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[Page 114]
on the river headed by Dr. Thurnwald and Herr Fiebig, and the "Sian" has gone to meet them.
The current here is very strong and retarded our progress considerably on the way up; just now on the way back we are slipping along like a destroyer. The banks of the river are lined with sago palms & tall grass, though in point of fact they are not banks at all, swamps abounding on either side of the mighty waterway. In one place the monotonous succession of palms was broken by an impenetrable wall of creepers matted & twisted together and with beautiful green foliage. Along the surface of the water are millions (nay, billions) of "one day flies", a white moth with long trailing legs. The natives around here use them for food. Ugh! I pray thee have me excused.
Of course we are glad to have had the privilege of visiting this place but are not sorry to be bound down stream again. The heat is terrific.
I had almost forgotten to mention the natives. We passed several villages but very little sign of life was apparent. But at one place a couple of canoes put out from the shore. These canoes are entirely different from others we have seen which have all been fitted with outriggers, the rowers sitting down when propelling them. The river canoes have no outriggers and are entirely open. The rowers all stand, as many as 15 or 20 in one canoe, and keep admirable time with their paddles. From a distance the canoes look like gigantic ants.
Wed 30th Potsdam Hfn : The "Matunga" arrived here at 7 o'clock & dropped anchor close to us. As she is returning to Madang we are keeping our mails till we arrive there.