NEW GUINEA EXPLORATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15822, 22 July 1913, Page 2

NEW GUINEA EXPLORATION.

ARCTIC CONDITIONS ON EQUATOR. DR WOLLASTON'S ADVENTURES. (Fboji Oon Own Correspondent.) LONDON, May 31. After great hardships-and the loss of three lives, the expedition led by Dr A. F. R. Wollaston has reached the Great Snow Range of New Guinea and successfully ascended Mount Carsteim, A very valuable collection of birds and plants was ob. tained. Although the expedition had only to go some 60 miles, almost incessant rain, swollen rivers, and the difficult country made the work so hard that to cover this apoarently 6hort distance occupied four and a-half months. At the end the expedition nearly came to grief through the capsizing of Dr Wollaston's canoe. The explorer was rescued with some difficulty, but lost diaries'covering three months and a large quantity, of kit. Dr Wollaston left this country 12 months ago to ascend Mount Carste'nsz, the highest peak of the Nassau Range, in Dutch' New Guinea, which was the objective of the important expedition of three years ago. Dr Wollaston was a member of that expedition, which did not' succeed in its attempt. - . , HELP FROM DUTCH AUTHORITIES. After conferring with the Dutch authorities at Batavia the doctor went to Borneo, and spent eight weeks collecting Dyaks before returning to Batavia. Here he was joined by MrC.'B. Kloss, curator of the Kuala Lumper Museum, and the two with five native collectors and 74 Dyaka, proceeded in a Dutch Government ship to the south .coast of- Dutch New Guinea. They were escorted bv 40 Dutch soldiers and 80 convicts from Batavia under a Dutch officer.

The party disembarked at the mouth of the Utatava River, which had been ascended by Dutch travellers two years previously, and appeared to be the best route into the unknown interior. From the deck of the ship could be seen the snow-capped peaks of the mighty Caretensi!. A motor ,boat, built in England, and all the stores and equipment were landed and a. base cawn was made, 20 miles up the river. All this region was quite uninhabited, and the expedition had to carry every bit of its own food. Canoes were made by the Dyaks, and 'the river was ascended for two days beyond the base; but after that the expedition travelled by land. Depots were established three days' travel apart, the first being three days' march up the foot hills of the Snow Range. From the fourth depot the ascent was- made to the snow line. Progress was very slow, the ridcres being appallingly steep and the track rough. In the high mountains the sun was never'visible except for an hour in the morning, and the travellers were always in the clouds. 15,0C0i-r HIGH. When at an altitude of 50COft the expedition met some little folk, who proved miito friendly, and showed the travellers the track, these curious folk were small of stature, but were not pygmies. The highest point (15,000 ft) was reached after five days' march from the last base. The Tain descended in a continuous torrent, and although' Mount Carstensz is almost exactly on the Equator, the fogladen air was'freezingly cold. During the ascent a fine panorama was observed, but the mist closed in again, and when the party was within a very short distance of the top the steep ice and dense fog necessitated a retreat. Two attempts *o reach the actual summit were made, but eventually food gave out. It was as the last load was being taken to the base camp that the canoe containing Dr Wollaston an'ci six Dvaks struck a snag in the swirling torrent and capsized. Dr Wollaston was carried a long wav down the stream, and was almost completely exhausted, much valuable property was lost, including maps, cameras, instruments, and three months''diaries,