There's a way to go still.
The Papuans took in the Americans for the night, fed them, and gave them a place to sleep in their hamlet. Then, the group paddled down the river to the coast, where they met the Australian judge stationed there. There was still a long way to go before they reached their destination of Port Moresby; it took numerous efforts before they could finally leave on a boat (you know, before their plane was shot and ran out of fuel).