More New Guinea Population

Archbold Expedition Reports Thickly-Settled Area in Dutch Hinterland

From Our Own Correspondent.

Honolulu, Aug. 20.

VIA his radio station at Hollandia, PK6XX, which normally operates on a frequency of 14,009 kilocycles, Richard Archbold reports that his Ameri can Museum of Natural History expedition in Dutch New Guinea is proceeding with out incident.

A base has been established at Lake Habbema, 11,000 feet above sea level, in the wild interior. A powerful radio sta tion will be set up at the base, which will be useful in the event of accident, sickness and other emergencies.

The expedition’s airboat “Guba”, in which they made their outstanding trans pacific flight from San Diego to Hoi landia, Dutch New Guinea, in June, will remain at the coast while not carrying men and supplies into the hinterland.

The Lake Habbema radio station will call it when required. There are 130 men stationed at the lake camp.

Small parties already are exploring the surrounding country, collecting specimens of rare mammals, birds and plants and taking thousands of photographs ot scientific value. Friendly relations are being made with the numerous tribes, many of which have not before seen white men. Each party carries a portable radio set. It is to these small parties that the “Guba” drops food supplies in small para chutes, each capable of safely landing about 70 pounds without damage—much to the wonderment of the natives.

Mr. Archbold expects the expedition to remain in the field until late summer of 1939.

At Hollandia, a complete overhaul work shop for the “Guba” already is in oper ation.

Most interesting discovery so far has been that of an immense inland valley, hitherto unsuspected, and containing numerous native villages, surrounded by well-cultivated gardens. Study of the aerial photographs taken suggests that this valley contains the largest concen tration of natives on the entire island of New Guinea.

Three Expeditions Seeking

New Guinea's Secrets

r would appear that, in the wide, rich valleys that lie on the plateaus, north and south of the main divid ing range (or “backbone”) along the en tire length of the island of New Guinea, there are large native populations; and the reports of the more recent explorers (Champion, Karius, Hides and O’Malley, in Papua; Taylor and the Leahy brothers in the Mandated Territory and now the Arch,bold expedition in Dutch New Guinea) show that, for the most part, these are skilled agriculturists, with con siderable social organisation.

These great interior plateaus and valley systems of New Guinea have come to our knowledge only within the last five years.

Taylor and the Leahys gave us the first authoritative account of this unknown region after they visited the Ramu-Purari- Mt. Hagen region, in 1933; and then, in 1935, the late Jack Hides made his famous

, . . - T _.. . , patrol around the Kikoi i headwaters and found his ‘ Papuan Wonderland , showing that the same type of country and people extended away south-westward of Mt.

Hagen.

This latest report from the Archbold expedition suggests that those tablelands, river valleys and agricultural people con tinue westward, over the border, into Dutch New Guinea.

It is worthy of note that this vast cen tral portion of “the largest island in the world” is still practically unexplored and unknown; and that its secrets now are being sought by three separate and in dependent expeditions, as follows: FROM PAPUA: Mr. Ivan Champion, a senior member of the Papuan service and well-known for his exploration work, is now in charge of an important organisa tion based on Lake Kutubu. This large lake was discovered (from the air) about two years ago; and as it is on the southern edge of the portion of the “unknown centre” that lies in Papua, Mr. Champion has placed a large base camp there; and, from that point, he is slowly and steadily pushing with police parties to the north wards, as part of a plan for bringing the unknown area under Government influ

ence and control. Communication between civilisation and Lake Kutubu is being maintained by portable radiophones, and a seaplane.

From The Mandated Territory

OF NEW GUINEA: Avery large patrol, led by Assistant District Officer J. L. Tay lor with Patrol Officer J, R. Black and Mr. C. B. Walsh as assistants, is now out in the unexplored region, between Mt.

Hagen and the Sepik River (and therefore almost due north of the area of Mr.

Champion’s operations), and is making good progress and doing valuable work.

Communication is being maintained by portable radiophone, and by aeroplanes which go out westward from Mt. Hagen at fixed times.

From Dutch New Guinea: The

Archbold expedition, operating in the north-east corner (as described overleaf), and various expeditions elsewhere, dir ected by the Dutch Administration.