"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 24, 1926 : Explorators Camp/Tombe Village


October 24

This was rather a busy day around camp with all of the newcomers looking for excitement. We took some movies and discovered the two most intelligent men we yet struck here as star actors. It was amazing the way they were able to follow complicated directions and acted before the camera like a couple of experienced professionals. When they ran out of instructions they invented action of their own to fill in the scenes. This evening I was swamped by men coming in with bundles of sticks they wanted metamorphosed into matches. I fear I made a mistake in demonstrating my powers yesterday. {p. 295}




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