Monday
May 24
1926

We learned from the Dutch today that is [sic, = it] was the second day of Penticost [sic, = Pentecost] so it was another holiday and no work was done. They are great for celebrating holidays in the Indies (east) but it seems funny that they should be so religiously observed on an expedition to New Guinea when most of the expedition doesn’t ever know what day or date it is. Yesterday was the first one as it was Sunday we thought it was just the Sunday atmosphere that we noticed. However, to them Sunday isn’t important as the many holidays that are on the calendar. They have weeks in the year that have only one or two of the seven days in them that are not holidays and everything closes up tight as a drum. So today outside of the weather which was cloudy and [sic, = it] was another Sunday for us. The soldiers went hunting, and so did the Dyaks. The Dyaks brought back a pigeon, while the soldiers came back with a kangeroo [sic] similar to those of Australia. It was about normal in size. Friday the first transport starts up the river. Matt and Leroux are going away on a ten or fourteen day trip to the native village of our friendly Papuans which they failed to reach on their other attempt because of the distance. This time they will be taken up with the motor boat and they will camp with them for that length of time and then return when we send for them. In the meantime the transport will be on its way up to Batavia Camp. It is possible that Dick and I will go up with the canoes to bring them back and thus get an opportunity to take some pictures. They will live with them and study them for that length of time. This will be a good opportunity of learning more about them. They will also see their women folks. They are very afraid of [sic, = for] their women and are afraid that the men of this expedition will {F1.7} come there. They would never bring back [line missing] Matt both promised them that they would be the only two men who would visit them and they were satisfied. After they get accustomed to them they won’t mind if we come up. That ought to be an interesting trip. I forgot the [sic, = to] mention yesterday that I had my head closely clipped. It is much cooler although at first the flies bother one considerably. We all have our heads closely cropped now and present a funny appearance with our heavy beards. Matt took a picture of each of us and we will laugh at them many times when we get home I presume. Nearly everybody in camp is closely cropped except of course the Dutch members and the Captain. Lieuts. Jordans and Korteman, however, have adopted the New Guinea style of haircut. I presume it is too low brow for the others, just because the sergeants and corporals have also had the same thing done. It is the same thing as the corn question in Java. Just because the native eat corn (maize they call it) no self-respecting Dutchman will eat or serve corn in Java. They don’t know how good sugar corn is[,] I presume[,] or they wouldn’t give a damn who ate the corn. That’s one reason we couldn’t obtain any canned corn in Java. They don’t even serve it in the hotels there for the same reason.

A little after noon, eight or nine Papuans arrived in two canoes. They were different folks than those who had visited us before but were similar in dress and actions. I thought they were a little more colorful for they had more beads and ornaments on them. Then too, more of them had on the flash stuff. They left two men in their canoes and also came ashore without their bows and arrows. They came down the river. The Captain of the Albatros had said that on this last trip he saw more natives than on the two previous trips[,] the falling of the river having brought them back to their camp sites which had been flooded when we came up. They must be from that bunch. Of course they wanted tobacco and food-{F1.8} stuff. Leroux, Dick and I shot some pictures of them after which we gave them tobacco but more sparingly than we had done with our first visitors. They had bananas and cocoanuts for exchange. One or two of them had the same kind of skin disease that the others had. One also had a huge knee cap and Dr. Hoffman said it was water on the knee. They also had the two thin bones stuck up straight through their noses and a cassorary [sic, = cassowary] bone through their nose sideways. One was rather old and appeared to be ruptured. As was the case with the others they had one old man and a small boy with them. Leroux and Doc visited with them and obtained a list of words. They are practically the same as the words of the other tribe although they have some slight difference[s]. They too, [sic] did not enunciate as well as the others did and it was hard to understand the words that they were telling. They have just come by now and they are standing staring at me as I write this. The others were very much interested also. The small boy is curiously [sic, = curious] as can be and smiles with the rest of them as I watch them and continue writing the touch system. They all carry their belongings in a small bag stretched over their shoulders. They have collected an assortment of tins (empty) and are quite proud of their possessions. Leroux asked them if they would stay with us tonight and some of them assented. Five, however, couldn’t and they passed down the river a short while ago on their way home. They are probably married and have to be home in time for dinner. The others must be single to be able to stay away from home all night if matrimony is the same in New Guinea as it is in the United States. I presume that it is. It would be interesting to see the women folks. So far we haven’t seen one native woman in New Guinea with the exception of course of Mano Kwari [sic, = Manokwari]. They smile and gaze as I write. It seems strange to them for they know not what it is. Their Malay is not extensive as the others so it is difficult to talk with them. {F1.9} There is a roar of laughter from alongside of our house wherein lives [sic] Captain and the other army men. I hasten to learn what it is all about and Dr. Hoffman has turned out to be a good commedian [sic]. He had a false face on and a skull cap and was dancing and prancing around going through all sorts of capers. They were frightened at first and all laughed heartily when he took it off. They also seemed to rest easier when they learned it was the Dr. Dr. Hoffman always informs them that he is a doctor and tells them that if they have any sick folks in their village to bring them to him and he will give them medical assistance. I believe that they soon will be taking advantage of this. The one chap who had water on the knee was brought forth but it was such that he couldn’t do anything for him without a long treatment. Other expeditions have given much valuable assistance from a medical standpoint and they know of that fact.

It has started to rain again putting another R. in the daily weather report. It is full of R’s for no matter how nice the day is, it is very seldom that we don’t get some rain either late in the afternoon or during the evening. It was a beautiful evening last night and the coloring in the sky was really beautiful. The clouds were fluffy and white and the sun shone through them in spots with great affect [sic]. Later the red of the sunset was enough to give anybody a thrill. We have had but two such evenings and when one does come it is thoroughly enjoyed. The Papuans are having a good time visiting around the various parts of the camp. We gave two of them who stayed with us a while an empty sun[-]maid raisin box with a picture of a girl and grapes on it. It was brightly colored red and their eyes bulged out. The smaller boy liked it very much. Then Doc got out some hard candy. He took a piece himself and then told them that it was macon [sic, = makan (Malay)]. They took it rather scared but one of them {F1.10} tasted of it and sucked on it for all he was worth. They talked fast and the other one hastened to try it. Then they all came for a piece[,] for the news spread fast so there was nothing to do but give each one a piece. “Bagoose” [sic, = bagus (Malay)] which means good in Malay is what they said. Matches are in great demand. They even like matches more than tobacco. I gave one a few in an empty match box and he was pleased. I tried to ask them the name for my pipe but they had no such thing. I was blowing it out and it made a noise like it does when the empty tobacco grains stick and they all laughed. I then played it like a musical instrument and they got a kick out of that also. It doesn’t take much to amuse them. Matt then brought out some prints of the other Papuans which Dick had just finished printing. They recognized two of them – one was the old jew fellow who was so funny – and you should have heard them jabber. They mentioned the name but we couldn’t get it [–] it came so fast. They were much interested in the pictures and looked searchingly at those that they didn’t know. I thought that they were going to stay with us tonight but they just passed down stream in their canoe. I suppose that they are all married now. They probably have a long way to go and might get the dickens from their wives when they return late at that. Such is life even in New Guinea. The hunting must have been very good today for the army medical sergeant just came by the camp with another pigeon. The officers are having it for dinner for they commenced preparing it immediately. That is[,] their boys did. Don’t misunderstand me. They wouldn’t prepare anything or lift a hand to help themselves unless they were starving and I doubt it very much if they would do it then. Even our good friend Leroux who is very energenic [sic] and full of pep has to sit down on a chair and have two assistants hand him his photographic material when he takes pictures. I am glad I have the graflex and don’t need any assistance. It works {F1.11} much quicker also. The Papuans have left us. The sun is sinking in the west and is shining brilliantly on the tops of some extra large white storm clouds making it [sic, = them] fluffy and as creamy a lather as a Williams cream shaving [sic, = Williams’ Shaving Cream] advertisement. The convicts are busy cleaning up the front yard now that all the stumps are removed. The sizzling of grease in the frying pan from the cook shack of the Captains’ [sic] in front of our home and to the right makes a poor accompaniment to the Stars and Stripes forever which someone is playing on Mr. Leroux’s Edison gramophone. The sizzling of the grease reminds me that it is almost six and time to start with supper for Mr. Leroux is to dine with us tonight. Life in New Guinea is like life anyplace else – just one darn thing after another – but it is far more interesting and spectacular that’s certain.