J an- ' 1 Dodd, A Naturalist in New Guinea. 143 



1919 j ' ~ j 



Passing from Hombron, and looking inland, we were impressed 

 with the fine views of the Owen Stanley Ranges, perhaps 50 or 

 60 miles distant, lower mountains in the foreground leading 

 gradually to the lofty ones. They presented a beautiful and 

 imposing appearance. As naturalists we speculated as to the 

 entomological wealth they contained — perhaps more remark- 

 able insects than any yet discovered. What wonders privileged 

 collectors will yet bring from these great and mysterious hills ! 

 No part of New Guinea has yet been properly exploited by 

 the naturalist. An expedition here, or one there, in the vast 

 scrubs and mountain fastnesses, with natives as collectors, 

 scarcely yields satisfactory results, so the time has yet to come 

 before any single square mile of the richly-timbered districts 

 can be said to have yielded its best entomological treasures. 

 Then how about the mineral and botanical wealth of these 

 practically unknown scrub-clad heights — these wonderful ranges, 

 so near our beloved Australia ? We know that Sir W. Mac- 

 gregor, with a strong party, many years ago ascended the tallest 

 of these (13,000 feet). Away, far away, we get other mountains, 

 probably towering much higher into cloudland than the Owen 

 Stanley. How galling to many Australians it must be to know 

 that, through the regrettable action of men supposed to have 

 been wise, those wonderful hills and vast areas of marvellously 

 rich country were meekly and sheepishly allowed to pass to 

 other nations ! Some we may recover through this awful war ; 

 let us hope the balance may be peaceably acquired by purchase 

 or exchange. 



Eight miles from Hombron is the Bisiatabu Mission Station, 

 presided over by Mr. and Mrs. Lawson, Seventh Day Adventists, 

 and the most hospitable of people. My son and I were made 

 at home there at once, and, upon my journey to Sogeri and 

 back some weeks later to Hombron, these kindly people, quite 

 unasked, sent me a horse. The mission grounds are delightfully 

 pretty, and are at the margin of the great scrubs, which now 

 stretch forth for miles. The mission produces rubber, splendid 

 pineapples, and other fruits and various vegetables, so probably 

 costs little to maintain. From here Mr. Lawson, generally 

 alone, visits the several native villages about here and beyond 

 the plantations. Here we first heard the " Wok- wok " of the 

 Red Bird-of-Paradise, a common and noisy species from here 

 and onward. The exquisite little King Bird-of-Paradise also 

 occurs about here, but is rare. 



Upon our return to Hombron we stayed a month, then 

 journeyed to Sapphire Creek, finding it very hot after our 

 sojourn in the higher country. We remained at Sapphire a 

 month, then caught the Marsina back to Cairns, after an 

 absence from Queensland of six months. On board was Mrs. 



