Papua’S Search

Anxiety for Champion Party

From Our Own Correspondent

Pt. Moresby, Dec. 11.

ANXIETY is being felt for the safety of the Bamu-Purari expedition, in charge of Assistant Resident Magistrate Ivan Champion, who left Daru on May 1 accompanied by Patrol Officer C. T. J.

Adamson, 12 native police and 30 carriers, to explore the unknown regions of West ern Papua, with the object of ascertaining what population existed in the large valley systems to the north of the headwaters of the Bamu River (south of the border of Papua and the Mandated Territory).

Their route lay from the headwaters of the Bamu, westward to the Leonard Murray Mountains, thence N.E. across the waterways of the Upper Kikori (Ryan); across the limestone ranges diagonally to the recentlv discovered lake (seen from the air by the Government aerial survey in February last, and named Lake Mar guerite) ; and thence across the Waga Furari valley (discovered by Mr. Jack Hides last year), to Mt. Gilua, on the border, where their intention was to strike east to the headwaters of the Purari, and eventually make their way south to the coast.

Ivan Champion expected to reach the headwaters of the Purari, either at the end of September or October: for in his last dispatch, dated May 25, from the slopes of the Leonard Murray Mts., Wawoi River (tributary of the Bamu), he stated that there would be no need for anxiety if his party did not put in an appearance at the end of September or even October, and that if it were possible for his party to secure ample supplies of native foodstuffs, he would stay in the district as long as possible in order to get in touch with the natives and to make a thorough patrol of the surrounding country.

The party, at that date, were 190 miles up stream, with 100 days’ full rations in hand for two white men, 12 police and 30 carriers. Surplus carriers, picked up from Bamu, were being sent down to the coast under police escort, further river transport being impracticable owing to rapids and gorges.

Lysol Tin As Clue

From May to November no further news was received. There was some concern when the Administration received a wire less message from the manager of Port Romilly Saw-mills (Mr. C. McKinnon), on the Wame River, on November 21, to say that a Lysol tin had been picked up on the Doai River by a shooting boy on November 20, similar to those issued by the Govern ment; and that it undoubtedly had floated down from the Upper Purari. The tin suggested that the party had somewhere reached the headwaters of the Purari, and that they had struck trouble, either in the rapids, or in Hathor Gorge, at the junc tion of the Erewa and the Purari; or else that they were making overland from some point above-stream.

Mr. McKinnon, getting into touch im mediately with the Government station at Kikori, where the Lysol tin was recognised as a Government issue, dispatched canoes up the main branches of the Purari to search for further floating goods or for any signs of the returning party. On November 28 he reported by wireless that a police built raft had been picked up 25 miles up the Ivo-Purari, which on exam ination appeared to be of recent construc tion and European design.

The Government then made immediate

arrangements, on December 1, for a launch to proceed up the Purari as far as possible, in charge of Mr. S. H, Chance, A.R.M., with police and stores, with in structions to work overland on foot if the party were not encountered.

The launch which was equipped with a wireless telephone receiving and trans mitting set, by the courtesy of Amalga mated Wireless Ltd. and operated by Mr.

McKinnon (who accompanied the party) reached Be van Island on December 6, ap proximately 150 miles up stream, where Mr. Chance noticed similar rafts to the one found floating down-stream on November 28, among the villages near the island. He considered the possibility of its being of native construction and, upon investiga tion, came to the conclusion that this was so and that they were following a false clue.

Aerial Search Arranged

In view of this, the Government at once decided to extend the search and, getting in touch with Guinea Airways, made ar rangements on December 7 for flights to be made over the headwaters of the Purari from Mt. Hagen in the Mandated Territory. Mr. R. G. Speedie, A.R.M. and Mr. S. G. Middleton, A.R.M. were to go on the flights and immediately on the com pletion of the flights would proceed on a relief expedition from Mt. Hagen, if no signs of the Champion party were seen.

The two flights are to be undertaken, both from Mt. Hagen, the first in the direction and over Lake Marguerite, where Ivan Champion intended an extensive patrol, and the second, south, over the Waga Furari, down the Purari as far as Gleeson Islands, above Bevan Island, and approximately above Mr. Chance’s opera tions up-stream from Port Romilly.

Mr. Speedie, who was stationed at Kai ruku, Yule Island, arrived in Port Moresby by plane on December 7, and, completing his arrangements for the relief party, left for Wau on December 11 by Guinea Air ways Ford, accompanied by Mr. Middleton for their flights from Mt. Hagen.

That no signs of the Champion expedi tion may be seen from the air is considered likely but, the chance is worth consider ing: moreover, flights over this vast area will greatly assist Mr. Speedie, not only in deciding upon his best possible route, but in showing him the character of the country through which he will have to push with the greatest possible speed.

In the meantime, Mr. Chance is work ing up the Purari in canoes, as far as possible, and he will strike overland on foot, to above Hathor Gorge, hoping to get in touch with the returning party be fore Mr. Speedie sets forth from the Man dated Territory on his long journey south into Papua.