Iropicalities

mHERE seems to be a new brand of X Pidgin born every minute.

On the back of a lurid Far Eastern Liaison Office picture showing a croco dile (with a sword clutched in one front paw) being attacked simultaneously by an Australian with a Sten-gun, an American with a Bren-gun (or the Yankee equivalent) a native in a white shirt, with a rifle, and a “bush kanaka true” (evidently from Buka, by his colour), with a spear, is this message; Yumi banism pinis pukpuk man bilog Japan. I nogat sip, nau I nokan kisim nupela kaikai nau I nokan ronwei.

Orait, yumi pinisim nau. Yu mas halipam ol soldia bilog yumi. Taim bilog bekim nau.

Gavman I Tok.

An approximate English translation would be:— We have cut off and made it impos sible for him to escape—the crocodile man of Japan.

He has no ships and he cannot get supplies of food, neither can he eva- Alright, let us finish him now.

You must give every assistance to our troops. Now is the time to take revenge.

This is a Government Message.

Fifty millions of these leaflets were dropped on enemy-held territory by the FELO—a hush-hush Australian Army unit. Presumably, during the war years, the crocodile has become identified with the Jap in the minds of SW Pacific natives t A picture of a crocodile with a sword in its paw would have conveyed mighty little to the pre-war Melanesian, be he the police boy depicted in the pretty pic ture, or his naked bush brother.

Perhaps some serving Territorian can explain the significance of the ‘‘puk puk man belog Japan.” • * • NON-PIDGINEERS may be interested in seeing how the Pidgin words and meanings are created: Yumi (you and me) banisim (fenced him in) pinish (finish, or complete) puk puk (crocodile, or man-eating reptile) bilog (belong) Japan.

I (he) nogat (no got) sip (ship) nau (now) i (he) nokan (no can—cannot) kisim (catch him) nupela (new fellow) kaikai (word for food, universal in Paci fic) nau (now) i (he) nokan (cannot) ronwei (run away).

Orait (all right) yumi (you and me— we) pinisim (finish him—kill him) nau (now).

Yu (you) mas (must) halipam (help him) ol (all) soldia (soldiers) bilog (belong) yumi (you and me). Taim (time) bilog (belong) bekim (?) nau (now).

Gavman (Government) i (he) tok (talk).

THIS is the story of one of the most impudent of the exploits of Major D. G. Kennedy, DSO, and his force of native scouts.

When 250 Japs first landed on a small island in the Central Solomons they were kept under close observation by Kennedy’s patrols. The Japs brought ashore a large quantity of stores, prob ably hoping to establish at least a sea plane base.

But the information gathered by Ken nedy’s men had been sent back to Allied headquarters, and before the Japs had been in occupation more than a few days they found themselves subjected to a series of savage dive-bombing attacks which caused such heavy casualties to the landing party that its remnants withdrew to the New Georgia mainland —apparently, says Kennedy, ‘Vto think things over.” , Tjr The day after the Japs moved out Ken nedy’s scouts moved in. They found a dump of 400 drums of aviation gasoline and 20 drums of lubricating oil and these, under Kennedy’s orders, were rolled into the sea, then bound together with bush vines and towed to another part of the island, where they were hid in a dense mangrove swamp.

The job was completed after two nights of feverish and furtive activity. Shortly afterwards the Japs landed again on the island and spent many angry days look

ing for the mysteriously vanished drums.

Although the search continued intermit tently until the Japs finally withdrew from the island, the hiding place was never found.—HAROLD COOPER. * * *

An Alibi for Beer-drinkers

rE horse and mule live thirty years, And nothing know of wines and beers.

The goat and sheep at twenty die And never taste of Scotch or rye.

The cow drinks water by the ton — And at eighteen poor Pansy’s done.

The dog, at fifteen, cashes in, Without the aid of rum or gin.

The cat of milk and water soaks — And then in twelve short years it croaks.

The modest, sober, bone-dry hen Lays eggs for nogs—and dies at ten.

All animals are strictly dry— They sinless live, and sinless die.

But sinful, ginful, rum-soaked men Survive for three-score years and ten!

Jungle Technique

MODERN methods of communication were temporarily laid aside recently in the fighting behind Wewak, and the old native “garamut” came into its own.

For months the Japanese behind the Prince Alexander ridge had been strafed and bombed, and because the area was under Japanese control, the natives were getting the worst of it.

Natives were put to work by ANGAU officers to make garamuts. For days they chipped away to hollow out the logs, and at last they were finished.

The natives went to Shiburangu village, and their drums told the natives inland that the “Japanman” was bad, that the white master had good food and good treatment.

Next day 180 inland natives arrived at the ANGAU compound. * * *

The Pay-off

CIDELIGHT on the Jap surrender from the “Sydney Morning Herald” war correspondent in Manila ; When the Japanese surrender en voys were in Manila, the most haughty of them all called an American private to him and, hand ing over two five-dollar bills from a pile the Japs had brought with them, asked imperiously for two cartons of cigarettes.

With perfect discipline, the Ameri can soldier accepted the order, came back with the cigarettes and handed over the change—all in Japanese- Philippines occupation money. * * * Howlers LEAP Year is, instead of its being the next day on the same day next year, its the day after.

The Royal Mint is the stuff the King puts on his roast lamb.

They could not get wheat to grow in Egypt so they irritated it.