PAPUAN EXPLORATION

Evening Star, Issue 14495, 21 February 1911, Page 6

PAPUAN EXPLORATION

FATE OF MR SMITH’S PARTY. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. THURSDAY ISLAND, February 20. Reports from Darn, in New Guinea, point to the possibility of Mr Smith’s party (three whites and throe native guides) having been massacred by natives. It is said that the search parties took all the native police and ex-police from their villages, and that they were under the impression that they were going to light the natives who were reported to have killed Mr Smith's party, Tho safety of Mr Smith is doubted nt Darn, as the question is discussed amongst tho natives whether iia would ho permitted to pass through their territory without hindrance. No authentic news lias been received by the acting magis. trato at Daru, who, however, is inclined tq beliovo tho reports of the coast native®/ who got information from their wilder neighbors in the vicinity of the Papuan Gulf delta.

MEMBERS OF THE PARTY POSSIBLY DROWNED. SYDNEY’, February 21. (Received February 21, at 10.20 a.m.) Tho names of the members of Mr Smith's party who are missing are: Mr Bell (Chief Inspector of Native Affaire), Mr Pratt (surveyor), Mr Beaver (magistrate at Daru), Mr Ryan (Mr Beaver’s assistant), Mr Massey (of Thursday Island, who was in charge of the launch), and Mr Baker (engineer on the launch). The Rev. Mr Butcher, of Papua, who is visiting Sydney, thinks that probably the launch caught in a bore on the river, which is up to ten feet high at thin time of the year, a.nd is very dangerous. Ho regard's it ns unlikely that they were overwhelmed by natives, although tho country is inhabited by cannibals.