"By Aeroplane to Pygmyland" Accounts of the 1926 Smithsonian-Dutch Expedition to New Guinea

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Journal of Stanley Hedberg
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October 12, 1926 : Agintawa District


Tuesday
October 12
1926

We planned to leave today and some of the Papuans agreed to go back with us to help us carry. Old Phootewee, however, threw a wrench into the machinery and tried to keep us here by using the rain as an excuse for not going. He had convinced Egoon someway but we decided to go anyway. Whether we will be able to recruit enough carriers is a question. Egoon is afraid of this bunch and he can[’]t be blamed much. We continued our packing while the Papuans looked on rather sullenly. It is plainly evident they do not feel pleased to see us depart with our large collection. They overlook the fact that we made them many presents and paid them more than a fair price in their own money and standards of value. Matt also paid the head man rent for the site and for the wood and water we used. {F4.27} He should be satisfied but isn[’]t. He sits in the doorway and looks sore as a cut finger. It rains heavily but finally the packing is completed. Leroux calls for Papuan carriers (he told them about our leaving last night) but no one will offer to help carry a thing despite the fact that he offers them 10 cowries which is a fortune. He calls on Egoon and his 2 men but they remain silent. The situation is bad. Our collection is large and even without it we need as many carriers to go back with as we came up with and Leroux is now added to our party. It was a serious situation but we told the Papuans we could move without them and did. They thought we would either stay or leave the collection behind which is out of the question. We loaded the Dyaks and carriers with the collection and Dick and one soldier went with them to our last camp coming up which is only 2 hours away. Matt, Leroux and I with one soldier remained to watch the rest of our baggage, until the carriers could return. Dick and the other soldier stayed with the collection on that end. As the last of the men were leaving several youngsters came of their own accord and carried small bundles. We accepted their aid. Old Phootewee and several of his fellow conspirators tried to talk them out of it but to no avail. We sat around in the rain and the gang sat around looking sullen and without a doubt were much angered. We had our revolvers and rifles in readiness. As we sat waiting for the return of our carriers several deep conferences were held. We [sic, = There] were 4 of us against about 30 Papuans but we sat and chatted as tho nothing had happened. The natives scattered around, the women and children grouped down by the houses and the men scattered about in groups of 4 or 5 with their bows and arrows plainly in site [sic] for instant use. There were 2 bad looking fellows who looked as tho they were anxious for trouble and Matt said they were the 2 to watch. We did. The new man from Bigicia seemed friendly enough but acted as tho they didn[’]t know what it was all about. A few minutes after {F4.28} Dick and the carriers left[,] 2 men were dispatched after them evidently to see how far they would go and to see what our plan was. After a long discussion one of the hard boiled chaps came over with a committee of five or so and the bad chap informed us thru the sign language and a long Papuan recital that they outnumbered us greatly and then pulling his bow and fitting an arrow to it he demonstrated the use of the bow and arrow without shooting it. To convince us of his fighting ability he proudly exhibited 3 or 4 arrow scar wounds on his anatomy. There was no mistaking or misunderstanding his threat. His companions nodded and also voiced his sentiments. We acted dumb as could be as to what he was trying to tell us and he went thru the act all over again. It was raining and the clouds were settling in giving the scene a weird enough setting. It looked bad all around[;] Leroux went over to the soldiers and inspected his rifle in a business like manner[,] opening the chamber with a bang and taking out the five cartridges in the clip and holding them up for a critical examination. The natives watched this scene with a good deal of interest. Leroux placed the bullets back into the chamber and closed it with an impressive click and returned the gun to the soldier who held it on his knees in readiness. Matt and I had our revolvers strapped on our sides. Leroux was unarmed. After this demonstration the committee said nothing and I rolled a cigarette and passed around papers and the makings to the group. They are always in the smoking mood. Old Head Man sat in the doorway and looked sour but said nothing. He evidently saw we were not afraid and his scheme to keep us from leaving had not worked out as he had anticipated. Most of the Bigicia tribe came over and some wanted to trade with Matt but he said he would buy anything they had at Tombay and trading was off here. One chap had a good pipe which I had filled with tobacco and we wanted that so {F4.29} I took a brite yellow and blue empty card board film bos [sic] from my shirt and looked into it. Half a dozen or more offered me various articles for it which I refused. Finally the chap offered his pipe and I reluctantly accepted much to his delight. The others were disappointed. He was pleased when I let him finish the tobacco in the box and handed it over eagerly, when he had finished his smoke. The Dyaks and convicts returned in 2 hours and we loaded them with the remainder[,] ignoring the Papuans entirely. There was too much left over so we gave each carrier and the Dyaks a little extra and Matt carried the movie tripod and I a bundle of large feathered headdresses which was lite but bulky, and so we departed. We waved a friendly goodbye to the chief and the rest but they did not return the courtesy. Matt was going to present him with ten cowries upon leaving but do [sic, = due] to his last minute actions did not do so. We had everything and were on our way. The carriers went ahead and Matt, Leroux and I followed with the soldier bringing up in the rear. We had not gone far (the trail out of the villages is always difficult for there are innumerable fences to climb and gardens to pass thru) when 3 or 4 natives came running up offering their services as carriers. I enlisted one, Matt, however, choose [sic] to carry the heavy tripod. We reached camp where Dick and the soldier were waiting guarding the collection. Several Papuans were present and had helped carry a few things for them but they stopped very often[,] Dick said[,] and talked for a long time. Nothing could be done to induce them to continue until they wanted to. Dick stayed with them until they arrived in camp. It was late when the first section of our transport started so as it was past noon when we arrived[,] we decided to lunch there. Six of the Papuans agreed to carry for us, 3 of them boys, and two[,] incidentally[,] sons of Phootewee who had always helped around camp. We decided the best thing to do was to contue [sic] on as far as we could going in {F4.30} two sections. Leroux and I with the carriers and the Papuans – 6 – took as much as we could and started off with one soldier, leaving Matt and Dick and a soldier behind to guard the rest of the luggage. We climbed to the top of the first ridge and then sent the Papuans and our carriers to bring up the rest. Several of the Papuans tried to quit on us on the way up and wanted their pay but we told them they had said they would carry to Tombay and they would receive their ten cowries when they had carried out the promise. They continued. The small boys carried heavy loads and didn[’]t complain. It was late when the second group arrived and we made camp in the dark. Egoon[,] who had remained behind at the village when we left[,] had come up with one of his men on the second trip. He said he left the other one behind to bring potatoes back. He also informed us the Agentuwa folks were bah – no good – and said he was afraid of them for they are larger and stronger than his tribe, which are real pygmies. These folks have a good mixture of lake plain blood in them and from their actions are also of their temperment [sic]. We camped on the top of the ridge where a Papuan shelter is standing and the Papuans with us slept in it. They started a conceited [sic, = concerted] movement to get their pay saying they would go no farther. We consistently refused and said they would be paid at Tombay when they had finished their work as agreed to. They evidently intended to go to Tombay with us for they had brought a large bag filled with potatoes and bananas. Our guide on the way up who had announced his intention of going back with us, as did several others, were [sic] not included in our list of six, however. We put all of our collection and baggage under our beds and the beds of the carriers before retiring. Two of the natives, one a boy of the chief, returned, but announced their intention of being present to continue in the morning after many attempts to get paid off had failed. We kept a {F4.31} close watch in the night, but nothing materialized. Yes it rained.




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