Roseburg review. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 1885-1920, 1885-03-13
PURSUED BY cANNIBALs.
Remarkable story of Adventure In Ses
Guinea.


a remarkable story of Adventure In New
Guinea.
The London Standard prints letter
containing a plant-hunter's account OF
his stewardship in New Guinea. He
was one of party of six sent out BY the
proprietors of a Melbourne newspaper
to explore the interior of the great
island. I'm our little schooner, he
says, 1--WE went up very large river, one
or two miles wide; the Captain would
not let Us land, as he wished to explore
the river first. This main river turned
out to be an estuary, though not known
before. From it we went up new river
which was called the Svme, for many
miles, passing several mouths of other
rivers, all new to white men, and which
were duly named. We were anxiously
looking out for natives or their villages,
but saw none All the way up for miles
this Syne was affected by the tides. but
when receding we had to use all our
strength to fight against the powerful
current to get upward. The naturalist
and I were often anxious to get on shore;
but no, our Captain wanted to get to the
top of the river, or as far as we could,
and then return and begin land explo-
ration. We went up many miles, until
the current was so strong that we could
not get any further. We could see the
banks of the river were clothed with
lofty trees, palms, and in many instances
ferns of large dimensions. There was
one tree CT could not tell what it was)
one evening most brilliantly lit mp with
fire-fiies--a most wonderful sight.
ssOn our return the collector con-
tinues. down the river toward the
mouth of the sea, where we intended to
begin exploring inland. we saw a sight
that made us shudder-a large number
of canoes erammed full of natives, cam
nibals. These wretches live further round
the coast, and make periodical trips
down the coast to the more harmless
natives, and clear them out, killing all
before them. They are called the
Dugarra men. They have decimated
the coast tribes almost to man. Sic)
In some instances they take them back
and kill and eat them. Here was a
dilemma, and the force of the current
was fast taking us into their midst. We,
however, managed to get our little
schooner to the windward and set sail
at the same time assisting her with al
our power with the dingy we had
Night was coming on, so that we man.
aged to escape through the darkness
TIE next thing was, what to do. Oul
Captain was sick; he had been unwel
for some days. At last, rs a ruse, we
set all sails on the schooner for up the
river and abandoned her, getting into
the dingy and rowing to the side of the
river. Having done this, we sank the
dingy IN the mangroves that grew fear
fully thick. We hoped they WOULD
follow our schooner and we should es
cape. We had to leave all behind ex
cept few odds and ends we could
hurriedly get-a little medicine, on
guns, and some oatmeal and a few bis
cults. We thus started off for the coast
to find it through swamps and man
groves, every moment expecting th'
cannibal wretehes at our feet. On W,
went, and at last, weary, made a BET
on the ground where best we could. Il
the morning we found ourselves on th,
edge of large flat of cold, gray soil
covered with pitcher plants; but on W
went. Then we came to a large creel
or river; had to get through as best w
could -the blazing tropical sun over
head, the m:asmatic steam from th
swamps enveloping us. Some of us be
gan to feel a touch of the fever; one go
light-headed for while We continue
for three or four days at this game. an
nothing to eat but dry oatmeal. On
morning we were crossing a nativ
hunting ground, and presently, withou
warning. spear came whizzing throug
the air and struck one of our men i
the foot, going clean through boot an
foot. We thought our end had come
and determined to die desperately; bu
the natives decamped as quickly as W
made up our minds to fight it out. fo
we could not find one. On we wen
and reached the coast at last"