The Star Mountains Expedition to Dutch New Guinea in 1959

In 1959 the Koninklijk Nederlands Aardrijkskundig Genootschap (KNAG), together with the Rijksherbarium Leiden organised a multi-disciplinary expe-dition. This was a remarkable expedition because it was destined to explore the Star Mountains of what was then Dutch New-Guinea. The Star Mountains on the Central Mountain Range were the last area of Dutch New-Guinea not yet under Dutch control or governance. Hardly anything was known about this area, it was even questionable whether there were actually human inhabitants. The author of this book had the privilege of joining this historical expedition as an expert in mosses.

In this book you will find his personal experiences and impressions. The book takes the form of a diary which can be read as an important supplement to the work of Dr L.D. Brongersma and G.F. Venema who also wrote about this expedition. This is a real life exciting adventure in which the team only had two helicopters. When one crashed they were forced to rely on Papuan carriers and smoke signals. How the modern world met the people who still lived in the stone age.