Evening star., 1923-09-16
Stealing Into Lair Of Savages Capture Dangerous Chief

This is another gripping instaiin1en'
Of the series Of unusual articles re.
oouneinp some OF the experiences o'
Capt. Monckton as senior offlcer OF tns
armed constabulary; resident maeis.
arate, and other posts which ne neic
under the British government OF New
Guinea.
RY. CAPT. C. A, w. MONCKTON.
~ LEARNED that a gold-prospect-
ing party Of miners had set
their hearts on penetrating into
the country to the south Of Col
lingwood bay, up a stream named the
I.aku, their cupidity having been ex-
cited by a tomahawk stone which had
been purchased by a trader in the bay
and which was shot through with
veins of gold.
I knew quite well that if they went
IN alone among the uncivilized tribes
they would only end in stirring up
lot of trouble for me. l therefore
decided to escort them beyond the
range Of the coastal people. Accord
ingly / left for the Laku, accompanied
by my police, De Molynes. the miners
dand their Suaus.
1ow-lying sandy beach at the mouth
nof the river in the midst OF heavy
, rain. The stream rose and rose in
height until / became anxious as TO
the safety Of my camp, and in order
to make il quite secure shifted late
in the evening some four miles up
stream to higher and more solid
he n
pie. The Kuveri were at first much
alarmed at our intrusion into their
territory and inclined from fear to
be hostile. but at last. finding that
we intended no harm aid, instead of
interfering with them, paid them well
for any assistance they gave US, they
became very friendly.
w They told US that they were shut in
between the Maisina on one side and
the hostile Kikinaua tribe on the
acther. The former descended peri
odically upon them and carried OF all
their best-looking young women, as
we'll as levying blackmail of pigs
while the latter tribe constantly
Bwooped down on their villages and
murdered and carried off--for Gull
nary purposes-any one they could
lay hands on. Our advent they had at
first regarded as their crowning mis-
fortune. thinking that we were yet
another enemy. AS they put It to me
afterward. they would have run
away at sight OF my force, but had
nowhere to run to-"
told the poor devils that, instead
OF adding to their woes. we would
protect them from their enemies--a
promise they at first apparently re-
Earded as mere words. THE Maisina,'
they said, in awed accents-'the Mai
sina are very brave and very numer-
GUS" Old Bushimai, a native chief
and ally, who was sitting in my tent
during the discussion and listening to
it with growing impatience, got up
and, leaving my tent, soon returned
with his hand covered with biting,
crawling ants. Look at this" he said
TO the trembling deputation through
the interpreter; these things are
even as the Maisina, and thus will we
treat them" Then, with a couple of
sharp sInacks, he smashed the ants
and sat down to smoke. That dsputa-
tion left much impressed. Meanwhile
my sentries were being posted for the
night.
WE had fine. clear, starry night.
w and the whole camp of tired men
settled down for a comfortable rest.
Bushimai slept under my hammock.
An hour before dawn awoke in a
jumpy state Of nerves, and called to
Bushimai but got no reply. More and
more Jumpy, / got out of my ham
mock, buckled on my belts and revol-
yer and. taking my rife. walked out
+. through the sleeping camp to the
sentries: as 1 did so. met Bushlmai
walking slowly backwards and for
wards with his axe on his shoulder.
why don't you sleep?" 1 asked
him. Il felt danger in my Sleep" he
answered; did you too?" Yes" I
replied. Il fear I don't know what"
We both walked towards the sentries
and met the sergeant. Sergeant, why
are you not asleep7'' I asked: "the
corporal is in charge of the sentries." !"
woke feeling trouble; should like to
turn out the men, but there is no rea-
son"
Bushimai, the sergeant and I wait
ed until dawn, roosting round small
fire. and watching the different men
being relieved by a puzzled corporal;
then. yawning. we went of to bed
again.
Later, learned that the Maisina
had heard / was camped at the mouth
Of the Laku--the camp had vacated
a few hours beforehand had flung
three separate bodies OF men upon It
just before dawn. only to find my ex-
piring fires. Had we been in that
camp, am convinced that they would
have smashed US. as we should hs We
been taken by surprise. / leave 1t.
however, to the psychologist to say
why an attack upon a vacated camp
miles distant, and why 1t should affect
1.-THE nerves of only three men out OF
more than one hundred.
The following morning we marched
inland into uninhabited country.
We cut tunnel through a dense
jungle of sugar cane for about a mile;
then noticing how extremely dry an
Sinfalnmable it looked, I asked De-
Molynes how sugarcane burnt Like
an over-insured second hand old clo'
shop" he remarked; "if this catches
fire. we shall have less chance than a
SNOWFALL In -" I halted the line,
called back to the rear-guard that