New Britain herald., 1929-05-03
WHERE SEA SNAKES
sleep ON SURFACE
Northwestern AwtLh HIS
Personality Al It's Own

region OF northwestern Australia, the
Kimberley Division of western Aus
tralia, where the airplane. the
Southern Cross. was forced down
while attempting flight from Sgd
ney to England. Is in a part of the
continent least touched by white
men. according to bulletin from
the Washington, D. c. headquarters
OF the National Geographic Society.
THE region lies within / 8 degrees
OF the Equator" says the bulletin.
'and is thus to be compared climat-
icaily with the coastal plains of Hon
duras or the coast country of south
western India. The tides are eX-
tremely high, often reaching IS feet
At high tide the waters sweep far
inland along rivers and creeks, and
At low tide miles OF mud flats are
left. On these Shiny expanses the
tropic sun beats down furiously. All
along the coast are magnificent cor
al gardens.
AhigatOrs Bask on Muddy Ranks
1T was not far from Collier Bay
and tho Charnley River which flows
into 1t, that the flyers were forced
down. A run up the Charnley pro,
vides plenty of excitement, as her,
and there huge Undiscovered alligat
ors, with which the waters swarm
slide down the banks. The reptiles
rise near boats. seeming to resent
their passage.
The country Is timbered and
ranges Of hills nearly inclose the
river.
AT Port George Mission the two
families Of white people in charge
have produced veritable Garden OF
Eden. with tropical fruits. flowers
and vegetables. They have many
goats and fowls. The surrounding
country is well grassed and fed by
fresh running streams.
The blacks in this section are re-
puted to be a quarrelsome lot, but
the quarrels are tribal affairs and
the mission residents have never
carry a distinct strain of Malay
blood, which u the case with many
tribes on the northern coast OF Aus
tralia, ~ Malays have frequented
the northern seaboard for centuries
in search OF pearl she'll and sea
slugs (trepangD, which find ready
sale in markets Of the Far East.
6ea Snakes and Pearl Fisheries
sea snakes, are frequently seen
curled up asleep on the surface OF
the water. These reptiles are poison
Gus and grow to about IL feet in
length.
Towns are few in northwestern
Australia Broome near the SOUTH
/. western corner of the Kimberley Di-
vision, Is a struggling town Of about
900 Asiatics and = few hundred
whites, each group occupying its
own section of the town.
1.-THE Asiatics are employed in the
pearl fishing under special clause
in the White Australia Act. which
otherwise excludes the entrance Of
all colored peoples into the Conn.,
monwealth.
Afrifty -1AA years ESQ there was
meta single European settlement in
thu vast section Of Australia. and
even now the census returns give
population Of fewer than 1000 souls.
exclusive OF aborigines.
derby. approximately 100 miles
north Of Broome. IL q much smaller
community. 1t was from Derby that
much Of the news of the rescue Of
the flyers reached the outside world
Cattlo Ranches served by Camel
Trains
''Fr(n Derby northward no town
Of Importance is to be found until
Wyndham 10 reached. This town,
near the northeastern corner Of the
Kimberley Division. lies at the head
Of . deep inlet, Cambridge Gulf.
From Wyndham the cattle stations
(ranches) are served by camel
trains. which carry supplies for hun
dreds of miles into the interior. The
camels are driven by Afghans. CAM
FL teams arc familiar sights in the
streets Of the little township. haul
ing in the great wagon-loads of fire.
wood from the outlying district.
THE first camels were brought to
Australia for the use Of the early ex-
piorers. Later a fine type of drome-
dairy was imported for breeding pur-
poses and it is this type OF animal
that Is bred in central Australia. 1t
~ considered by many leading au-
thorities to be the largest and
strongest dromedary to be found in
the world. 1t proves invaluable for
pack work in waterless regions.
ho IL t.1i