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[Page 104]
[Page 1 of this report may be Page 158 of Item 02 of the Gen. William Holmes collection]
2
Sepik River expedition. - Report on, by Commander (D)
Marienberg, the Mission Station, stands on a little hill, and the forest for half a mile in every direction has been. and is in the course of being cleared for planting.
After passing Marienberg, the river widens out into a lake like form, dotted with islets. The present channel leads in 7 fathoms however, close to the islands on the port hand going up, and no difficulty was experienced in finding it; but I am informed that it is liable to alteration. Nevertheless there is always a deep water channel through the lake. The banks are mainly cane brake here, backed with forest at about from 100 yards to a mile.
Angorum, 60 miles, was the police post, built on a little hill, well laid out with gardens of bananas, sweet potatoes, tapioca etc. cleared to the water and backed by grass country, cane brake, then forest. Here I landed the detachment of soldiers under Lieutenant Chambers, and also about 12 native police, who were at once sent out to scout the bush in search of Tafel the official in charge of the district, who had bolted into the bush with some 30 odd native police, and had disregarded my written warning to surrender himself and party.
About 4 p.m. Sergeant Kun Doo of the police, sent word that he had been fired on about 1 ½ miles from the station; the police boys were then gathered together by Major Martin, consisting of 11 augmented by Corporal Clarke and 2 men of the Australian Contingent, also Major Martin, Engineer Lieutenant McNeil and myself who set out in search. Our route lay across slightly undulating grass country, the grass being about the height of one's chin. As we got on low ground cane brake took the place of the grass, the canes being higher than ones head. We found sergeant Kun Doo and one other native police boy hidden in the canes and he gave us the direction, whereupon 2 native scouts with sergeant Clarke were despatched a few hundred yards in advance, whilst we followed with the main body. We soon struck the forest and quietly but rapidly made our way in single file. The natives seemed to work by instinct, for it was impossible for me to see more than 10 yards in any direction, shortly we came to a stream which baulked the scouts for a minute, but Kun Doo like a master of