1600-Mile Expedition In Three Jet Boats

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31128, 3 August 1966, Page 4

1600-Mile Expedition In Three Jet Boats

Travelling 1600 miles in three jet boats with only one major breakdown and meeting natives who had never seen white people before were experiences of Mr G. M. Mannering, who has just returned from two and a half months in New Guinea with Mr and Mrs J. O. F. Hamilton, of Christchurch. Mr Mannering was on an expedition for the Australian Department of National Development, Bureau of Mineral Resources, which was examining the upper reaches of the tributaries of the middle Sepik river, to complete a geological map of the area.

The rivers were followed as far as they were navigable, said Mr Mannering. In some cases heights of 1500 ft were reached.

Plains people never reached those heights and mountain tribes who had never seen white people before were encountered. Contact had been made with two tribes and glimpses seen of a third, said Mr Mannering.

There were 10 Europeans in

the expedition, with six at a time in any one area, he said. Native carriers were employed and gave detailed information about their area.

The natives’ clothing habits did not change as higher altitudes were reached, said Mr Mannering. When he was glad of a sleeping bag at night, the Datives still wore minimum dress.

The expedition members ate mostly Australian tinned food supplemented by the native diet Native vegetables, pig and sikou (a small bush kangaroo) as well as birds were eaten.

The only major breakdown was a broken drive shaft. The boat took 25 hours and a half to drift 30 miles back to the base camp. Mr Mannering said the boats would continue the next part lof the expedition involving hundreds of miles along the 'coast under the direction of 'Mr H. Taylor, of Christi church. Geological mapping of I the rivers entering the sea from the ranges should be finised about the middle of September.