Lucyfinka

By Heather Gwilt

LUCYFINKA had real personality.

She could have inspired Mr.

Dale Carnegie, who wrote How to Make Friends and Influence People. She is well remembered in one New Guinea district.

When she was young, she was the close, warm friend of my sister, Mrs. Mona Peadon, of the Upper Ramu. When Mrs. Peadon had to go South, she gave Lucyfinka into the care of John Black. Lucy did not think much of him, at first: then she suddenly surrendered to his charm, and became his de voted comrade and loyal friend.

When Jim Taylor and John Black were sent off on that famous pre war patrol, which opened up much of the Highlands country, to Mount Hagen, the question arose: What about Lucyfinka?

There need have been no question.

She would not be parted from John.

She set out with the patrol party and, before long, she was the friend and inspiration of every member of it. Anyone would have thought it was her patrol. But she allowed no familiarities. She belonged to the boss, and she slept with the boss.

She felt the weight of her respon sibilities. It was a most difficult, arduous patrol, through unknown country, and the natives could have been dangerous. Often, she would leave her master’s bed, and join the police-boys on guard. They loved and respected her.

Lucyfinka also knew her place.

She went to the cook-boys for her rations. If she felt she was hot being treated decorously, or that her food was not up to standard, she would nip the cook-boys. They also loved her.

The going at times was so tough that trees had to be felled, to make paths or bridges. One day, when a tree fell, it fell on Lucyfinka, who had momentarily left the party.

She was so badly injured that John Black, to put her out of her agony, had to shoot her.

As he stood there in the jungle, looking at the body, there were tears in his eyes—never had he had a more faithful comrade.

And then there arose, around him in that mountain gorge, a great crying and wailing. Every native m the party, from the hardened old police-sergeant down to the youngest carrier, wept as they buried Lucyfinka, a half-bred cattle-bitch, who had won the affection of all of them. Into her grave they threw money, shells, knives, spears and bits and pieces of their treasures and over it they piled branches and flowers.

It all happened years ago. It was my sister who gave the little dog to John Black and recently

when I met him, and asked him what had become of Lucyfinka, I heard the story for the first time.

Old hands from the Ramu might like to hear the story. They all knew Lucyfinka and loved her for her habit of giving trespassers a well-deserved nip, in the right place.