[?]Uatorial Mountain

[?]Eezes

Guinea Patrol

P. MORESBY, March 31.

CJRING a recent patrol over the little-known Sara waged Range (in the Finschafen Sub-Dis t, and about 30 miles from the st), Patrol Officer T. White ran > a type of weather which is not ally associated with New Gui . The range is only 7 degrees n the equator. Sleet and ice med grass made travelling diffi on the high passes, and the its were so cold that a fire had )e kept burning in their impro d shelters, built like burrows er cliff ledges. i addition to the usual patrol es—such as visiting villages, ;king on health, hygiene, food ply and other routine matters — White mapped the range and ;ked the height of the various ss. The highest climbed by the ;y was Mt. Bangeta, 12,480 feet, ers were climbed which had er before been tackled by intaineers, white or brown — trding to the local people, Ithough several native trade es cross the range, these trips avoided by the natives, except he dry seasons, when they often ,nise hunting parties to catch kangaroos, which are quite lerous on the upper slopes and ing levels. But in the season of and rain it can be fatal for ves to be caught in a storm, re they soon perish from the ase cold. le patrol saw seven graves in place and was told that there s others not far away. Only year four natives returning i the coast were caught on one le high passes by a storm. Soon e were too ill to move, but the th managed to get away and help. But the three left behind ! dead when rescuers arrived. r en the patrol members, pped with special clothing and food supplies, found the going tough; and on one night march had to stop towards dawn to ; a fire and thaw out before could continue the climb, ry few Europeans have crossed Sarawaged Range. Among the iest to do so was a remarkable rican woman, well on in her is, who went into the area with issionary and concentrated on otanical study of the district, is now living in Brisbane. ’• H. R. Niall, District Commis jr at Lae, on long leave, is hav a “busman’s holiday.” He has with the P-NG delegates to nea to the South Pacific Con ice.