Morgbe, N.G.

Early Explorers In

Finders of Pygmies and Koranga Creek

Letter to the Editor IN the “P.1.M.” of May there is an article “Who Found Those N.G. Pygmies?”

Late in 1911. Mat Crowe, Jim Preston, Shark-Eye Park and myself, left Samarai, on a prospecting * trip to the Markham River, on invitation from Dr. Hahl, the Governor of German New Guinea.

While we were camped on the divide, between the Ramu and the Markham, the pygmies came into the camp, with food, etc. We made friends with them, and they did about three weeks’ carrying for us, while prospecting.

I do not know whether Father Kirsch baum met the pygmies before 1911.

Of course, ihe men I was with were only old prospectors, and I quite understand that they never get any credit, the good ones don’t expect it.

The first white man to reach Koranga Creek (the heart of the Morobe gold field) was J. Preston. Preston and Mat Crowe did the prospecting, and Shark- Eye Park looked after the camp.

The reason why they left was that the German Administrator came down from Madang and kicked them out. The Ger man officials did not know that they had found gold.

It was a successful trip, as they got about 600 Birds of Paradise. They* were sold in Rabaul at £3/-/- per head—also 750 oz. of gold, which was kept quiet. Only the four of us knew of it.

I am, etc..

E. Auerbach.

Muwo Is., Trobriand Group, Eastern Papua, 6/6/1939.

Monsieur de Creisquer, general agent for Messageries Marltimes at Noumea, New Caledonia, has been transferred to Shanghai. He has been succeeded at Noumea by Monsieur Gobard de Gopany.

Joane Malietoa, eldest son of the late High Chief Malietoa Tanumafili, 0.8. E., whose death occurred in Samoa recently, has been elected to succeed to the Malietoa title.