spears.

“The natives entered,” continued Mr.

Nurton, “and sat about, appearing very nervous: they asked me to sit down with them, but I declined and walked about. I thought possibly they had come for census purposes and, noting their nervousness, I put my arms away into an adjacent house, and returned to them unarmed, though still wearing my armour.

“Walking up to them I picked up one of their most dangerous arrows and with it violently stabbed my body, with only the result that the arrow was shattered. This caused a look of amazement to come to their faces. I walked among them, speak ing kindly, and to the two be-capped na tives I offered to shake hands, to which they smilingly responded; I also offered to shake hands with the other older men.

Two of them accepted, but the third coldly refused.

“Whilst I was standing against the fence I noticed a sudden signal made by the luluai, who suddenly held me in his arms. I broke from his grip and then noticed that the whole party were armed with 14in. knives, which they had snatched like magic from their hilums (string bags).

“The first blow I received was a paral lel slash with a knife, evidently intended

for my eyes. I remember blood spurting out and running down my neck and I remember thinking how warm it felt.

There was no more pain, though, than a stiff boxing left on the nose.

“The next swipe was a hefty knife swing to my neck. This I parried with my right arm, with the result that the cut fractured the bone; fortunately, no tendons were severed.

“The next attack from my assailants was a swipe that nearly took off the top of my head. Bleeding copiously, I be gan to feel that my contest was lost and, feeling a little punch-drunk, I flopped near the fence.

“The police-boy who had been working with me had apparently gone away some where and the others, including my cook boy, were out of sight, so I fell alone in the fence. My assailants could not reach my head as it was hidden in the fence.

“I kicked vigorously at my attackers.

My left foot was nearly severed at the instep by a blow, and the other leg had two lesser wounds. They shot arrows at my armoured body, without effect. They then bombarded me with limestone rocks, which I generally diverted with the quick unflung legs.

“I then struggled through the fence, got up and raced pell-mell down the hill to ward the police quarters. Half-way down, my left leg snapped like a pistol and I turned a complete somersault.

“I lay on the ground and, looking back, I saw a young man running towards me, armed with a 16-inch knife.

“Then I heard the glorious crack of a rifle, and the treacherous native crumpled up in his stride, while his shining knife went hurtling through the air like a ski.

I struggled up and crawled as best I could to the police quarters, where I climbed on a bench and listened to the yells and shooting of the fight.”

Later, Mr. Nurton discovered that the withdrawal of the attackers was due to the bravery of his personal cook-boy who, armed with a rifle, managed to account for seven of the attackers; several others being wounded.

Mr. Nurton graphically described the trip out to the beach —a distance of 17 miles —and then up the coast until a native boat was chartered, which landed the in jured man at Madang after three days of terrible journeying.

Dr. Sinclair, of Salamaua, flew to Ma dang, where he consulted with Dr.

MacQueen.'and it was decided to amputate the left leg below the knee. The follow ing day Mr. Nurton was sent to Habaul on board the Montoro, where he was placed in Namanula hospital for treatment. His progress is satisfactory.