LIFE IN PAPUA.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18184, 22 September 1924, Page 11

LIFE IN PAPUA.

WILD SCENES & PEOPLES A WOMAN'S EXPERIENCE. {jnou OOJ£ OWN COESESrOITDEKT.) SIDNEY, September 11. Only a "woman'of adventurous spirit would care £o live for long in inland. Papua, and such- a woman is Mollie Lett, who is visiting Australia after having spent six years on her husband's estate at Maira, on the ailala river. In describing her life there, sho remarked th:".t from, tha "V\ aJXio. river in the Purari Delta . (flowing . into Port Eomilly) to the Kikori river, nearly 100 miles' away, is both an interesting as well as adventurous little jaunt. Plenty of pigeon and allipator footing is offered while travelling. Tinvarious villages passed, and the peculiarities and customs' of the primitive •Natives, make it worth while, Hiis part of the territory is hardly civilised, though under government ecnLrol. It is advisable to be cautious, courteous and careful when paying a visit to a village. A little tact with tobacco trimmings is nearly all that is neeossaij. Failing tlieso and tho above three C s, it would be commendablo to mako one s .will, and to say goodbye to one s friends before going. . . The routes to' tho Kikori river are many.. The whole country is a labyrinth of rivers, creeks and canals. Most villages have a ' rest house, inado ot Native materials. These afford sheltoi in case of r.iin (if the roof is in order), but owing to their proximity to the villages, camping on tho launch, midstream, is more comfortable, and certainly more hygienic.

Veneer of Civilisation. Evarra, on the Wame river, and Knimarc, off Port Itomilly,. are tho two lirst villages passed. lvaimaro is a. remarkably .largo place, with a huge fleet of .canoes. It has a population of about 1500, \obo spend the time mostly gossiping, fishing and canoo making. The rickety platforms over tho -creeks and joining house, to house look precarious and dangerous. These village people'a fe\v years ago (before ■Government control) were one of tiTu fiercest and wildest .of headhunters in this district. This is very easy to believe, for the fates of tho men c.re brutal, cunninp; and satanic. •Their veneer ol civilisation' is- very ihin indeed, and should not embarrass them much. Vaimnru is another largo;, vil-i.-.jre. Tbo natives are friendly of hostile, as tho mood talcN; them. //Tbo bouses number £0 to 100, all flt iri tbo Im:d with the same rickety and precarious- gangways. It is well, iift"r lc'avinc Vaimuru, to steer clear of Frama Island (betwren Fra Bay and Palnlet), for the people there have n. qui to unsavory name, and s"ppi" on all recounts to deserve it. The.v resent a friendly visit, and their receptions are often cold and austere—enc could almost My rud".

Alligator Shooting. 1 For shooting; alligators, the best place for a good shot is in one of the iraalicr c.rceks, when the launch is at Jow speed. Some lasv monster is sure to hb>unn.ing himself. .Vigilance is necessary for they aJ'e cunningly. alert and are light" sleepers;. The best spot to aim at is' just above the nape of the ncek. The native hoys become frantic with iny if oho makes •'» successful hit. They 'dread the ualas (alligators), who have'been ever their enemies. Pai.i villagu is extraordinarily picturesque. Coconut trees, palm;, banana and the bread' fruit trees grow all j round. The scenery among these ! rivers is mostly of nipa and sage palms ! and of different varieties of the mangrove trees, with vivid flame-red and ficarlet hanging creeper festoons from the tops of the trees to .the water's edge lighting' up the sombre river banks and producing an. effect, both hrilliant and fantastic. J'Yom the Auro river the Aiid Hills can bo seen, standing out far above the. .(surrounding country. This is a ; volcanic' range of three hills-, .and hero, a missionary and h'if. wife train the sarago for use£nlne:-:n and order. The panorama. from these bills is ■ magnificent-';•" From* Aird Hills to 'Kikori is an'easy spin of 12 miles, ■with no -villages'.,.ot any tize. to ,pq's3. The. banks of the riycr become higher. "When the Kikori riven .at last is reached. ; t-he stream develops 1 into a" broad and swiftly-running river. A'trip of this description. shtiuld .be •taken in the season ; when "the cool Hreezes from the'sea iria.kc ; the' daand nig&ts pleasant," and one Can be comparatively free from mosquitoes.