One Heck Of A Ride

195 The South Pacific Brian Brumley, the manager and part owner of the lodge, and much of his staff were waiting for me and they helped me load my gear into his open SUV for the drive to the lodge. The comfortable, thatched-roof lodge and its outbuildings had been built in 1975 in a grove of tall tropical trees on the banks of the Bensbach River sixty miles upriver from the Coral Sea. Racks of fishing rods were along the wall of the entryway as evidence that it was fishing and not hunting that attracted guests to the difficult-to- reach place. It could accommodate only twelve guests at a time, but it had a large dining room with a satellite TV where I was served just-baked bread, fresh barramundi, seafood and local fruit and vegetables. The bar was stocked with local beer and Australian wine and liquor. A generator powered the lights and electrical appliances, but was shut down at night. I had been interested in hunting Papua New Guinea’s rusa deer for some time but I’d had trouble putting a hunt together. I had some help from Chris and Bert Klineburger, but I couldn’t find anyone who had hunted there. I somehow learned about Bensbach Lodge and contacted Brian to set up the hunt. He said I shouldn’t bring a rifle or ammunition because of the paperwork involved in getting them in and out of the country. He had seven rifles and would supply the ammo. The local village greeting me at the air strip in Papua, New Guinea (I chose a Brno .270 Winchester with 150-grain Hornady ammo.) I had arrived at Bensbach at a perfect time. The rainy season had ended, the weather was beautiful with mild daytime temperatures in the low 80s, everything was green and beautiful, and I wasn’t bothered with bugs or mosquitoes. I was required to hire a local guide, so Brian arranged for a man named Sinakai Kiguma (I called him “Sam”) to take me hunting. Although Sam had more experience with guiding fishermen than hunters, he spoke Pidgin English and we got along well. He said he had never worn shoes, and his feet showed it. They were dry, cracked Author enjoys some fresh coconut milk that my guide Sinakai Kiquma had just collected and calloused and very wide. I never ceased to be amazed at how quickly he could climb a tree and toss down coconuts for their milk and meat. The Author with two native young people in front of their home