LIFE IN PAPUA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19283, 22 September 1924, Page 10

LIFE IN PAPUA.

WILD SCENES AND PEOPLES

A WOMAN’S EXPERIENCE.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, September 11. Only a woman of adventurous spirit would care to live for long in inland Papua, and such a woman is Mrs Mollie Lett, who is visiting Australia after having spent six years on her husband’s estate at Maira, or tho Vailala River In describing her life there she remarked that from the Wame River in Purari Delta (flowing into Port Romily) to the Kikori River, nearly 100 miles awav. is both an interesting as well as adventurous little jaunt. Plenty of pigeon and alligator shooting is offered while travelling. The various villages passed, and the peculiarities and customs of the primitive natives, make it worth while. This part of the territory is hardly civilised, though under Government control. It is advisable to be cautious, courteous, and careful when paying n visit to a village. A little tact with tobacco trimmings is nearly all that is necessary. Failing those and the above Os. it would bo commendable to make one’s will and to say good-bye to one’s friends before going. Tho routes to the Kikori River are many. The whole country is a labyrinth of rivers, creeks, and canals. Most villages have a rest house, made of native materials. These afford shelter in case of rain (if the_ roof is in order), but owing to their proximity to the villagers, camping on the launch, mid-streams, is more comfortable, and oertainy more hygienic. VENEER OF CIVILISATION. Evarra, on the Wame River, and Kaimare, off Port Romilly, are the two first villages passed. Kaimare is a remarkably large place, with a huge fleet of canoes It has a population of about 1500, who spend the time mostly gossiping, fishing, and canoe making. Th© rickety platforms over the creeks and joining house to house look precarious and dangerous. These village people a- few years ago (before Government control) were one of the fiercest and wildest of head hunters in this district. This is very easy to believe, for the faces of the men are brutal, cunning, and satanic. Their veneer of civiliBotion is very thin- inded. and should not embarrass them much. Vaimuru is another large village. The natives are friendly or hostile, as the mood takes them. The houses number 80 to ICO, all built in *the mud; with the same rickety and precarious gangways. It is well, after leaving Vaimuru. to steer clear of Urama Island (between Era Bay and Paig Inlet), for the people there have a quite unsavoury name, and seem on all accounts to deserve it. They resent a friendly visit, and their receptions are ofte.n cold and austere—one could almost say rude. ALLIGATOR SHOOTING. For shooting alligators, the best place for a good shot is in one of tho smaller creeks, when the launch is at low speed. _ Some lazy monster is sure to be sunning himself. Vigilance is necessary, for they are cunningly alert, and are light sleepers. The best spot to aim at is just above the nap© of the neck. The native boys become frantic with joy if one makes a successful hit. They dread tho ualas (alligators), who have been ever their enemies. Paia village, is extraordinarily picturesque. Coconut trees’, palms, banana and the bread fruit trees grow all round. The scenery among these rivers is mostly of nipa and sago palms and of different varieties of the mangrove trees, with vivid flame-red and scarlet hanging creeper festoons from, the tops of the trees to the water’s edge lighting up the sombre river banks' arid producing an effect both brilliant and fantastic. From the Auro River the Aird Hills can bo seen bo seen standing out far above the surrounding country. This is a volcanic range of three hills, and here a missionary and his wife train the savage for usefulness and order. The panorama from these hills is magnificent. From Aird Hills to Kikori is an easy spin of 12 miles, with no villages cf any size to pass. The banks of the river become higher. When the Kikori River at last is reached the stream develops into a broad and swiftly-running river. . A trip of this description should be taken in tho season when the cool breezes from the sea. make the days and nights pleasant, and one can be comparatively free from mosquitoes. '