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

Interpretive Essays

Browse Photos and Film

Expedition Source Material

About this Project

expedition source material

Journal of Matthew Stirling
Select a Date:
Select a location/subject:
Current Date and Location/Subject:  

June 9, 1926 : Albatross Camp (Base Camp) ; Mamberamo River ; Airplane Flights


June 9th

———————
"Today Hans set up a new record for the plane by making three round trips to Batavia camp
...The first trip in the morning he brought Anji Ipoei with him..."

———————

Today Hans set up a new record for the plane by making three round trips to Batavia camp, bringing 2013 lbs. of food (915 kilos). The first trip in the morning he brought Anji Ipoei with him, thereby giving Anji the honor of being the {p. 119} first Dyak who ever rode in an aeroplane. On his return Anji said that he was "too full of it all to talk about it yet." {*} The second ride early in the afternoon Hans brought Tomalinda, the other Dyak chief. They flew back through a blinding rainstorm almost all the way back over the rapids, but it cleared a little just before they reached camp. At four o'clock Hans and Prince left on the third trip. By making 3 trips, the Papuans at Batavia camp were caught off their guard and did not have time to reach their canoes before the plane landed. The sergeant, who is getting pretty well acquainted with them by now, induced them to come in the neighborhood of the plane. One of them came quite near and three of them actually assisted in the bringing of the plane's cargo up the high bank. Prince and Hans brought back four arrows with them. On this trip for the first time they saw the tops of the high mountains of the interior. It was in the vicinity of the Wilhelmina top, the western portion of the mountains being cloaked in clouds. Both Hans and Prince reported them a wonderful sight and said the mountains rise abruptly to an amazing height. To date the Ern has deposited at Batavia camp 3105 kilos of food. Tomorrow we will put her on the float and Hans and Prince will give her a thorough inspection.




CreditsPermissionsMore Expeditions & Voyages