Overlanding In

N. Guinea

Remarkable Feat by Three Wau Cattle-Men

From Our Own Correspondent

WAU, June 27.

AFTER an arduous journey, occupying three months, and covering 700 miles of mountain ranges, pre cipitous gorges, flooded rivers and almost impenetrable pit-pit swamps, Messrs. C.

Blake, G. Archer and W. Eckblade arrived in Wau in mid-June with 217 head of cattle, which had been purchased from Melamu plantation, some 40 miles south of Madang.

The actual number put on the trail

was 214, but the cattlemen arrived with 217. A few were lost on the trek, but these losses were made up for by births en route.

The cattle arrived in first-class condi tion, and the whole undertaking speaks volumes for the perseverance and endurance of the three drovers.

One of the most difficult problems they had to face was the crossing of the Markham River, which was about a mile and a half wide at the time. This cross ing alone took 7 days of unceasing

toil, the cattle at times beine taken as far as two miles down-stream by the swiftly-running current.

Valuable assistance was given in these operations by Markham natives, who swam beside the cattle and beat the water with bamboos to keep them on their course.

A pack-horse lost its foothold on the narrow ledge of a cliff, and fell head long into the river, many feet below. Al though slightly injured, this horse was saved, and returned with the party.

This droving feat will stand out as an epic among many deeds of pioneering in the Territory.

One of the drovers, Mr. Charles Blake—a photograph taken in 1939, when he was working his own min ing claim in the Bulolo Gorge, Morobe District.