Whilst here I had made good collections of birds and
butterflies, and had made expeditions into the surrounding and little
known country, including the mountains at the back, where no white
man had yet been. And now (September 17th, 1902) we were off on a
government exploring and punitive expedition into the unknown wilds
of this fascinating and interesting country.
We three sat on the stern of the large whale boat, while the twenty
police and our four boys took turns at the oars. They were fine
fellows these Papuan police, and their uniforms suited them well,
consisting as they did of a deep blue serge vest, edged with red
braid, and a "sulu" or kilt of the same material, which with their
bare legs made a sensible costume for the work they had to perform
in this rough country. As they pulled cheerfully at their oars they
seemed in splendid spirits, for they felt almost sure that they were
in for some fighting, and this they dearly love.
Our boys, however, did not look quite so happy, especially my boy
Arigita, who was a son of old Giwi, chief of the Kaili-kailis. He -
old Giwi - had gone on the previous day with three or four large
canoes laden with rice and manned by men of the Kaili-kaili and
Arifamu tribes, and we intended taking more canoes and men from the
Okeina tribe EN ROUTE.
Our expedition was partly a punitive one, as a tribe named Dobodura
had been continually raiding and slaughtering the Notu tribe on the
coast, with no other apparent reason than the filling of their own
cooking pots.
Although the Notus lived on the coast, little was known of them,
though they professed friendship to the government. The Doboduras,
on the other hand, were a strong fighting tribe a short way off in
the unknown interior, no white men having hitherto penetrated into
their country: hence they knew nothing about the white man except by
dim report.
After we had settled our account with them we intended going in search
of a curious swamp-dwelling tribe, whose feet were reported to be
webbed, like those of a duck, and many were the weird and fantastic
rumours that reached our ears concerning them.
The sea soon got very "choppy," and up went our sail, and we flew along
pretty fast. We had left behind us Mount Victory (a volcano which
is always sending forth volumes of dense smoke) some time before,
and some time afterward we were joined by a fleet of fourteen large
canoes, most of them belonging to the Okeina tribe, but also including
the three Kaili-kaili canoes sent off on the previous day.
We all then went on together, and late in the afternoon we landed
at a spot near the mouth of the Musa River. We spent the evening
shooting, and had splendid sport, our bag consisting of ducks of
various species, pigeon, spur-winged plover, curlew, sandpipers,
etc. We also saw wallaby, and numerous tracks of cassowary and wild
pig. After some supper on the beach, the Kaili-kaili, Arifamu and
Okeina carriers, numbering over one hundred, were drawn up in line,
and Monckton told them that he did not want so many carriers. If they
(the Okeinas) would like to come, he would not give them more than
tobacco, and not axes and knives, which he gave to the Kaili-kaili and
Arifamu carriers. They unanimously wished to go even without payment,
as they were confident that we should have some big fighting, and
they, being a fighting tribe, simply wished to go with us for this
reason. Monckton sent off the carriers that night, so that they could
get a good start of us. It was a bright moonlight night, and it was a
picturesque scene when the fleet of canoes started off amidst a regular
pandemonium of shouting and chatter. I do not suppose that this quiet
spot had ever before witnessed such a sight. We were off next morning
before sunrise, and continued our way in a dead calm and a blazing sun.
We soon caught up with our canoes, which had gone on in advance on the
previous night. A breeze sprang up and we made good progress under
sail, and soon left the canoes far behind. We saw plenty of large
crocodiles, and a persevering but much disappointed shark followed
us for some distance.
We camped that night just inside the mouth of the Barigi River, on the
very spot where Monckton was attacked the previous year by the Baruga
tribe. They had made a night attack upon him as he was encamped here
with his police, and had evidently expected to take him by surprise,
as they paddled quietly up. But he was ready for them, and gave the
leading canoe a volley, with the result that the river was soon full
of dead and wounded men, who were torn to pieces by the crocodiles. The
rest fled, but he captured their chief, who was wounded.
Upon our arrival late in the afternoon Acland and I started out with
our guns after pigeon, taking our boys and some armed police, as it
was not safe to venture far from the camp without protection.
The vegetation was very beautiful, and there was a wonderful variety
of the palm family. We wandered through very thorny and tangled
vegetation. We espied a fire not far off and went to inspect it,
but saw no natives, though there were plenty of footprints in the sand.
Towards evening we saw thousands of pigeons settle on a few trees
close by on a small island, but they were off in clouds before we got
near.
