A RISKY TRIP

Hokitika Guardian, 20 June 1929, Page 7

A RISKY TRIP

THROUGH ISLAND INTERIORS.

ZOOLOGIST’S EXPERIENCE AVITH NATIVES. AUCKLAND, June 18. Few passengers on the Alumina, which arrived at Auckland from Sydney yesterday, knew that among them was a man returning home from months spent in one of the uncivilised outposts of the world. This was Air \V. R. AlcGregor, Lecturer in Zooljgy at Auckland University College, who has been away since • October on a scientific expedition in New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. He makes light of the risks lie ran during these months, when he travelled among hostile savages and defied that most sinister of all tropical enemies—malaria. “It was a purely scientific trip,” Mr .McGregor said. “I don’t pretend to be an intrepid explorer. lam quite satisfied with the results I have obtained, and I think I have unearthed some biological specimens entirely new to science. I. have not discovered any extinct monsters,” he added with a smile.

Mr AlcGregor left Auckland last October to pursue biological studies in the Tropics. He has returned with a fine collection of specimens, including reptiles in which he specialised, birds, and insects. After spending a short period in Queensland making biological studies there, Air AlcGregor left for New Guinea and conducted some investigations in the Port Alores•>y district. Then he made his way round the coast to Rabaul, in Nei\ Britain, where lie established his headquarters. He made severul coastal -rips, and then plunged on a trip 70 miles ,i:.’to the heart of wild and unexplored country. Leaving Rabaul with 19 native boys as porters, he follower river beds, scrambling along rocky banks up rough and rugged country. Frequent detours had to lx. made round gorges, which were really deep clefts in hard rpeks, and these entailed marches through forests w)iero malaria was rampant. “As far ijs ■ ] snow,” 'Mr AfcGregor said, “I am;onl: the second person who lias visited the interior to escape malaria.” Torrential rains fell practically every .dpy, generally accompanied by most .vidleni thunderstorms.” All the time they were working inland where the principal mountain range, forest covered, rises 10,000 feet above. sea level. “I had a certain amount of trouble with my boys,” Air AlcGregor said “Before long their number shrank t< 11, the others having deserted when they reached territory in which livec other natives hostile to them. • Oni night I caught the remaining 11 boyt in the act of deserting in a body. ] was taking a walk downstream from tin spot where we had pitched camp foi the night, and there they were, trying to get away quietly over a tributary to the main stream. I had to die suade them, as a white man must hav<natives with him in that country. As a matter of fact I fired a shot over their heads. It was no time for kidglove methods. ' “The natives are not quiet, hut fortunately I had no trouble with them,” AH AlcGregor said. “It is all a question as to who has been the previous visitor at a village. If the last calleri have been men recruiting native labour there is likely to be open opposition tc tho next white visitor. There had beer, no labour recruiters there before me. and once the suspicions of the natives were overcome they were quite friendly. I • would not exactly call then, cannibals, but I am positive that the.' practise cannibalism occasionally. Two or three years ago six white men went into the interior. AH were speared, and only one escaped. I had the pleasure of meeting him, and he is stili limping from his wound.” Whenever ho reached a village, All .McGregor said, there were generally inly a few only men, almost too old to move, and some decrepit old hags as its sole inhabitant. The others would be hiding in the bush. Presents of cloth and salt—the most, valued currency among the natives—would be made to the old people, and after i. day or two some of tho other oh 1 people would return to the village. They would he followed later by tin girls, and last of all by the young men, when they were certain they were not going to bo taken to tho coast tc work. .

Travelling sometimes in a cutter am' at others in a precarious dug-oni canoe, Air AlcGregor then explored tlk coral islands round the coast of New Guinea. The heat was intense. He secured some specimens of remarkable carvings from New Ireland, and thep returned to Rabaul. On his way back to Sydney he went right down thrqugh tlie Solomon Islands, visited the Santa Cruz group, went rapidly through the New Hebrides, and returned via Norfolk and Lord Howe Islands.