New lands and People

Archbold Exploration In Dutch New Guinea

From Our Own Correspondent.

Honolulu, Sept. 7.

THAT Russell Rogers, pilot of the air boat “Guba”, with the Archbold ex pedition in Dutch New Guinea, knows his tropical flying is proved by what he did during the first ten days of August.

He flew no less than 110 men and 30 tons of supplies and equipment from Hollandia, tne expedition’s base on the north coast, to advance camps that have been established 180 miles inland. One is on the Idenburg River, and the other on Lake Habbema, 11,000 feet above sea level.

The Indenburg party is breaking through into the unexplored country that was aerially photographed. The Lake Habbema party are executing a similar mission east and north. Each party car ries a portable two-way radio telephone set, with which Hollandia and the “Guba” (while in flight) are contacted.

Friendly relations have been made with the natives, who are very primitive people with nothing to indicate previous contacts with the outside world. There are a few scattered villages in the moun tains and valleys, but the bulk of the population appears to be concentrated in the big valley east of Lake Habbema, Mr.

Archbold reports.

Daily reports are made by the field parties via their radio-telephone sets to the Hollandia base, and requests for sup plies, equipment and medicines are at tended to immediately by Russell Rog ers, who flies out in the “Guba” and drops them in parachutes.

Reports Mr. Archbold: “I feel enthus iastic about the progress of the expedi tion to date, as everything has proceeded exactly according to schedule. Everything is working out perfectly. There has been no sickness. The scientists already have secured many fine specimens of rare mammals, birds and plants. This is not surprising, because the parties are in vir gin territory. It seems our most san guine expectations will be exceeded”.

Sir Hubert Murray (Lieut.-Governor of Papua) placing a wreath on the grave of the late Mr.

David Lyall, at Daru, Western Papua. Mr. Lyall, prospector and explorer, was brought out of the middle of New Guinea in an epic journey by Jack Hides (now also dead), but he died at Daru on September 17, 1937. The wreath was sent to Papua by Mr. Lyall’s mother, and taken to Daru by the Governor.