Description
An extraordinary Papua 1928 cover from American Ornithologist stranded on steamer.
Crandall undertook an expedition to New Guinea to collect birds of paradise for the Bronx Zoo, leaving New York on 9 August 1928 and sailing to San Francisco on 22 August on board the Oceanic Steam Ship Co steamer Ventura which arrived at Sydney on 4 September. Following an extended stay in Sydney, Crandall left for Port Moresby and Yule Island aboard the Burns Philip steamer Morinda accompanied by John Ward an Australian field naturalist.
Upon arriving in Papua they were able to penetrate the Owen Stanley Mountain range and secured nine species of birds of paradise. They returned to Yule Island to wait the return of the Morinda on 9 December. She sailed with Crandall and Ward together with 44 birds of paradise and 176 other birds and several mammals. They arrived at Samarai on 11 December via Port Moresby but at 0700 on the 12th became stuck on a coral reef.
A schooner took off the passengers, but the Master would not take the birds so Crandall and Lee stayed on board for a further four day. The Montoro attempted to pull the Morinda off on 16th but failed. Crandall and his cargo were transferred to the Montoro on 18th December and they arrived in Sydney on 26th. The next suitable available vessel for New York sailed on 6th February 1929 and arrived at New York via the Panama Canal on 21 March 1929.
Crandall wrote a letter to his wife whilst on board the stricken Morinda and it was addressed to his wife Mrs Lee Crandall, New York. The cover was posted before the Montoro left Samarai for Sydney. The letter would have been put on board RMS Makura which left Sydney for San Francisco on 27 December. Mrs Crandall would have received it before her husband had returned.
