(especially in the steep Kani and Ibo ranges) and in the western Finisterres, and also made long trips to the Bismarck Range (with Hahl for an attempt on Mt Saugueti (also known as Mt Otto) in 1908)—but just missing discovery of the central highlands. Schlechter also visited the lower Waria in 1908 and 1909 (in conjunction with a border survey), and (with O. Schlaginhaufen and Hahl) the Torricellis in August and September 1909, where Schlaginhaufen collected insects and other animals at Paup (east of Aitape) and elsewhere (Dresden).
In addition to his gutta-percha and rubber plant discoveries (thought moderately successful at the time but in the end without lasting economic impact, there being no market after 1914), on his two expeditions Schlechter made large collections of plants including very many orchids (Berlin; partly destroyed, with some duplicates elsewhere) and some gatherings of animals. In this he was aided by two men from New Ireland, Sikin and Takadu. Unfortunately some of Schlechter’s main work areas have never again been re-studied, particularly with the destruction in 1943 of so many of his primary collections (see below). A useful general account of his second expedition, including maps, is Die Guttapercha-und Kautschuk-Expedition nach Kaiser-Wilhelmsland, 1907–09 (1911).
Soon after Schlechter’s first visit another leading botanist, the bryologist (and expert photographer) M. Fleischer, came to the territory. In March 1903, after some three years in Java, Fleischer visited the mainland (including Astrolabe Bay and Finschhafen) and the Bismarck Archipelago (including Mioko Island). His collections included orchids, fungi, and pteridophytes, in addition to mosses and liverworts (Berlin and elsewhere, some by sale; his private herbarium is now in the Farlow Herbarium of Harvard University Herbaria). A first synthesis of his and other New Guinea mosses, by W. Schultze-Motel, appeared in 1963.
With gradually improving economic conditions during the latter period of Hahl’s rule—part of the "long boom" of the decade or so before World War I—and more opportunities (including further transport developments as well as more government posts) came other collectors. In 1906 H. Schoede collected animals at Berlinhafen and Simpsonhafen. Eugen Werner in 1907 collected insects and plants south of Astrolabe Bay, partly with Schlechter (plants, Wroclaw). Werner also wrote a popular illustrated book, Kaiser-Wilhelmsland (1911). In 1909 E. F. Dahl, Preuss, O. Heinroth (now on his second visit), and C. Ribbe collected in northeastern New Britain (Ribbe also reaching the Duke of York Islands); and P. Nagel visited the Finisterres.
In 1908–1910 Prof. R. Neuhauss carried out many months of field research for his three-volume Deutsch Neu-Guinea (1911), much of it in the Huon (Kai) Peninsula but also at many other places, both coastal and inland (not, however, in the Bismarck Archipelago—then under active survey by other expeditions). Dallmannhafen (Wewak) was visited with J. Walis. Insects, animals, and a few plants were collected (Berlin) along with much ethnographic material; many photographs were also made, and his book is thus richly illustrated. While in the Huon Peninsula, Neuhauss traveled with the great Lutheran missionary and traveler C. Keys-ser. In 1909 Keysser established a station at the head of Huon Gulf close to "Burgberg" and not far from where Lae would develop in the 1920s. Later (1911– 1912) Keysser reached the top of the Saruwaged (Salawaket) Range, Mt Bangeta ("Bolan") at nearly 4,000 m, and also traveled through the Bulolo and Wau valleys. In 1916 Keysser was to repeat his Saruwaged trip with H. Detzner during Detzner’s fantastic four-year journey (1914–1918) "on the run" from the Australians. The plants found (Berlin) were ultimately summarized by Diels (1929). After his return to Germany Detzner would, however, become notorious for his semi-fictitious Vier Jahre unter Kannibalen (1921).
Other collectors of this period—some of them with the Lutheran Church—included F. Kunzmann (fish, reptiles, and butterflies), and Lothar von Wiedenfeld in 1909–1910 (birds and insects at Berlinhafen, Sattelberg, and adjacent coast at Simbang and Heldsbach). In 1909 W. Müller collected insects (Dresden) and L. Maschmeyer animals; around 1913 K. Mäilander collected plants near Morobe (Berlin). In 1913 Mäilander also traveled through the upper Waria and the Wau and upper Watut valleys. P. Nagel collected insects at Komba in the Finisterre Mountains. Other missionaries making collections included Hoffmann, Bergmann (who was active into the inter-war years, and host for a time to M. Clemens; see below), Kunze, and Vetter. Also in the latter part of 1913, K. Gehrmann, botanist-in-charge at the Rabaul garden (see above) and veterinary officer M. Braun undertook an extensive study tour in the Gogol-Ramu area. From this, two substantial general reports emerged but few collections (Berlin) are known.
The years from 1907 to 1914 were also marked by a further wave of large expeditions, both on land and sea. These included major undertakings such as those of the Planet, Peiho, and Stollé/Behrmann (see below) as well as two mainland border surveys. The first was the British-German border survey of 1909, for which Förster led the German team; it was accompanied by Schlechter (see above) on the lower Waria as far as the dividing Maboro ridge (where he found a new slipper orchid species, Paphiopedilum violascens). The second was the German-Dutch border survey of 1909–1910, for which the German team was led by the geographer L. Schultze-Jena. The latter party explored near the border (141 E) as far as the Bewani Range and, afterwards, right up the Sepik River as far as the Peripatus Range (possibly what incorporates Sepik Mt, 1,570 m) in the foothills of the present Star Mountains. They secured extensive geographical results but only scattered animal and plant collections (Berlin; plants largely destroyed). Peripatus has not been biologically surveyed since then.
Of the other expeditions, bodh the first and second focused on the Bismarck Archipelago. The expedition of the Planet, of 1906–1909, was organized by the Reichs-Marineamt, and participating scientists included E. Stephan (as leader, who died during the latter part of the expedition), E. Graeffe, Schlaginhaufen (see above), K. T. Sapper, and A. Krämer. The first stage (1906–1907) took them mainly to the Admiralty Islands (including its western chain), while in the second stage (1907–1909) they focused particularly on New Ireland (and its northeastern islands), Krämer in April 1909 making a first ascent of the Lelet Plateau (visited in 1973 by the writer). Many publications resulted, beginning with Forschungsreise SMS "Planet" 1906/07 (5 vols., 1909) but also encompassing a major survey of New Ireland by Sapper (1910)—a forerunner of the many similar studies sponsored from Australia in the 1950s and 1960s (see below). Considerable collections were made, largely zoological but also algae (by Graeffe, now in Hamburg; they would go towards a regional revision (1928, by O. C. Schmidt) of marine species) as well as some other plants (Krämer; to Berlin), a number of them from the Hermit Islands. After the close of operations in June 1909 Schlaginhaufen proceeded to Berlinhafen and the Torricelli Range. A popular account by H. Vogel appeared in 1911 as Eine Forschungsreise im Bismarck-Archipel.
The Planet was followed into New Guinea waters by the Hamburg Academy of Sciences-sponsored "Südsee-Expedition" (1908–1910) with the Peiho (commanded by Capt. Vahsel). On the vessel were a number of scientists led by Dr Fülleborn (commemorated in a harbor on the south coast of New Britain) and including Duncker (see above under Mencke) as zoologist (specializing in fishes) as well as F. E. Hellwig (see above) as "liaison officer." The expedition visited several localities in the Bismarck Archipelago, particularly along the south coast of New Britain (1908–1909); they then sailed for the mainland and after a call at Langemak Bay (Simbang, a mission station near the old site of Finschhafen) they proceeded in mid-1909 for a voyage up the Sepik. After departure from Friedrich-Wilhelmshafen (now Madang) they sailed to Micronesia, where the scientists were led by G. Thilenius. Duncker’s zoological collections, as well as a few plants, are in Hamburg. Thilenius edited the series of expedition results, but their overwhelming emphasis is on ethnography; only one "general" study was published including the expedition itinerary (Allgemeines, 1927). Any biological results (e.g., on birds, by G. H. Martens) appeared elsewhere.
These not insubstantial undertakings were, however, soon outdone by the great "Kaiserin-Augustafluss Expedition" of 1912–1913—the largest and longest of all those mounted under German rule and, in retrospect, a fitting climax to its thirty-year run. The expedition was sponsored by the Geographical Society in Berlin and other German organizations and led by Bergassessor Capt. A. Stollé, who already had some field experience in New Guinea. The six-man scientific team was headed by the geographer Dr W. Behrmann. From March 1912 to
