New Guinea in search of Paradise-birds. 203 



and as the trees only grow along the coast we made the most 

 ot our opportunity. The missionaries whom w'e met during 

 our first visit were away at the time, so we made arrange- 

 ments with the native chief to use his village as a base for 

 some of our supplies to be forwarded at a later date. 



Early next day we assembled our carriers to proceed to 

 Epa, and having the loan of a government pony I led the 

 advance, while Stalker brought up the rear. The track for 

 a considerable distance was very swampy, owing to the recent 

 heavy rains. Wherever a tree had fallen across our trail 

 we had either to get over it in the best way Ave could 

 or to make a semicircle around the branches. Tlie over- 

 hanging tangle of cree[)ers and bushes sometimes dragged 

 me out of the saddle and tore ray clothes and flesh to an 

 uncomfortable extent. The crossing of a small stream 

 caused us much trouble, as the bridge which spanned it 

 had rotted away. We could not persuade the pony to swim 

 across, and the animal tried to climb into the remains of 

 the structure, but slipped between the uprights and fell into 

 the water. We released him by using our tomahawks, and 

 he then managed to reach the opposite bank in a rather 

 exhausted state. A partially submerged tree, over wdiich 

 1 tried to pass, gave Avay and 1 fell into the stream, but the 

 natives quickly helped me out of my difficulty. 



Shortly after this adventure the path became steeper, and 

 we Avere continually ascending and descending, sometimes 

 through open grass-covered slopes thinly dotted with Euca- 

 lyptus trees, succeeded by belts of jungle of greater or less 

 density. Frequently the track led o\'er the brow of a slope, 

 so that it was possible to look down for a little distance into 

 the thick scrub on either hand without the necessity of 

 stepping aside. Mosquitoes became less numerous than in 

 the low country. Parrots, the Crowned Pigeon [Goura 

 coronata), and other Pigeons and Paradisea ragyiana could 

 be heard in the higher trees as Ave marched along, though 

 not often seen. Great masses of orchids hung from the 

 branches and clustered on the trunks of the trees, but it did 

 not appear to be the season for them to be in bloom. 



