Luigi D'Albertis

Luigi Maria D'Albertis (november 21 1841 - september 2 1901) was a flamboyant Italian naturalist and explorer who in 1876 became the first person to chart the Fly River in Papua New Guinea. He took eight weeks to steam some 580 miles up the Fly River in an Australian launch, the "Neva". On board as engineer was young Lawrence Hargrave, later to become an aviation pioneer. D'Albertis kept a pet python on board to prevent his motley crew from pilfering the stores. He also fired off exploding rockets to keep any hostile natives at bay. His expedition collected specimens of birds, plants and insects. The "Neva" forced its way upstream until brought to a halt by the shallows. They then steamed downriver to a tributary called the Alice, and d'Albertis cajoled his crew up this river with promises of gold. Eventually stricken by malaria and crippled by rheumatism in both legs, he admitted defeat. He tried once again in the following year, but did not reach as far as before, and returned to Europe.

He was born in Genoa. His cousin, fellow explorer Enrico Alberto d'Albertis, housed many of Luigi's specimens at Castello D'Albertis. The castle is now home to the Museum of World Cultures. His natural history specimens from New Guinea are in the Natural History Museum of Giacomo Doriain Genoa.

Publications

*"New Guinea: What I Did and What I Saw". Vol. I and II. London: S. Low Marston Searle & Rivington, 1880

References

*Edwards, Ian. [http://www.pacsoa.org.au/places/People/dalbertis.html Luigi D'Albertis 1841-1901]
*Kirksey, E. [http://www.infid.be/anthropapua.html Anthropology and Colonial Violence in West Papua] . "Cultural Survival Quarterly, Fall 2002