Evening star., 1923-09-23

MS lhStdtn1enf 70 one OF series q
unusual articles, rscountina some OF the
remarkable experiences Of Capt, Monck-
ton as senior officer of the armed con-
stabuIary, resilient magistrate, and other
posts which he held under the British
government Of New Guinea. The con-
Guiding article Of this series will ap.
pear next week.
BY CAPT. C. A. w. MONCkTON.
TN the course of time. l received
loud complaints from the tribe
of the Maisina; they said in eff
feet. "You have broken us and
prevented us from fighting other peo-
pie, but we have lost over thirty men
by attacks from the Doriri in the
last few months. and very many peo-
pie by them before that; If others
are 70 be protected from us, surely
we should be defended from our en-
efnies."
Il was now placed in a very awk-
ward position. The Malsina's appeal
for help was very natural one;
if they were forced to obey the laws
and. behave. themselves, they were
quite justified in requiring the power
see that others also complied with
the same conditions; but 1 had only
fifteen constabulary to police a large
division. and / had no assistant off,
Ger, or responsible person, TO leave
in charge of my station.
The Doriri were mere name, -inso-
far as the government was con-
cerned; no one knew their strength,
the locality they inhabited. or any
thing else about them. All We knew
definitely was that u previous expe-
dition, under Sir Francis Winter.
Capt. Butterworth., the commandant.
and Moreton. resident magistrate,
had utterly failed to reach their. coun-
try or deal with them.
Still, something had to be done. If
the prestige of the government was
to be upheld; and I knew that every
tribe was now watching to see what
that something would be. Il will
soon go to the country of the Doriri
and break them" l told the Maisini.
but you must find me carriers" IF
you go to the land of the Doriri." was
the unbelieving reply, I'VE will find
you carriers"
yes" said, "and you will bolt at
night. leaving me in the lurch, as you
did when Sir Francis Winter trusted
you. Now. you are distinctly to un
derstand this: When I go after the
Doriri, / am going to find them and
fight them; if you people desert and
prevent me from finding and fighting
them, | shall come back and figth
you instead. and anything the Doriri
have done to you in the past will be
as, nothing in comparison to what
shall make you suffer" I'VE will
see" said the Maisini, when you go
after the Dorirf instead of talking"
x = 4
CHORTLY afterwards the Merrie
- England came in, with the gov
ernor, Sir Francis Winter, Capt. Bar
ton and a strong force of constabu
larry on board. I went to Sir George
Le Hunte, taking with me a list of
the more recent Doriri outrages. The
governor said, you can have Capt.
Barton and his police, for the
Doriri apparently require attention
urgently"
Accordingly, early in April. Capt.
Barton and l marched out of Uiaku
village in Collingwood Bay, in quest
of the Doriri. at the head of 159 men.
twenty of whom were regular con-
stabulary, six village constables
(armed), and about fifty Kali Kali
and Mokoru, the balance being COM
posed of Maisini and CoIlingwood
Bay natives. I think that. up to this
date, this was the best organized and
most carefully thought-out punitive
expedition that had ever been dis.
patched by a New Guinea government.
The Kali Kali and Mokoru. whom 1
had enlisted because of the unre-
liability of the Maisina, were from
first to last ideal carriers, never
grumbling or complaining at hard
work, and quite prepared to follow
anywhere or do anything, and form
ing a pleasing contrast to the Mais-
ina, who began to suffer from nerves
the moment that we had fairly set
our faces toward the country of the
Doriri.
The Maisina guided US by a wind
ing and villainous track across a pes
tilential sago swamp, humming with
mosquitoes; the track in places was
like maze. for the purpose of con-
fusing the Doriri when attempting
to follow it to the coast; it was set
at intervals with deadly spear pits,
!. e. deep holes, the tops of which
were masked and the bottoms studded
with firmly fixed, sharp-pointed
spears-pleasing contrivances ar
ranged by the Maisina for the benefit
of their Doriri visitors. At length
we emerged into solid country Of
jungle and forest, and camped upon
the bank of narrow, rapid and clear
river.
Upon the following morning we re-
sumed our march. the constabulary
now cutting our track on a compass
line through heavy jungle and forest,
until we came to a river bed of some
two hundred yards in width down the
middle of which a rapid torrent
flowed. This we forded by extending
a long light cotton rope, and all
hanging on to 1t together, until the