Exploring Central New Guinea

Report by Leader of Taylor Patrol

The following are the essential por tions of a report sent to the Admini strator of New Guinea by Mr J l Taylor, Assistant District Officer, describ ing the work of the patrol which he is leading in the unexplored portion of the mainland of New Guinea. The re port covers the period August 26, 1938 to January 24, 1939, and the journey from Wabag to the Sepik headwaters, and then via the May to the middle river and the mouth of the Sepik.

On Dutch Border

IN the vicinity of 142 degrees 30 minutes I crossed the watershed between the April and the Upper Strickland and arrived at the Sepik headwaters at the end of November and a few days late*at Telafomin or Kelafomin. It is near the comer where boundaries between the Territories of New Guinea, Dutch New Guinea and Papua meet. There I met Patrol Officer Black. He had done splen did work in this area and was much liked

by the local people. His police and car riers were in excellent condition.

Whilst at Telafomin I decided that it would be better to come down the May Kiver which flowed lor the most part tnrough unexplored country, instead of lollowmg the Sepik to its junction with the October, which had been done many years before by Messrs. Karius and champion. Mr. Black accompanied me as far as the head of the May, whence he returned to Telafomin.

At Mianmin, in the Thurnwald Range, we were fiercely attacked. Until then our journey had been completely peaceful.

But at Mianmin we came amongst a bush people, forest dwellers with whom we could not make friendly contact. As Black remarked, drily, “They do not en courage visitors.”

Attack By Natives

EARLY in the morning of December 17 a clever surprise attack was made upon us and a fine young man, Kwmjil, of Mogeo-Kwivi, received an arrow which penetrated eleven inches and entered the region of the heart. He died almost instantly at the door of my tent.

Four others were wounded.

Two more attacks were made within the next hour, but the police and car riers remained perfectly steady and the attackers were driven off. We were very distressed at the loss of Kwinjil, a youngster with a bright smile and a charming manner, a favorite with every body. After resting the wounded for a day or two we pushed on to the head of the May.

Black and I spent Christmas together and then he returned to Telafomin, en route to Wabag by the mountain trail.

Lively Marching Along Sepik

1 CONTINUED down the May, passing between the mountains Vierkant and Stolle. As the river flattened out and the country became swampy, I was faced with the problem of travelling by water with my carriers, who were mostly poor swimmers and some who could not swim at all. Also, the difficulty of passing native communities who, though not hostile to pinnaces or power-driven craft, would regard men on rafts as fair game.

Making friendly contact with the first of the low country people, whom we found to be steel-hungry, we bought a number of canoes and made barges.

Every care was taken, but one barge collapsed, and nearly ended in disaster.

Fortunately no one was lost, me barges were altered in design, and a log of light timber placed between the canoes to make the barges unsinkable.

We proceeded by water and by land (both parties keeping pace with each other) outmanoeuvred a party of highly decorated and heavily-armed warriors, and camped lower down, where it was found possible to buy more canoes and improve the barges.

The warriors stood on the high bank of the river with their arms stacked be hind them and beckoned the canoe party to come in close where they might shoot down upon us. But just as the barges drew level, the land party arrived, to the amazement of the warriors.

The entire party then went forward by water. The next community met with at tempted to prevent our passage down stream. Terrific excitement prevailed in the village. Heavily-armed men roared de fiance and shouted for action, and some beat the water with canoe paddles, cheer ing as showers of spray rose and fell with each stroke. But after some parley we succeeded in passing without conflict, de spite the fact that one more bellicose than the rest wished to make a naval engagement of it and attack us from canoes.

The lower May is a fine river, navig able for small craft, and flows through pleasant, well-populated forest country.

Continuing, we reached the Sepik at 2 p.m. on January 13, and came on under our own power.

The people of the upper river were friendly, though at Wogumash they were a little difficult. They refused to stand clear, and I had to threaten sterner action to make them do so, and ensure my barges against surprise attack.

My party was met by the Government vessel “Sirius” at Yessan on January 18.

It was great to see her and relief to all of us to go on board and shelter from the fierce sun, which beat down upon us on the barges.

The conduct of the police and carriers has been exemplary. Ten months out, and not a grumble, even when Kwinjil was killed.

The main problem of the journey was that of supply, but this was overcome by our shell currency, which enabled the purchase of food, and bv the preparation of sago flour whenever that palm ap peared.

The journey from Wabag was some thing of a marathon and not without in cident. Some fine country was passed through and some that was very rough and many thousands of new people were seen.

A lake was found in the vicinity of the meridian 142 degrees 30 minutes which may rival Killarney for beauty.

Nearly A Disaster

CROSSING the head of the Western April, early in October, I nearly met with disaster. There being no bridge, it became necessary to cross on a rope and pulley, the police and carriers using an improvised chair arrangement after the manner in which a breeches buoy is used in rescuing people from shipwreck, and the stores and equipment in slings. The pulley or traveller used was a pair of handcuffs.

A strong rope of cane was suspended across the river and it became necessary to test it. I then travelled over it hand over hand and leg over leg, lying horiunder the rope. To my utter dismav when over midstream, I discovered that’l could not go forward or backward.

For a few moments I hung by my legs in order to allow my arms to regain their strength, but my oiled top-boots caused me to lose my grip and I dropped like a stone into the torrent. t i , . . .

I knew that my police would risk their Utrpc tn get me out and that I should not go without a struggle. Being used to turbulent water, I held my breath and instinctively made for the opposite side of the stream from which I had come.

I was still under water when my hand struck something. It was Constable Karo,

who had dived almost on ton of me. When he came to the surface I had reached shallow water and come up for air.

Getting Control Of Interior

uni iiinv* TT is now my intention to proceed up -1 stream to Kamindimbit, by “Sinus , and from there by canoe to Yimas on the Karawari. From Yimas I go south to the Maramuni and follow this stream south-westerly to its headwaters. This should bring me on to the plateau in thp vicinitv of the 143rd meridian. ine vlcimt y Ui I understand that Patrol Officer D w has recommended the P e estab lishment of a base camp at T suggestion I endorse. It will comple chain of stations and give us control o the area from e n Y P the Korosomen (South-West River) at the

143rd meridian approximately, which comprises almost the entire grass-plateau country of the interior.

The quickest and surest, wav to bring the interior under control is to concen trate on the grass country, the inhabitants of which may be induced to accept the new era with comparative ease. Control of the bush and forest lands will follow.

Mr. G. Harris and Mr. J. Keenan, ca dets in the N.G. Administration, arrived in Sydney from Rabaul, by the “Bulolo” in March, to take a special course in anthropology at Sydney University.