Evening Star Newspaper, March 22, 1931, Page 86

14, f e e THE SUNDIAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, MARCH 22, 1931. Fighting Head-Hunters for New Guinea Gold Dangers of Seeking the Precious Yellow Metal on the Kumusi River—Beating Off a Savage Attack From the fungle—The Queer Medicine Man Who Fought With His Fists—A Thrilling Story of Real Adventure. - L EDITOR'S NOTE—Wherever adventurers gather, at the far-flung outposts of - civilization, the ftalk twrns. to the Macdonald brothers and their inuumcrable daring ex- ploits—rofting stones who loved perilous . experience ~ better than security or fortune. This tale of their wresting -gold from a “new Kiondike” in the face of mative op- position is onc of the high lights of their careers. BY T. C. BRIDGES AND H. HESSELL TILTMAN. MONG every generation of the Brit- ish race there are a few, bora wan- derers to whom the Goddess of Ad- venture beckens so insistently that they turn their backs on home, comfort and kindred and go out on the for- tune trail. It has been written: “A rolling moss,” to which ths born d probably reply by quotirg r maxim: “A tethered donkey never g 35%3?3!& 3% i | H sends him news of a new route he has discov- ered through some region of head hunters, Then Robert Macdonald remembers some old adventure and feels the urge to seek a new one, and knows that he must hurry if he is to catch the next boat for somewhere—no matter where—so long as there is nothing but coral shore, palms or jungle, where it may be found— An adventure, perhaps, Mke his amazing jourpey through the unknown heart of New with a party of gold seekers as hard- to the trail as himself. to any but themselves. New Guinea, or Papua is the largest isla¥id in ¢he world: Klondyke of tomorrow. Almost daily who drift across the world and back again, eternally on the hunt for the precious yellow stuff which fascinates as nothing else. In the early days in the Yodda Valley men made over 50 ounces of gold a day, but re- cently on Edie Creek, in ex-German territory, double that guantity has been washed out. New. Guinea would have made half the rolling stones alive rich before now as a foe to be attacked at sight, Not long ago Robert Macdonald set out with Stanley Ranges. There were seven whites in the party and a dosen carrier “boys,” and they all knew the risk that they were taking, for, and they seemed to be very efficint in giving silent directions. of pantomime giants. Fiber kilts were the lower garments of the leaders and men, but long streamers fastened in their bushy hailr and necklets of teeth were the only head adorn- ments of the latter. They were all armed “the stockade went the seven adventurers The priest’s fist shot out in the real British way. with barbed spears, spiked clubs and dart and certainly looked capable of making short werk of any prospector.” Ohe of the party touched Macdonald’s arm. “Watch that fellow—Ifourth in the center row,” he said. They were all watching him. The MACDONALDM The chief priest scratching the back of his only a small point; bul he § EE - native who had been arguing went do' a log. “Come on, boys,” shouted some one, 1 B sgk 1 FER g rescue. As they raced across the clearing, the remaining priests meatly tripped third and sat on his chest. “Glad to boys,” he said, and the seven realized one but two of Macrae's party were here—by some miracle, alive and well. i SRR § ot 7 figure on the menu on & special feast before that day arrived '8 | During that fight Macrae local chief from captivity and izing that these white men not only spared their lives, priests out of gratitude. Since imitated the magic of the witch doctors good purpose by curing several members the tribe with pills made out of soap, packs, with the result that they had more popular than ever. They had, they £ Eegl it asigiia i E more, been free to withdraw if but from that inaccessible spot no two men could have reached the coast alive without a fully equipped expedition. So they had stayed while seeking & plan to reach civiliza- tion, and before the arrival of Macdonald and his friends, had struck a rich patch of gold, which made them more loath than ever to depart empty-handed. Apparently the departure of the warriors and other priests had not been the to an attack on the white men; they had gone off on a sortie against another tribe upstream, but when the seven returned to their deserted il camp, they found their sieeping mets transfixed “Now we have arrived,” sald the pioneer. “Eat and sleep well, for tomorrow you are going to wake up with gold fever.” They were too tired to ask guestions, so after dining on wild pig, cooked im the ashes of t they ks 8y was th track them down and on, piling up the golden wealth if ever they reached it, the thought of that flight of srrows which might at any minute i sgfiasfigiiit!lfi to give a first-class imitation of e! action. Moreover, two men now were keeping guard during the night, for Macrae considered attack almost certain. He was a true prophet. On what they had intended to make their last night in that goid field the silence was brokem without by barrier around the camp. The crackling of the