CO129-434 - Governor Sir May - 1916 [7-8] — Page 71

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One report is headed "Central crossing of the island of Hanus (Admiralty Islands) May 1914. Professor Dr. A. Leber". The previous attempts to explore the interior had only met with partial success and this expedition was planned in the hope of comparing the civilization in the interior with that of the other parts and secondly of finding out the oro.raphical conditions of the interior. It was conjectured that there was a tableland suitable for cultivation but this was disproved. The expedition sailed on arak day 7th 1914. The remaining pages of the report are taken up with the itinerary of the expedition. The extent, and nature of the cultivation (e.g. cocosmuts), the variationa in temperature, the demeanour and customs of the irmabitants, the names and sizes of the villages, are touched upon. The concluding part of the report deals with the economic result of the crussing in (a) cultivation of cocoanuts (b) density of the population (c) vitality of the races (d) birth rute and death rate of children (e) sexual relations.

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The other report is headed "Provisional report of the medical demographical German New Guines. Expedition of the German Colonial Office Solomon Islands by Prof. Dr. A. Leber. The expedition travelled on the S..S. "Cormoran" and arrived Kièta 19/2 (year not stated). The object was to observe the othnological character- istics of the inhabitants and to investigate the diseases of the depopulated Hinterland, The islends visited were Bougainville, Duka, Tortlock and Tasman group. During the course of their journey the members of the expedition were frequently attacked. The villages and houses are described. No moaquitoes were observed and this corresponds to the prevalence of malaria only at certain times. Plagues of sand-flies were encountered. Dysentery is the chief cause of death. The customs of the various tribes are touched upon, and the use of abortive medicines described in detail.

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