THE UTAKWA RIVER 211 



from the Mimika, which is a mere ditch in comparison 

 with it ; it is indeed to the Mimika as the Severn is to 

 the Wye. It was tantahsing to remember that this was 

 the river by which we had originally intended to enter 

 the country, and one could not help regretfully wonder- 

 ing what would have been the result if we had f oho wed 

 out that plan ; but it was at the best an unprofitable 

 speculation, and one had to rest content (or as content 

 as possible) with the course we had taken. In any case 

 it was certain that even if we had taken the Utakwa as 

 our point of entering into the country, we could not 

 possibly have reached any considerable height in the 

 Snow Mountains with the means, i.e. the men, at our 

 disposal. 



Near its mouth and for some miles inland the 

 Utakwa is about half a mile wide and bounded by low 

 banks of Mangrove and Nipa-palm. The Valk was a 

 ship of about five hundred tons drawing twelve feet of 

 water. We steamed up the river for about seventeen 

 miles and there anchored, not from lack of water, but 

 on account of the risk of turning the ship round against 

 a strong current in the somewhat narrowing channel. 

 From the anchorage a steam launch and boats were sent 

 on to the base camp of the Government expedition, 

 which had been estabUshed rather more than thirty 

 miles further up the river. 



We waited for three days while that expedition was 

 being brought away, and after the first day the Valk 

 went down to the mouth of the river on account of the 

 mosquitoes at the anchorage ; they were a small black 

 species, and they came out of the swamps by day as well 



