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

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Journal of Matthew Stirling
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October 22, 1926 : Explorators Camp/Tombe Village


October 22

On the 16th we returned from our camp by the gorge to Tombe. Our 8 carriers were well loaded but we did not have to leave anything behind. On the way we met 3 of the pygmies who had gone with le Roux returning to Agintawa. We could not prevail upon them to help us with the carrying. Evidently Igoon was not so hospitable with them and would not feed them. They made the sign of the empty belly and as we had nothing to offer them to eat and and could promise them nothing, they continued on their way to home and, presumably, a square meal.

We arrived at Tombe to find that the day before the transport had arrived with food and that we were once more on a sound basis. We rested in camp one day and on the 18th le Roux and van Leeuwen left on the trail of Saleh {p. 293} who has gone to a high peak about three days distant, from which it is expected a view can be had of the snow mountains and le Roux and Saleh can do topographic work. The remaining days Dick, Stan and I kept busy taking motion pictures of native life and occupations. Lieutenant Jordans has not been able to leave camp at any time owing to his infected foot, which is not getting well in a very satisfactory manner. A number of new visitors arrived here 3 or 4 days ago from a village on the Ooabu {*}, a tributary of the Nogullo south of the Delo. With the usual interest of the uninitiated, they have made good and willing camera subjects.

A second transport arrived here the day after we did, bringing still further supplies and a note from Prince, who is now at Head Camp, still subject to intermittent attacks of fever. Also came the news that another boat was to have come to Albatross Camp October 1, so we should soon be in receipt of another mail.




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