Final answer:
Prospectors likely compensated the Papuans using scrip or goods, akin to other historical practices, although exact details are unspecified.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to historical accounts, prospectors and miners in various mining operations used different methods of payment for those who worked in the mines, including the Papuans. Payment forms ranged from currency issued by mining companies known as scrip, to unfair practices such as debt bondage or payment in goods that were often overpriced. In the case mentioned in the background information, the prospectors would have likely used similar means to compensate the Papuans for their labor, although the exact form of payment is not specified in the provided text.