210 PYGMIES AND PAPUANS 



to the Mimika, bringing men and stores and letters 

 and taking away invalids ; usually it came every six or 

 eight weeks, and the longest interval that occurred was 

 twelve weeks, during which for one reason or another 

 it was found impossible to send a ship to the Mimika. 

 In October an alteration was made, and it was decided 

 that the Merauke steamer, which was in regular com- 

 munication with the Dutch expeditions on the Utakwa 

 and Island rivers, should visit the Mimika also. It was 

 in consequence of this new arrangement on the part of 

 the Government that I was enabled to make the journey 

 described below, and although these places do net fall 

 strictly within the sphere of our expedition, yet they are 

 so Httle known that I shall make no apology for giving 

 a short description of them here. 



Towards the end of November, the Government 

 steamer Valk called at the Mmiika on its way to the 

 Utakwa and Island rivers to take away our sick men, 

 who had accumulated in some numbers during the last 

 two months. Our work was practicahy at a standstill, 

 and nothing more could be done until our next batch of 

 coolies arrived, so it was agreed that I should go down 

 to Merauke in company with Shortridge, who was going 

 home an invalid, and bring back our new coolies who 

 were due to arrive there by the next boat early in 

 December. 



A few hours' steaming from the Mimika brought us 

 to the mouth of the Utakwa, where we lay outside the 

 bar all night waiting for daylight to find our way into 

 the channel. When we had entered the river it was 

 evident that the Utakwa was something very different 



