COLLECTED IN DUTCH NEW GUINEA. 3 



The whole coastal plain in this region is low and marshy, and the steamers which 

 transported the expedition anchored ahout 15 miles np the Utakwa River between 

 banks coA'ered with IS'ipah palms and swampy littoral jungle. The " Launch " or " Base 

 Camp " was placed another 13 miles up stream on the right bank of the Setakwa, an 

 eastern tributary of the Utakwa, in high forest growing on deep alluvial soil entirely 

 devoid of rock and stones, but so little above the river-level that the bivouac, itself 

 situated on the river-edge, was several times slightly flooded, and on these occasions the 

 surrounding country was knee-deep under water. It is probable that during the rainy 

 season. May to September, this region is often severely inundated. 



Practically no plant-collecting was done here, as country of this nature, 60 miles to 

 the eastward, had already been worked by the botanists of Dr. Lorentz's expeditions to 

 Mt. Wilhelmina {vide A. F. Heerderschee, Nova Guinea : E,esultats de I'Expedition. . . 

 1912-1913). The jungle swarmed with minute bush-ticks, and the after-effects of a 

 walk in it were most unj)leasant. 



The next camp, " Canoe Camp," was situated at a spot which, for our purpose, was the 

 head of navigation, though small canoes could jjrobably be taken, if necessary, a few 

 miles higher. This camp, 150 ft. above sea-level, was about 22 miles up the Setakwa 

 from the "Launch Camp," and 31 miles from the sea in a direct line. Here the river 

 ran in a bed of boulders and coarse gravel, with the banks on its eastern side 50-60 ft. 

 in height, wliile the foothills began a couple of miles away: immediately behind the 

 camp, however, the country was low-lying and swampy. 



The overland journey began from this point, and camps were made thereafter a day's 

 march apart : in the early stages these journeys were as much as six miles in length, but 

 later, on the high slopes of Carstensz, they shortened to little more than two *. 



Travelling from the Canoe Camp to Camp I, some 2j miles of swampy land were 

 traversed before the foothills were met ; thence for another 2\ miles the route led up 

 and down across gullies and ridges until Camp I was made at 500 ft. ; perhaps 100 ft. 

 lower than the highest ridge crossed. The camp was placed on the bank of a stony- 

 bedded stream with some swampy land opposite. 



Soon after leaving Camp I the route ascended a narrow ridge and continued along 

 this until the next camp w^as made at a height of 1830 ft. For the last third of the 

 march the track ran over sharp and broken limestone: the greatest height attained 

 along this section was 1900 ft. The summits of the ridges followed were often only 

 4-5 ft. broad. 



From Camp II the way led along a continuation of the limestone ridge already 

 mentioned, then dipped down to a stream at 1600 ft., meandered through involved 

 muddy country with many small brooks and limestone outcrops, and then ascended the 

 side of a hill to Camp III at 2500 ft. 



* These figures are taken from the route survey of the journey on a scale of 1 : 50,000, and are not the actual 

 distances travelled, which were, of course, much greater, especially in the more broken parts of the mountains. 



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