LIVELY FIGHTING.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 201, 19 May 1908, Page 7

LIVELY FIGHTING.

' . PAPUA NATIVES. PUNITIVE EXPEDITION'S WORK. ' AN ATTACK IN FORCE. .■; by. teleghaph—ritEss association— copyright. Sydney, May 18. The special correspondent of tho "Sydney Morning Herald" in Papua (New Guinea) gives a graphio of the experience of a small expedition sent to ptinish the Ukiaravi , tribe * fdf attacking two . white traders. : V Fifteen hundred natives; attacked the expedition. -Four' of. the Government' force were wounded. Aftor two natives had been killed- and three wounded, the remainder fled to tho bush. > - . Several natives have' been handed ; over, ■but'.tiie ringleader. of tho attack escaped. • ".CANNIBALS AFTER A LAUNCH. >> The object of the expedition is no doubt to. punish the tribe i that gave the settlers, Boyd tutd • Ohft/penter'-' bdh an exciting last month. An .Australian ' report states"This portion of the Gulf country is practically unknown to the white residents or Papiia, but Budhinan and Charpenter, despite the warnings of. residents;' determined upon settling oli ono of the fertile valleys. along the Kapaina ■River to grow' tropical, products. _■ They penetrated ifiahy miles into the interior, entering /into a regiofl occupied by-a tribe of wild cannibals; which liaS'. iiot. so far : beeii brought linder the influence of; the Government. Allfiost immediately the natives niad6 a -, hostile dbmbiistration, and .thbtigli the settlers eiif doavoured to hold a friendly parley they mado an attack.' ■ ' ; . ; ;. ."Fortunately the white ' men were for this, and although •thoir escape from the hail of ■ falling, missiles seiit after them was little short, of miraculous, they. succeeded iii making ' their way '. down the river ill .their launch, followed by' ..hordes -of ffenzied Papuans; Apprtachiiig- Kaimarij- tM two settlfers, turned d' beiid in-the river, to fltid to their dismay half a dbzen War cinbes, filled with i armed Papuans;, coming up 'stream; but, tb their delight; these turned-oiit to ,be. memj. berS .bf. thfe Kaiihari tribe, which is .under. Government control, arid most friendly to thd tfhite residents'. Thb Kaimifis had been at; tracted toi the spot 1 by. thb wiir-cries of tho wild tribe; (ond , immediately ■; tbbk MessrS. Buchanhn and Charpenter uridfer . their pro; tection; landing some of their own ivarriors, and driving the hostiles back to tho bush. "The fugitives were than escorted to Maipua. on the Purari River, where -there. is a settlement; ,Thb Government ste&nler Merrie England sailed; on April 20' for Kaimiri'for tho: purpose .of punishing . the hostile tribe." Messrs; Buchanan and Chirpenter's launch has beon taken by . the expedition for the - purpose. :of ascending .the river. 'The Kaiinari. ttibb.iS to be rewarded foij its', action." ..' ; ;1. i