Two Years among New Guinea Cannibals. 1906

This record of two years’ scientific work in the only country of the globe that has still escaped exploration purposely avoids the dry detail of a Natural History Report, such as might properly be submitted to a learned society, and is intended rather to set forth to the general reader the vicissitudes of the traveller’s daily life in unknown New Guinea, or Papua as I prefer to call it. Every hour brought a new interest, and it was with the intention of trying to communicate some impression of that wonderful land in which we sojourned, that the present account has been undertaken. If the result is disappointing to the reader, the fault must lie with the writer and not with Papua.

During my brief residences in the known parts of New Guinea, I received much kind assistance and furtherance in my marches into the wilds from officials, missionaries, and settlers, and I would here especially acknowledge my indebtedness to his Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor, Mr. G. Ruthven Le Hunte, Mr. A. Musgrave, C.B., Captain Barton, the Hon. D. Ballantine, Mr. Robert Hislop, and Mr. James Wood; His Grace Archbishop Navarre, Coadjutor Bishop de Boismenu, both of the Sacred 

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Heart Mission; Dr. Laws and the Rev. H. Dauncey of the London Missionary Society.

The Dutch officials to whom I am under deep obligations are Mr. Kroesen, the Resident of Merauke, Mr. M. C. Schadee, the Controller, and also the captain of the gunboat Neas.

For permission to reprint the section on the Lakatois and several other passages I am indebted to the Wide World Magazine, and the chapter on “British Trade Prospects in New Guinea” is given by consent of the British Trade Journal.

My particular acknowledgments are due to Messrs. G. H. Kendrick, Mr. G. T. Bethune Baker, F.L.S., and Miss Wilmott, without whose help the expedition could not have been undertaken, and I must also mention Mr. S. H. Soper, F.R.G.S., another friend whose interest and assistance was of the greatest value to me.

A. E. P.