A VIRGIN JUNGLE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1048, 10 February 1911, Page 6

A VIRGIN JUNGLE.

ABODE OF PYGMIES AND BIRDS OF ' , PARADISE. ■ One of tho few unexplored parts of tho world, tho virgin jungle, in Dutch New Guinea (tho tropical island north of Australia), which bars tho progress of British explorers towards tho Snow Mountains, is described in a letter received by Reuter's Agency. Mr. Goodfellow, lender of the party, is on his way homo owing to illness, which is decimating tho coolies. Captain Rawling and Dr. Eric Marshall (ono of. tho Shackleton Polar party) aro still struggling to their coal. "It is virgin jungle never beforo trodden by the foot of man; to its hidden depths tho natives are complete strangers; tho pygmies from tho hills shun it; and tho natives • from the lowlands fear it. The outskirts and moro ' open parts bordering the river are frequented by cassowary (a kind of emu), boar, and wallaby (a small variety of kangaroo), and are the haunt of tho greater bird of paradise,' whose shrill, joyous call enlivens these dark depths. . Less than • a milo from the-river it-is impossible for a man to stand at any spot without being'touched on overy sido by tree stems. "It is the haunt of all creeping tilings, from tho deadly puff adder to the greater, yet comparatively harmless, python. Noxious insects abound, and leeches swarm on the saturated, moistridden trees and undergrowth. Everything decaying: no air seems to circulate, there, and what littlo thero is is fetid and stifling. Dismal, dark, dripping! Four weeks' arduous work has resulted in the cutting of 5900 yards (31 miles) of road." Dr. E. Marshall describes tho native woman: "Sho 'drags up' the children, cuts tho firewood, brings in tho sngo, works tho canoes, occasionally proving her skill as a warrior in tho family and villago quarrels, and always coming off best with her tongue. She is usually content with n strip of bark cloth. When in mourning she dispenses even with this. Pygmies averaging 4ft. Gin. to 4ft.. Bin. in height, • wild, shy, and treacherous, wander over tho heavy -jungle-clad hills and mountains. Thoy dwoll in the rudest kind of loan-to huts, mado of branches and fan-palms, with no regular villages, but move, from district to district in'search of food."