1841-1901

Italian Explorer

Luigi D'Albertis led two unprecedented trips of exploration up the Fly River into central New Guinea. During these expeditions, he made a number of important scientific and ethnographic discoveries, but also fought many battles against the inhabitants, alienating virtually all of them. He was severely criticized for the manner in which he dealt with the local natives during these trips, as well as for his methods in collecting ethnographic specimens.

D'Albertis was born in preunification Italy. In his youth, he fought at the side of Giuseppe Garibaldi in the struggle for Italian independence and unification. D'Albertis was an energetic, larger-than-life person—lusty, fatalistic, excitable, and flamboyant. He also seemed to have remarkably few scruples when it came to protecting his expedition or gathering samples. Unfortunately, his lack of tact in dealing with New Guinea natives and his...