40 Years Ago
p. 16 · Read in the full issue
How Germans Treated New Guinea Natives
By K. D. MacPhee, Levuka, Fiji
IWAS a member of the Huon Gulf Expedition (New Guinea) during the years 1902-3. This was an expedi tion sponsored by the German New Guinea Company, and the expedition’s main station was established at Sala maua.
The native meaning of the word Salamaua is “a crossing-place for canoes”—as the isthmus there, between the sea and harbour, is very narrow.
The object of the expedition was to search for minerals and oil; and our first discovery of gold on German ter ritory was on the Waria River, where a small amount of alluvial gold was recovered.
Our operations were transferred to the Markham River, On the left bank, at the mouth of this river, we established a station, known to us as Laikamo; and I think that that is about the present position of the township of Lae.
I was deputed, with another European, seven armed boys and 14 carriers (Buka natives), to explore and prospect the Markham River as far as its source; another section of the expedition was to follow.
We travelled up the Markham Valley and, on the third day out, when we made camp, several of our boys went searching for fish. They fell in with a band of Markham Valley natives, and one of our boys was speared right through the back, the shaft-head penetrating his body. His head was also tomahawked, and from those injuries he died.
A punitive expedition, which subse quently set out to punish the culprits, consisted of seven European members of the expedition and 30 armed Buka boys.
About 30 miles from the river’s mouth we forded the river and travelled across country, until we entered the land occu pied by the natives; and in open order we came to their village. Our instruc tions were to fire at all adult males; but, fortunately, there were only three, at a corner of the village, engaged in cooking in their earthen pots. The pots contained rats and bananas.
A volley was fired by our armed Buka boys. The natives escaped, although blood traces were visible.
Around the village, in their banana gardens, there were many bows and arrows, and.shields, placed in preparation for fighting; but, seeing our strength, the owners had decamped.
The whole of the village houses were then set on fire, and all the surrounding banana plants were cut down. While the houses were burning, wails and cries could be heard from the women, who had fled to the high ridges above the village.
There must be still some natives there who will remember the harsh methods of the Germans.
Mr. Jim Ewen, who was an inspector and instructor in the New Guinea Department of Agriculture, now is Air craftsman Ewen, in the RAAF. At pre sent, he is undergoing training, and hopes eventually to become a pilot.
Before he entered the NG Administra tion, he studied agriculture at Dookie College, in Victoria. His father, Mr. J.
A. Ewen, is a well-known member of BP’s New Guinea staff and for many years was manager at Kokopo; he was on furlough in Australia when the Japs over-ran New Britain early this year.