210 A NATURALIST IN CANNIBAL LAND 



and wallaby for my boys to eat. The stay in 

 Merauke was necessary because the Government 

 steamer had not returned. I reported to Tring 

 Museum from Merauke (May 28, 1910) : 



" I arrived here some six days ago from Thursday 

 Island, and awaited here the arrival of the Assistant- 

 Resident and the Controller, who were both away on 

 expeditions. They both arrived here some two days 

 ago. The Assistant-Resident, who is the chief in 

 rank, had received instructions from the Governor- 

 General of the Dutch Indies to assist me all he could 

 when I arrived. This was due to Burns, Philp & Co. 

 (who are now running large steamers to Java and other 

 Dutch islands besides opening branches), writing to the 

 Dutch Consul-General in Melbourne for the letters for 

 me. I had other le f ters from local Consuls in Sydney, 

 Brisbane, and Thursday Island. It is in consequence 

 of this that I am to be allowed to join the military 

 expedition up the Oetakwa River, under the Snowy 

 Mountains. Whether I shall be able to get high 

 enough is a question I shall be able to reply to later. 

 I leave the Shamrock moored here and join the Valk 

 (the Government exploring steamer) on the 9th to 

 the Oetakwa River, then go in the Saunek for five 

 hours. Then there is a two days' journey in canoes, 

 and thence overland. The natives there are not very 

 peaceable, and it would not be possible to work there 

 excepting with a large Government force close at 

 hand to keep the peace. 



