FIRED ON BY CANNIBALS.
THE WILDS OF PAPUA.
X ATT YE BE ARER CA PT FRED
AND EATEN
After a lapse of several weeks further news was received in 'Sydney on the 6tli inst. from Mr. Donald Mackayks exploring party, which is now penetrating the wilds of British Papua. When Mr Maekay wrote •he was two miles beyond Baroie vil-li.go—l-10 miles up the Purari River, and one mile beyond Sir William McGregor’s last camp. The members of the expedition encountered- many obstacles before thee reached this spot, and to add to their troubles very great difficulty was experienced in .securing supplies of sago, which forms the principal food of the •black carriers. The intrepid explorers eventually succeeded an- reaching the village, hut only to find it deserted. The natives they found had abandoned it many months ago. This discovery came as a hitter disappointment, for it had been expected that ample food’ supplies woo'd have been secured there, and much valuable information obtained ;rospceting the character of the country beyond. Mr Maekay says that even, if reaching the Fly River is out of the 'epics tion, the party hopes to do good work in a north-westerly direction, and may come down one of the many rivers that empty into the Gulf of Papua. If this course has to he ta--ken rit -will be a great disappointment, for the explorers arrived at the village on the Purari .after a big battle and many delays. Mr Maekay reports that the general health of the party is good, and that they are -having comparatively little trouble with the natives. One Bboy” received an arrow wound in the shoulder, and Mr Maekay -reports the loss of one of the carriers. Whilst out looking for bird speciments this “boy” got away from the other carriers, and -although the party fired guns and lit fires that night, and spent all the next day looking for him, no trace was found, there being little doubt that he had been eaten by the blacks who had fired at them on the previous day.
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Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2352, 19 November 1908, Page 6
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345FIRED ON BY CANNIBALS. Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2352, 19 November 1908, Page 6
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