LIFE OF ADVENTURE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21100, 6 February 1932, Page 6

LIFE OF ADVENTURE.

YOUTH AND HIS THRILLS,

horrors of new guinea:

CRUDE SURGICAL OPERATION

[from otto own correspondent.] SYDNEY, Jan. 28 Although only 21 years of age, Jaolt Thomas, who recently arrived in Sydney from the wilds of New Guinea, can ion]< back upon a life crowded with arlven ture. A shot in the thigh from a de mented hermit; an appendicitis opera tion performed by a native without the aid of an anaesthetic; and in attack by New Guinea natives in which his father and brother were speared—these are some of young Thomas' adventures. Thomas was born in Darwin and for s while he was engaged with others in trocus and pearl shell fishing. He even became engaged with an opium ring, so he says, and assisted to pick up parcels addressed to that were dropped from ships when they were 40 miles off the Australian coast. Then he and his father decided to go gold prospecting in New Guinea and they were urged on by the wonderful tales that have reached Australia from that rich land. However, thoy failed to reach the centre of prospecting operations, Edie Creek. Attacked by Natives. When the party was about 50 miles from "The Creek" they camped one night with their party of coastal native bearers. About 2.30 in the morning there was a howl and their natives fled. A shower of spears then fell upon ihe little camp. It was an attack by a hill tribe, which, after it had done its work, raced back to their hiding places. When Thomas returned to the camp at daylight he found his father dying from a spear wound, which had pierced his iung. His brother was dead, with a spear through the back of the head and coming out through his throat. Somehow Thomas found his way back to Rabaul and there he engaged in peanut farming until he was encouraged to join two others and so resume the search for gold. They received a lease at Edie Creek and on the way to it had to pass a farm that was worked by an old hermit. Thomas went to the hut to get some water, but as he neared the door it opened, and a shot rang out. He was wounded in the thigh. The bullet could .be seen just under the skin and one of his mates extracted it with the aid of a razor. A touch of fever followed, but the wound ;< soon healed. Down with Appendicitis. A few days later Thomas went down with appendicitis. Delay, he says, would have meant death, and the only doctor in the vicinity was temporarily out of action because he had become a drng fiend. A native who had been taking lessons from the doctor said he would operate if permitted to do so, and Thomas agreed. In a native hut there was a plank slab with a number of holes bored through it. Thomas lay on the slab and some bowls of incense were placed under it and lighted. The smoke which streamed up through the holes was the disinfectant to keep away the germs The operation took two hours and was delayed because Thomas, who was given no anaesthetic, fainted twice. It was a dreadful ordeal and for four days after it he was nearly out of his mind. Then the pain eased and gradually he got better.