"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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November 2, 1926 : Explorators Camp/Tombe Village


November 2

Van Leeuwen returned with the transport on the 30th and on the 1st Dick camedown from the peak where he had been photographing the snow mountains. We have had a good many new visitors from up the Nogullo - from Gulalu and Aeimama. Today a group came down from Agintawa for the first time since our somewhat hasty departure from there. They lasted here only about an hour when we heard a great row going on in the village and Igoon came back beaming with smiles to announce that they had driven off the Agintawa delegation with their {p. 300} bows and arrows. Wherefore we will probably see no more of them. This is a tough break for Amugu whose best girl came down with the Agintawa visitors. We created a lot of excitement this evening by lighting a flare in camp. The newcomers from Aeimama had a lot of choice bags and ornaments so a busy day of trading was put in. They evidently trust my honesty thoroughly, as all day long they accepted my cowries without even looking at them. Dick went hunting this evening and shot a cassowary which ran off. It was too late to follow it and he got stung by an insect of some sort that swelled up his head over one ear.




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