"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 29, 1926 : Explorators Camp/Tombe Village


October 29

The transport arrived today with the mail without Prince and with tales of much trouble with the Papuans on the Rouffaer between Motor and Head Camp. The transport was twice attacked. The first time, when one day up from Motor Camp, the canoes were greeted with a shower of arrows and everyone took to the water using the canoes as shields. The Papuans then came after them in their canoes, but the Dyaks got organized, and two Papuans were killed, the rest retreating to the shore and mustered greater numbers. The transport then returned downstream to Motor Camp and started up again the next day. At River "A" they were again attacked and four Papuans were killed but there were no fatalities on the transport. The mail as usual made it a red letter day.




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