PAPUAN EXPEDITION

Hokitika Guardian, 27 September 1928, Page 7

PAPUAN EXPEDITION

SEARCH FOR NEW SUGAR CANES. CANNIBALS AND PIGMIES MET. • AUCKLAND, September 24. With a seaplane hoisted up on the for’arcl deck, the Aornngi nrr'ved from Sydney tins morning, and it was leai lied, that the ’plane had played a prominent part in the exploration of unknown Papua, where an American exploration party has been making investigation,s to collect varieties ol s gar cane cultivated by the nat ves of tie country or growing wild, cane which might be res’stant to the mosaic vr other diseases, and to gather evidence of the principal species of commercially cultivated sugar cane. The expedition was sponsored by the United States Department of Agriculture with the co-operat on of Hawaiian sugar planters and the Colonial Sugar Refining Company, Ltd. The mem ers of the expedition included Dr E. W. Era tides, principal pathologist of the United States Department of Agriculture, Dr Jeswiet R. K. Peck (United States Government aviator), and Air C. WY. Pemberton (entomologist of the Hawaiian Sugar Producters’ Association.) “In the course of our investigations we fiew over 1000 square miles of country that no white man. had previously seen, and discovered fourteen lakes,’ said the leader of the expedit'on (Dr Brantles), He said the party arrived at Port Moresby, Papua, early in June 1928, and dispatched food and fuel sup. plies together with a white patrol officer fourteen native police, native carriers, servants, etc., to the first base camp on the Strickland River, a tributary of the Fly, in Western Papua. The scientific party after several reconnaissance trips to various rivers flowing into the gulf of Papua, proce fled by seaplane to the base camp in five and one-half hours, making a journey that had required nearly thee weeks tor a boat. From the base on the Strickland most of Western Papua was explored for sugar cane by seaplane and by double canoes fitted with outboard motors. These canoes were capable of .carrying several tons of supplies. Within three weeks all the objectives in this part of New Guinea bad been reached, including the middle Fly and Strickland Rivers, Lake Murray, the upper Fly and its tributar.es, the Alice and Palmer Rivers. On one trip the party flew to the rolling foothills of the Victor Emanuel range, near IF 600 mi e s in the interior.

The head-hunting cannibals of Labe Murray were visited three times, and a race of pigmies dwelling in tree bouses 500 miles up the Fly were encountered on one trip. These races

arc both very primitive, wearing practically no clothing, and judging by t e evidence of defensive measures they live in constant fe..r of surprise atlac :s by hostile neighbours. Their agriculture is very crude, and in« some instances, negligible, the 11 Itivos depend ing solely on Nature for their food supplies. Sugar cane was found eve y where in This region, either wild or m native gardens. The natives of the .Middle Ely and Lake Murray are very fie no and self-assertive, but aside In 111 invit ng membeis < f the party to enter du u nuuffes for certain rites (the is uni method of . enticing strangers to their destruction) they made no demonstrations suggestive of hostility. “For the most part, the natives were so abjectly terrified by our sudden descent from the sky that it required hours 01 patient persuasion to get in contact with them,” Said Dr Braudes. Altogether the party travelled 10,0 0 miles by ’plane, 600 miles by canoe ami about TOO miles on foot in the terri tories of Papua and New Guinea, visit ing practically every section from the coast to tl e most- remote interior. A number of geographical features new t. the Government weie discovered, including* fourteen lakes in the vast lake plain of the middle Fly, one of wh eh was named Lake Herbert Hoover, the then Secretary of Commerce of the United States, who has done so much for commercial aviation in America. .Ln conclusion Dr Brandes said' that 171 varieties of sugar cane were collected and are being sent in duplicate to Washington and Sydney, where they will be studied in detail to attemept to throw light on the origin of su.ar cane from wild forms, and also tested for resistance to mosaic. The practicability of the aeroplane ns a valuable adjunction has been amply proved by this expedition, The performance of the ’plane under the particularly trying conditions encountered there, high temperature, glassy water, lack ol wind and torrential streams encumbered with floating Jogs was perfect. It required good judgment and skilful piloting, but whenever a landing was desired it was found possible to accomplish it.

A new species of sugar cane, designated Saceharum robustum, was found growing along the banks of the rivers in great abundance. It is the largest and most vigorous sugar cane yet d scovered, and may prove to he of value in the improvement of cultivated canes by crossing.