Evening star., 1923-08-19
BY CAPT. c. A. w. MoNCKToN.

BY CAPT. c. A. w. MONCKTON.
A T Port Moresby. we found that
~ Ballantine, the treasurer and
~ collector Of customs, was
away in the hills with a relief
expedition for H. Stuart-Russell, who
had been sent to survey road over
the Owen Stanley range to the Yodda
valley gold field in the northeast; a
gold field which, at the time, could
be reached only by ascending the
Kumusi river to Bogi, and then doing
q ten-day march inland. Stuart
Russell had sent out word that ne
was in hostile country and had run
out of supplies.
One morning the governor called
me into his room and said: "Ballan-
tine has returned, having failed to
connect with Russell: am getting
very anxious about him. and intend
20 dispatch another relief expedition
with YOU in command. The govern
ment secretary has been instructed to
make all arrangements. and you
should be able to leave tomorrow
morning, mere diS sooi
instructions"
glanced at my orders and my
heart sank; first of all, Muzzy Gas we
called the Hon. Anthony Musgrave,
government secretary was to organ
ize the expedition as well have
we'll meaning hen-wife; then, when
! did find Russell. I was to place my
self under his orders-Russell, whom
] knew to be a surveyor. and other
wise inexperienced. vending my way
20 the commandant, l worried him
Ahout the personnel of the constabu-
Iary I was TO take. and at last got
him to include Keke and Ade in the
Iot-since he had been detailing for
me all the rotters and recruits In
barracks.
NV next interview was with MI
Musgrave, who I found had provided
a most elaborate equipment OF stores
etc.-a collection that would take
about 500 men to carry-and had
engaged the Hanuabada natives and
one mule team to transport II to the
I,aloki river, which was about seven
miles distant.
riers were the most pampered lot Of
lying. lazy loafers in New Guinea:
they were to receive in pay one shill-
ing per day (the ordinary govern
ment pay was twopence) and a
heavy ration of rice. meat. biscuit.
tea. sugar. ETC.: as well as to be
equipped with blankets, tents. cook
ing utensils and all the rest of it, for
this one nights camp at the Laloki;
and this, too, on warm tropical
night.
xYrHEN looked into the arrange
w ments made by Muzzy felt in
clined to sit down and cry.
First. I had the awful Hanuabadas
as far as the Laloki; then in some
mysterious way I was supposed to
TRANSPORT my stores to the Brown
river-Heaven only knows how.
Muzzy, however. suggested / should
bribe the Hanuabadas by double pay
TO go on there; then / was to pick
up Russelrs time-expired and worn
ont carriers and induce" them to re-
turn with me to the Main range.
Muzzy had had a flat-bottomed,
souare-ended. bull-nosed brute of
rivera thing calculated by him to
carry about five tons, which 1 was in
structed to take to the head of the
Brown. This was by him fondly sup
posed to solve the transport diff
culties.
In the early morning l made my
start. and half a mile from Port
Moresby abandoned the biscuits.
blankets and sugar Of the Hanua-
badas From the Laloki the carriers
returned to port and l went on to
the Brown river accompanied by my
police and the mule team. There I
at once stationed a picket to catch
Russelrs returning. carriers, who
were drifting down in threes. fves
and tens. The police and I then
loaded the punt with stores. ready
for the ascent of the river, which is
a rapid mountain stream, full OF
whirlpools, rocks, snags and rapids.
From here I sent back the mules to
bring up another load of stores and
sat down to await their return.
One day passed. two days passed.
Still no sign of the mules. I sent
then-with such carriers as had by
now come down from Russelfs party
Il began to haul that Internal punt
up the river. The punt at once start
ed to go to pieces. 1t was built of
the heaviest timber fastened together
with trumpery fiimsy wire nails; the
planking Of the bottom, instead Of
running lengthways. ran across. and
therefore. whenever we began to
haul her over a rapid the edges
caught on the sharp rocks of the bot
tom and opened up-making the
thing leak like a basket. After one
hours experience Of this ark we
dragged It ashore. plated vines all
round 1t to keep 1t together, caulked
II with strips Of blanket and made
rome cradle all round to haul on.
Then we went on again.
The carriers was now using were
men recruited from Mexico. Their
time had expired, and they were
keenly anxious to return to their
homes. 1t was only by vigorous
use of cleaning rod that we could
"induce" them to work, and we had
10 keep them under perpetual guard
lest they should desert. They could
not swim, so that when we came to a
deep crossing we had to haul them
through on a rope and. in addition.
forcibly tie them to the rope, as the
procedure was not one they relished.