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UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
LOS  ANGELES 


NEW  GUINEA  AND  POLYNESIA 


NEW  GUINEA  &  POLYNESIA 


DISCOVERIES  &  SURVEYS 


IN 


AND    THE 


D'ENTRECASTEAUX  ISLANDS 

A  CRUISE  IN  POLYNESIA  AND  VISITS  TO 
THE  PEARL- SHELLING  STATIONS  IN  TORRES  STRAITS  OF 

H.M.S.  BASILISK 


BY  CAPTN-   JOHN   MORESBY,   R.N. 


WITH    MAPS    AND    ILLUSTRATIONS 

f 

<       .       LONDON 
JOHN   MURRAY,  ALBEMARLE   STREET 

1876 


Printed  by  R.  &  R   CLARK,  Edinburgh. 


Stack  Annex 
Cage 


DEDICATED 


SIR    FAIRFAX    MORESBY, 

ADMIRAL   OF  THE   FLEET,    G.C.B.,  D.C.L.   (OXON.) 
KNIGHT  OF  MARIA  THERESA, 


HIS   SON. 


430422 


PKEFACE. 


IT  seems  desirable  to  state,  for  the  information  of  the 
general  reader,  that  the  line  of  New  Guinea  coast, 
first  placed  on  the  chart  by  H.M.S.  "Basilisk,"  had 
never  been  visited,  and  was  actually  unknown  as  to 
its  conformation  (as  far  as  I  have  been  able  to  dis- 
cover any  record),  up  to  the  period  of  her  first  visit 
in  1873,  between  the  wide  limits  of  Heath  Island  and 
Huon  Gulf. 

None  of  the  navigators  who  did  good  service  in 
the  South  Seas  and  on  other  parts  of  the  New  Guinea 
coast,  neared  the  coast-line  laid  down  by  the  "Basilisk" 
within  these  bounds,  a  fact  as  singular  as  it  is  inter- 
esting. 

By  the  courtesy  of  the  present  hydrographer  of 
the  Navy,  I  have  been  able  to  take  from  a  chart, 
constructed  in  his  department,  the  tracks  of  my  prede- 
cessors in  these  waters,  from  which  the  appended 
table  has  been  compiled,  which  will  show  the  reader 
that  up  to  the  advent  of  the  "Basilisk"  in  1873, 
this  portion  of  the  coast  had  been  avoided  by  common 
consent,  with  a  sort  of  fatality ;  strange,  indeed,  when 
we  consider  the  extent  of  coast -line  thus  lying  un- 


Vlll 


PREFACE. 


known,  and  the  position  held  by  the  great  island  ol 
New  Guinea  on  the  habitable  part  of  the  globe. 

TABLE 

Showing  the  nearest  points  of  approach  attained  by  former  ships 
to  the  unknown  coast-line  of  South-East  and  North-East 
New  Guinea,  since  surveyed  by  H.M.S.  "  Basilisk,"  between 
the  limits  of  Heath  Island  and  Huon  Gulf. 


NAVIGATOR, 


SOUTH-EAST  COAST. 

NEAREST  POINT  OF  APPROACH. 


Bougainville  (A.D.  1768). 
D'Urville  (A.D.  1840). 


Some  40  miles  south  of  Heath  Island. 

Some  16  miles  south  of  Heath  Island,  or 
some  20  miles  from  the  New  Guinea 
coast. 


NORTH-EAST  COAST. 


D'Entrecasteaux  (A.D. 
1793), 


Captain  Simpson,  R.N. 

H.M.S.  "  Blanche." 

(A.D.  1872). 


Some  28  miles  east  .of  the  now  known 
eastern  extremity  of  New  Guinea,  at 
which  distance  it  is  not  visible. 

Second  approach — (240  miles  farther  to 
the  westward)  to  an  estimated  dis- 
tance of  25  miles  from  the  land,  and 
from  a  point  which  he  named  Richie 
Island,  but  which  was  found  to  be  part 
of  the  mainland. 

Some  34  miles  from  East  Cape,  the  nearest 
point  of  the  mainland  of  New  Guinea, 
and  21  miles  E.N.E.  from  Moresby 
Island,  the  outermost  of  the  group  of 
large  islands  into  which  the  south-east 
extremity  of  New  Guinea  is  now  known 
to  be  broken  up. 

See  Admiralty  Chart,  Papua,  sheet  7  (A.D. 
1875). 


PREFACE.  ix 

Captain  Owen  Stanley,  K.N.,  whose  valuable  sur- 
vey on  the  south-east  coast  is  a  source  of  pride  to 
English  seamen,  never  passed  round  the  east  end  of 
New  Guinea,  or  we  should  have  had  a  shorter  story  to 
tell ;  or  rather  perhaps  no  story  at  all.  His  work  lay 
in  the  other  direction  ;  he  commenced  his  New  Guinea 
survey  about  three  miles  south-west  of  Heath  Island, 
and  then  ran  westward. 

On  this  great  blank  of  coast-line,  some  340  miles 
in  extent  (as  the  crow  flies,  save  for  the  curve  of  Mil  TIP. 
Bay)  from  Heath  Island  to  Huon  Gulf,  the  only  posi- 
tions laid  down  were  the  two  solitary  ones  by  D'Entre- 
casteaux  in  1793  (situated  170  and  220  miles  to  the 
westward  of  East  Cape),  as  seen  from  his  second  and 
nearer  point  of  approach.  They  were  named  by  him 
respectively  "Cape  Sud  Est,"  and  "Richie  Island;"  both 
these  positions,  however,  were  incorrect.  Cape  Sud  Est 
was  placed  by  D'Entrecasteaux  in  latitude  8°  45'  S., 
and  longitude  148°  18'  E.  (see  Admiralty  Chart,  Coral 
Sea,  sheet  2,  A.D.  1869),  whereas  the  only  cape-like  pro- 
jection of  the  land  existing  here,  one  to  which  we  have 
now  transferred  the  name  of  Cape  Sud  Est,  is  in  lati- 
tude 8°  41'  S.,  and  longitude  148°  33'  E.,  a  discrepancy 
which  shows  an  error  of  some  seventeen  miles. 

The  position  assigned  to  Cape  Sud  Est  was  further 
found  by  us  to  fall  on  a  range  of  high  mountains, 
sixteen  miles  inland. 


X  PREFACE. 

The  north-east  point  of  Kichie  Island,  D'Entrecas- 
teaux's  second  position,  was  placed  by  him  in  latitude 
8°  7'  S.,  and  longitude  147°  54'  E.  (see  Admiralty 
Chart,  quoted  above).  No  island  exists  here,  and  the 
north-east  point  of  the  supposed  island  falls  some 
twelve  miles  inland,  and  some  eighteen  miles  from 
the  cape  which  we  have  named  Richie,  on  the  "  Basi- 
lisk's" chart.  D'Entrecasteaux,  in  sailing  past  this 
coast,  had  doubtless  caught  two  glimpses  of  high  land 
in  the  interior,  and  very  naturally  mistaken  them  for 
portions  of  a  coast-line. 

In  its  own  place  I  shall  refer  to  the  valuable  work 
done  by  this  old  navigator  beyond  the  limits  of  the 
"  Basilisk's  "  special  survey. 

From  Huon  Gulf  to  Astrolobe  Bay,  the  "  Basilisk's  " 
voyage  ceased  to  be  one  of  discovery ;  and  her  work 
between  those  limits  consisted  in  the  making  of  need- 
ful corrections  on  the  existing  chart  of  the  coast-line, 
which  was  very  little  known. 

It  is  not  on  record  that  any  ship  before  the 
"  Basilisk  "  had  ever  passed  from  south  to  north  New 
Guinea,  without  first  going  some  240  miles  to  the 
eastward,  to  avoid  the  great  Louisiade  reefs,  which 
stretch  that  distance  east.  She  has  found  a  safe  ship 
channel  through  these  reefs,  and  opened  a  highway 
for  commerce. 

The  " Basilisk"  has  placed  on  the  chart  more  than 


PREFACE.  XI 

140  islands  and  islets,  of  which  25  are  inhabited ;  and 
has  added  many  excellent  harbours  and  safe  anchor- 
ages to  our  knowledge. 

I  specify  the  limits  within  which  our  task  has  lain, 
with  an  anxious  and  painstaking  distinctness,  which 
will,  I  know,  be  appreciated  by  my  late  shipmates ; 
and  I  attempt  in  the  pages  that  follow  to  show  how 
far  we  discharged  it. 

The  results  of  our  labours  have  been  generously 
received  by  those  who  understand  them,  but  we  wish 
our  friends  at  large  to  know  exactly  what  we  have 
done — no  less — no  more ;  and  to  know  that  we  have 
honestly  tried  to  do  the  good  that  seemed  to  lie 
within  our  power. 

,   J.  MORESBY. 

THE  GLEN,  QUEENSTOWN, 
15th  December  1875. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

LEAVE  SYDNEY — FIRST  VISIT  TO  BRISBANE — INSIDE  THE  BARRIER  REEF 
— THE  "  PERI  "  AND  HER  STORY — THE  SETTLEMENT  AT  CARDWELL 
— FITZROY  ISLAND,  AND  A  WOODING  PARTY  .  .  Page  1 


CHAPTER  II. 

CAPE  YORK  AND  THE  SETTLEMENT  AT  SOMERSET — CITY  OF  THE  WHITE 
ANTS — BOAT  EXPEDITION  TO  ISLANDS  OF  TORRES  STRAITS — A  CAMP 
OF  AUSTRALIAN  ABORIGINES — SEARCH  FOR  THE  DANGEROUS  ROCK 
OFF  SADDLE  ISLAND,  AND  FIND  IT  .  .  ,.  .  Page  11 

CHAPTER  III. 

VISIT  THE  BROTHERS'  ISLAND,  AND  Fix  THE  POSITION  OF  A  REEF  THERE 
—  PEARL-SHELLING  —  POWERFUL  TRIBE  AT  WARRIOR  ISLAND — A 
SWIFT  TIDE  —  A  CORROBORIE  —  TRIBE  VISIT  THE  "BASILISK" — 
SCENES  IN  CAPTAIN  COOK'S  VOYAGES  VISITED  .  .  Page  23 

CHAPTER  IV. 

RETURN  TO  CARDWELL  —  FATE  OF  THE  "MARIA"  EXPEDITION  —  WE 
RESCUE  THE  SURVIVORS — NATIVE  GUNYAHS,  AND  KINDNESS  OF  THE 
BLACKS  —  EDIBLE  ANT  EGGS  —  FIND,  AND  NAME  GLADYS'  RIVER, 
MOURILYAN  HARBOUR,  AND  MORESBY  RIVER— RICH  COUNTRY  ROUND 
THEM  FOR  SUGAR  GROWING — SAIL  FOR  SYDNEY— NEWCASTLE  COAL 
MINES  .  ....  Page  38 


XIV  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  V. 

LEAVE  SYDNEY  FOR  ISLAND  CRUISE — NORFOLK  ISLAND,  AND  ITS  SEMI- 
ENGLISH  RACE  —  KEPPEL'S  ISLE,  AND  ITS  FINE- NATIVES  —  LAVA 
BREAKWATER,  LAKE  AND  THREE  ISLETS  AT  NIUA— FEAST  WITH  THE 
CHIEF — CEREMONY  OF  THE  AVA  AT  FOTUNA — UPSET  IN  THE  SURF — 

ROTUMAH,  AND  ITS  SAILORLY  NATIVES  .  .  .        Page  52 

CHAPTER  VI. 

MAKE  MITCHELL'S  GROUP,  OF  WHICH  THE  EXISTENCE  WAS  DOUBTED — 
DIRECTIONS  FOR  LANDING  — A  DESERTED  ISLAND — A  VILLAGE  BY 
MOONLIGHT — HAMMOCKS  FOR  EVIL  SPIRITS — HUDSON  ISLAND  AND 
RED  CORAL  SHORE-REEF—ISLAND  OF  GRAN-COCAL  NOT  TO  BE  FOUND 
— CHERRY  ISLAND  AND  ITS  SWIMMERS — DUFF'S  ISLANDS  OF  SANTA 
CRUZ  GROUP — NATIVES  APPEAR  FIERCE  AND  FORBIDDING — POISONED 
ARROWS— CORAL  BREASTWORK  —  GREAT  WAR  CANOES — SUNSET  AT 
NUKUPU  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  Page  71 

CHAPTER  VII. 

HONESTY  OF  A  NATIVE  AT  SANTA  CRUZ — SHIP  CHANNEL  FOUND  THROUGH 
THE  REEF  AT  EDGECOMBE  ISLAND,  AND  BASILISK  HARBOUR  DISCO- 
VERED— CONCILIATE  NATIVES  AT  TEVAI  BAY — BLUE  CORAL — NATIVES 
DIFFICULT  OF  APPROACH  IN  TORRES  GROUP — THEIR  PECULIAR  ORNA- 
MENTS—  HAYTER  BAY  —  UGLY  WOMEN  OF  ESPIRITU  SANTO — VERY 
RICH  COUNTRY — VOLCANIC  CONE  OF  LOPEVI — MALLICOLO,  AND  ITS 
HUGE  IDOLS— EXORCISM — HAVANNAH  HARBOUR — INCIDENT  OF  "VAN 
TROMP  "  SCHOONER— COTTON  PLANTING — RAPIDITY  OF  VEGETATION 
— CANDLE-NUT  TREE  ......  Page  86 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

DILLON'S  BAY,  ERROMANGA,  AND  MURDER  OF  MR.  GORDON — OUR  ACTION 
— A  SUNKEN  WHALE — WASTE  OF  SANDAL  WOOD — TANNA — ITS  VOL- 
CANO— A  LONELY  COTTON  PLANTER — ARRIVE  AT  FRENCH  SETTLE- 
MENT AT  NUMEA,  WHICH  CONCLUDES  CRUISE  .  .  Page  110 


CONTENTS.  XV 


CHAPTER  IX. 

LEAVE  SYDNEY,  DECEMBER  STH,  FOR  SECOND  TORRES  STRAITS  CRUISE — 
NAVIGATING  LIEUTENANT  CONNOR — MAKE  PRIZES  OF  THE  SCHOONERS 
"  MELANIE"  AND  "CHALLENGE  " — NOVEL  MODE  OF  CLEANING  SHIP'S 
BOTTOM  —  SEIZE  THE  BARQUE  "  WOODBINE  "  —  THE  "  CRISHNA  " — 
FIND  THAT  NO  RIVER  EXISTS  IN  LLOYD'S  BAY — VENTILATION  AND 
HEALTH  IN  THE  "BASILISK" — RAINY  SEASON— RING  BIRD  OF  PARA- 
DISE— SURVEY  BETWEEN  SADDLE  AND  JARVIS  ISLANDS— NAME  PHILIP 
HARBOUR  —  SINGULAR  PRACTICE  WITH  BONES  OF  THE  DUGONG 

Page  120 

CHAPTER   X. 

PICK  OUR  WAY  TO  CORNWALLIS  ISLAND — SAIBAI,  AND  ITS  TWO-STORIED 
HOUSES — MR.  CONNOR  AND  MR.  PITT  LEFT  BEHIND  FOR  DETACHED 
SURVEY — SAIL  FOR  NEW  GUINEA— DARNLEY  ISLAND,  AND  BE"CHE-DE- 
MER  FISHERIES— SINGULAR  MODE  OF  BURIAL — REDSCAR  BAY,  NEW 
GUINEA — EXPLORE  THE  RIVERS  FALLING  INTO  THE  TOWTON-OPENING 
— USBORNE  RIVER  ...  .  Page  132 

CHAPTER   XI. 

EXAMINE  THE  COAST  FOR  FIFTY  MILES  EAST  OF  REDSCAR  BAY — FRIENDLY 
UNARMED  NATIVES — FIND  "BASILISK"  PASSAGE  THROUGH  THE  BAR- 
RIER REEF  —  AGE  OF  STONE. IN  NEW  GUINEA  —  DISCOVER  PORT 
MORESBY  AND  FAIRFAX  HARBOUR — EXPLORE  INSIDE  BARRIER  REEF 
TO  HOOD'S  POINT — A  HILL  VILLAGE — DESCRIPTION  OF  COUNTRY, 
TREES,  SOIL,  AND  GRASS-PLAINS — EDITH  RIVER — BACK  TO  CAPE 
YORK — EPISODE  OF  THE  BARQUE  "  SPRINGBOK  " — NAVIGATING-LIEU- 
TENANT  CONNOR  REJOINS  FROM  SURVEY  ON  NORTH  SHORE  OF  TORRES 
STRAITS— REPORT  TO  REV.  W.  A.  MURRAY  .  Page  147 

CHAPTER   XII. 

DETACH  MR.  CONNOR  AND  PARTY  AGAIN— SAIL  FROM  CAPE  YORK — FIND 
WATER  ON  HAMMOND  ISLAND — REVISIT  PEARL-SHELLING  STATIONS 


XVI  CONTENTS. 

— SAIL  FOR  EAST  COAST  OF  NEW  GUINEA — ANCHOR  OFF  YULE  ISLAND 
— FIND  AN  ENTRANCE  TO  ROBERT  HALL  SOUND,  SURVEY  AND  NAME 
IT  —  EXPLORE  HILDA  AND  ETHEL  RIVERS — SAIL  FOR  EAST  NEW 
GUINEA — STATE  OF  KNOWLEDGE  THEN  EXISTING  AS  TO  THIS  COAST 
— TESTE  ISLAND — BELL  ROCK — TRACES  OF  DEVIL-WORSHIP—FIND 
THE  SO-CALLED  "  SOUTH-EAST  EXTREMITY  OF  NEW  GUINEA  "  TO  BE 
AN  ERROR — OUR  INTERCOURSE  WITH  THE  NATIVES  .  Page  167 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

DISCOVER  MORESBY  ISLAND — VIEW  OF  D'ENTRECASTEAUX  GROUP  FROM 
CAPE  LOOK-OUT — FRESH  WATER  FISH — TONS  OF  YAMS  BOUGHT  FOR 
IRON  HOOP — TRADING  CANOES  COME  FROM  THE  EAST — FIND  A  NEW 
STRAIT,  AND  CUT  OFF  "  BASILISK"  ISLAND  FROM  NEW  GUINEA — DIS- 
COVER CHINA  STRAITS  AND  HAYTER  ISLAND  .  .  Page  189 


CHAPTER   XIV. 

SCENERY  IN  CHINA  STRAITS — TAKE  THE  SHIP  THROUGH — REASONS  FOR 
TAKING  CONDITIONAL  POSSESSION  OF  NEWLY  DISCOVERED  ISLANDS — 
TAKE  POSSESSION  —  DISCOVER  MILNE  BAY  —  PANIC  AT  DISCOVERY 
BAY  —  REMARKABLE  WAR  CANOES  —  FIRST  TOMB  SEEN  IN  NEW 
GUINEA — KILLERTON  GROUP — DOG  SACRIFICE — SPLENDID  TREES — 
NORTH  SHORE  OF  MILNE  BAY — FIND  THE  TRUE  EAST  CAPE  OF  NEW 
GUINEA  .  ...  .  .  .  '  .  Page  205 


CHAPTER   XV. 

EAST  NEW  GUINEA  FOUND  TO  BE  FORK-SHAPED  —  Go  ROUND  TO  THE 
NORTH  COAST  IN  A  BOAT — SUP  WITH  THE  NATIVES  AT  EAST  CAPE — 
PETS  AND  CURIOSITIES  ON  BOARD  —  SAIL  FOR  SOMERSET  —  NAVI- 
GATING-LlEUTENANT  CONNOR  AND  MR.  GRANT  REJOIN  FROM  THEIR 
SURVEY — TAKE  STEPS  TO  SET  THE  PEARL-SHELLING  FISHERIES  FREE 
TO  WORK  —  BRISBANE  —  SYDNEY  —  NEW  ZEALAND  CRUISE  —  LIEU- 
TENANT DAWSON  SENT  OUT  BY  ADMIRALTY — JOINS  "BASILISK" — 
SAIL  TO  JOIN  THE  COMMODORE  AT  FIJI  .  .  .  Page  224 


CONTENTS.  XV11 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

PROVIDED  WITH  A  STEAM  PINNACE — LAST  FAREWELL  TO  SYDNEY — TESTE 
ISLAND — MAKE  A  THEODOLITE  STATION  ON  GLENTON  ISLAND — VIEW 
FROM  THE  SUMMIT — ENGINEER  GROUP — NATIVES  SUSPICIOUS — FIND 
A  PASSAGE  BETWEEN  GRANT  AND  SHORTLAND  ISLANDS — FIRST  LAND- 
ING ON  D'ENTRECASTEAUX  ISLANDS — HUMAN  FIGURES  PAINTED  ON 
GABLE-ENDS  OF  HOUSES — RUNNING  SURVEY  OF  D'ENTRECASTEAUX — 
NAME  TWO  OF  THE  ISLANDS  RESPECTIVELY  NORMANBY  AND  FERGUSSON 
— DISCOVER  DAWSON  STRAITS — ARMED  NATIVES  COME  DOWN — WE 
CONCILIATE  THEM — DISCOVER  MORESBY  STRAITS  SEPARATING  THESE 
ISLANDS  FROM  A  THIRD,  WHICH  WE  NAME  GOODENOUGH  ISLAND — 
MUSHROOM  CORAL — MOUNT  GOODENOUGH— FERGUSSON  ISLAND — ITS 
FRIENDLY  WOMEN — INLAND  PLANTATIONS— THE  SAGO-PALM — BOIL- 
ING MINERAL  SPRINGS  —  SMALL  RUBIES  AND  AMETHYSTS — SEARCH 
FOR  A  BETTER  PASSAGE  ROUND  THE  EAST  CAPE  OF  NEW  GUINEA — 
HOME  OF  THE  MEGAPODES— A  LAND  SNAKE — FIND  THE  DESIRED 
PASSAGE  FROM  TESTE  ISLAND  TO  THE  NORTH  OF  NEW  GUINEA  — 
H.M.S.  "  SANDFLY  "  AND  THE  NATIVES  .  .  .  Page  236 


CHAPTER   XVII. 

PREPARE  TO  SURVEY  THE  UNKNOWN  NORTH-EAST  COAST  OF  NEW  GUINEA 
—  Low  FEVER — DISTINCTIVE  CHARACTERISTICS  OF  THIS  COAST  — 
GOODENOUGH  BAY — WARD-HUNT  STRAITS — COAST  FROM  EAST  CAPE 
TO  CAPE  VOGEL — RICH  LAND  ABOUT  BENTLEY  BAY — MUTINY  AMONGST 
THE  PIGS  —  SHARP  GRASSY  HILLS — CAPE  FRERE  —  PLATEAUX  AND 
RIVER  AT  BARTLE  BAY — COLLINGWOOD  BAY— MOUNTS  VICTORY  AND 
TRAFALGAR  —  SUPPOSED  TRACES  OF  THE  RHINOSCEROS  —  NATIVES 
BECOME  VERY  SHY — STEAM  PINNACE  CHASED — NEW  KIND  OF  CANOE 
— DYKE  ACLAND  BAY — TUMULTUOUS  GATHERING  OF  NATIVES — WAR 
CHANT — REFRAIN  FROM  LANDING — NARROW  ESCAPE  OF  A  PARTY  OF 
OFFICERS  FROM  THE  NATIVES — RIVER  CLYDE — POEM  ON  COMMODORK 
GOODENOUGH'S  DEATH  .  .  .  Page  262 


XV111  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER   XVIII. 

THICKLY  WOODED,  ALLUVIAL,  LEVEL  SHORE  —  HERCULES  BAY  AND 
LUARD  ISLETS — REACH  LONGUERUE  ISLAND,  WHENCE  THE  FURTHER 
COAST-LINE  HAS  BEEN  PRETTY  ACCURATELY  TRACED  BY  THE  OLD 
NAVIGATORS — LAST  WOOD-CUTTINO — NEW  GUINEA  ANTS  —  PARSEE 
POINT — MARKHAM  RIVER— MOUNTAIN  SLOPES  CLOTHED  WITH  PALM 
AND  TREE-FERNS — MOUNTS  GLADSTONE  AND  DISRAELI — ASTROLOBE 
GULF — SNAGS  BORNE  SEAWARD  ON  A  VAST  BODY  OF  FRESH  WATER — 
DEEP-SEA  SOUNDINGS — STRONG  CURRENT  SWEEPS  us  FROM  THRES- 
HOLD BAY — VISIT  OF  RAJAH  OF  SALWATTI — MEET  MR.  MIKLUCKO 
MACKLAY  AT  AMBOYNA — PENNANT  COMES  DOWN  AT  SHEERNESS 

Page  280 

SUPPLEMENTARY   CHAPTER. 

OUR  DUTY  TO  NEW  GUINEA  AND  POLYNESIA       .  .     Page  295 

APPENDIX  .  .  .  .  .  .     PageZW 


LIST   OF   ILLUSTBATIONS. 


HOISTING  THE  ENGLISH  COLOURS  ON  HAYTER  ISLAND     .       Frontispiece. 

PAGE 

MAP  OF  UEA  ISLAND,  OR  WALLIS  ISLAND  .  .  .          65 

MAP  OF  BASILISK  HARBOUR,  EDGECOMBE  ISLAND  ...          88 
DISCOVERY  BAY,  NEW  GUINEA        .....        216 

SHOOTING  A  WALLIBY,   NEAR  THE  BOILING  SPRINGS,   ON   THE 

D'ENTRECASTEAUX  ISLANDS        .....        254 

ATTACK  OF  NATIVES,  TRAITORS'  BAY          ....        277 
MAP  OF  NEW  GUINEA  at  the  end. 


NEW  GUINEA. 
CHAPTER  I. 

LEAVE  SYDNEY — FIRST  VISIT  TO  BRISBANE — INSIDE  THE  BARRIER  REEF  — 
THE  "  PERI,"  AND  HER  STORY — THE  SETTLEMENT  AT  CARDWELL — FITZROY 
ISLAND,  AND  A  WOODING  PARTY. 

"  OF  making  many  books  there  is  no  end,"  and  I  have 
no  desire  to  add  to  the  number  of  books  produced 
without  sufficient  motive ;  but  I  trust  that  the  work 
done  by  H.M.S.  "Basilisk,"  in  waters  hitherto  un- 
tracked,  on  shores  hitherto  untrodden,  and  amongst 
races  hitherto  unknown  by  Europeans,  will  be  held  to 
call  for  some  account. 

I  will  try  to  take  my  reader  to  new  ground,  on 
the  coasts  of  New  Guinea,  and  to  some  of  the  lovely 
adjacent  islands  of  which  we  were  the  discoverers ; 
but  I  crave  leave  to  make  a  digression  to  Polynesia, 
even  at  the  risk  of  saying  a  little  that  has  been  better 
said  by  others. 

On  January  15th,  1871,  H.M.S.  "  Basilisk,"  a  steam- 
ship of  1031  tons,  400  horse-power,  with  five  guns,  and 
manned  by  178  officers  and  men,  left  Sydney,  under 
orders  to  proceed  to  Cape  York,  with  horses  and  stores 
for  that  settlement,  and  to  spend  three  months  in  the 
cruise.  The  Cape  York  cruise  was  not  generally 
thought  an  inviting  one,  and  we  were  somewhat  loath 

B 


2  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  r. 

to  leave  civilisation  and  the  kindness  of  our  Sydney 
friends ;  but  it  offered  variety,  and  a  hope  of  interest,— 
above  all,  a  possibility  of  doing  some  useful  work. 

We  reached  Brisbane  on  the  22d,  and  there,  in 
conversing  with  Lord  Normanby  (to  whom  we  all  owe 
gratitude  for  the  kindest  hospitality),  and  the  Hon. 
A.  Palmer,  Colonial  Secretary,  my  ideas  as  to  profit- 
able work  to  be  done  in  northern  waters  began  to  take 
definite  shape.  It  was  no  small  advantage  to  obtain 
an  insight  into  the  views  of  two  such  men,  possessed 
of  a  perfect  knowledge  of  the  cumulative  forces  which 
have  wrought  out  the  present  aspects  of  Australian 
affairs,  and  much  foresight  of  the  future ;  and  this  I 
hoped  to  turn  to  good  account  as  opportunity  offered, 
as  far  as  it  should  lie  parallel  with  the  routine  of  the 
service  and  my  duty. 

Having  taken  on  board  the  horses  and  stores  for 
Cape  York,  and  filled  up  our  coal,  we  took  leave  of 
Moreton  Bay  and  the  mangrove-covered  shores  of 
Brisbane  river  on  January  28th,  and  left  finally  for 
our  destination. 

The  voyage  from  Brisbane  to  Cape  York  is  now  a 
common  one,  and  is  performed  by  two  routes,  one 
leading  inside,  and  the  other  outside,  the  Great  Barrier 
Keef.  We  took  the  inner  one,  which  is  now  coming 
into  general  use,  being  shorter  than  the  other,  and  of 
course  more  sheltered.  These  advantages  will  in  time 
outweigh  the  difficulty  of  a  somewhat  more  intricate 
navigation,  and  cause  it  to  be  all  but  exclusively  used. 

It  is  generally  known  that  the  gigantic  Barrier 


CHAP.  i.  INSIDE  THE  BARRIER  REEF.  3 

Reef  runs  north  and  south  for  1200  miles,  at  a  dis- 
tance varying  from  seven  to  eighteen  miles  from  the 
Queensland  coast,  and  that  it  is  supposed  to  have 
originally  been  joined  to  the  Australian  continent  as  a 
shore  or  fringing  reef.  It  is  submerged  in  parts, 
generally  to  a  shallow  depth,  and  traceable  only  by 
the  surf  that  breaks  on  it,  out  of  which  a  crowd  of 
"  nigger  heads,"  black  points  of  coral  rock,  peep  up  in 
places ;  but  here  and  there  it  comes  to  the  surface  as 
a  sandbank  or  vegetated  island,  or,  breaking  its  con- 
tinuous line,  leaves  a  channel  or  gateway  open  to  the 
sea,  in  which  the  plumb-line  goes  down  to  a  bottom- 
less depth.  The  water  inclosed  by  the  Barrier  Reef 
is  everywhere  studded  with  islands,  islets,  coral  banks, 
and  hidden  reefs,  which  would  render  its  navigation 
dangerous  but  for  the  admirable  surveys  of  Captains 
Owen  Stanley  and  Francis  Blackwood,  by  the  help  of 
whose  charts,  and  using  caution,  this  intricate  bye- 
way  of  the  ocean  may  be  safely  taken.  No  one,  I 
think,  but  the  responsible  navigator  of  a  ship,  using 
this  route,  can  sufficiently  admire  the  skill  and  resolu- 
tion of  its  first  great  explorer,  Captain  Cook.  Read- 
ing his  voyages  here,  on  the  spot  where  he  pioneered 
the  way,  and  considering  his  difficulties  and  his  power 
of  resource,  I  recognised  his  greatness  as  I  had  never 
done  before.  Unless  a  strong  monsoon  is  blowing,  the 
sailor  moves  inside  this  great  breakwater  on  a  perfect 
summer  sea,  over  calm  translucent  water,  whilst  he 
sees  the  surf,  and  hears  the  roar  of  the  Pacific,  thunder- 
ing  against  its  everlasting  wall  outside. 


4  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  i. 

On  the  5th  of  February  we  were  slipping  through 
a  sea  like  glass,  blue  as  the  sky  that  hung  over,  and 
watching  the  great  lazy  water- snakes  at  play  on  the 
surface,  all  of  us  languid  from  the  intense  heat,  when 
the  masthead-man  reported  "  Sail  right  ahead  1 "  and 
waked  us  up  in  a  moment — it  was  such  an  event  to 
see  a  sail.  We  almost  hoped  it  might  not  belong  to 
a  kidnapper,  for  the  law  was  not  then  in  a  state  to 
protect  captors ;  but  she  looked  very  like  one — a  small 
fore  and  aft  schooner — as  she  rose  to  our  glasses. 
There  was  something  puzzling  about  the  slovenly  set 
of  her  sails,  and  she  had  a  heavy  water-logged  look  as 
she  swayed  slowly  with  the  long  smooth  undulations 
of  the  sea.  We  hoisted  the  ensign  to  see  what  she 
would  say  to  us,  but  there  was  no  response,  so  we 
steered  to  pass  her  close.  There  were  signs  of  strange 
neglect  in  the  weather-beaten  sails  and  slackened 
ropes  as  we  neared  her,  and  not  a  soul  was  moving 
on  board ;  but  just  as  we  were  thinking  her  abandoned, 
two  or  three  wild-looking  creatures,  Solomon  Islanders, 
rose  up  in  the  stern,  and  then  we  saw  that  others  lay 
on  the  deck  as  if  asleep.  Lieutenant  Hayter,  and  Mr. 
Bently,  the  gunner,  went  with  two  boats  to  board,  and 
these  men  pointed  muskets  at  them  over  the  side ;  but 
what  men  1  they  were  living  skeletons,  creatures  dazed 
with  fear  and  mortal  weakness.  As  our  crews  boarded, 
other  half-dead  wretches  tottered  to  their  feet,  fumb- 
ling too  at  rusty,  lockless  muskets,  and  our  men 
disarmed  them  gently.  They  were  dreadful  to  look 
at — beings  in  the  last  stage  of  famine,  wasted  to  the 


CHAP.  i.  THE  "  PERI     AND  HER  STORY.  5 

bone ;  some  were  barely  alive,  and  the  sleeping  figures 
were  dead  bodies  fast  losing  the  shape  of  humanity, 
on  a  deck  foul  with  blood.  We  tried  to  show  that  we 
would  not  hurt  them,  we  gave  them  water,  and  it  was 
awful  to  see  their  eagerness  to  drink.  Our  men  vied 
with  each  other  in  their  rough  cares,  but  the  help 
came  too  late  for  one — one  dark  Melanesian  soul 
passed  away  from  the  blood-stained  deck,  to  find  the 
mercy  from  God  which  man  had  denied.  There  was 
no  water  on  board,  no  food,  no  boat  by  which  they 
might  have  saved  themselves.  The  hold  was  full  of 
the  sea ;  and  the  ransacked  cabin,  the  blood,  the  plank- 
ing splintered  and  scored  by  axe-strokes,  told  of  a 
tragedy.  Having  given  our  first  succour  to  the  living 
under  Dr.  Goodman's  direction,  we  turned  to  pump 
out  the  hold,  and  to  bury  the  dead.  The  bodies,  six 
in  number,  were  wrapped  separately  in  a  decent  can- 
vas, and  weighted,  insufficiently  as  it  proved,  and  the 
pumps  ceased  clanging  on  board  the  "  Peri,"  and  our 
men  stood  bare-headed  as  an  officer  read  the  words, 
"we  commit  their  bodies  to  the  deep,  in  sure  and 
certain  hope  of  the  resurrection  to  eternal  life."  The 
poor  remnants  of  mortality  when  launched  overboard 
did  not  sink,  but  floated  away  beyond  our  sight,  mute 
witnesses  to  heaven  of  a  foul  wrong. 

The  story  of  the  "Peri"  proved  to  be  this: — A 
noted  kidnapping  vessel,  the  "  Nukulow,"  had  brought 
a  cargo  of  some  180  kidnapped  natives  to  KewaEiver, 
Fiji,  some  two  months  previous  to  our  falling  in  with 
the  "  Peri."  At  Rewa  they  were  disposed  of,  by  being 


NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  i. 


hired  out  to  planters  at  the  rate  of  ten  to  fifteen 
pounds  a-head,  paid  to  the  owners  of  the  "  Nukulow," 
and  about  eighty  of  them  were  transferred  to  the 
"  Peri  "  for  conveyance  to  various  islands  of  the  Fiji 
group,  in  charge  of  three  white  men,  and  a  Fijian  crew. 
On  getting  to  sea  insufficient  food  was  served  to  the 
natives,  who  were  quite  unsecured,  and  they  clamoured 
for  more,  on  which  some  rice  was  issued ;  but  one  of 
the  white  men,  angered  by  the  clamour  for  food,  was 
heartless  enough  to  throw  the  rice  overboard  as  the 
natives  were  cooking  it,  and  the  maddened  creatures 
rose  at  once  and  threw  him  over  after  the  rice.  The 
other  two  whites  and  the  Fijians  followed ;  and  the 
savages,  thus  left  to  themselves,  and  wholly  unable  to 
manage  the  ship,  drifted  helpless  and  starving  before 
the  south-east  trade  wind  for  about  five  weeks,  accom- 
plishing a  distance  of  nearly  1800  miles,  through  a  sea 
infested  with  coral  reefs  and  full  of  islands ;  finally 
passing  either  over  a  submerged  part  of  the  Barrier 
Reef,  or  through  one  of  its  narrow  openings,  to  the 
place  where  the  "Basilisk"  found  them.  Thirteen 
only  were  then  alive  out  of  the  eighty  natives  who 
had  sailed  from  Rewa.  We  took  these  survivors  to 
Cardwell,  thirty  miles  distant,  which  was  then,  except- 
ing Cape  York,  the  most  northerly  point  of  civilisation 
in  Queensland,  and  there,  under  the  humane  care  of 
Mr.  Brinsley  Sheridan,  the  police  magistrate,  they  re- 
covered strength  in  time,  and  were  afterwards  taken  by 
us  to  Sydney,  whence  they  were  carried  by  one  of  H.M. 
ships  to  their  various  islands  in  the  Solomon  group. 


CHAP.  i.  CARDWELL  SETTLEMENT.  7 

Cardwell,  a  lately-made  Queensland  settlement, 
stands  at  the  head  of  Rockingham  Bay,  in  latitude  1 8° 
15'  S.,  and  longitude  146°  5'  E.,  in  a  clearing  made 
in  undulating  and  richly  tropical  country,  and  the 
anchorage  lies  before  the  settlement.  The  southern 
part  of  the  bay  is  flanked  by  the  lofty  Goold  and 
Hinchinbrooke  Islands,  of  which  the  highest  point, 
Mount  Bo  wen,  is  3600  feet  high.  The  inner  passage, 
between  Hinchinbrooke  Island  and  the  mainland,  is 
an  exquisite  piece  of  scenery,  overshadowed  by  the 
frowning  foliated  peak  of  Mount  Bowen  on  the  one 
shore,  whilst  from  the  other  the  densely-wooded  lower 
mainland  stretches  away  till  it  meets  the  dark  range 
of  the  Rocky  Hills  ten  miles  inland. 

Cardwell  has  few  recommendations  as  a  commer- 
cial port.  The  most  available  approach  to  the  anchor- 
age is  difficult,  and  too  shallow  to  be  used  by  ships  of 
heavy  draught.  Vessels  drawing  but  1 6  feet  of  water 
must  lie'two  miles  off  the  shore,  but  a  pier  is  being  built 
which  will  partly  obviate  this  difficulty.  The  place  con- 
sists of  a  line  of  tiny  wooden  houses  running  parallel 
to  the  beach.  In  front  of  Mr.  Sheridan's  house  young 
cocoa-nut  trees,  planted  by  him  as  an  experiment,  are 
growing  vigorously,  the  only  ones,  strange  to  say,  to 
be  found  in  North  or  East  Australia,  although  they  grow 
on  Cocoa-nut  Island,  only  about  20  miles  off  Cardwell. 
The  houses  belong  to  Government  officials ;  and  there 
are  two  general  stores,  and  two  houses  of  entertainment, 
for  gold-diggers  on  their  way  to  and  from  the  Etheridge 
gold-digging,  some  120  miles  north-west  of  Cardwell. 


8  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP,  i: 

Various  tribes  of  Australian  aborigines  roam  about 
the  vicinity,  and  not  unnaturally  regard  the  white 
men,  who  are  rapidly  dispossessing  them  of  their 
homes,  as  mortal  enemies.  They  show  this  feeling 
by  committing  murders  and  outrages,  and  suffer 
terrible  retaliation  at  the  hands  of  our  countrymen, 
who  employ  native  troopers,  commanded  by  white 
men,  to  hunt  down  and  destroy  the  offenders  when 
the  opportunity  offers. 

The  "Basilisk's"  stay  at  Cardwell  could  not  be  pro- 
longed, so,  leaving  Mr.  Sabben,  navigating  midshipman, 
and  four  men  in  charge  of  the  "  Peri,"  with  orders 
to  wait  our  return,  we  stood  away  to  the  north. 

Eighty  miles  north  of  Cardwell,  and  only  some 
three  miles  from  the  mainland,  lies  Fitzroy  Island, 
small,  but  lofty  and  well  timbered,  affording  every 
facility  for  wooding  and  watering,  and  possessing  a 
fine  open  bay  on  its  north  side,  with  a  good  anchorage, 
which  is  sheltered  from  N.W.  winds  by  its  position 
with  regard  to  the  high  land  of  Cape  Grafton  on  the 
mainland.  I  had  determined  to  lay  in  a  good  stock 
of  wood  there,  so  as  to  economise  our  coal  for  any 
future  emergency;  so,  on  reaching  the  island,  we 
anchored  under  the  shadow  of  its  wooded  centre  hill, 
abreast  of  a  deep  channel,  where  a  mountain-stream 
cleaves  through  the  alluvial  soil  at  its  base.  The 
greater  force  of  the  sea  has  heaped  up  a  coral  beach 
across  the  outlet,  and  formed  a  small  brackish  lagoon, 
from  which  the  water  filters  slowly  into  the  sea. 
The  trees  are  thick  on  the  hill-side,  but  at  the  head  of 


CHAP.  i.  FITZROY  ISLAND.  9 

the  bay  we  observed  that  they  stood  more  open, 
amongst  rank  grass  and  huge  rocky  boulders,  and 
thus  offered  better  scope  to  our  woodcutters.  Our 
men  accordingly  laboured  all  day  there  under  a  burn- 
ing vertical  sun,  felling  and  lopping  tthe  trees,  whilst 
a  smaller  party  took  water  off  to  the  ship.  It  was 
very  hard  work,  and  we  were  new  to  it  then.  We 
little  imagined  that  many  hundred  tons  of  wood  were 
to  fall  to  our  axes  hereafter.  The  men,  led  by  Lieu- 
tenant Hayter,  worked  with  cheery  good  humour,  and 
turned  the  occasion  into  a  sort  of  holiday,  but  nobody 
was  sorry  when  the  word  was  passed  at  sunset — 
"  Knock  off  work !  hands  to  bathe !  and  a  party  to 
haul  the  seine ! "  Enjoyment  commenced  at  once, 
and  the  calm  water  became  alive  with  officers  and  men 
enjoying  its  delicious  coolness  after  the  exhausting 
work  of  the  day.  Our  party  hauling  the  seine  soon 
drew  it  in  with  a  silvery  freight,  and  almost  ere  the 
fish  had  gasped  their  last  they  were  broiling  on  the 
embers  of  a  large  wood  fire,  and  all  hands  crowded 
round  for  supper.  The  officers  who  had  been  shooting 
returned  with  but  ill  success,  the  cockatoos  and  parrots 
with  which  the  island  abounds  being  too  wild  and 
cautious  to  let  themselves  be  approached  within  gun- 
shot. I  have  always  noticed  that  whilst  hawks, 
finches,  ducks,  and  most  other  birds  inhabiting  places 
unvisited  by  man  are  at  first  easily  reached,  and  fall 
ready  victims,  birds  of  the  parrot  kind  are  always  wild 
from  the  first. 

On  the  following  day,  February  9th,  after  getting 


10  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  i. 

the  wood  on  board,  we  left  Fitzroy  Island  and  pro- 
ceeded on  towards  Cape  York,  anchoring  each  night 
to  avoid  the  dangerous  reefs  which  lay  in  our  course. 

Nearing  Cape  York,  the  great  Barrier  Reef  ap- 
proaches to  within  five  or  six  miles  of  the  Australian 
coast,  and  the  narrow  navigable  channel  between  the 
reefs  becomes  more  tortuous,  for  islets  and  sandbanks 
thicken. 

We  often  looked  for  turtle  on  these  banks  and 
islets,  but  mostly  in  vain ;  for  between  the  months  of 
December  and  March  light  winds  prevail,  and  the 
natives  come  from  the  mainland  in  their  fragile  canoes 
and  betake  themselves  to  these  off-lying  islets  to  fish 
and  take  turtle,  and  we  nearly  always  found  ourselves 
forestalled.  At  other  seasons  strong  winds  prevail,  and 
the  natives  do  not  venture  from  the  land.  Our  shooting 
parties  on  the  islands  were  more  fortunate,  and  suc- 
ceeded in  making  good  bags  of  pigeons  and  doves ;  our 
men  amusing  themselves  the  while  on  the  coral  reefs 
like  children ;  splashing  knee-deep  in  water  after  the 
fishes  that  darted  about  in  all  directions,  breaking  off 
the  coral  that  branched  from  below  in  every  variety  of 
shape  and  colour,  picking  up  the  beautiful  courie, 
cream-coloured  with  black  spots,  and  other  shells,  from 
the  tiniest  to  the  huge  clam  with  a  hinge  like  that  of 
a  jail  door.  But  shooting  and  exploring  had  always 
to  terminate  before  evening  fell,  for  the  crowds  of 
vicious  mosquitoes  that  then  darkened  the  air  would 
have  driven  the  boldest  from  the  islets  and  reefs. 


CHAPTER  II. 

CAPE  YORK  AND  THE  SETTLEMENT  AT  SOMERSET — CITY  OF  THE  WHITE  ANTS — 
BOAT  EXPEDITION  TO  ISLANDS  OF  TORRES  STRAITS — A  CAMP  OF  AUSTRA- 
LIAN ABORIGINES  —  SEARCH  FOR  THE  DANGEROUS  ROCK  OFF  SADDLE 
ISLAND,  AND  FIND  IT. 

ON  February  16th  we  reached  our  destination,  Cape 
York,  and  anchored  off  the  settlement  of  Somerset. 
This  extreme  northern  point  of  Queensland  was  first 
settled  in  1866,  under  the  supervision  of  Sir  George 
Bowen  and  Commodore  Burnett,  R.N.,  who  thought, 
from  its  geographical  position,  that  it  would  become 
another  Singapore  in  importance.  These  anticipations 
have  not  been  realised,  and  the  party  of  Royal  Ma- 
rines which  guarded  the  settlement  has  been  removed. 
There  are  but  six  white  settlers  now, — the  Government 
police  magistrate,  and  his  boat's  crew ;  the  other  fif- 
teen or  twenty  men  resident  here  are  native  troopers 
and  pearl-shell  divers ;  and  most  of  the  wooden  houses 
are  falling  into  decay  from  the  ravages  of  the  white 
ant.  The  gardens  cultivated  by  the  marines  have  now 
grown  wild,  and  the  small  cleared  spaces  before  the 
inhabited  wooden  houses,  alone  are  free  from  prime- 
val forest  or  bush. 

We  landed  the  horses  we  had  brought  up  by  swim- 
ming them  on  shore,  although  the  sea  abounded  with 
sharks — the  noise  they  made,  and  the  splashing  of  a 
boat's  oars  behind  them  preventing  an  attack,  so  that 


12  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  n. 

we  landed  all  safely,  to  the  delight  of  Mr.  Jardine,  the 
police  magistrate,  who  needed  them  to  follow  the 
cattle  of  the  settlement,  which  are  constantly  escaping 
through  its  broken  fences  into  the  bush. 

Somerset  is  situated  on  the  northern  extreme  of 
Queensland,  where  it  dips  in  a  series  of  steep  hills, 
covered  with  dense  tropical  forest,  to  the  waters  of 
Albany  Pass.  This  strait  which  separates  Albany 
Island  from  Somerset  is  a  narrow  slip  of  water,  about 
seven  miles  in  length,  and  from  half  to  three  quarters 
of  a  mile  wide ;  free  from  rocks  or  shoals,  and  possess- 
ing a  comfortable  depth  of  water  for  anchorage,  but  is 
not  a  good  channel  for  ships,  as  fierce  tides  sweep 
through  it,  and  the  uncertainty  of  the  winds  between 
the  high  lands  renders  it  dangerous  of  approach  to  a 
sailing  vessel.  The  anchorage  is  off  Somerset,  in  a 
small  bay,  between  two  points  of  the  mainland,  and  is 
narrowed  by  a  coral  and  sand  reef,  which  extends 
from  the  beach,  so  that  not  more  than  half-a-dozen 
ships  can  lie  there  together.  From  the  landing-place, 
now  in  ruin,  where  you  step  or  wade  ashore,  according 
to  the  state  of  the  tide,  the  path  leads  through  bush, 
and  a  luxuriant  growth  of  ferns  and  creepers,  which 
has  usurped  the  place  of  the  fruit  and  vegetables  of 
the  Royal  Marines'  gardens,  to  Mr.  Jardine's  house, 
which  stands  on  the  brow  of  a  steep  hill  some  150 
feet  high,  overlooking  Albany  Pass.  It  is  a  simple 
wooden  bungalow,  surrounded  by  the  usual  verandah, 
and  standing  in  a  small  cleared  space,  with  a  stock- 
yard for  the  cattle,  -and  a  few  woojden  huts  for  th& 


CHAP.  ii.  SOMERSET  SETTLEMENT.  13 

native  servants,  and  others  in  the  rear.  On  a  similar 
hill,  half-a-mile  distant,  are  built  the  white  police  quar- 
ters, and  a  storehouse  for  every  article  of  consumption 
required.  But  they  are  fast  falling  into  decay  under 
the  attack  of  the  white  ant,  and  no  attempt  is  made 
to  arrest  the  ruin,  for  the  inhabitants  are  absorbed 
directly  or  indirectly  in  the  pearl-shell  fishery,  and  a 
feeling  also  prevails  that  the  site  is  a  bad  one,  and  that 
before  long  the  settlement  will  move  to  one  of  the 
Torres  Straits  islands,  whence  ready  and  safe  commu- 
nication can  be  held  with  the  commerce  of  the  world. 
Thick  Australian  bush  runs  up  to  the  rear  of  the 
settlement,  opening  here  and  there  into  glades,  where 
cattle  can  find  pasture.  About  one  mile  from  Somer- 
set, at  the  eastern  entrance  to  Albany  Pass,  the  land 
is  low,  flat,  and  bare  of  trees,  and  there  the  Termites, 
or  white  ants,  have  established  themselves  in  a  gigantic 
city,  consisting  of  many  hundreds  of  ant-houses.  These 
dwellings,  which  are  built  of  red  clay,  vary  from  one 
foot  to  sixteen  feet  in  height,  with  a  diameter  equal  to 
the  height,  and  are  irregular  cones,  covered  with 
smaller  cones  and  turrets.  At  a  distance  this  termite 
city  looks  like  a  military  encampment,  and  was  very 
puzzling  to  us  when  we  first  saw  it  on  entering 
Albany  Pass.  It  is  strange  that  insects  should  build 
such  palaces,  and  the  human  being  who  inhabits  this 
country  take  no  example,  but  remains  incapable  of 
constructing  the  smallest  hut. 

Our  orders  permitted  us  ten  days'  stay  at  Somerset, 
of  which  three  only  would  be  occupied  in  refitting,  and 


14  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  H. 

taking  on  board  some  coal  which  was  lying  on  the 
beach,  so  I  began  to  think  of  making  a  boat  ex- 
pedition to  the  islands  in  Torres  Straits,  to  which 
many  reasons  inclined  me.  A  dangerous  sunken  rock, 
not  marked  on  the  chart,  was  known  to  lie  off  Saddle 
Island,  directly  in  the  course  recommended  by  the 
Admiralty  charts,  through  the  great  north-east  chan- 
nel of  Torres  Straits.  Two  vessels  had  already  been 
wrecked  on  it,  and  I  wished  not  only  to  find  this  rock, 
but  also  to  fix  the  position  of  other  reefs  now  becom- 
ing dangerous,  because  of  the  increasing  traffic  in 
Torres  Straits. 

I  had  been  informed  that  illegal  acts  were  being 
perpetrated  at  the  pearl-shelling  and  beche-de-mer 
stations,  on  islands  which  had  never  as  yet  been  visited 
by  a  man-of-war ;  that  the  imported  native  divers  were 
detained  there  beyond  their  stipulated  period  of  ser- 
vice, and  so  ill  fed  as  to  be  driven  to  make  raids  on 
the  supplies  of  the  native  inhabitants — a  situation 
calculated  to  provoke  all  sorts  of  evils.  I  desired  to 
examine  into  this  state  of  affairs,  as  also  into  the  con- 
dition of  certain  Polynesian  missionary  teachers  lately 
established  by  the  London  Missionary  Society  on 
Cornwallis  Island,  who  were  reported  to  be  in  peril 
from  the  natives,  and  needing  either  protection  or 
removal.  Lastly,  it  seemed  desirable  to  visit  as  many 
as  possible  of  the  islands  lying  in  Torres  Straits,  off 
the  south  coast  of  New  Guinea,  three  or  four  of 
which  had  already  become  seats  of  the  pearl-shel- 
ling and  l>6che-de-mer  industries,  so  as  to  gain  some 


CHAP.  ii.  BOAT  EXPEDITION.  15 

general  ideas  as  to  their  character,  products,  and  in- 
habitants, and  the  peculiarities  of  the  surrounding 
navigation.  The  time  at  our  disposal  was  very  short 
for  the  accomplishment  of  such  purposes,  so  we  deter- 
mined to  make  the  most  of  it,  and  on  Sunday  18th 
left  the  ship  in  two  boats :  Lieutenant  Hayter,  Mr. 
Jones,  sub-lieutenant,  Mr.  Waters,  midshipman,  Dr. 
Haines,  Mr.  Bently  the  gunner,  and  four  seamen,  in  a 
boat  belonging  to  the  police-magistrate ;  and  Navi- 
gating-Lieutenant  Mourilyan,  Mr.  Pitt,  midshipman, 
and  Mr.  Mudge  the  boatswain,  with  me  in  the  pinnace, 
Mr.  Chester,  formerly  police-magistrate  of  Somerset, 
being  our  pilot. 

"We  passed  out  at  the  west  end  of  Albany  Pass, 
entered  Torres  Straits,  and  stood  north  under  sail, 
hardly  clearing  the  Pass  when  we  met  with  heavy 
squalls ;  but  the  boat  made  good  way,  and  we  did 
very  well  until,  getting  into  some  heavy  tide-races,  we 
shipped  a  quantity  of  water,  and  had  rather  an  anxious 
time.  This  over,  matters  mended  a  little,  and  hoping 
for  better  weather,  we  pressed  on. 

As  night  wore,  the  squalls  came  down  with  unex- 
pected fury,  and  the  blinding  downpour  of  rain,  and 
heavy  confused  sea,  made  our  position  a  trying  one. 
It  was  as  easy  to  go  on  as  to  retrace  our  way,  and  we 
could  not  even  keep  the  binnacle  light  burning  to  see 
how  we  were  steering.  To  add  to  our  discomfort, 
nearly  every  one  was  sea-sick.  I  had  many  an 
anxious  thought  as  to  our  safety,  and  that  of  the 
other  boat,  and  longed  for  the  day ;  but  when  day 


16  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  H. 

broke  it  did  not  help  us  much — the  weather  was  as 
thick  as  a  hedge ;  we  had  no  idea  as  to  our  where- 
abouts, we  were  surrounded  by  reefs  and  rocks,  the 
boat  was  labouring  heavily,  and  shipping  water  fast ; 
but  I  hoped  that  the  breeze  was  beginning  to  blow 
itself  out.  Suddenly,  whistling  and  seething,  down 
came  a  white  squall,  looking  innocent  as  a  babe  after 
the  inky  black  squalls  that  had  persecuted  us  all 
night,  but  big  with  mischief;  we  just  saw  the  water 
ripping  towards  us  in  time  to  get  the  after  sail  in,  but 
ere  we  could  touch  the  foresail  the  wind  had  struck 
us,  and  the  foremast  was  broken,  and  the  sail  in  the 
water. 

After  this  it  cleared  a  little,  and  we  made  out  our 
position  as  some  twelve  miles  to  leeward  of  where  we 
had  supposed,  and  found  that  we  had  providentially 
passed  through  a  belt  of  coral  islets  and  reefs,  on  any 
one  of  which  it  would  have  been  destruction  to  have 
struck.  Mr.  Hayter's  boat  was  nowhere  to  be  seen,  but 
we  knew  that  she  was  lighter  and  higher  out  of  the 
water  than  our  pinnace,  and  had  been  expressly  built 
for  service  in  these  seas.  I  thought  it  probable  that  he 
would  stand  on  to  our  destination,  and  be  perplexed  at 
not  meeting  us  there ;  but  the  state  of  the  weather, 
and  our  disabled  condition,  left  me  no  alternative ; 
we  jury-rigged  the  boat,  and  put  about.  Jenkins,  the 
coxswain,  contrived  to  light  a  fire,  when  no  one  else 
could,  and  give  us  something  hot  to  drink,  which 
helped  us  to  throw  off  the  effects  of  wet  and 
cold. 


CHAP.  ii.  BOAT  EXPEDITION.  17 

A  fearful  afternoon  succeeded,  with  wind  and 
heavy  sea,  and  incidents  of  squalls,  tide -races,  and 
coral  reefs,  that  kept  us  in  constant  peril,  and  over 
all,  the  relentless  rain  fell  in  a  deluge ;  but  the  men's 
spirits  never  flagged,  and  that  fine  seaman,  Mr.  Mudge, 
showed  his  quality  then,  as  he  did  on  many  a  future 
occasion.  At  sunset  the  wind  went  down.  We 
lowered  masts  and  sails,  and  after  some  hours  of  weary 
pulling,  got  under  the  shelter  of  a  mountainous  island, 
and  anchored  in  a  little  bay,  smooth  as  a  mill-pond. 
It  was  raining  heavily  still,  but  rest  and  safety  made 
us  forget  that,  and  we  slept  soundly.  Once  or  twice 
I  started  awake,  mistaking  the  rushing  of  a  cascade 
on  shore  for  the  sound  of  rising  wind,  but  all  was 
calm.  We  roused  up  early  next  morning,  breakfasted 
on  a  piece  of  biscuit  and  a  glass  of  rum  and  water, 
had  morning  prayer,  and  started  for  the  ship.  It  was 
still  raining,  but  the  wind  was  down,  and  we  had  a 
good  strong  tide  behind  us.  During  a  lift  in  the 
thick  weather  we  catfght  sight  of  Mr.  Hayter's  boat  at 
anchor  under  the  lee  of  a  small  island,  and  he  of  us, 
and  this  wrung  a  hearty  cheer  of  relief  from  both 
crews. 

The  "  Basilisk  "  was  a  welcome  sight,  for  I  had  felt 
doubtful  of  ever  putting  my  men  on  board  her  again, 
but  we  were  much  disappointed  by  this  failure  of  our 
first  effort. 

On  the  21st,  finding  that  the  work  of  fitting  out 
the  ship  for  sea  was  progressing  well,  I  rode  out  with 
Mr.  Jardine  to  visit  a  camp  of  North  Australian 


18  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  n. 

aborigines,  within  a  few  miles  of  Somerset.  The 
encampment,  if  such  it  could  be  called,  consisted  of 
nothing  but  a  row  of  leafy  branches  stuck  in  the 
ground,  under  the  lee  of  which  the  savages  crouched 
for  shelter  from  sun  and  wind.  These  poor  people  are 
evidently  of  the  very  low  type  of  humanity  which  all 
writers  assign  them,  a  black  straight-haired  race,  with 
an  animal  expression  of  countenance ;  the  young  men, 
tall,  lithe,  and  able  looking;  but  all  who  had  even 
touched  on  middle-age,  wretched,  decrepid  creatures, 
with  bones  almost  starting  from  the  skin.  These  poor 
people  did  not  appear  to  have  any  occupation  or 
amusement ;  the  men  were  lolling  listlessly  about,  some 
smoking ;  and  the  women,  sad,  haggard-looking  beings, 
were  roasting  roots  and  small  fish  on  embers,  watched 
by  a  tribe  of  children  who  kept  anxious  eyes  on  the 
food.  The  only  weapons  we  saw  were  spears  of  the 
least  cunning  shape,  waddys,  and  clubs. 

It  is  strange  that  these  people  have  never  learnt  to 
cultivate  the  earth  and  build  houses,  but  remain 
content  to  wander  about,  living  precariously  on  wild 
fruits,  grubs,  a  little  chance  fish,  and  such  animals  as 
they  can  spear,  whilst  their  Papuan  neighbours,  in  the 
near  Torres  Straits  islands  build  good  huts,  supply 
themselves  with  constant  vegetable  food,  and  have  fine 
canoes  for  fishing. 

The  tribe  came  on  board  the  "Basilisk"  in  the 
evening,  and  treated  us  to  a  corroborie.  The  dancers, 
who  were  all  young  men,  were  decked  with  fillets 
of  leaves,  and  moved  in  harmony  with  the  idea 


CHAP.  ii.  AUSTRALIAN  ABORIGINES.  19 

they  intended  to  convey,  such  as  the  "Pursuit  of 
enemies,"  "  The  struggle,"  "  The  victory,"  accompanied 
by  much  clapping  of  hands  from  the  women  and 
older  men.  Their  dances  afforded  a  measure  of  the 
narrow  range  of  their  habits,  and  fell  far  below 
the  really  pictorial  efforts  which  were  afterwards 
made  for  our  amusement  by  the  Warrior  Island 
natives. 

Our  first  attempt  to  cross  the  Straits  in  the  boats 
having  failed,  I  had  now  to  consider  how  far  I  should 
be  justified  in  risking  H.M.  ship  in  the  dangerous 
navigation  of  Torres  Straits  without  authority,  espe- 
cially as  two  years  previously  H.M.S.  "  Blanche,"  in  a 
somewhat  similar  attempt,  had  been  almost  totally 
lost  on  a  coral  reef  a  few  miles  from  Cape  York,  and 
had  only  been  saved  by  good  seamanship.  The  limits 
of  the  Australian  station,  which  have  since  been  altered 
to  embrace  the  whole  of  New  Guinea,  then  extended 
only  to  a  few  miles  north  of  Cape  York,  and  to  carry 
out  my  intention  of  visiting  the  pearl-shell  stations 
close  to  New  Guinea,  I  should  have  to  take  the 
"Basilisk"  inside  the  limits  of  the  'China  station. 
Knowing,  however,  that  the  pearl-shelling  establish- 
ments, lying  outside  the  limit  line  of  the  station, 
called  for  inspection,  I  determined  to  incur  this  re- 
sponsibility. 

Torres  Straits,  which  divide  New  Guinea  from 
Australia,  are  about  200  miles  long,  with  a  least 
breadth  of  80  miles  between  Cape  York  and  the 
opposite  coast  of  New  Guinea.  At  this  part  the 


20  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  n. 

depth  of  water  nowhere  exceeds  twelve  fathoms,  the 
average  being  from  eight  to  nine  fathoms,  elsewhere 
in  the  Straits  the  depth  is  somewhat  greater,  but 
rarely  exceeds  twenty  fathoms.  The  entire  area  of 
the  Straits  is  strewn  with  coral  reefs  and  sandbanks, 
and  with  islands,  the  larger  of  which  are  of  volcanic 
origin,  well  wooded,  some  of  them  seven  or  eight 
hundred  feet,  and  varying  in  size  from  four  or  five  to 
thirty-five  miles  in  circumference.  The  smaller  are 
low  white  islands  of  coral  formation,  scarcely  raised 
ten  feet  above  the  sea-level,  covered  with  small  vegeta- 
tion, but  rarely  possessing  cocoa-nut,  and  never  bread- 
fruit trees,  both  of  which  grow  so  luxuriantly  on  all 
the  other  South  Sea  islands. 

Through  these  reefs  and  islands  a  tolerably  safe 
channel  has  been  admirably  sounded  out  and  surveyed 
by  Captain  Francis  Blackwood,  of  H.M.S.  "Fly,"  in 
1843-5,  but  the  northern  shores  of  Torres  Straits,  and 
the  islands  adjacent  to  the  coast  of  New  Guinea,  had 
not  been  surveyed,  and  in  some  cases  had  not  been 
seen,  by  Captain  Blackwood  or  his  officers,  since  whose 
time  no  man-of-war  had  approached  them.  A  few 
miles  to  the  west  of  Cape  York  a  series  of  lofty  vol- 
canic islands,  succeeded  by  lines  of  coral  reefs,  with 
very  narrow  channels  for  ships  between,  lie  like  giant 
stepping-stones  between  the  hills  of  Queensland  and 
the  low  mangrove  shores  of  New  Guinea,  and  suggest 
the  idea,  which  examination  confirms,  that  at  one  time 
in  the  history  of  the  world  New  Guinea  and  Australia 
were  one  land. 


CHAP.  ii.      DANGEROUS  ROCK  OFF  SADDLE  ISLAND.  21 

We  left  our  anchorage  at  Somerset  on  Thursday, 
and  steered  for  Saddle  Island.  Near  this  island,  which 
is  twenty  miles  from  Cape  York,  a  dangerous  rock,  as 
I  have  mentioned,  had  been  reported  as  lying  directly 
off  it,  in  the  fairway  through  Torres  Straits.  As  we 
dropped  anchor  before  this  fertile  and  hilly,  though 
uninhabited  island,  Torres  Straits,  lately  so  tempest- 
uous when  we  attempted  to  cross  in  the  boats,  lay 
like  a  sheet  of  glass,  unruffled  by  even  a  cat's-paw ; 
but  I  hoped  that  something  of  a  breeze  might  stir  in 
the  morning,  ere  the  sun  got  power,  so  as  to  ruffle  the 
water  a  little  over  the  rock,  and  guide  us  to  its  posi- 
tion ;  but  at  daylight  there  was  no  breeze — not  a  sigh 
— the  sea  lay  like  oil,  glaring  back  to  the  vertical  sun. 
"We  got  out  four  boats  and  swept  the  water  for  the 
rock,  dropping  our  leads  for  hours,  but  had  no  success, 
and  time  being  short  made  no  longer  delay,  but  left 
for  the  pearl  shelling  station  on  Brothers'  Island, 
twenty-eight  miles  to  the  north.  Three  days  after- 
wards, however,  we  made  a  second  search,  and,  when 
almost  in  despair  of  finding,  Mr.  Jones  in  the  little 
dingy  suddenly  hoisted  the  ensign  to  tell  us  that  he 
had  carried  away  the  honour  from  the  other  boats, 
and  touched  the  rock  with  his  lead.  His  success  was 
received  by  us  with  acclamations,  for  we  had  all  be- 
come interested  in  the  search,  and  felt  a  satisfaction 
that  all  sailors  will  understand  in  unmasking  a  danger 
which  lay  in  wait  for  our  brother  seamen.  We  an- 
chored the  dingy  over  the  rock,  and  hoisted  the  ensign 
in  her  to  make  a  mark  distinguishable  from  a  distance, 


22  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP,  iv 

and  Mr.  Mourilyan  and  I  took  a  round  of  bearings  and 
fixed  the  position.  This  dangerous  rock,  or  bank,  has 
but  six  feet  of  water  over  it,  and  rises  up  only  half-a- 
mile  from  the  track  taken  by  all  vessels  passing  through 
the  Straits. 


CHAPTER  III. 

VISIT  THE  BROTHERS'  ISLAND,  AND  FIX  THE  POSITION  OF  A  REEF  THERE — 
PEARL-SHELLING — POWERFUL  TRIBE  AT  WARRIOR  ISLAND — A  SWIFT  TIDE 
— A  CORROBORIE — TRIBE  VISIT  THE  "BASILISK" — SCENES  IN  CAPTAIN 
COOK'S  VOYAGES  VISITED. 

HAVING  fixed  the  position  of  the  reef  off  Saddle  Island, 
we  steered  for  an  island  which  lies  about  sixty  miles 
north  of  Cape  York,  and  twenty  from  the  coast  of 
New  Guinea,  called  by  the  natives  "  Gabba,"  and  by 
the  pearl-shellers  "The  Brothers,"  from  the  circum- 
stance of  its  possessing  two  high  hills  bearing  a  fanci- 
ful resemblance  to  each  other.  This  island  is  one  of 
the  principal  pearl-shelling  stations  in  Torres  Straits, 
and  is  situated  almost  in  the  centre  of  those  fisheries. 
It  had  not,  to  our  knowledge,  ever  been  visited  by  a 
man-of-war,  though  it  had  been  seen  and  its  position 
fixed  by  the  officers  of  H.M.S.  "  Fly,"  twenty-five  years 
before;  and  it  lay  not  only  in  unsurveyed  waters,  but 
also  beyond  the  limit  of  the  Australian  station.  A 
few  hours  after  leaving  Saddle  Island  we  passed  this 
Rubicon,  and  broke  into  the  waters  of  the  China  sta- 
tion, with  an  anxious  desire  on  my  part  that  the  as- 
sumption of  such  responsibility  might  be  justified  by 
success. 

As  we  neared  The  Brothers,  we  observed  a  large 
detached  unknown  reef  lying  off  it,  and  therefore  ap- 
proached with  much  caution,  finally  securing  a  good 


24  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  HI. 

anchorage,  about  half-a-mile  off  the  north  side  of  the 
island,  which  is  surrounded  by  these  great  submerged 
coral  reefs,  some  of  which  are  twenty  or  thirty  miles 
in  length,  with  a  breadth  sometimes  as  large,  on  which, 
but  principally  in  the  narrow  ruts  and  channels  which 
intersect  them,  lie  the  valuable  pearl-shell  oysters. 
The  newly-discovered  reef  was  carefully  surveyed  by 
Mr.  Mourilyan,  and  now  bears  his  name. 

The  great  pearl-shell  fisheries  of  Torres  Straits  are 
principally  worked   by  Sydney   capital  and  owners, 
Queensland  and  Victoria  being  but  partially  repre- 
sented.    Two  modes  were  till  lately  used  in  obtaining 
divers ;  one  was  for  the  small  schooners  used  in  the 
trade,  after  shipping  as  many  native  divers  as  could 
be  had  at  Sydney,  to  go  to  the  islands — generally  the 
Loyalty,  Solomon;  and  New  Hebrides  groups — and 
hire  islanders  to  fill  up  their  complement.     Under 
these  circumstances,  the  natives  were  generally  much 
wronged  in  the  bargain  made  with  them ;  induced  to 
leave  their  homes  under  promises  of  short  service  and 
good  wages,  which  were  made  to  be  broken,  as  they 
were  kept  for  years  beyond  the  time  agreed  on,  in  a 
state  of  veritable  slavery.     This  means  of  securing  the 
needful  labour  was  shown  guiltless  indeed,  however, 
beside  the  other,  which  was  nothing  more  nor  less  than 
an  organised  system  of  kidnapping,  attended  at  times 
with  atrocities,  that  it  blanches  the  cheek  and  makes 
the  blood  run  cold  to  hear  of.     The  islanders  were 
induced  to  go  on  board  the  ships  as  visitors  on  various 
pretences,  and  then  seized  and  fastened  down ;  or  else 


CHAP.  in.  PEARL-SHELLING.  25 

captured  from  their  canoes  whilst  fishing,  and,  without 
being  allowed  one  parting  word  to  their  relatives,  hur- 
ried off  to  slavery.     The  schooners  having  thus  by 
hook  or  by  crook  collected  some  forty  or  fifty  natives, 
steered  for  the  fishing-grounds  in  Torres  Straits,  and 
anchored  off  the  island  chosen  for   a  station.     The 
inhabitants  of  these  Torres  Straits  islands  are  black 
Papuans — like  those  of  the  opposite  New  Guinea  coast 
— a  fierce  and  warlike  race,  armed  with  powerful  bows 
and  arrows.    But  they  have  been  taught  by  the  pearl- 
shellers,  who  have  been  politic  in   respecting  their 
rights  during  the  eight  or  nine  years  of  the  existence 
of  the  fishery,  to  know  the  value  of  friendly  inter- 
course.    Low  corrugated  iron  buildings  are  erected 
by  the  pearl-sheller  on  the  island  chosen,  or,  as  in 
some  cases,  the  Papuan  huts  are  used,  and  the  provi- 
sions and  materials  needed  for  the  prosecution  of  the 
fishery  are  stored  there,  in  charge  of  a  white,  or  Eng- 
lish-speaking native  storekeeper.     Five  or  six  large 
open  boats  form  the  fishing  fleet  at  a  station,  each 
carrying  a  party  of  eight  or  ten  divers,  commanded 
by  a  leading  man  from  the  schooner  as   coxswain. 
The  divers,  who  live  either  in  huts  erected  for  them 
on  shore,  when  not  engaged  on  the  reefs,  or  on  board 
the  vessel,  are  generally  absent  from  headquarters  in 
the  boats  for  one  or  two  weeks  together,  on  parts  of 
these  gigantic  submerged  reefs  which  encumber  the 
sea   for  many  hundreds  of  square   miles   in  Torres 
Straits,  and   return  when   they  have  filled  up  with 
shell.     At  the  time  of  this  visit  we  found  that  only 


26  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  in. 

in  rare  instances  had  even  the  form  of  an  agreement 
been  entered  into  between  the  masters  of  the  pearl- 
shelling  vessels  and  the  divers  ;  and  that  in  numerous 
instances  the  divers  had  been  obtained  by  force  or 
fraud,  and  were  now  improperly  detained  year  after 
year,  earning  enormously  for  the  owners,  but  re- 
ceiving little  for  their  labour  save  food,  tobacco,  and 
some  bright  calico  for  clothing.  The  daily  bill  of  fare 
for  the  divers,  as  officially  supplied  to  me  by  a  white 
man  in  charge  of  a  station,  was  this — for  breakfast, 
two  small  pannikins  of  rice,  each  about  the  size  of  a 
large  breakfast  -  cup ;  for  dinner,  one  pannikin  of 
"  sharps,"  i.e.  an  inferior  kind  of  flour,  which  is  con- 
verted into  doughboys;  for  supper,  the  same  allow- 
ance as  for  dinner.  They  had  no  tea  nor  molasses 
supplied  to  them,  nor  any  other  food ;  but  it  was  said 
that  they  could  go  out  on  the  reefs  and  catch  fish. 
Salt  meat  was  in  store,  but  was  only  issued  to  the 
white  men,  and  to  the  man  who  is  rated  captain  of 
the  boat,  who  was  allowed  some  three  times  a  week. 
At  the  close  of  the  year,  when  the  setting  in  of  the 
north-west  monsoon  makes  the  passage  to  Sydney  easy, 
the  schooners  take  their  cargo  of  thirty  or  forty  tons 
of  pearl  shell  on  board  and  sail  for  Sydney,  where  it 
is  valued  at  £150  to  £180  per  ton, 

A  proportion  of  the  South  Sea  Islanders  who  had 
brought  this  treasure  up  from  the  depth  of  the  sea 
used  to  be  taken  back  to  Sydney,  on  these  visits;  but 
the  poor  savages,  soon  spending  their  small  earnings 
there,  were  generally  glad  to  ship  on  board  the 


CHAP.  in.  WARRIOR  ISLAND  NATIVES.  27 

schooner  again,  sometimes  in  the  belief  that  they  were 
to  be  carried  back  to  their  native  islands,  as  was  fre- 
quently promised  them,  and  but  too  often  in  vain. 
Due  north  of  The  Brothers,  the  high  peak  of  Corn- 
wallis  could  be  seen  about  twenty  miles  off,  and  occa- 
sionally, when  raised  by  the  mirage,  the  low  wooded 
outline  of  Sybai  island,  lying  about  four  miles  from 
the  New  Guinea  coast,  not  marked  on  any  chart,  and 
only  recently  brought  into  knowledge   by  the  pearl 
shellers.     One  of  our  objects  had  been  to  rescue  some 
native  missionaries,  said  to  be  ill  treated  on  these 
islands ;  but  the  information  collected  at  The  Brothers 
disproved  the  statements  made,  and  giving  up .  the 
idea  of  visiting  Sybai,  we  proceeded  direct  to  Warrior 
Island,  about  thirty  miles  distant  to  the  east.    Warrior 
Island  is  a  contrast  to  lofty,  volcanic  Brothers,  being 
nothing  but  a  vegetated  sandbank  on  a  coral  reef,  not 
more  than  two  miles  in  circumference,  with  a  salt  water 
lagoon  in  the  centre,  and  covered  with  scanty  bush, 
nevertheless,  it  is  the  home  of  one  of  the  most  power- 
ful tribes  in  Torres  Straits.     These  natives  in  former 
years  attacked  a  man-of-war  becalmed  near  the  island, 
and  were  with  difficulty  beaten  off,  hence  the  name  of 
the  island.      It  may  appear  strange  that  so  incon- 
siderable a  spot  should  be  a  greater  power  than  islands 
in  the  Straits  twenty  times  its  size ;  but  Warrior  Island 
commands  the  fishing  of  the  great  coral  reef  which 
now  bears  its  name,  and  is  thus  enabled  to  maintain 
a  large  population,  and  to  employ  its  many  canoes, 
which  have  proved  a  very  aggressive  navy,  until  the 


28  NEW  GUINEA. 


CHAP.  III. 


advent  of  the  pearl-shellers,  which  has  turned  the 
minds  of  their  owners  from  thoughts  of  war  to  those 
of  trade  for  axes,  tobacco,  turkey  red,  and  European 
food. 

The  approach  to  Warrior  Island  is  full  of  difficulty, 
not  so  much  because  of  the  uncertain  position  of  the 
reefs  as  from  the  fierce  tides  pent  in  by  them,  which 
sweep  with  great  velocity  through  the  deep  narrow 
channels.  Unaware  of  this,  we  approached  in  fancied 
security,  but  being  caught  by  one  of  these  fierce  tidal 
streams,  were  suddenly  swept  close  to  an  outlying 
portion  of  the  Warrior  Island  reef.  The  anchor  was 
immediately  let  go,  but  with  a  bad  holding  ground, 
and  the  tide  running  five  knots  it  failed  to  hold,  and 
we  dragged  swiftly  along  the  edge  of  the  dangerous 
reef.  Providentially,  the  tide  did  not  set  on  the  reef, 
but  ran  parallel  to  it,  which  gave  us  some  breathing 
time ;  and  whilst  anxiously  endeavouring  to  hold  our 
position  by  riding  with  a  long  scope  of  cable,  and 
steaming  ahead  to  stem  the  tide,  we  found  ourselves 
swept  into  comparatively  quiet  waters,  where  the  ship 
rode  safely  to  her  anchor.  A  survey  the  following 
morning  showed  that  we  had  been  swept  into  a  horse- 
shoe curve  in  the  reef,  past  which  the  body  of  the 
tide  rushed  without  entering. 

There  was  no  mistaking  the  genuineness  of  the 
welcome  given  us  by  Mr.  Bedford,  who  was  in  charge 
of  this,  the  largest,  and,  I  may  add,  best-conducted, 
pearl  shell  station  in  the  Straits.  He  hailed  us  as  the 
first  naval  officers  who  had  ever  landed  on  this  tiny 


CHAP.  in.  WARRIOR  ISLAND  NATIVES.  29 

islet,  and  told  me  of  the  lively  recollection  the  natives 
still  retained  of  the  attack  made  by  their  forefathers 
on  the  man-of-war,  from  which  they  had  claimed  the 
victory,  inasmuch  she  had  sailed  away  from  them. 
As  I  looked  at  the  formidable  war  canoes,  fifty  and 
sixty  feet  long,  hauled  up  on  the  beach,  and  the 
powerful  men  ready  to  man  them,  all  armed  with  six- 
foot  bows,  requiring  muscle  as  strong  as  that  which 
shot  at  Agincourt  to  draw  them,  and  send  the  poisoned 
arrows  true  to  the  mark  at  eighty  yards,  I  felt  that 
they  might  easily  have  proved  awkward  customers  to 
an  old-fashioned  sailing  man-of-war. 

The  station  belonged  to  Messrs.  Merriman,  of 
Sydney,  who,  it  appeared,  were  honestly  anxious  to 
do  the  right  and  just  thing  towards  the  South  Sea 
Islanders  and  other  natives  in  their  employ,  but  could 
not  always  control  the  actions  of  the  masters  in  their 
vessels,  so  difficult  was  it  at  that  time  to  obtain  labour 
from  the  South  Sea  Islands  without  transgressing  on 
the  rights  of  the  islanders.  Mr.  Bedford,  ready,  rough, 
kindly,  and  a  skilful  organiser,  had  commanded  a  body 
of  thirty  South  Sea  Islanders  here  since  the  previous 
year,  assisted  by  two  white  men  as  cook  and  carpenter, 
and  amply  supplied  with  boats,  storehouse,  and  huts 
for  the  fishers.  He  had  been  left  alone  on  the  island 
whilst  the  vessel  went  to  Sydney  and  returned,  and 
during  its  absence  had  induced  forty-four  of  the  War- 
rior Island  natives  to  associate  themselves  with  him, 
and  man  two  of  the  boats  under  a  chief  in  each.  The 
competition  between  these  boats  and  those  manned  by 


30  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  in. 

the  South.  Sea  Islanders  was  now  very  keen,  and  Mr. 
Bedford  gave  the  palm  to  the  Warrior  men,  who 
generally  succeeded  in  obtaining  more  shell  than  their 
rivals.  Such  was  the  ascendency  obtained  by  him 
over  these  people,  that  just  before  our  arrival  they 
had  held  a  meeting  and  solemnly  elected  him  a  chief. 

Inspecting  the  store-rooms,  which  contained  provi- 
sions, axes,  knives,  bright  calicoes,  tobacco,  and  other 
articles  of  incalculable  value  to  savages,  I  remarked, 
with  surprise,  that  nothing  was  secured  with  anything 
stronger  than  a  clumsy  lock,  but  Mr.  Bedford  assured 
me  that  even  this  was  a  needless  precaution,  as  none 
of  the  islanders  would  steal  from  him. 

I  was  unfortunate  in  not  meeting  the  South  Sea 
Islanders,  as  they  were  absent  fishing,  except  one  or 
two  who  were  sick.  One  of  these  was  a  poor  fellow 
who  had  been  fearfully  torn  by  a  shark  whilst  diving 
for  pearl-shell,  and  was  now  a  hopeless  cripple  for  life, 
the  sinews  of  the  thigh  having  been  divided,  but  he 
was  quite  cheerful,  and  Mr.  Bedford  told  me  that  he 
would  be  taken  care  of,  and  never  suffered  to  want. 

The  divers  go  down  in  four  and  six  fathom  water, 
in  localities  abounding  with  sharks,  but  are  very  rarely 
attacked,  probably  because  so  many  dive  together  as 
to  alarm  the  sharks.  I  only  know  of  one  other  acci- 
dent having  happened,  by  which  a  woman  was  simi- 
larly injured.  The  women,  as  a  rule,  are  considered 
more  dependable  divers  than  the  men. 

The  pearl-shell  oyster  of  Torres  Straits  is  a  mag- 
nificent oyster,  weighing  from  three  to  six  pounds,  in 


CHAP.  in.  A  CORROBORIE.  31 

some  instances  reaching  a  weight  of  even  ten  pounds. 
The  divers  frequently  bring  one  up  under  each  arm. 
The  oysters  are  opened  at  once,  when  taken  into  the 
boat,  and  the  fish  used  as  food;  the  pearls,  if  any, 
falling  to  the  share  of  the  crew,  but  the  pearls  are 
few,  small,  and  of  poor  quality. 

After  dark  Mr.  Bedford  proposed  that  we  should 
see  a  corroborie,  which  he  promised  us  should  far  ex- 
ceed the  performance  of  the  aborigines  at  Cape  York, 
and  sent  messages  to  the  chiefs,  whilst  I  sent  on  board 
the  "  Basilisk  "  to  summon  all  our  people  who  could 
be  spared ;  and  in  a  short  time  the  tribe  had  assembled 
in  front  of  the  station,  where  nearly  all  our  officers  and 
a  large  number  of  men  had  gathered  to  see  the  sight. 

It  was  a  striking  one,  for  a  huge  wood  fire  threw  a 
broad  light  on  the  tall  naked  figures  of  the  savages, 
and  painted  them  sharp  against  the  darkness.  The 
old  men  and  women  crouched  in  a  ring,  and  enclosed 
the  dancers,  droning  out  a  slow  chant,  to  which  they 
clapped  in  time,  and  beat  rude  drums,  always  quicken- 
ing as  the  dancers  quickened.  These  gave  us  a  battle 
dance,  and  chased  their  enemies  with  guttural  cries, 
tossing  their  bracelated  arms,  and  heads  decked  with 
long  cassowary  plumes,  as  they  rushed ;  their  eyes  flash- 
ing, and  the  whole  body  alive  with  fierce  excitement, 
till  they  looked  more  like  evil  spirits  than  men.  The 
dance  was  a  perfect  study  from  reality ;  they  made 
signs  of  all  their  actions  of  war,  drew  the  bow  and 
threw  missiles,  and  bounded  on  their  enemies  at  last 
and  slew  them,  with  a  semblance  that  was  fright- 


32  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  HI. 

fully  like  reality.  Better  things  were  the  picture 
dances  representing  scenes  in  daily  life,  such  as  spear- 
ing the  dugong,  fishing,  love  making ;  and  the  last 
and  most  graceful  of  all  was  one  which  illustrated  the 
coming  of  the  north-west  monsoon,  and  the  conse- 
quent planting  of  yams,  taro,  and  sweet  potatoes — a 
poem  in  a  dance.  Nothing  more  perfectly  graceful 
could  be  seen  than  their  movements,  as,  rapidly  glid- 
ing round  the  fire  with  swaying  bodies  and  inflected 
limbs,  they  showed  how  the  wind  blew,  how  the  ground 
was  turned  up  and  the  seed  sown,  and  ended  with  a 
joyous  dance.  We  were  never  fortunate  enough  to 
see  any  dance  amongst  the  Malay  race,  except  the  few 
meaningless  steps  which  we  sometimes  enticed  the 
bolder  youths  to  perform  when  on  board,  perhaps 
because  our  movements  in  East  New  Guinea  were  too 
rapid  to  give  the  natives  time  to  subside  from  the 
excitement  which  our  visit  caused  into  their  normal 
state  of  work  and  play. 

The  following  day  was  Sunday,  and  deluges  of 
rain  prevented  us  from  holding  divine  service.  I  was 
anxious  to  make  the  most  of  the  disposable  time,  and 
as  we  could  not  stretch  our  time  so  as  to  visit  the  re- 
maining pearl  shelling  stations,  I  determined  to  get  the 
Warrior  Island  natives  on  board,  and  impress  them 
with  a  sense  of  our  power,  that  they  would  be  likely 
to  spread  in  their  intercourse  with  other  tribes  in  the 
Straits,  as  this  might  prove  a  sort  of  protection  to 
wrecked  or  isolated  white  men.  Mr.  Bedford  went 
with  me  to  the  village  and  used  all  his  powers  of  per- 


CHAP.  in.  NATIVES  VISIT  THE  "BASILISK."  33 

suasion,  and  I  seconded  his  efforts  by  giving  the  people 
beads  and  trinkets,  and  making  signs  that  they  should 
have  plenty  to  eat  if  they  would  accompany  me  on. 
board  the  "  big  war  canoe,"  but  we  found  them  very 
unwilling,  and  evidently  alarmed  lest  evil  should 
happen  them.  Mr.  Bedford's  influence  at  length  so 
far  prevailed,  that  nearly  all  the  young  and  able- 
bodied  men  of  the  tribe  set  out  with  us  for  our  boats, 
which  lay  a  mile  off,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  island  ; 
but  as  they  walked  their  courage  oozed  out,  and  with 
all  our  whipping-in  we  only  brought  about  twenty  of 
the  bravest  off. 

The  jokes  and  good  humour  of  our  blue-jackets 
somewhat  allayed  their  fears  as  the  distance  increased 
between  them  and  the  land,  but  they  stepped  on  deck 
as  frightened  as  sheep.  A  few  trifling  presents  were 
given  them,  and  they  were  regaled  with  abundance  of 
sweet  hot  tea,  which  is  their  delight,  and  soon  became 
reassured,  and  began  to  express  wonderment  at  the  num- 
ber of  white  men  and  the  bigness  of  the  ship.  We  put 
them  on  the  bridge,  and  fired  shot  and  shell,  and  they 
screamed  and  shouted  with  amazement.  Some  stopped 
their  ears  and  crouched  down,  but  the  boldest  stood 
upright  beside  us,  and  expressed  their  wonder  with  a 
loud  "  coo-ee  ! "  as  they  saw  a  column  of  spray  thrown 
up  by  the  shot  at  3000  or  4000  yards  distance. 

After  supplying  them  well  with  tobacco  and  biscuit, 
we  sent  them  on  shore,  proud  and  happy,  to  be  envied 
by  the  timid  ones. 

At  Warrior  Island  I  met  two  of  the  native  mis- 

D 


34  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  in. 

sionaries  from  the  Loyalty  group,  who  some  nine 
months  previous  had  been  landed  with  three  other 
teachers  and  their  families  on  Saibai  and  Cornwallis 
Islands,  to  begin  a  mission  work  for  the  London  Mis- 
sionary Society,  which  would  extend  to  the  coast  of 
New  Guinea. 

Every  impartial  man  must  heartily  and  thankfully 
admit  that  vast  benefits  have  resulted  from  missionary 
enterprise  in  the  South  Seas  ;  but  no  human  arrange- 
ments are  perfect,  and  I  have  no  fear  of  being  mis- 
understood if  I  say  that  in  some  cases  zeal  overruns 
prudence,  and  new  stations  are  occupied  before  a  pro- 
per staff  has  been  organised  or  means  of  support  en- 
sured. The  English  missionaries,  however,  show  all 
the  pluck  and  tenacity  of  Englishmen,  and  although 
their  first  efforts  may  result  in  failure  for  a  time,  the 
good  cause  is  fought  for  till  success  is  won. 

A  case  of  what  one  would  incline  to  call  rashness 
came  now  to  my  notice.  Here  were  two  South  Sea 
Islanders,  instructed  only  since  they  had  reached  man- 
hood in  the  truths  of  Christianity,  and  holding  them 
like  children  in  a  simple  illogical  way,  brought  up  by 
the  missionaries  in  a  state  of  dependence,  indolent  by 
habit  and  constitution,  and  they  had  been  suddenly 
transplanted  from  their  home  and  semi-civilised 
associates,  a  thousand  miles  hence,  and  placed  here 
amongst  these  fierce  Papuan  warriors,  of  whose 
language  and  habits  they  knew  nothing.  Two 

clergymen,  the  Kevs.  S M'Farlane   and   A.  W. 

Murray,  had  brought  them  to  Cape  York,  and  from 


CHAP.  in.  NATIVE  MISSIONARY  TEACHERS.  35 

thence  taken  and  stationed  them  at  Cornwallis  and 
Saibai,  giving  some  tomahawks  and  trade  to  the 
chiefs  to  propitiate  them,  and  purchase  the  ground  on 
which  the  teachers  were  to  build  their  huts. 

The  teachers  were  provided  with  a  small  stock  of 
provisions  and  trade,  and  were  then  left  to  their  own 
devices,  the  clergymen  returning  to  Sydney.  As 
long  as  the  trade  lasted,  and  they  could  purchase  food, 
for  supplies  of  which  they  were  soon  entirely  depend- 
ent on  the  natives,  all  went  well ;  but  when  the 
Papuans  found  that  the  burden  of  supporting  these 
missionaries  and  their  wives  and  children  would  be 
thrown  on  them, — people,  too,  with  whom  they  could 
hold  no  converse,  and  who  had  no  recommendation  in 
their  eyes  except  that  of  being  protected  by  white 
men, — they  naturally  refused  to  accept  the  position. 
Painful  scenes  accordingly  took  place ;  they  used  to 
bring  food  to  the  teachers  and  take  it  away  again 
when  no  payment  was  offered  in  return.  The  un- 
fortunate creatures  were  thus  ready  to  starve,  but  for 
the  liberality  of  Mr.  Bedford's  employers,  who  per- 
mitted him  to  supply  them  free  of  charge.  The 
teachers  had  now  come  to  Warrior  Island  from  their 
station  at  Cornwallis,  about  thirty  miles  distant, 
principally  to  get  medicine  and  nourishing  food  for 
their  ailing  wives;  and  a  collection  was  made  on 
board  the  "  Basilisk "  on  their  behalf,  which  enabled 
them  to  return  with  lightened  hearts.  These  poor 
teachers  did  not  pretend  that  they  exercised  the 
slightest  influence  over  the  Papuans,  but  they 


36  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  in. 

hoped  in  time  to  learn  the  language  and  become 
useful. 

The  time  permitted  for  our  stay  in  Torres  Straits 
having  elapsed,  we  returned  south  inside  the  great 
Barrier  Reef,  calling  on  our  way  at  some  of  the  only 
historic  spots  the  Australian  colonies  possess — places 
connected  by  some  incident  with  the  history  of  Captain 
Cook's  voyages.  The  first  of  these  was  Lizard  Island, 
so  called  by  Cook  because  the  reptile  abounded. 
Here,  about  fifteen  miles  off  the  mouth  of  the  Endea- 
vour River,  where  his  little  vessel  had  been  all  but 
destroyed  on  a  neighbouring  coral  reef,  he  remained 
two  days ;  each  day  ascended  its  peak,  1200  feet  high, 
to  look  for  an  opening  in  the  great  Barrier  by  which 
his  vessel,  when  repaired,  might  gain  the  open  sea, 
and  each  day  returned  disappointed  by  hazy  weather. 
It  is  well  known  that  Cook  then  thought  it  impossible 
to  trace  the  Australian  coast  any  farther  inside  the 
Reef.  He  found  a  passage  through  to  the  open  sea 
in  the  end,  and  was  rejoicing  in  safety,  when  a  calm 
ensued,  and  his  ship,  swept  on  by  the  combined  influ- 
ence of  swell  and  current,  would  have  been  dashed  to 
pieces  on  the  outside,  had  not  Providence  launched  her 
back  again  through  a  narrow  opening,  which  he  well 
named  Providential  Channel,  into  the  still  waters 
inside.  From  this  point  he  again  traced  the  Austra- 
lian coast  to  its  final  northern  point 

After  much  difficult  climbing  I  stood  at  last  on 
the  bare  windy  top  of  Lizard  Island,  and  gazed  on  the 
scene  which  had  met  the  eyes  of  our  great  sailor  just 


CHAP.  in.        SCENE  IN  COOK'S  VOYAGES  VISITED.  37 

102  years  before;  thinking  with  a  new  wonder  on 
the  skill,  indomitable  energy,  and  courage  he  had 
shown  in  matching  his  frail,  lonely  vessel  against  such 
odds.  I  do  not  think  our  country  remembers  as  she 
should,  the  debt  of  gratitude  she  owes  Cook  for  writ- 
ing the  home-names  on  so  large  a  portion  of  the  map 
of  the  world.  We  anchored  off  the  mouth  of  Endea- 
vour Eiver  on  the  evening  of  the  5th  of  March,  so  as 
to  pass  some  dangerous  shoals  in  the  vicinity  by  day- 
light. The  spot  where  Cook  hove  down  and  repaired 
his  vessel,  the  "  Endeavour,"  was  just  as  he  had  left 
it ;  for  though  a  few  passing  white  men  have  occasion- 
ally visited  it,  they  have  left  no  trace.  I  had  Cook's 
picture  of  the  place  in  my  hand  as  I  landed,  and  had 
no  difficulty  in  steering  my  boat  to  the  exact  spot 
on  which  the  "  Endeavour "  was  beached.  Since  our 
visit,  the  report  of  gold  found  at  the  Palmer  diggings, 
some  200  miles  inland,  has  brought  a  rush  of  settlers 
to  the  place ;  a  township,  appropriately  named  Cook- 
town,  has  formed  itself  at  the  entrance  of  the  river, 
and  having  made  the  rapid  growth  characteristic  of 
most  Australian  towns,  already  musters  a  population 
of  10,000  people ;  has  three  banks,  a  daily  newspaper, 
and  all  the  appointments  of  a  full-grown  city. 


CHAPTEE  IV. 

RETURN  TO  CARDWELL — FATE  OF  THE  "MARIA"  EXPEDITION — WE  RESCUE  THE 
SURVIVORS — NATIVE  GUNYAHS,  AND  KINDNESS  OF  THE  BLACKS — EDIBLE 
ANT  EGGS — FIND,  AND  NAME  GLADYS*  RIVER,  MOURILYAN  HARBOUR,  AND 
MORESBY  RIVER — RICH  COUNTRY  ROUND  THEM  FOR  SUGAR  GROWING — 
SAIL  FOR  SYDNEY — NEWCASTLE  COAL  MINES. 

WE  returned  to  Cardwell,  and  arrived  there  March 
9th,  when  Mr.  Sabben,  the  officer  I  had  left  in  charge 
of  the  "  Peri,"  came  on  board  with  tidings  of  the  wreck 
of  a  brig  on  the  great  Barrier  Reef;  having,  besides 
her  crew,  seventy-five  spirited  young  men  from  Syd- 
ney on  board,  who  had  attempted  a  prospecting  ex- 
pedition to  New  Guinea.  They  had  clubbed  together, 
at  the  rate  of  ten  pounds  a-piece,  and  bought  the 
"Maria,"  a  crazy  old  brig  of  167  tons,  as  ill-found 
aloft  as  she  was  leaky  below ;  and  had  fortune  favoured, 
might  have  reached  New  Guinea,  for  all  went  well  for 
a  fortnight,  and  they  had  come  within  400  miles  of 
the  desired  coast.  There  their  misfortunes  commenced, 
~-  -fbr-ihey  met  the  north-west  monsoon,  accompanied  by 
heavy  gales,  lost  spars  and  sails,  and  were  driven 
south  again,  with  the  ship's  hull  strained  and  leaking 
badly.  The  men,  pent  in  such  narrow  quarters,  were 
so  incongruous  in  character  as  to  be  incapable  of  act- 
ing together  in  a  difficulty,  and  they  had  no  leader : 
added  to  this,  the  master  of  the  vessel  was  utterly 
worthless  as  a  navigator.  After  many  divided  conn- 


CHAP.  iv.  WRECK  OF  THE  "MARIA."  39 

cils,  it  was  resolved  to  steer  west,  pass  inside  the 
Barrier  Keef,  and  make  one  of  the  North  Queensland 
ports ;  and  acting  on  this  intention  they  gained  the 
inner  waters  safely.  Instead  of  anchoring  at  night 
and  waiting  for  daylight  to  pick  their  way  through 
the  labyrinth  of  reefs  which  surrounded  them,  they 
pressed  recklessly  on,  and  struck  on  Bramble  Eeef, 
early  in  the  morning  of  February  26th,  about  thirty 
miles  east  of  Cardwell,  and  twenty  from  Hinchinbrooke, 
on  the  south  side  of  Kockingham  Bay.  Scarcely  had 
the  luckless  vessel  fastened  herself  on  the  rocks,  than 
the  master,  whose  incapacity  had  caused  the  disaster, 
basely  deserted  the  vessel  before  day  broke,  taking 
six  men  with  him  in  the  best  boat,  which  would  have 
held  twenty,  pretending  that  he  was  going  for  as- 
sistance. 

The  mate  left  in  charge  now  became  madly  ex- 
cited; the  vessel  was  filling  rapidly,  and  but  two 
boats  remained,  which  were  incapable  of  holding  a 
third  of  the  company.  Two  rafts  were  constructed, 
and  barely  launched,  when  the  vessel  heeled  over, 
slipped  from  the  reef,  and  sank  in  deep  water  to  her 
lower  yards.  Thirteen  men  struggled  on  to  the  larger 
raft,  twelve  gained  the  smaller,  and  some  clung  to  the 
rigging ;  the  rest  were  drowned,  with  the  exception  of 
a  few  men  in  the  second  boat,  who  had  gone  to  pick 
up  the  third  boat,  which  had  broken  adrift  before  the 
sinking  of  the  vessel.  These  boats  returning,  took 
some  men  off  the  rigging,  and  leaving  nine  to  perish 
there,  made  for  the  land  fifteen  miles  off. 


40  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  iv. 

The  captain,  not  knowing  his  position,  took  his 
boat  past  Card  well,  and  landed  at  Tarn  o'  Shanter's 
Point,  at  the  north  of  Buckingham  Bay,  where  he  was 
attacked  by  the  natives,  and  met  his  fate,  being  mur- 
dered, with  three  of  his  men.  The  other  three,  though 
badly  wounded,  escaped,  and  hiding  in  the  bush  by 
day,  and  creeping  out  at  night  (when  the  blacks  fear 
to  stir  abroad),  reached  Cardwell,  forty  miles  distant, 
where  the  other  boats  also  arrived  after  five  days' 
wandering. 

Mr.  Sheridan,  on  hearing  their  story,  chartered  a 
steamer  which  happened  to  be  lying  in  the  bay,  and 
sent  her  to  the  scene  of  the  wreck,  from  which  she 
returned  with  a  report  that  all  on  the  masts  had 
perished,  and  that  no  rafts  were  to  be  seen.  Navi- 
gating-Midshipman  Sabben,  present  in  charge  of  the 
"  Peri,"  then  left  in  a  gig,  with  two  men-of-war's  men, 
and  six  shore  volunteers,  all  well  armed,  to  recover 
the  boat  taken  by  the  natives  from  the  murdered  cap- 
tain, and  reached  Tarn  o'  Shanter's  Point  at  4  P.M.  on 
the  5th.  On  landing  he  found  the  captured  boat 
drawn  up  amongst  the  scrub,  her  masts  stepped,  and 
preparation  made  to  burn  her.  He  hauled  her  into 
the  water,  and  his  men  began  to  cook  some  food,  then- 
first  for  twelve  hours.  Suddenly  there  was  a  yell, 
and  about  120  natives,  making  hostile  demonstrations, 
rushed  from  the  mangrove  bushes  300  yards  off  the 
boat,  and  made  for  her ;  Mr.  Sabben  and  his  men  ran 
also,  gained  her  first,  and  opened  fire  on  the  blacks 
at  eighty  yards,  who  returned  it  with  a  volley  of 


CHAP.  iv.         PUNISHMENT  OF  THE  MURDERERS.  41 

spears,  and  took  to  their  heels  after  a  while,  leaving 
eight  dead  and  eight  wounded  behind  them.  Mr. 
Sabben  then  left  for  Cardwell  with  his  gig  and  the 
captain's  boat,  and  after  pulling  all  night,  had  to 
beach  the  boats  for  a  couple  of  hours  till  a  heavy 
sea  and  head  wind  had  somewhat  subsided,  when  he 
went  on,  and  landed  his  men  at  Cardwell  at  8  P.M. 

On  our  arrival,  Mr.  Sabben  came  and  reported  his 
execution  of  this  service  to  me,  and  Mr.  Sheridan  met 
me  with  a  magisterial  requisition  for  assistance, 
rendered  necessary  by  the  fact  that  various  murders 
and  acts  of  violence  had  been  committed  by  the  blacks 
of  late  near  Cardwell.  It  concluded  in  these  words — 
"  If  some  immediate  action  is  not  taken,  no  boat  will 
be  safe  on  the  coast,  and  I  am  afraid  that  the  settlers 
outside  the  town,  or  even  the  town  itself,  may  be 
attacked  by  the  savages."  I  therefore  aided  him  to 
send  his  black  troopers  and  their  officers  to  the  scene 
of  the  latest  murder — that  of  the  boat's  crew  of  the 
"  Maria  "  (there  to  inflict  a  decisive  punishment),  by 
embarking  them  on  board  the  "  Peri," — sending  with 
them  three  officers  and  twelve  men  of  H.  M.  S. 
"  Basilisk,"  under  the  command  of  Lieutenant  Francis 
Hayter.  It  is  needless  to  say  that  I  felt  it  very 
painful  to  take  such  a  step,  but  in  Mr.  Sheridan's 
opinion  as  well  as  my  own  it  was  necessary,  not 
only  for  the  sake  of  justice,  and  in  the  interests  of 
all  white  men  who  might  hereafter  be  placed  at  the 
mercy  of  the  tribe,  but  to  secure  the  safety  of  Card- 
well  itself.  The  tribe  was  surprised  before  daylight, 


42  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  iv. 

— several  unfortunate  blacks  were  shot  down  by  the 
native  troopers,  who  showed  an  unrestrained  ferocity 
that  disgusted  our  officers ;  and  the  camp,  in  which 
some  clothing  and  effects  of  the  four  murdered  men 
were  found,  was  destroyed.  This  work  of  justice  over, 
the  party  returned  to  Cardwell,  bringing  with  them 
a  little  native  lad  about  six  years  old,  whose  father 
had  been  shot.  The  boy,  afterwards  christened  John 
Peri,  soon  became  a  great  favourite  on  board  the 
"  Basilisk."  He  died  in  England,  where  he  had  been 
sent  for  education  by  the  kind  act  of  Mr.  Hayter, 
three  years  afterwards,  of  disease  of  the  lungs. 

I  had  a  hope  that  some  survivors  might  even  yet 
be  found  on  the  rafts,  so,  directly  on  despatching  Mr. 
Hayter  and  his  party,  the  "  Basilisk "  left  again  in 
search  of  the  rafts.  Calculating  the  effect  of  the 
winds  and  prevailing  currents,  I  concluded  that  the 
rafts,  unless  stopped  by  some  obstruction,  would  strike 
the  mainland  sixty  or  seventy  miles  north  of  Cardwell. 
We  therefore  steered  at  first  to  examine  the  banks  and 
islets  which  lay  in  the  supposed  line  of  their  drift. 
Finding  no  traces,  we  stood  in  for  the  Queensland 
coast,  anchored  off  Cooper's  Point,  and  sent  our  boats 
north  and  south  to  examine  the  whole  coast  minutely. 

After  the  boats  had  left,  Mr.  O'Neill,  our  paymaster, 
suddenly  called  out,  "I  see  white  men  on  the  beach  I " 
and  our  glasses  soon  confirmed  the  truth  of  his  dis- 
covery. I  stepped  into  a  boat,  taking  some  food  and 
wine,  and  pulled  rapidly  for  the  beach.  As  we  neared 
the  beach  we  were  rather  alarmed  by  seeing  that  the 


CHAP.  iv.  GUNYAHS  OR  NATIVE  HUTS.  43 

white  men  had  disappeared,  and  that  a  number  of 
blacks  were  standing  in  their  place,  and  our  men  gave 
way  with  a  will  that  sent  the  boat  flying  through  the 
water.  Just  as  we  landed,  the  white  men  rose  into 
sight  again,  and  we  afterwards  learned  that  they  had 
fallen  on  their  knees  behind  a  rock  on  seeing  us,  to 
give  thanks  to  the  Almighty  for  their  deliverance. 
Eight  emaciated  half-naked  creatures  met  us,  and 
clasped  our  hands,  and  told  us  that  they  only  were 
left  alive  of  the  thirteen  belonging  to  the  larger  raft. 
There  was  no  need  to  tell  of  the  sufferings  they  had 
gone  through,  their  wasted,  ulcerated  bodies,  and  the 
feeble  voices  with  which  they  tried  to  raise  a  cheer, 
told  plainly  that  we  had  only  saved  them  just  in  time. 
The  wine  we  had  brought  gave  them  a  little  strength, 
and  they  crawled  along  with  us  to  the  native  camp  in 
order  that  I  might  see  for  myself  how  well  the  natives 
had  cared  for  them. 

Many  rocks  cropped  up  through  this  sandy  beach, 
and  it  was  bordered  with  scrub,  behind  which  rose 
steep  hills  covered  with  Australian  firs,  wild  banana 
trees,  and  smaller  vegetation.  In  some  places  the 
bush  was  quite  impenetrable,  being  composed  of 
various  kinds  of  canes,  some  of  a  thorny  nature,  and 
vines  and  creepers,  some  of  which  ran  nearly  to  the 
top  of  the  tallest  trees. 

In  a  luxuriant  glen,  at  the  foot  of  these  hills,  after 
about  five  minutes'  walk  from  the  beach,  we  came  to 
the  gunyahs  or  huts  of  the  blacks,  standing  in  a 
cleared  space,  surrounded  by  gigantic  trees,  a  contrast 


44  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  iv. 

indeed  to  the  poor  shelter  of  branches  with  which 
their  Cape  York  brethren  content  themselves.  These 
gunyahs,  which  were  oval  in  shape,  and  about  five  feet 
high,  and  eight  or  nine  long  at  their  greatest  diameter, 
were  made  of  rows  of  long  pliable  canes,  secured  to  the 
ground  at  one  end,  and  bent  in  a  bow  towards  each 
other,  and  tied  so  as  to  form  a  succession  of  arches, 
thatched  over  with  palm  leaves  and  the  bark  of  trees. 
One  gunyah,  which  we  were  told  was  for  the  unmarried 
women,  was  considerably  larger,  being  fully  seven  feet 
high  and  fifteen  feet  long  at  its  greatest  diameter. 
The  floor  was  strewn  with  clean  rushes,  and  it  had 
quite  a  comfortable  appearance.  In  one  or  two  of 
the  smaller  gunyahs  the  shipwrecked  men  had  been 
lodged,  and  precariously  fed  with  wild  fruits,  and 
small  quantities  of  fish  by  the  kindly  blacks,  whose 
diminutive  size  and  skeleton -like  appearance  showed 
how  hard  a  struggle  they  themselves  had  for  existence. 
Their  weapons  and  fishing  gear  were  of  the  rudest 
kind,  and  consisted  only  of  light  spears  tipped  with 
hard  wood  roughly  pointed,  shields,  and  huge  un- 
wieldy swords,  about  five  feet  long  and  four  inches 
broad,  with  a  handle  small  out  of  all  proportion,  being 
not  more  than  three  inches  in  length.  For  fishing 
they  had  hooks  made  of  hard  wood,  lines  of  twisted 
fibre,  and  funnel-shaped  baskets  for  catching  shrimps. 
Having  expressed  to  these  good-natured  savages,  as  far 
as  signs  could  go,  my  gratitude  for  their  humanity, 
and  a  promise  of  sending  them  a  present,  the  ship- 
wrecked men  and  the  blacks  said  good-bye  to  each 


CHAP.  iv.  NARRATIVE  OF  THE  SURVIVORS.  45 

other  in  a  manner  more  affecting  than  I  had  supposed 
possible.  The  latter  seemed  to  rejoice  that  the  white 
men  had  found  their  friends,  whilst  they  grieved  to 
part  with  them.  They  embraced  them,  weeping  bit- 
terly at  the  water's  edge,  and  remained  on  the  beach 
gazing  after  our  receding  boat.  Immediately  on  reach- 
ing the  ship  I  sent  the  blacks  a  bag  of  biscuit  and 
other  presents.  The  eight  rescued  men  were  soon 
clothed  from  our  wardrobes,  the  doctor  attended  to 
their  sores  and  ulcers,  and  a  hearty  meal  did  much  to 
revive  them.  They  told  us  that  they  had  left  the 
wreck  on  the  morning  of  February  26th,  without  a 
drop  of  fresh  water,  or  a  particle  of  food  on  their  ill- 
constructed  raft,  with  only  one  oar,  and  without  a 
sail ;  a  tent  was  afterwards  converted  into  a  sail,  but 
soon  lost.  For  the  first  day  the  smaller  raft  kept 
company,  but  after  that  they  saw  it  no  more.  Their 
distance  from  the  mainland  was  about  twenty  miles, 
and  the  first  day  passed  tolerably  well,  as  they  were 
buoyed  up  by  the  hope  of  reaching  land,  but  during 
the  night  the  wind  and  the  sea  rose,  and  they  lost 
sight  of  land,  and  grew  disheartened,  all  but  one  or 
two  brave  fellows  who  seem  never  to  have  despaired. 
The  morning  sun  of  the  27th  cheered  them  all  for  a 
time,  but  the  weather  became  worse ;  their  make-shift 
sail  and  solitary  oar  were  washed  away,  and  they 
drifted  past  some  islands  about  five  miles  distant. 
Despair  now  seized  the  majority,  and  two  men  became 
insane.  The  second  night  closed  on  them  in  a  miserable 
plight,  the  lashings  of  the  raft  had  become  so  loose 


46  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  iv. 

that  she  continually  rolled  over  and  over,  throwing 
the  occupants  into  the  water,  and  when  morning 
broke  it  was  found  that  the  insane  men  and  two 
others  had  been  drowned.  The  rest  turned  to  man- 
fully, and  split  some  planks  into  paddles,  but  could 
not  reach  the  shore,  along  which  they  drifted  at  a  dis- 
tance of  about  two  miles ;  a  third  man  now  lost  his 
senses  and  died  raving  mad.  A  third  night  closed  in 
on  these  unfortunates,  and  a  fourth  man  became 
insane ;  but  two  companions,  Foster  and  Coyle,  the 
former  son  of  an  ex-prime  minister  of  New  South 
Wales,  kept  up  heart,  and  were  the  salvation  of  their 
comrades.  Some  time  after  midnight  the  raft  grounded 
on  a  sandy  beach,  and  its  eight  surviving  occupants 
reached  the  shore,  and  slept  on  the  beach  till  daylight 
enabled  them  to  look  for  food.  Strange  to  say, 
although  from  the  time  of  their  leaving  the  "  Maria," 
not  a  morsel  of  food  or  drop  of  water  had  passed  their 
lips,  they  did  not  feel  hungry  or  thirsty.  The  system 
was  doubtless  supplied  with  moisture  through  the 
pores  of  the  skin,  as  the  men  were  immersed  in  water 
the  whole  time ;  but  it  is  difficult  to  account  for  the 
absence  of  hunger.  They  found  some  wild  fruits, 
which  partly  restored  their  strength,  and  coming  to 
the  remains  of  a  fire  left  by  the  natives,  searched 
about,  thinking  the  blacks  might  have  left  something 
eatable,  and  Coyle  presently  picked  up  the  stem  of 
some  bulbous  plant  and  bit  it,  but  instantly  dropped 
it,  gasping  out  "water."  Foster  hobbled  off  to  a 
small  creek  and  brought  him  a  shell  full  of  water,  with 


CHAP.  iv.  DISCOVERY  OF  GLADYS'  RIVER.  47 

which  lie  washed  his  mouth,  but  for  about  an  hour  he 
suffered  agony  from  an  intense  burning  in  the  mouth, 
and  could  scarcely  speak  for  the  rest  of  the  day. 
They  now  met  some  natives,  and  finding  them  kindly, 
kept  with  them  to '  the  end  of  the  twelve  days,  wan- 
dering with  them  up  and  down  the  coast,  as  they 
shifted  their  quarters  in  search  of  food.  Part  of  the 
food  consisted  of  ant  eggs,  which  the  natives  bruised 
in  water,  and  strained  through  a  porous  basket  into 
the  hollow  of  a  rock.  The  pulpy  matter  was  first 
eaten,  and  the  water  then  drunk.  It  was  white  as 
milk  from  the  juice  of  the  eggs,  and  had  a  pleasant 
acid  flavour.  Having  thus  saved  the  survivors  from 
the  larger  raft,  I  felt  full  of  hope  that  we  should  save 
some  from  the  smaller ;  but  it  was  not  so  to  be  :  the 
crew  had  already  met  its  fate,  and  a  sad  one. 

On  the  day  that  we  rescued  these  men,  Lieutenant 
Sydney  Smith,  in  charge  of  a  cutter  detached  to  ex- 
plore the  coast  from  the  point  where  the  "  Basilisk  " 
had  anchored  to  the  southward,  found  the  remains  of 
the  small  raft  on  the  beach,  not  more  than  six  miles 
from  the  spot  where  the  larger  had  struck,  but  sepa- 
rated by  a  good-sized  navigable  river,  which  had  pre- 
vented (providentially,  as  it  appeared)  any  communi-_ 
cation  between  their  respective  crews.  Shortly  after 
passing  this  fine  stream,  which  we  afterwards  examined 
and  named  "Gladys'  River,"  Mr.  Smith  found  the 
bodies  of  two  white  men,  one  as  if  asleep,  in  an  atti- 
tude of  peaceful  repose,  with  the  head  resting  on  a 
folded  coat,  and  the  other  lying  on  the  edge  of  the 


48  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  iv. 

surf.  In  the  pocket  of  one  a  lady's  embroidered 
handkerchief  was  found,  and  near  these  bodies  were 
the  remains  of  the  raft.  Two  more  days  were  devoted 
to  careful  search  along  the  coast  for  many  miles,  but 
no  traces  of  living  men  could  be  found.  A  few  miles 
to  the  southward  the  naked  body  of  one  of  the  cast- 
aways was  found.  He  was  but  a  few  hours  dead,  and 
had  evidently  been  murdered  by  the  natives,  the  skull 
being  beaten  in.  Still  further  search,  afterwards  made 
by  Navigating-Lieutenant  Gowland,  of  the  New  South 
Wales  steamer  "  Governor  Blackall,"  discovered  six 
more  bodies  farther  to  the  south,  which  showed  that 
those  who  had  landed  from  the  smaller  raft  had 
endeavoured  to  reach  Cardwell  by  walking  along  the 
,  beach,  but,  meeting  hostile  natives,  had  been  mur- 
L-dered. 

Thus  ended  this  unfortunate  attempt  to  reach  New 
Guinea ;  an  attempt  which  is  but  one  proof,  out  of 
many,  that  Australian  instinct  points  to  the  possession 
of  this  great  island.  Many  attempts  to  establish  a 
footing  in  New  Guinea  may  fail,  but  the  instinct  is  a 
true  one,  founded  on  natural  facts  and  needs,  which 
time  will  prove  to  be  imperative. 

During  this  search  for  the  shipwrecked  men  we 
were  fortunate  enough  to  bring  to  light  a  harbour  on  the 
Queensland  coast,  only  60  miles  north  of  Cardwell,  the 
existence  of  which  had  been  previously  merely  guessed 
at.  Navigating  Lieutenant  Mourilyan  and  I,  passing 
in  the  galley  between  two  headlands  but  120  yards 
apart,  were  hardly  able  to  believe  our  eyes,  when  we 


CHAP.  iv.     MOUBILYAN  HARBOUR— MORESBY  RIVER.  49 

saw  a  land-locked  sheet  of  water  spread  before  us,  ap-' 
parently  capable  of  holding  hundreds  of  vessels,  with  a 
river  falling  into  it.  Further  examination  proved  that 
the  greater  part  of  this  harbour  is  too  shoal  for  any- 
thing larger  than  boats,  but  that  there  is  sufficient  deep 
water  for  several  large  ships  to  moor  in  safety.  The 
mud  banks  which  encumber  the  rest  of  the  harbour 
seem  easy  of  removal  by  dredging,  as  space  may  be 
required.  The  want  of  any  secure  harbours  on  the 
Queensland  coast  rendered  this  discovery  important, 
and  had  it  been  made  before,  this  position  would 
doubtless  have  been  chosen  as  the  site  of  the  settle- 
ment made  at  Card  well.  The  country  inland  of  Mou- 
rilyan  Harbour,  as  we  named  it,  has  since  been  sur- 
veyed by  G.  Elphinstone  Dalrymple,  Esq.,  who  says 
that  it  is  a  magnificent  scrub-land,  fit  for  the  growth 
of  sugar ;  that  the  extent  of  the  available  sugar  land 
may  be  roughly  estimated  as  between  300,000  and 
400,000  acres,  and  that  this  fine  tract  of  country  is 
tapped  by  the  river  which  falls  into  this  harbour. 

Mourilyan  Harbour  (as  we  named  it),  is  thus  one 
day  likely  to  become  the  seat  of  a  prosperous  com- 
munity. At  the  south  head  of  the  harbour,  Moresby 
River  empties  itself.  It  is  a  stream  of  good  width, 
nearly  as  large  as  the  Brisbane  River  below  Brisbane, 
with  7  feet  of  water  over  the  bar  at  half  flood,  and 
carries  a  depth  of  8  to  12  feet  for  about  14  miles  above 
the  harbour.  It  flows  sluggishly  between  low  banks, 
which  are  covered  with  mangroves,  but  open  out 
eventually  into  the  rich  scrub-land  described.  The 


50  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  iv. 

soil  on  the  hills  which  surround  the  new  harbour  is 
declared  to  be  very  rich,  and  suitable  for  the  growth 
of  coffee  and  nutmegs. 

We  returned  to  Cardwell  on  March  15,  and  the 
steamer  "  Governor  Blackall,"  sent  by  the  New  South 
Wales  Government  to  search  for  the  survivors  of  the 
"  Maria "  arriving,  the  rescued  men  went  on  board 
her,  and  the  "  Basilisk,"  taking  the  "  Peri  "  prize,  with 
the  kidnapped  islanders  on  board,  in  tow,  sailed  for 
Sydney  on  the  1 7th  March. 

At  the  Percy  Islands — uninhabited  wooded  islets 
some  40  miles  from  the  Queensland  coast — we  stopped 
to  water,  on  our  way  down.  The  anchorage  was  bad ; 
and  the  water,  at  the  time  of  our  visit,  ran  but  slowly 
over  a  rocky  ledge.  With  hammer  and  chisel  we  cut 
the  rock,  so  as  to  let  all  the  water  fall  into  the  mouth 
of  the  watering  hose,  but  only  succeeded  in  getting 
six  tons  in  twelve  hours.  On  the  largest  of  the  Percy 
Islets  the  sea  has  broken  through  the  outside  rocks 
and  formed  a  land-locked  basin,  which  yielded  a  plen- 
tiful supply  of  fish  to  our  seining  party. 

On  March  22d  we  reached  Keppel's  Bay,  where  a 
small  supply  of  coal  was  waiting  us,  and  whilst  taking 
this  on  board  visited  the  rising  town  of  Rockingham, 
40  miles  up  the  Fitzroy  River,  which  is  a  fine  stream, 
but  has  a  sluggish  current  At  Rockingham  we  were 
fortunate  enough  to  meet  the  ladies  of  the  neighbour- 
hood at  a  ball  held  for  a  local  charity,  the  sight  of 
whom  was  refreshing  indeed  to  eyes  fresh  from  savage- 
dom. 


CHAP.  iv.  NEWCASTLE  COAL  MINES.  51 

March  27th  saw  us  once  more  at  anchor  in  Moreton 
Bay,  where  we  were  received  with  much  kindness  by 
the  governor  and  Mr.  Palmer,  who  complimented  us 
on  the  services  they  considered  us  to  have  rendered 
the  colony.  The  "Peri"  being  now  within  the  juris- 
diction of  the  Brisbane  prize  court,  Lord  Normanby  and 
the  ministers  wished  to  take  legal  possession  of  her ; 
but  on  the  plea  that  evidence  had  been  produced  to 
show  that  she  might  belong  to  the  Fijian  Government, 
they  allowed  us  to  take  her  to  Sydney.  We  reached 
Sydney  on  April  the  6th,  and  there  an  owner  for  the 
"Peri"  came  forward  and  proved  his  claim,  and  the 
vessel,  lately  the  scene  of  such  a  terrible  tragedy,  was 
handed  over  to  him.  The  natives  were  shipped  on 
board  H.M.S.  "  Cossack,"  and  returned  to  their  own 
islands,  in  the  Solomon  group. 

On  our  way  to  Sydney  we  called  at  Newcastle, 
80  miles  north,  to  replenish  our  coal  cheaply,  by  getting 
it  direct  from  the  mines,  and  whilst  there  I  visited  the 
extensive  coal  mines  which  lie  10  miles  from  the  port. 
The  extent  and  value  of  these  great  coalfields  cannot 
yet  be  calculated,  the  greatest  depth  reached  being 
only  300  feet.  It  is  a  singular  fact  that  all  the  fossil 
remains,  and  impressions  of  wood  and  foliage  found 
embedded  in  the  coal-strata  of  Australia,  are  the  same 
precisely  as  those  which  now  exist  in  life,  and  that  no 
trace  is  to  be  found  of  an  extinct  fauna  and  flora. 


CHAPTER  V. 

LEAVE  SYDNET  FOR  ISLAND  CRUISE— NORFOLK  ISLAND,  AND  ITS  SEMI-ENGLISH 
RACE  —  KEPPEL'S  ISLE,  AND  ITS  FINE  NATIVES  —  LAVA  BREAKWATER, 
LAKE  AND  THREE  ISLETS  AT  NIUA — FEAST  WITH  THE  CHIEF — CEREMONY 
OF  THE  AVA  AT  FOTUNA —  UPSET  IN  THE  SURF — ROTUMAH,  AND  ITS 
SAILORLY  NATIVES. 

THE  increasing  atrocities  connected  with  the  labour 
traffic  amongst  the  South  Sea  Islands  had  at  this  time 
drawn  universal  attention,  and  it  was  felt  that  the 
English  flag  must  no  longer  be  disgraced  by  barbari- 
ties, too  often  wrought  under  its  shelter,  in  procuring 
the  natives.  The  system  of  enforced  labour,  which 
followed  their  capture,  was  also  seen  to  be  a  form  of 
slavery,  and,  as  such,  not  only  inconsistent  with  all 
human  rights,  but  capable  of  having  its  normal  evils 
exaggerated  to  the  last  extreme  by  circumstances  of 
isolation,  distance  from  law  and  authority,  want  of 
organisation,  ignorance,  brutality,  or  incapacity  in  the 
overseers.  Efforts  had  been  made  by  various  com- 
manders of  H.M.  ships  to  bring  matters  to  a  crisis 
by  capturing  vessels  against  which  the  most  flagrant 
cases  could  be  proved,  and  running  the  risk  of  a  legal 
trial  at  Sydney.  Some  such  cases  were  brought  be- 
fore the  humane  Chief-Justice  of  New  South  Wales, 
Sir  Alfred  Stephen,  but  he  was  obliged  to  rule  that, 
as  the  law  then  stood,  the  only  acts  under  which  they 
could  be  tried,  were  those  existing  against  piracy  and 


CHAP.  v.  ISLAND  CRUISE.  53 

slavery,  and  that  the  plaintiffs  not  being  able  to  deny 
that  the  unfortunate  islanders  had  received  or  been 
promised  some  compensation  for  their  work,  and  that 
their  period  of  service  was  ostensibly  limited  by  time, 
had  failed  to  establish  a  charge.  To  meet  this  evil 
the  Kidnapping  Act  of  1872  was  passed,  and  under 
its  provisions  the  crime  may  be  said  to  have  virtually 
ceased,  though  isolated  instances  may  even  yet  occa- 
sionally occur.  At  this  time  the  Act  was  not  in  force, 
and  when,  in  May  1872,  H.M.S.  "Basilisk"  sailed 
under  orders  to  visit  many  groups  of  the  South  Sea 
Islands  and  check  kidnapping,  she  went,  like  her  pre- 
decessors, to  work  with  eyes  open  but  hands  tied. 
There  were  many  possibilities,  however,  of  our  per- 
forming good  service  in  the  cruise,  besides  that  of  cap- 
turing kidnappers.  Hydrographical  knowledge  might 
be  somewhat  increased;  islands,  as  yet  unvisited,  might 
be  explored,  and  found  to  offer  inviting  homes  to  fresh 
swarms  from  the  English  hive;  the  pleasure  of  the 
prospect,  a  sight  of  the  loveliest  islands  of  the  Pacific, 
was  undoubted,  and  stirred  the  most  apathetic  amongst 
us.  Having  taken  on  board  a  deck  load  of  coal  and 
provisions,  and  provided  ourselves  with  beads,  knives, 
and  other  trifles  for  presents  or  barter  with  the  island- 
ers, we  left  Sydney  on  May  14th,  and  steered  for  Lord 
Howe's  Island,  about  400  miles  east  of  Sydney,  unin- 
habited except  by  a  few  people,  who  live  on  garden 
produce,  and  supply  passing  whalers.  A  heavy  gale, 
however,  blew  us  to  leeward,  and  when  it  abated,  I 
considered  it  unwise  to  expend  coal  at  the  beginning 


54  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  v. 

of  our  long  cruise  in  an  attempt  to  reach  the  island 
under  steam.  The  gale  had  also  shattered  us  aloft, 
leaving  our  foreyard  and  foretop  sail-yard  hanging 
each  in  two  pieces.  This  accident  had  been  caused 
by  the  ship  being  taken  suddenly  aback  in  the  night, 
when  the  officer  of  the  watch  was  knocked  senseless 
by  a  blow  on  the  head  from  the  trysail-sheet  block  at 
the  critical  moment,  and  about  three  minutes  elapsed 
before  the  necessary  orders  could  be  given,  in  which 
time  the  mischief  was  done.  Through  the  heavy  wind 
and  rain,  in  pitch  darkness,  illumined  constantly  by 
blinding  lightning,  Mr.  Mudge,  our  gallant  boatswain, 
led  a  party  of  seamen  in  the  difficult  task  of  getting 
down  and  securing  the  great  broken  spars  which 
swayed  heavily  from  side  to  side  with  the  violent 
motion  of  the  ship.  Our  chief  engineer,  Mr.  Slade, 
aided  us  much  afterwards  in  repairing  the  broken 
foreyard.  Wooden  fishes  were  rejected,  and  the  spare 
iron  radius  bars  of  the  paddle-wheels  used  instead,  and 
bolted  through  the  yard  to  each  other — a  ship-shape, 
neat  piece  of  work  being  made,  that  we  were  all  proud 
of,  whilst  the  yard  was  stronger  than  ever.  On  the 
third  day  after  the  mishap  we  were  once  more  a-taunto, 
and  on  May  26th  reached  Norfolk  Island,  the  home  of 
the  descendants  of  the  mutineers  of  the  "Bounty/' 
and  anchored  on  the  north  side  of  the  island,  in  Cas- 
cade Bay.  We  were  known  by  the  islanders  to  be  the 
"  Basilisk,"  and  my  father's  name  being  dear  to  the 
inhabitants,  they  gathered  in  nearly  their  full  num- 
bers at  Cascade  landing,  and  gave  us  a  hearty  and 


CHAP.  v.  NORFOLK  ISLAND.  55 

affectionate  welcome  that  was  appreciated  by  us  all. 
Shaggy  ponies  were  provided,  and  we  climbed  the 
steep  hill  by  a  rough  bridle-path  to  the  summit,  when 
a  ride  of  about  three  miles  through  a  rich,  open,  un- 
dulating country,  dotted  with  herds  of  well  bred 
cattle,  brought  us  within  view  of  the  settlement  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  island.  Here  we  found  the 
venerable,  but  still  hale  and  active  pastor  of  the  island, 
the  Kev.  G.  H.  Nobbs,  awaiting  us;  and  whilst  the 
officers  and  men  were  eagerly  taken  possession  of  by 
various  inhabitants,  I  became  his  guest. 

So  much  has  been  written  of  Norfolk  Island  since 
it  exchanged  its  convicts  for  the  most  gentle  and 
well-reported  of  Anglo-Polynesian  race  existing,  that 
I  will  not  add  to  it  here.  The  briefest  stay  amongst 
the  Norfolk  Islanders  convinces  one  that  the  passive 
virtues  abound  amongst  them,  but  that  a  develop- 
ment of  mental  muscle  is  needed  to  make  them  syste- 
matically energetic,  industrious,  and  persevering. 

The  following  day  I  went  to  the  Milanesian  Mis- 
sion College,  three  miles  distant,  to  gain  information 
from  the  Kev. Coddrington  respecting  kidnap- 
ping amongst  the  many  islands  visited  by  him  in  the 
course  of  his  duty.  At  this  Mission  College  youths 
from  all  parts  of  Milanesia  are  trained  to  become 
missionary  teachers ;  and  many  of  them  being  very 
intelligent,  it  occurred  to  me  that  I  might  gain  some 
knowledge  from  them  and  the  missionary  clergy, 
which  would  be  useful  in  our  island  cruise. 

I  slept  that  night  in  the  room  but  lately  occupied  by 


56  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  v. 

the  martyred  Bishop  Pattison,  surrounded  by  many 
books — the  only  luxury  he  appeared  to  have  allowed 
himself;  for  the  small  iron  bedstead  and  scanty  furni- 
ture were  in  keeping  with  the  simple  habits  of  his  life. 
At  first  the  place  seemed  so  pervaded  with  his  presence 
that  it  felt  like  a  profanation  to  sleep  there,  but  after 
a  while  I  remembered  that  we  were  just  about  to  try 
and  avenge  him  in  the  way  he  would  best  have  loved, 
by  putting  down  the  kidnapping  which  had  caused 
his  death,  wherever  we  could  hunt  it  out.  • 

The  harmonious  singing,  and  devout  manner  of 
the  native  youths  in  the  chapel,  struck  me  very  much. 
I  gained  considerable  information  from  them — some 
of  it  sad  and  startling  indeed.  One  lad  from  the 
Solomon  group  told  me,  with  truth  in  his  face,  that 
he  had  seen  his  own  brother's  head  cut  off  by  white 
men  belonging  to  a  schooner  which  ran  down  his 
canoe.  Another,  a  Christian  native  of  Florida,  one  of 
the  Solomon  Isles,  had  seen  five  islanders  beheaded  by 
the  crew  of  a  brig.  The  heads  of  the  murdered  men 
were  doubtless  to  be  used  in  bartering  for  slaves  or 
sandal-wood,  with  chiefs  who  rate  their  greatness  by 
the  number  of  skulls  they  possess. 

It  is  difficult  to  believe  that  such  atrocities  were 
common — but  the  evidence  compels  belief.  I  made 
an  early  start  to  return  on  board  next  morning,  but  so 
heavy  a  sea  was  rolling  in  at  the  landing-place  that  it 
was  impossible  to  embark.  A  fierce  gale  sprang  up ;  and 
the.  ship,  now  mounted  on  a  great  wave,  now  lost  to 
sight  in  a  trough  of  the  sea,  had  to  put  out  for  safety, 


CHAP.  v.  NORFOLK  ISLAND  INHABITANTS.  57 

and  leave  us  all  behind.  The  gale  did  not  abate  till 
the  third  day,  and  the  sixth  day  arrived  before  the 
"  Basilisk  "  was  again  able  to  make  the  island.  But  for 
our  anxiety  for  the  ship,  no  time  could  have  been 
spent  more  enjoy  ably  than  was  this,  in  riding,  and 
walking  with  the  kindly  islanders,  and  joining  in 
their  evening  amusements  at  the  public  room  ;  and 
we  found  one  useful  piece  of  work  to  put  our  hands 
to.  Wishing  to  set  an  example  of  industry,  as  well  as 
meet  the  islanders  in  good  fellowship,  I  pointed  out  to 
the  chief  magistrate  and  Mr.  Nobbs,  that  the  flagstaff 
on  the  hill,  blown  down  some  time  since,  by  which 
alone  clear  communication  could  be  held  with  passing 
ships,  ought  to  be  replaced ;  and  having  their  consent, 
I  got  a  party  of  islanders  to  go  with  Mr.  Maben,  our 
carpenter,  to  the  bush,  where  a  straight  tall  pine 
about  70  feet  high  was  selected  and  felled,  which  was 
then  brought  by  sheer  strength  to  the  signal  hill. 
Our  seamen,  with  Mr.  Mudge,  prepared  the  rigging, 
and  the  islanders  dug  a  deep  hole,  and  by  our  united 
efforts,  after  three  days'  work  with  very  imperfect 
tools,  the  flagstaff  was  made,  and  erected. 

June  1st,  the  "  Basilisk"  having  returned,  we  bade  a 
regretful  adieu  to  the  Norfolk  Islanders,  who  for  six 
days  had  entertained  us  hospitably,  putting  all  they 
had  at  our  service,  with  a  kindliness  and  simplicity 
that  we  shall  never  forget. 

Good  wishes  and  presents  were  exchanged,  and 
then  with  a  favouring  breeze  we  went  on  our  way. 

The  ship  had  suffered  somewhat  in  the  heavy  gale 


58  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  v. 

that  had  driven  her  to  sea ;  had  lost  an  anchor  and 
chain,  and  one  man  had  broken  his  arm,  and  another 
his  collar-bone  by  a  severe  fall.  Indeed  the  gale  was 
described  by  those  on  board  as  something  terrific. 

After  a  tedious  passage  we  sighted  Keppel  and 
Boscawen  Islands  on  June  21st,  but  it  was  dark  before 
we  could  close  the  land,  so  we  tacked  and  stood  off  for 
the  night.  Next  morning  we  ran  between  the  two 
islands,  hove  to  about  a  mile  from  the  reef  which 
surrounds  Keppel,  and  feasted  our  eyes  on  the  green 
paradise  which  rose  from  the  still  blue  water  before 
us,  two  wooded  peaks  rising  abruptly  from  a  rich 
flat,  400  feet,  into  air  as  blue  and  still ;  a  white  coral 
beach  glistening  below ;  and  little  native  huts  peeping 
out  like  birds'  nests  from  between  the  trees.  Keppel 
Island  is  but  some  four  miles  long  by  two  and  a  half 
broad;  but  being  of  coral  and  volcanic  origin  com- 
bined, it  has  variety,  and  the  beauties  belonging  to 
both  origins;  the  bold  volcanic  heights,  and  the  coraline 
bright  beach  and  verdant  flat.  On  strictly  coral  islets 
you  see  no  trees  but  cocoa-nut,  bread-fruit,  and  small 
palms;  but  here  they  were  mixed  with  forest  trees, 
as  on  volcanic  soils,  and  the  light  greens  thus  broken 
up  with  deeper  tints. 

Visitors  have  spoken  in  such  enchanting  terms  of 
these  coral  and  volcanic  isles,  that  we  were  prepared 
to  be  disappointed.  I  can  only  say  that  some  of  these 
emerald  gems,  shrined  in  by  the  summer  sea,  with 
sparkling  beach,  leafy  shades,  and  a  wealth — a  waste  of 
fruit  and  flower,  seemed  to  me  like  scenes  in  a  dream 


CHAP.  v.  KEPPEL  ISLE  AND  NATIVES.  59 

of  peace  and  beauty.     We  landed  at  once,  to  make  the 
acquaintance  of  the  islanders,  and  see  if,  in  appearance 
at  least,  they  were  worthy  inhabitants  of  their  Eden  ; 
fully  armed,  for  we  knew  nothing  of  their  disposition 
— the  latest  account  of  the  island  dating  from  1832. 
Judge  then  of  our  pleasure  when  we  saw  a  group  of 
fishers  on  a  reef,  young  men  and  women,  break  up,  and 
after  some  talking  and  pointing,  move  towards  us,  in- 
stead of  flying.     We  beckoned,  and  the  young  folk 
came  running,  and  clustered  round  us,  without  a  sign 
of  fear-5— shaking  our  hands,  and  uttering  sounds  of 
welcome.     I  must  confess  that  we  English  seemed  to 
grow  suddenly  shorter  and  more  thick-set  as  we  stood 
amongst  them ;  but  what  wonder !    Some  of  these  men, 
lithe  and  strong  as  Apollo,  with  short  curled  lip,  and 
keen  eye,  were  models  for  a  sculptor.     The  colour  of 
these  fine  people  is  not  unpleasing ;  a  clear  brown,  with 
a  slight  copper  tint ;  indeed  it  became  agreeable  to  us 
after  a  time,  by  contrast  with  our  own  sun-dyed  faces. 
Their  stature,  even  that  of  the  women,  is  far  above 
the  average,  and  their  limbs  are  so  symmetrical  as  to 
give  an   idea  of  undeteriorated   physical   perfection. 
The  noble  head  is  well  set  on  the  slender  throat,  over 
a  massive  shoulder,  and  every  movement  of  the  body, 
from  the  turn  of  the  head  to  the  poise  of  the  shapely 
foot,  is  full  of  grace  and  strength.     Our  new  friends 
wore  the  "  Ti-ti,"  a  short  grass  petticoat,  ornamented 
with  long  feathers,  and  bright  ribbons  of  sea-weed,  and 
a  few  white  shells,  which  set  off  their  forms  to  advan- 
tage.    The  skin  of  the  girls  was  soft  as  satin  from  the 


60  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  v. 

constant  use  of  cocoa-nut  oil,  and  their  dark  eyes  were 
full  of  expression,  as  they  smiled,  perhaps  with  lips  a 
little  too  full  for  the  strict  idea  of  beauty,  at  our 
attempts  to  make  them  understand. 

We  soon  discovered  that  one  of  the  men  could 
speak  a  little  English,  and  began  to  talk ;  and  this 
native  presently  undertook  to  pilot  our  boat  into  the 
lagoon.  He  took  us  two  miles  along  the  reef  to  a 
very  narrow  opening,  and  we  shot  between  high  coral 
walls  over  a  translucent  depth  of  nine  or  ten  fathoms, 
through  which  you  could  see  the  coral  glimmer  below, 
into  the  lagoon,  a  lake  of  quiet  blue  water,  backed  by 
a  dazzling  white  beach,  on  which  cocoa-nut  trees  and 
rich  greenery  came  crowding  down.  We  landed,  and 
took  a  short  path,  through  grateful  shade,  to  the 
village,  accompanied  by  our  fisher  friends,  who  told  us 
that  they  were  all  Christians,  and  that  a  missionary, 
a  native  of  Tonga,  lives  on  the  island  and  instructs 
them.  The  village  lies  in  a  grove  of  cocoa-nut,  bread- 
fruit, and  shady  trees,  amongst  which  its  pretty 
elliptical  houses  nestle  at  irregular  distances.  The 
church  stands  in  an  open  space,  a  building  130  feet 
long,  30  wide,  and  35  high.  The  frame  is  supported 
by  immense  uprights  of  the  bread-fruit  tree,  the  roof 
is  high-pitched  and  thatched,  the  sides  are  covered 
with  cocoa  matting,  spaces  being  left  for  windows, 
and  both  ends  are  quite  open.  All  the  houses  are 
similarly  built,  on  a  small  scale.  The  church  was 
beautifully  clean,  as  were  all  the  houses,  and  taste- 
fully decorated  with  shells.  We  spoke  to  a  German, 


CHAP.  v.  NJUA  ISLAND.  61 

the  solitary  white  man  living  on  the  island,  and  he 
told  me  that  the  kidnappers  had  once  attempted  to 
cozen  these  people,  but  found  them  too  enlightened  to 
be  trapped.  In  every  house  that  we  entered  fresh 
clean  mats  were  spread  for  us,  and  we  were  offered 
bananas,  mammy  apples,  and  fresh  cocoa-nut  milk ; 
and  all  was  done  with  a  natural  politeness  that 
charmed  us.  We  stood  away  for  Niua  or  Good  Hope 
Island  that  evening,  bearing  with  us  pleasant  thoughts 
of  the  nut-brown  maidens  of  Keppel's  isle. 

Sunday  night  brought  heavy  rain  and  squalls, 
which  kept  us  on  the  alert  nearly  all  night,  but  Mon- 
day broke  fine,  and  we  ran  down  under  sail  to  Niua, 
an  island  in  lat.  16°  5',  and  176°  W.  We  were  seen 
at  once,  and  some  canoes,  well  carved  and  polished, 
came  off.  The  natives  hesitated  at  first,  but  finally 
some  came  on  board,  and  I  took  one  as  a  pilot  and 
started  for  shore,  followed  by  two  boats  containing  a 
number  of  our  officers  and  men.  Niua  is  a  purely 
volcanic  island,  rising  steep  and  wooded  from  the  surf, 
and  fronted  us  with  a  rampart  of  black  lava  cliffs  that 
seemed  to  forbid  our  landing.  Our  pilot  pointed  to  a 
place  where  a  mighty  stream  of  lava  had  run  out  200 
yards  into  the  sea,  and  cooled  down,  and  our  boats 
went  in  and  lay  under  the  lee  of  this  natural  break- 
water in  safety ;  but  a  rougher  landing-place  I  never 
saw,  and  we  had  to  continue  a  tiring  scramble  over 
broken  masses  of  lava  that  strewed  the  ground  at 
every  step,  until  we  got  well  up  into  the  bush,  where 
it  had  become  pulverised  and  mixed  with  vegetable 


62  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  v. 

matter.  There  it  was  pleasant  walking  enough,  but 
our  shoes  had  by  this  time  been  cut  to  pieces.  The 
island  is  about  six  miles  long  by  three  in  breadth,  and 
seems  from  its  shape  and  the  deep  soundings  about  it 
to  be  the  summit  of  a  buried  volcanic  mountain. 

Fire  and  lava  break  from  various  parts  of  the  sur- 
face within  every  period  of  two  years.  The  last  out- 
burst came  up  through  a  house  ;  the  owner,  who  barely 
escaped  with  terrible  burns,  having  had  no  warning. 
The  soil  is  so  scanty  and  the  lava  rock  so  hard  that 
the  people  are  obliged  to  raise  the  surface  of  their 
burial-places  artificially,  and  no  fresh  water,  save  rain, 
can  be  obtained ;  but  the  island  is  luxuriantly  pro- 
ductive ;  and  the  inhabitants  need  never  fear  a  drought, 
for  they  are  supplied  with  milk  by  millions  of  cocoa- 
nuts,  the  most  delicious  of  all  drinks  when  fresh. 
The  most  singular  natural  feature  in  the  island  is  a 
lake  about  six  miles  in  circumference,  which  lies  in  a 
bed  formed  by  a  vast  extinct  crater,  between  pictur- 
esque, wooded,  hilly  shores,  and  bears  on  its  bosom 
three  lovely  islets,  covered  with  ferns,  palms,  and  rich 
vegetation.  As  I  stood  looking  down  from  a  height 
of  400  or  500  feet,  Niua  itself  seemed  but  a  speck  of 
green  afloat  on  a  world  of  waters,  and  the  lake  a 
morsel  of  silver  dropped  in  its  centre. 

The  water  is  brackish,  for  the  sea  percolates  through 
the  narrow  neck  of  land  which  encloses  the  lake  on 
one  side ;  but  there  is  a  spring  on  one  of  the  islets, 
which,  though  brackish,  is  drinkable.  Niua  forms 
part  of  King  George  of  Tonga's  dominions  (the 


CHAP.  v.  SOUTH  SEA  ISLAND  BANQUET.  63 

Friendly  Isles),  and  is  Christianised;  but  the  habits 
and  manners  of  the  people,  who  do  not  seem  so  fine  a 
race  as  the  Keppel  islanders,  are  still  aboriginal.     A 
walk  of  four  miles  through  a  shady  tropical  forest 
brought  us  to  the  village,  where  the  chief,  an  intelli- 
gent-looking grey-headed  man,  barefooted,  but  dressed 
in  a  black  coat,  bought  in  one  of  his  annual  visits  to 
Tonga,  received  me  with  great  respect,  in  a  space  over- 
hung by  the  huge  projecting  eaves  of  his  "  Talking- 
House."     Some  hundreds  of  natives  were  assembled 
to  do  us  honour,  and  sat  in  a  semicircle  on  the  grass, 
in  a  clearing  in  front  of  us,  preserving  perfect  silence. 
It  was  a  pretty  sight  to  see  the  rows  of  islanders 
dressed  in  the   picturesque   "Ti-ti,"  over  which  the 
girls  had  thrown  scarfs  of  white  tappa,  seated  on  the 
emerald   grass,  with   a   belt  of  sunny  trees  behind. 
Oval  huts  lay  snugly  nestling  all  round,  amongst  the 
bread-fruit  trees  that  grew  in  great  masses  of  shade 
on  the  rich  flat,  broken  to  the  south  by  blue  glimpses 
of  the  sea  ;  on  the  north  a  wooded  and  cultivated  hill 
shut  in  all.     The  chief  gave  us  a  grand  banquet  in 
South  Sea  Island  fashion,  under  the  eaves  of  his  recep- 
tion or  talking-room,  consisting  of  roast  pig,  bread- 
fruit, and  an  enormous  land  crab — which  land  crab  is 
a  dish  for  a  gourmand.     It  feeds  only  on  the  nuts 
which   fall   from  the   cocoa-nut  tree,  the  hardest  of 
which  it  cracks  with  ease,  and  thus  acquires  a  deli- 
cious flavour.     No  spirit  of  any  kind  is  allowed  on  the 
island ;  but  the  milk  of  the  fresh  cracked  cocoa-nuts 
was  perfect  nectar  to  us  thirsty  folk.     I  strolled  about 


64  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  v. 

the  village  after  the  feast,  and  entering  the  church, 
was  much  touched  by  visible  signs  of  the  reverence 
with  which  these  simple  people  worship  the  Creator. 
Indeed,  the  feeling  of  reverence  comes  over  the  mind 
as  powerfully  in  one  of  these  little  island  churches  as 
in  any  cathedral  at  home.  There  is,  of  course,  no 
thought  of  bygone  saintliness  and  valour,  as  at  home, 
where  time-stained  marble  and  tattered  colour  witness 
mutely  from  the  walls,  and  appeal  to  all  that  is  good 
in  us;  and  this  want  is  felt  by  the  visitor  as  in  all 
young  countries ;  but  his  mind  turns  to  the  future, 
and  that  is  full  of  hope.  Whilst  on  the  island  we 
gained  some  valuable  information  relative  to  kidnap- 
ping from  a  German,  here  as  at  Keppel,  the  only 
white  man  resident.  Thirty  men  had  been  kidnapped 
from  Niua  five  years  before  our  visit,  not  one  of  whom 
had  since  been  heard  of ;  and  a  near  island,  one  of  the 
Union  group,  which  had  contained  a  population  of  fifty 
or  sixty  souls,  had  been  depopulated  by  one  act.  The 
master  of  a  barque,  under  Spanish  colours,  had  decoyed 
all  its  inhabitants  on  board,  under  pretence  of  teaching 
and  making  missionaries  of  them,  and  had  secured  and 
sailed  away  with  them. 

The  wind  was  north-west,  in  the  heart  of  the 
south-east  trade,  when  we  left  Niua  on  the  26th,  and 
we  had  not  coal  enough  to  steam,  but  coaxing  the  old 
"  Basilisk "  to  make  the  most  of  the  light  variable 
winds,  we  sighted  Wallis  Island  in  the  middle  watch 
of  the  night  of  the  28th.  We  stood  on  till  eight  A.M. 
and  then  hove-to,  about  a  mile  off  its  surrounding 


CHAP,  v.  WALLIS  ISLAND  AND  ITS  BEEF.  65 

reef,  where  we  were  boarded  by  a  native  pilot,  a  splen- 
did-looking old  man.  I  do  not  know  of  any  instance 
in  which  a  reef  surrounds  an  island  more  completely 
than  here.  A  ring  of  water  from  two  to  four  miles  wide 
is  perfectly  inclosed  between  Wallis  and  its  reef.  We 
might  have  taken  the  ship  through  the  entrance,  and 
anchored  within,  but  were  content  to  land  in  the  boats, 
in  which  we  shot  at  once  from  the  deep  heave  of  the 
ocean  to  the  stillness  of  a  sleeping  lake,  whose  broad 
expanse  is  dotted  over  with  tree-covered  islets,  some 
of  which  are  very  lovely.  The  island,  which  is  of 
coral-volcanic  formation,  is  about  nine  miles  in  length, 
of  an  irregular  shape,  and  rises  to  a  height  of  700  or 
800  feet.  It  has  a  population  of  about  3800  souls. 
The  landing-place  is  on  the  south-east  side  of  the 
island,  and  here  we  were  met  by  the  French  priest  in 
charge  of  the  Roman  Catholic  mission,  a  kindly,  well- 
informed  man,  who  seemed  very  proud  of  his  large 
stone-built  church,  which,  he  told  us,  had  taken  ten 
years  to  build.  We  visited  the  church,  and  found  it 
filled  with  gaudy  religious  pictures.  The  priest  told 
us  that  for  many  years  the  island  had  been  the  scene 
of  fierce  religious  wars  between  the  Protestant  and 
Roman  Catholic  natives,  till  the  former  were  defeated, 
on  which  the  latter  faith  was  established. 

The  natives  differ  from  the  light-coloured  Poly- 
nesians of  Keppel  and  Good  Hope  Islands,  and  incline 
more  to  the  dark  Milanesian  type.  Their  huts  were 
small,  and  not  clean;  and  the  women  seemed  careless 
of  their  appearance.  Wallis  Island,  lying  only  400 


66  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  v. 

miles  north  of  the  Fiji  group,  possessing  secure  an- 
chorage for  ships,  and  abundant  supplies  of  fruit  and 
vegetables,  should,  I  think,  be  taken  into  our  new 
Fijian  colony,  on  the  ground  that  every  colony,  if 
possible,  should  be  put  in  a  position  to  develope  and 
protect  its  own  future.  In  the  hands  of  an  enemy  at 
war,  it  would  offer  a  strategic  position  of  great  value, 
to  be  used  in  operations  against  Fiji. 

The  priest  told  us  that  no  kidnapping  had  taken 
place  at  Wallis  Island,  though  several  labour  vessels 
had  attempted  it. 

Fotuna,  forty  miles  south  of  Wallis  Island,  con- 
sists of  two  rugged  and  precipitous  islands,  of  coral- 
volcanic  origin,  of  which  the  central  peak  is  2000  feet 
high.  They  are  broken  up  into  yawning  fissures  and 
perpendicular  rocks,  so  that  there  seems  no  room  for 
cultivation  except  on  the  south  shore,  where  the  coral 
asserts  itself,  and  some  level  ground  is  found.  Little 
cultivated  ravines  also  run  up  between  the  spurs  of 
the  hills ;  and  from  the  top  of  the  highest  peak  to  the 
edge  of  high-water  mark,  one  dense  growth  of  tropical 
vegetation  prevails.  The  larger  island  is  seven  by 
five  miles  in  extent,  and  has  a  population  of  about 
1300  people,  governed  by  two  kings  ;  the  smaller  is 
only  about  two  miles  by  one  in  extent,  and  not  per- 
manently inhabited.  We  hove-to  off  the  principal 
village,  from  which  some  canoes  came  off,  and,  pick- 
ing out  a  pilot  from  one  of  them,  I  pushed  off  in  the 
galley  for  shore,  followed  by  Lieutenant  Hayter,  Dr. 
Haines,  and  other  officers,  in  two  boats.  On  nearing, 


CHAP.  v.     FOTUNA — CEREMONY  OF  THE  AVA.        67 

we  found  that  a  flat  coral  rock  ran  out  a  long  distance 
from  the  beach,  with  so  heavy  a  surf  breaking  on  it 
as  to  prevent  the  approach  of  boats.     I  therefore  sent 
the  two  boats  back  to  the  ship,  left  the  galley  outside 
the  reef,  and  stepped  into  a  canoe.     My  native  rowers 
watched  for  the  intervals  of  smooth  water  between 
the  breakers,  then  paddled  with  great  rapidity,  and 
beached  her  safely,  and  I  was  soon  surrounded  by  a 
crowd   of  gesticulating,   noisy   natives.      Lieutenant 
Hayter,  fearing  lest  evil  should  befall  me,  came  hur- 
riedly on  shore,  followed    by   other  officers,  but   we 
soon  saw  that  the  crowding  was  only  the  result  of 
curiosity  and  excitement.     We  walked  for  about  two 
miles  through  a  succession  of  villages,  scattered  amongst 
groves  of  bread-fruit  trees,  and,  passing  by  the  little 
Eoman  Catholic  church,  ascended  by  steps  cut  in  the 
rock,  to  a  high  coral  plateau,  once  the  site  of  a  native 
fort,  where  the  priest  has  his  dwelling.      Here  the 
king  met  us,  nowise  to  be  distinguished  from  one  of 
his   subjects,   but   evidently  fully  recognised  by  his 
people.     As  we  conversed  with  him,  by  the  help  of 
the  priest,  a  bowl  of  ava  was  prepared  for  our  drink- 
ing, in  the  following  way: — Some  young  men  brought 
the  ava,  a  species  of  root,  dried  in  the  sun,  and  the 
ava  bowl,  very  capacious,  and  beautifully  clean,  and 
then  sat  down  in  two  rows,  and  biting  off  large  pieces 
of  the  ava,  chewed  it  till  their  mouths  were  full  of 
pulp,  which  was   thrown  into  the   bowl,  and  water 
added,    the  whole  was   stirred  up,  and  then  passed 
through  a  strainer  of  vegetable  fibre,  and  this  done, 


68  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  v. 

one  of  the  young  men  stood  up,  and  pronounced  in  a 
loud  tone,  "  The  ava  is  ready ! "  This  announcement 
was  followed  by  the  salute  of  a  loud  clapping  of  hands 
from  all  the  natives  present.  A  cup-bearer  and  a 
talking-man  then  came  forward;  the  former  filled  a 
cocoa-nut  shell  with  the  liquor,  and  the  young  men 
asked  in  a  kind  of  song,  "  Who  is  this  for  ? "  "  The 
king !"  replied  the  talking-man ;  on  which  his  majesty 
received,  and  quaffed  off  the  cup,  amid  much  cheering. 
The  cup  was  again  replenished,  and,  "Who  is  this 
for  ? "  asked,  and  I  was  named.  I  had  foreseen  that 
Fate  had  this  honour  in  store  for  me,  and  with  no 
small  effort  had  made  up  my  mind  to  taste  the  ava. 
The  flavour  was  more  like  that  of  a  mild  mixture  of 
rhubarb  and  magnesia  than  anything  else ;  but  two  or 
three  of  our  young  officers  drank  a  draught  right  off, 
and  the  French  priest  seemed  quite  to  enjoy  it.  The 
ava  acts  on  the  system  somewhat  similarly  to  opium, 
and  is  doubtless  valued  for  this  soothing  property. 
Having  ascertained  that  no  kidnapping  has  taken 
place  here,  also  that  many  of  the  islanders  ship  on 
board  passing  whalers,  and  never  return,  we  took  leave, 
with  expressions  of  friendship  on  both  sides,  in  token 
of  which  I  was  presented  with  some  beautiful  tappa 
cloth.  At  the  beach  the  surf  had  so  much  increased 
that  it  was  only  by  the  influence  of  the  king  that  we 
could  get  a  canoe  to  take  us  off  to  our  boats,  which 
lay  outside.  Dr.  Haines  and  I  waited  till  the  last 
trip,  and  then  tried  our  luck,  but  hit  the  surf  at  a  bad 
time,  and  were  swamped,  and  rolled  over  and  over  in 


CHAP.  v.  KOTUMAH  ISLAND.  69 

a  second.  Alas  for  my  tappa,  and  our  new-laced 
coats !  After  bailing  out,  and  putting  things  to  rights, 
we  tried  again,  and  failed,  till  our  rowers,  finding  the 
canoe  filling,  jumped  overboard,  and,  with  a  skill  and 
strength  perfectly  marvellous,  towed  and  guided  us 
through  the  boiling  surf — the  doctor  and  I  paddling 
for  our  lives  all  the  time. 

The  trade- wind  visited  us  at  last ;  with  a  flowing 
sheet  we  sailed  that  evening  for  Rotumah,  300  miles 
to  the  west,  and  on  Wednesday  the  3d  sighted  it.  We 
did  not  possess  any  chart  or  plan  of  this  island ;  but  a 
good  anchorage  was  reported,  and  we  met  a  native 
coming  out  in  his  canoe,  who  showed  it  us,  under 
the  lee  of  a  coral  reef,  and  near  two  small  islets.  Ro- 
tumah is  fertile,  but  the  inhabited  and  cultivated  part 
is  only  a  narrow  fringe  bordering  on  the  sea-shore 
The  interior,  as  with  many  of  these  South  Sea  Islands, 
being  a  mass  of  dark  dank  tropical  jungle,  with  no 
path  or  track  through  it. 

Whilst  our  men  were  watering,  I  gained  informa- 
tion from  the  missionary,  Mr.  Osborne,  a  fine  manly 
Englishman,  and  found  that,  thanks  to  the  mission- 
aries, Rotumah  has  not  suffered  from  kidnappers. 
The  Rotumah  men,  who  belong  to  the  light-coloured 
Polynesian  race,  have  such  a  reputation  for  ability  as 
boatmen  and  seamen  that  they  have  been  hired  at 
high  wages  by  the  masters  of  the  kidnapping  vessels 
to  aid  them  in  capturing  the  South  Sea  Islanders,  and 
some  fifteen  have  been  killed  at  various  times  by  the 
poisoned  arrows  of  the  natives  they  were  seeking  to 


70  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  v. 

capture,  which  served  them  right.  The  people  of 
Rotumah  are  taught  by  English  Protestant  and  French 
Roman  Catholic  missionaries,  of  whom  the  former  has 
by  far  the  larger  flock  :  the  two  parties  have  agreed 
to  differ  in  a  peaceable  manner.  I  visited  Mr.  Osborne, 
the  English  missionary,  and  found  his  neat  house  and 
schools  for  native  children  all  that  could  be  desired. 

Hearing  that  some  vessels  were  anchored  in  a  bay 
six  or  seven  miles  distant,  Mr.  Mourilyan  and  I  went 
over  in  the  galley,  and  found  that  one  of  the  vessels 
was  a  labour  vessel,  just  come  down  from  the  Line 
Islands,  where  she  had  been  boarded  by  Captain  Moore, 
of  H.M.S.  "  Barossa."  Her  papers  were  all  right,  so  I 
was  compelled  to  pass  her,  as  he  had  been.  The  others 
were  legitimate  traders. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

MAKE  MITCHELL'S  GROUP,  OF  WHICH  THE  EXISTENCE  WAS  DOUBTED — DIREC- 
TIONS FOR  LANDING — A  DESERTED  ISLAND — A  VILLAGE  BY  MOONLIGHT — 
HAMMOCKS  FOR  EVIL  SPIRITS — HUDSON  ISLAND  AND  RED  CORAL  SHORE- 
REEF — ISLAND  OF  GRAN-COCAL  NOT  TO  BE  FOUND — CHERRY  ISLAND  AND 
ITS  SWIMMERS — DUFF'S  ISLANDS  OF  SANTA  CRUZ  GROUP — NATIVES  APPEAR 
FIERCE  AND  FORBIDDING — POISONED  ARROWS — CORAL  BREASTWORK — 
GREAT  WAR  CANOES — SUNSET  AT  NUKUPU. 

ON  the  night  of  July  30th  our  course  lay  close  to  the 
position  assigned  by  some  navigators  to  a  cluster  of 
islands  south  of  the  Ellice  group,  named  "  Mitchell's 
group ; "  of  which  others  denied  the  existence ;  whilst 
the  chart  was  doubtful.  I  had  been  assured  by  several 
old  traders  in  these  parts  that  there  were  no  such 
islands,  but  thought  it  prudent  to  give  the  order — 
"leadsmen  in  the  chains,  and  a  bright  look-out  to  be 
kept  for  breakers/'  before  I  turned  in  at  midnight.  At 
two  o'clock  in  the  morning  the  officer  of  the  watch 
reported  "  land  on  starboard  bow."  We  hove-to,  and 
at  daylight  our  eyes  rested  on  Mitchell's  group,  real 
enough,  and  on  a  crowd  of  canoes  coming  off  to  look 
at  us.  Getting  a  pilot,  we  went  away  with  the  boats 
as  usual  to  communicate,  but  there  was  no  passage 
for  them  over  the  reef,  so  Mr.  Mourilyan  and  I  betook 
ourselves  to  canoes,  the  most  slender  beautiful  things 
we  had  ever  floated  in.  My  rowers,  as  good-humoured 
as  possible,  smiled,  and  showed  their  white  teeth  as 


72  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  vi. 

they  paddled  with  much  judgment,  and  landed  me 
without  a  wetting ;  but  my  poor  companion  was  cap- 
sized and  had  a  roll  in  the  surf,  from  which  he 
soon  re-appeared  in  a  dripping  state  on  the  bottom 
of  the  boat,  much  to  my  relief,  though  there  is  no 
real  danger  in  these  upsets,  for  the  natives  of  all  the 
South  Sea  Islands  are  perfectly  amphibious,  and  con- 
sider it  a  point  of  honour  to  save  you.  In  my  experi- 
ence they  are  as  much  pleased  by  your  frank  trust  in 
their  skill  as  Englishmen  would  be. 

The  Mitchell  group  consists  of  a  cluster  of  about 
ten  islets,  situated  on  a  coral  reef,  which  surrounds  a 
shoal  lagoon,  extending  about  five  miles  north  and 
south,  and  two  east  and  west.  The  principal  village, 
and  the  best  landing-place,  are  on  the  W.S.W.  side  of 
the  cluster,  and  may  be  known  by  a  neat  white  church 
built  of  coral  rock,  which,  when  almost  off  the  islet, 
may  be  seen  through  the  trees.  The  natives  belong 
to  the  light-coloured  Polynesian  race,  but  are  some- 
what darker  than  the  Keppel  islanders,  and  number 
seventy. 

We  landed  at  the  principal  island,  and  found  the 
people  strikingly  clean  in  appearance  and  quiet  in 
manner.  They  have  been  Christianised  by  the  efforts 
of  a  native  Samoan  missionary,  who  found  them  easy 
docile  converts.  From  a  German,  and  a  native  who 
could  speak  broken  English,  we  learned  a  sad  story. 
These  harmless  people  had  numbered  450  souls  in 
1857,  all  living  in  peace  and  plenty.  In  1864,  the 
German  was  absent  for  a  short  time  at  Samoa,  and  on 


CHAP.  vi.          NATIVES  OF  "  MITCHELL'S  GROUP."  73 

his  return  he  found  but  fifty  worn-out  people  and 
children  remaining — the  rest  had  all  been  swept  away 
by  kidnappers.  Three  large  barques,  under  Spanish 
colours,  had  appeared  off  the  islands,  from  which 
an  old  man  had  landed,  who  told  the  natives  that 
they  were  missionary  ships,  and  invited  them  on 
board  to  receive  the  holy  sacrament.  All  the  able- 
bodied  men  went  on  board  in  simple  faith,  and  were 
immediately  made  prisoners ;  again  the  old  fiend  went 
on  shore  and  told  the  assembled  women  and  children 
that  the  men  had  sent  for  them,  and  they  were  also 
beguiled.  The  tragedy  thus  complete,  the  ships  bore 
away,  it  was  supposed  for  the  guano  islands  of  Peru ; 
and  not  a  word  has  ever  reached  the  islands  as  to  the 
fate  of  these  lost  ones  from  that  day.  It  was  sicken- 
ing to  hear  the  tale  told  on  the  spot  which  had  seen 
all  this  sorrow.  Two  of  the  men,  one  of  whom  we 
saw,  had  contrived  to  jump  overboard,  and  swim  six 
or  seven  miles  back  to  the  island. 

The  whole  surface  of  these  flat  coral  islets  is  like 
the  clean  white-sanded  floor  of  an  old  English  kitchen. 
The  cocoa-nut  tree  springs  up  everywhere,  but  in  the 
spots  where  yams  and  taro  are  grown  the  sand  is 
hollowed  out,  and  a  pit  formed,  from  one  to  two 
hundred  yards  long,  and  of  varying  width,  into  which 
decaying  cocoa-nut  leaves  and  refuse  are  thrown,  till 
a  rich  soil  is  formed.  I  was  much  interested  in  these 
people ;  they  are  prepossessing  and  kindly,  and  their 
houses,  mats,  and  persons,  are  pleasingly  neat.  The 
church  is  a  little  gem,  built  of  coral  stone,  and  by 


74  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  vi. 

their  own  labour.  Fine  specimens  of  the  operculum 
(the  stony  lid  by  which  the  South  Sea  Island  whelk 
closes  the  aperture  of  its  shell)  are  found  on  the  reefs 
here,  and,  when  polished  and  set,  make  handsome 
bracelets  for  ladies. 

The  Ellice  group  consists  of  a  large  number  of 
tiny  islets,  scattered  between  5  and  10  degrees  south 
latitude,  and  175  and  180  east  longitude,  and  is  but 
little  known,  having  only  been  seen  by  passing  vessels 
till  quite  recently.  English  Protestant  missionaries 
have  established  themselves  on  most  of  the  islands,  and 
the  German  oil  traders  have  a  white  agent  stationed 
on  nearly  every  one  to  collect  cocoa-nuts  and  cocoa- 
nut  oil,  against  the  periodical  visits  of  the  small 
schooners,  which  take  them  to  Samoa  for  shipment 
to  Germany.  All  the  islets  of  this  group  are  of  coral 
formation,  and  are  so  low  as  scarcely  to  be  raised  ten 
feet  above  the  sea  level,  but  are  covered  with  cocoa- 
nut  and  bread-fruit  trees. 

All  day  long,  on  the  14th,  we  were  trying  to  find 
an  inhabited  island  in  the  Ellice  cluster,  from  which  all 
the  scattered  Ellice  group  takes  its  name.  I  landed 
at  one  village,  and  found  it  a  deserted  village  indeed 
— many  houses,  many  graves,  but  no  inhabitants,  save 
the  tenants  of  the  graves.  It  was  depressing  to  miss 
the  life  and  sound  that  met  us  everywhere  else  on  our 
arrival ;  it  is  always  saddening  to  see  the  ownership 
yielded  back  to  nature,  and  ruin  creeping  over  a  spot 
that  has  once  been  warm  with  the  affections  of  human 
life.  We  feared  that  kidnappers  had  been  here,  but 


CHAP.  vi.         A  NATIVE  VILLAGE  BY  MOONLIGHT.  75 

knew  there  was  a  chance  that  the  villagers  might  have 
migrated  for  better  fishing. 

During  the  night  a  current  swept  us  twenty  miles 
away  from  the  islands.  We  regained  our  position 
next  day,  and  saw  a  canoe  paddling  out,  from  which 
we  learned  that  the  only  inhabited  islet  of  the  Ellice 
cluster  lay  nine  or  ten  miles  dead  to  windward. 
There  was  nothing  for  it  but  to  row  this  distance  in 
the  galley — a  heavy  pull  against  a  fresh  breeze.  We 
rowed  our  best,  officers  and  men,  but  it  was  nine  in 
the  evening  before  we  reached  the  village.  Once 
inside  the  usual  inclosing  reef,  we  saw  the  full  size  of 
the  lagoon  it  shelters — a  lake  some  eighteen  miles  long 
by  nine  wide,  which  is  a  most  unusual  size.  Bright 
white  moonlight  steeped  the  shore  as  we  landed, 
making  visible  every  leaf  and  frond  of  the  trees  and 
undergrowth  that  fringed  it.  The  pure  white  coral 
surface  shone  like  silver  in  the  opens,  flecked  with  soft 
shadows  from  the  trees,  and  across  it  a  warm  yellow 
glow  came  from  the  cocoa-nut  oil  burning  in  the 
pretty  oval  huts.  Here  was  life  at  last,  and  that  was 
cheering ;  and  then  what  loveliness  1 

I  paused  for  a  moment  to  look  at  the  mingling  of 
the  two  lights.  It  gave  the  sort  of  radiance  that 
Corregio  has  in  his  "  Notte,"  where  the  cold  clear  light 
of  morning  comes  stealing  through  the  doorway  from 
the  eastern  hills,  and  flows  over  the  yellow  lambent 
flame,  thrown  upward  from  the  body  of  the  infant 
Christ  to  the  faces  of  his  adorers.  The  little  huts  are 
open  on  all  sides,  and  the  dusky  forms  of  their  owners 


76  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  vi. 

soon  began  to  emerge  like  shadows.  It  was  like  a 
scene  in  a  dream — the  sheet  of  moonlight,  the  grace- 
ful trees,  the  perfect  stillness,  the  roar  of  the  surf, 
like  a  silence,  it  was  so  measured — all  seemed  unreal, 
and  ready  to  dissolve. 

The  island  is  about  seven  miles  in  length,  and  only 
a  hundred  yards  wide  at  its  greatest  breadth,  so  that 
the  whole  air  is  always  full  of  the  thunder  of  the  surf 
to  windward.  The  natives  greeted  us  kindly,  and  we 
went  up  to  the  house  of  the  only  resident  white  man. 
As  we  talked  with  him,  nearly  all  the  people  of  the 
island  crowded  round  outside,  but  they  behaved 
with  good  taste,  and  did  not  even  speak  aloud. 
They  are  Christians,  taught  by  a  native  mission- 
ary, and  number  only  140  souls  now,  more  than  half 
the  original  population  having  been  carried  off  by 
kidnappers.  The  lonely  white  man  we  found  here 
was  making  a  living  by  trading  in  cocoa-nut  oil,  sup- 
plied him  by  the  natives,  and  appeared  quite  happy. 

The  wind,  which  had  been  against  us,  was  fair  for 
our  return,  a  welcome  help ;  and  we  reached  the  ship  at 
midnight,  and  immediately  bore  away  for  the  cluster 
of  coral  islets  named  Nukufuti,  or  De  Peyser's  Isles— 
also  comprehended  in  the  Ellice  group.  We  learned 
that  the  island  containing  the  graves  was  used  as  a 
cemetery,  and  only  resorted  to  at  certain  seasons  for 
fishing  and  the  gathering  of  cocoa-nuts.  Myriads  of 
cocoa-nut  plants  covered  these  islets,  in  all  stages  of 
growth.  Some,  just  bursting  the  shell,  were  shooting 
forth  slender  fern-like  leaves ;  others,  more  advanced, 


CHAP.  vi.  ISLANDS  IN  ELLICE  GROUP.  77 

were  sending  their  small  roots  downwards  through  the 
shell  to  find  the  soil — the  shell  still  containing  moist- 
ure needful  for  the  growth  of  the  young  tree.  Older 
plants  had  discarded  the  shell,  and  were  throwing  a 
clump  of  graceful  leaves  upward,  to  the  height  of  a  man, 
but  showing  no  sign  of  a  stem  as  yet ;  and  from  this 
they  ranged  up  to  the  full-sized  tree.  A  description 
of  .one  of  these  South  Sea  Islands  will  nearly  serve  for 
all.  At  Nukufuti  we  found  the  usual  circular  coral 
reef,  with  islets  scattered  along  its  inner  edge,  which 
were  densely  covered  with  cocoa-nut  trees.  A  ship 
channel  leads  through  this  reef,  and  a  brig  lay  within  at 
this  time,  bound  for  Sydney,  with  oil.  No  white  man 
lives  here,  but  an  intelligent  chief  governs  well,  and  has 
foiled  the  attempts  of  the  kidnappers.  There  are 
native  missionaries  here,  and  the  church  and  school- 
house,  large  coral  white-washed  buildings,  are  models 
of  neatness.  All  the  officers  landed  here ;  and  it  was 
a  sight  to  see  them  coming  off  afterwards,  laden  with 
mats,  fowls,  and  pigs,  tramping  down  a  mile  of  flat 
coral  reef  up  to  the  ankles  and  knees  in  water,  to  the 
canoes,  which  lay  waiting  on  the  moonlit  water  to  take 
them  off  to  our  boats. 

On  the  17th  we  communicated  with  Egg,  or 
Netherland  Island,  a  crescent-shaped  reef,  with  the 
horns  of  the  crescent  lying  about  two  miles  and  a  half 
north  and  south  of  each  other.  The  200  inhabitants 
were  all  Christians,  and  had  escaped  the  kidnapper ; 
their  village  stands  on  an  islet  on  the  southern  horn. 
We  sighted  the  northmost  island  of  the  Ellice  group 


78  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  vi. 

next  morning,  to  our  surprise  fully  forty  miles  out  of 
position.  This  island  differs  from  the  others  of  the 
group  in  having  no  guarding  reef,  and  no  companion 
islands  near  it.  It  stands  alone  in  the  ocean,  scarcely 
raised  above  its  level,  and  is  simply  a  huge  flat-topped 
coral  rock,  two  and  a  half  miles  by  one  and  a  half  in 
extent,  which  rises  perpendicularly  from  fathomless 
depths,  and  is  crowded  over  with  cocoa-nut  trees.  It 
is  only  saved  from  being  washed  over  by  the  sea  by  a 
narrow  shore  reef,  on  which  the  great  surf  expends 
itself.  We  pulled  to  the  edge  of  the  boiling  surf  and 
met  canoes,  which  landed  us  without  a  wetting,  and 
were  received  on  the  beach  with  the  most  intense 
curiosity  by  the  natives,  who  had  never  seen  a  man-of- 
war  before.  They  are  a  well-looking,  dark,  straight- 
haired  race,  and  number  417  souls,  a  large  population 
for  so  small  an  island,  but  their  food  is  abundant; 
an  unlimited  supply  of  cocoa-nuts,  fowls,  pigs,  flying- 
fish,  skip-jack,  and  sharks.  Native  missionaries  have 
been  two  years  at  work  here,  but  half  the  people  are 
as  yet  devil-worshippers,  and  adore  the  evil  spirit 
under  the  form  of  cocoa-nut  leaves,  skip-jacks,  and 
wooden  posts.  Every  heathen  family  has  a  small 
devil -hut,  in  which  a  tiny  grass  hammock  is  slung  for 
the  evil  spirit  to  sleep  in,  and  where  offerings  of  fresh 
nuts  are  brought  him  every  morning ;  many  of  these 
huts  were  in  full  use,  but  we  were  pleased  to  find 
others  forsaken.  The  people  looked  very  picturesque 
dressed  in  their  sole  garment  the  Ti-ti,  and  seeing  that 
I  admired  it  they  gave  me  one  made  of  the  bark  of 


CHAP.  vi.  HUDSON  ISLAND.  79 

the  cocoa-nut  tree  beaten  out  and  cut  into  ribbons, 
which  were  dyed  with  red  ochre.  They  are  governed 
by  a  king  and  a  chief,  and  both  these  potentates,  fat 
ugly-looking  men,  received  us  with  much  ceremony 
in  their  "  talking-house,"  a  building  with  a  high 
pitched  roof,  which  comes  down  within  three  feet  of 
the  ground,  the  space  left  between  the  roof  and  the 
ground  being  perfectly  open  all  round.  They  sat 
cross-legged  on  the  ground,  and  listened  with  most 
attentive  faces,  whilst  I  told  them,  through  the  resident 
white  man  how  glad  I  was  to  find  they  were  kind  to 
white  people ;  that  every  man-of-war  that  followed  the 
"Basilisk"  would  therefore  be  friendly  to  them,  but 
that  if  they  ever  behaved  otherwise,  a  ship  would  come 
and  punish  them.  After  this  we  shook  hands  and 
talked  generally,  and  they  presented  us  with  nuts, 
fowls,  and  fruit,  in  return  for  our  gifts  of  fish-hooks 
and  looking-glasses.  Their  mode  of  procuring  fresh 
water  is  curious.  They  cut  the  coral  rock  to  a  depth 
of  twenty  feet,  and  make  an  opening  wide  at  the  top 
and  narrowing  into  three  small  holes  below,  which  fill 
with  a  brackish  water  as  the  tide  rises.  They  have 
not  any  other  supply,  but  do  not  need  it,  as  they  have 
an  unlimited  supply  of  cocoa-nut  milk. 

On  the  20th  we  communicated  with  Hudson  Island, 
in  latitude  6°  30',  longitude  176°  40'  E.  The  de- 
scription of  the  foregoing  island  will  serve  equally  for 
this ;  but  here  the  fringing  shore  reef  is  composed  of 
red  coral,  which  looks  beautiful  when  the  receding  surf 
allows  its  bright  wet  tints  to  show.  The  poor  people, 


80  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  vi. 

who  are  Christians,  but  go  about  nearly  unclothed, 
received  us  very  kindly — one  man  actually  kissing  me 
with  every  sign  of  affection.  Leaving  Hudson,  we 
sailed  in  search  of  an  island  named  Gran-cocal,  the 
existence  of  which  is  both  affirmed  and  denied,  but 
could  find  no  trace  of  it,  though  we  sailed  right  over 
its  alleged  position. 

At  St.  Augustine,  the  last  of  the  Ellice  group 
visited  by  us,  the  people  are  all  devil-worshippers,  and 
have  never  suffered  any  missionaries  to  come  amongst 
them. 

The  village  is  on  the  east  side  of  the  principal 
islet,  off  which  a  broad  shore  reef  of  reddish  coral 
extends,  springing  up  like  a  wall  from  the  depths  of  the 
ocean.  On  this  the  surf  beats  with  terrific  violence, 
and  runs  up  in  a  mass  of  white  foam  to  the  beach 
beyond.  The  natives  bring  thin  frail  canoes  to  the 
edge  of  the  reef,  and  hold  on,  lost  in  foam,  till  a  lull 
occurs,  and  then  they  launch  and  paddle  for  their 
lives,  rising  like  feathers  over  the  next  gigantic  surf. 
Mr.  Bentley  and  I  went  in  the  galley  to  the  edge  of 
the  surf,  but  it  seemed  as  impossible  to  land  safely  as 
to  go  down  the  Falls  of  Niagara  and  live.  At  intervals 
the  surf,  it  is  said,  subsides,  so  as  to  allow  boats  to  land. 
The  islanders  seeing,  came  off  to  us,  and  thus  made  it 
needless  for  us  to  land  ;  they  have  a  bad  reputation, 
so  we.persuaded  some  to  come  on  board,  and  fired  a  few 
shot  to  give  them  an  idea  of  the  white  man's  power. 

Cherry  Island,  500  miles  south-west  of  St.  Augus- 
tine, was  our  next  aim.  Whilst  on  our  way,  on  July 


CHAP.  vi.        CHERRY  ISLAND  AND  ITS  SWIMMERS.  81 

25th,  a  sad  accident  took  place ;  one  of  our  best  petty 
officers  was  struck  senseless  by  a  blow  on  the  head 
from  a  falling  block  during  "  sail  drill,"  and  died  in  a 
few  hours.  We  were  comparatively  so  few  in  number, 
and  so  mixed  up  together,  that  this  death  was  almost 
as  sad  as  a  death  in  a  family,  and  much  feeling  was 
manifested  the  day  we  buried  him,  as  the  poor  body 
plunged  sullenly  into  its  "  vast  and  wandering  grave." 
Constantly  as  we  had  drilled  aloft,  we  had  never  met 
with  an  accident  till  this,  our  first  and  last ;  and  it  was 
a  double  one,  for  another  poor  fellow  had  dislocated  his 
thigh.  On  July  28th  we  made  Cherry  Island,  a  per- 
fect little  gem,  which  nowhere  exceeds  one  and  a-half 
miles  in  extent,  and  rises  to  a  height  of  nearly  400 
feet,  in  a  hill,  which  produces  the  most  abundant  supply 
of  vegetables  for  the  inhabitants,  who  live  in  the 
wooded  valley  below.  On  nearing  the  island  in  our 
boats  numbers  of  natives  swam  off  to  us  through  the 
surf,  holding  presents  of  cocoa-nuts  and  bananas  high 
in  one  hand.  I  cannot  describe  the  ease  and  grace 
with  which  they  swam ;  it  was  a  pleasure  to  watch 
them,  the  more  so  as  they  were  altogether  agreeable 
to  look  at,  being  fine  specimens  of  the  light-coloured 
Polynesian  race.  After  a  time  they  brought  a  canoe 
to  us,  and  we  landed  safely ;  and,  their  first  timidity 
over,  were  permitted  to  enter  their  huts,  which  are 
oval-shaped,  and  thatched  close  down  to  the  ground. 
I  saw  no  weapons  amongst  them,  indeed  they  do  not 
need  them,  as  their  nearest  neighbours  live  on  an 

island  120  miles  distant. 

G 


82  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  vi. 

Neither  kidnappers  nor  missionaries  have  yet  made 
any  change  for  evil  or  good  in  the  primitive  habits  of 
these  lonely  islanders.  We  left  loaded  by  them  with 
roots  and  fruits,  and  they  crowded  on  the  beach  to 
see  us  off. 

After  much  wild  weather  through  the  29th  and 
30th  July,  we  closed  in  next  day  on  Duff's  Islands,  of 
the  Santa  Cruz  group,  where  the  people  are  of  the 
same  dark,  treacherous,  Milanesian  type  as  their  near 
neighbours  at  Nukupu,  who  martyred  Bishop  Pattison. 
As  we  came  near  we  could  distinctly  see  the  natives 
hurrying  their  women  and  valuables  into  the  bush. 
I  went  in  with  two  boats,  prepared  for  defence,  but 
having  the  arms  concealed,  to  speak  a  few  canoes 
which  kept  at  the  edge  of  the  reef.  With  some 
trouble  we  induced  one  young  man  to  come  alongside, 
and  then  our  presents  proved  such  a  bait  that  all  the 
canoes  of  the  island  were  soon  swarming  about  us — 
but  my  desire  was  to  land.  The  natives  were  armed 
with  powerful  bows  and  arrows,  which,  they  made 
signs,  were  poisoned,  and  their  appearance  was  fierce 
and  forbidding.  They  are  ugly,  tall  thin  men,  and 
their  nose-rings  and  the  shell  ornaments  which  they 
wear  in  their  ears,  dragging  down  the  lobes  nearly  to 
the  shoulder,  make  them  quite  hideous.  After  some 
bartering,  in  which  their  honesty  was  remarkable,  I 
began  to  cross  the  reef  towards  their  village,  half  ex- 
pecting them  to  object,  instead  of  doing  which  they 
broke  out  into  a  tumult  of  delight,  and  tracked  the 
galley  for  us  across  the  reef  with  willing  hands  (Mr. 


CHAP.  vi.  NATIVES  OF  DUFF'S  ISLAND.  83 

Hayter  remaining  outside  in  the  cutter),  so  that  Dr. 
Goodman  and  I  soon  reached  the  village.  It  stands 
on  a  flat  coral  islet,  about  200  yards  in  diameter,  sepa- 
rated by  a  narrow  lagoon  from  a  lofty  island,  which 
rises  behind  to  the  height  of  1000  feet.  The  larger 
island  is  densely  wooded,  but  so  precipitous  as  to  afford 
no  foothold,  except  in  a  few  spots  near  the  beach. 
The  islet  was  surrounded  by  a  wall  or  breastwork  of 
coral  rock  pieces,  thrown  up  for  defence,  through  which 
they  led  us  by  an  opening  in  the  rear,  and  we  found 
ourselves  in  the  village,  which  differed  from  anything 
we  had  yet  seen,  in  that  the  low  thatched  huts  were 
not  scattered  about,  but  built  in  rows,  with  wide  beaten 
footpaths  between,  in  which  cocoa-nut  trees  sprang  up. 
At  the  rear  of  the  village  the  great  war  canoes  were 
drawn  up,  powerful-looking  boats,  from  sixty  to  seventy 
feet  long,  with  high  ornamented  prows,  and  a  fighting 
platform  in  the  centre.  The  islanders  showed  us 
everything  they  possessed,  and  then  gave  us  some 
cooked  bread-fruit  and  taro  as  a  present — indeed  the 
kindness  of  these  poor  savages  was  extreme.  On  our 
return  they  would  not  allow  us  to  do  any  work,  but 
insisted  on  tracking  our  boat  and  taking  it  outside  the 
surf  themselves.  They  may  possibly  have  considered 
us  supernatural  beings,  for  they  frequently  took  my 
hand  and  kissed  it ;  they  had  certainly  never  seen  a 
man-of-war  before,  if  our  interpretation  of  their  signs 
was  correct.  I  think  they  cannot  have  been  visited 
by  kidnappers,  or  our  reception  would  have  been  dif- 
ferent ;  these  men  could  have  made  themselves  very 


84  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  vi. 

ugly  customers.  Their  island  is  situated  only  some 
fifty  miles  from  Nukupu ;  and,  as  I  have  said,  the  in- 
habitants are  similar  in  appearance,  and  arms,  and 
manner  of  living;  how  comes  it  then  that  such  a  kindly 
reception  was  accorded  us  here  ?  I  fear  the  answer 
must  imply  a  condemnation  of  the  general  conduct  of 
white  men  towards  natives.  This  particular  island 
has  never  (to  my  knowledge)  been  landed  on  before  by 
Europeans,  and  the  natives,  being  thus  unprejudiced, 
took  us,  as  they  found  us,  and  acted  accordingly ; 
whereas,  at  Nukupu,  the  deeds  of  kidnappers  had  dis- 
tinctly led  up  to  the  good  Bishop's  death.  This  was 
one  of  the  very  few  occasions  on  which  I  disregarded 
my  general  rule  of  never  landing  amongst  savages  un- 
less the  women  and  children  were  present,  and  I  landed 
here,  feeling  considerable  apprehensions  of  evil.  We 
went  apparently  unarmed,  but  had  our  revolvers  ready, 
and  the  men  had  their  rifles  concealed. 

We  had  anchored  the  ship  on  a  coral  bank,  in  ten 
fathom  water,  but  on  going  on  board  I  found  that  the 
anchor  had  slipped  off  into  100  fathoms,  and  found  no 
bottom.  Such  are  the  coral  walls  in  these  seas,  or 
such,  perhaps,  the  coral  walls  based  on  volcanic  rock. 

August  1st. — On  our  way  to  Santa  Cruz  we  passed 
near  the  Island  of  Nukupu  as  the  sun  was  setting. 
Used  as  I  am  to  the  glowing  Devonshire  sunsets  that 
Francis  Danby  loved  to  paint,  I  had  never  seen  sky 
and  sea  steeped  in  such  colour  and  gold  as  here. 

To  the  south,  Santa  Cruz  reared  its  wooded  heights 
through  2000  feet  of  soft,  grey  air — its  bold  headland 


CHAP.  vi.  SUNSET  AT  NUKUPU.  85 

and  coral  water  line,  and  the  cocoa-nut  groves  that 
mark  the  site  of  the  villages,  just  taking  on  their  even- 
ing shades ;  to  the  west,  from  a  glassy  sea  of  crimson, 
soft  purples  and  gold,  the  mighty  volcanic  cone  of 
Tinakula  rose  abruptly  into  a  sky  as  glorious,  rolling 
out  from  its  top  volumes  of  smoke  dyed  into  flame  by 
the  setting  sun,  whilst  the  base  slept  in  its  own  cumb- 
rous shadow ;  to  the  north-west  lay  the  little  island 
of  Nukupu,  low  and  wooded,  the  scene  of  Bishop  Pat- 
tison's  death  ;  we  felt  that  his  last  sunset  might  have 
been  like  this,  and  then  thought  went  further  than 
one  cares  to  speak. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

HONESTY  OF  A  NATIVE  AT  SANTA  CRUZ — SHIP  CHANNEL  FOUND  THROUGH  THE 
REEF  AT  EDGECOMBE  ISLAND,  AND  BASILISK  HARBOUR  DISCOVERED — CON- 
CILIATE NATIVES  AT  TEVAI  BAY — BLUE  CORAL — NATIVES  DIFFICULT  OF 
APPROACH  IN  TORRES  GROUP — THEIR  PECULIAR  ORNAMENTS — HAYTER 
BAY — UGLY  WOMEN  OF  ESPIRITU  SANTO  —  VERY  RICH  COUNTRY  —  VOL- 
CANIC CONE  OF  LOPEVI — MALLICOLO,  AND  ITS  HUGE  IDOLS — EXORCISM — 
HAVANNAH  HARBOUR — INCIDENT  OF  "VAN  TROMP"  SCHOONER — COTTON 
PLANTING— RAPIDITY  OF  VEGETATION—  CANDLE-NUT  TREE. 

ON  August  2d  we  anchored  at  Santa  Cruz  Island,  in 
Byron's  Bay,  when  we  had  scarce  room  to  swing  clear 
of  the  rocks  at  either  side  ;  and  the  natives,  who  have 
an  evil  reputation,  not  belied  by  their  looks,  came  on 
board  the  ship  in  numbers,  eager  to  barter  their  bows 
and  poisoned  arrows,  shell  ornaments,  and  mats,  for 
our  bottles  and  beads.  Precautions  were  taken  in 
case  of  any  trouble  with  the  savages,  but  as  women 
and  children  mixed  amongst  the  men  I  felt  pretty 
easy. 

The  village  is  fortified  by  low  coral  walls,  breast 
high,  the  openings  in  which  are  overlapped  by  other 
walls,  calculated  to  throw  an  attacking  party  into 
some  confusion.  We  were  received  there  in  a  friendly 
manner,  and,  our  diplomatic  work  over,  a  watering- 
party  was  landed,  protected  by  a  marine  guard  under 
arms,  and  we  went  to  enjoy  ourselves  by  bathing  in 
the  beautiful  clear  mountain  stream  that  runs  into 
the  bay.  This  river,  from  which  we  watered  easily, 


CHAP.  vii.         NATIVE  HONESTY  AT  SANTA  CRUZ.  87 

flows  through  tropical  forests,  over  a  clear  sandy  bot- 
tom. A  track  through  the  bush  led  to  a  favourable 
shady  spot,  and  our  men  were  soon  to  be  seen  gathered 
in  groups  on  the  river  banks,  bathing,  washing  their 
clothes,  or  lounging  in  idle  enjoyment — all  making 
the  most  of  the  few  quiet  hours  we  were  able  to  spend 
there.  Sailors  well  know  how  much  pleasure  was  sure 
to  be  taken  out  of  a  little  paradise  like  this,  after  long 
cooping  up  on  shipboard. 

Carlisle  Bay,  only  a  mile  to  the  east  of  Byron  Bay, 
appearing  a  good  anchorage,  I  explored  it  in  my  galley, 
and,  from  a  cursory  examination,  concluded  it  was  so. 
Some  of  the  officers  came  overland,  and  joined  me  in 
the  bay,  where  the  natives  were  as  friendly  as  those 
of  Byron  Bay.  An  instance  of  honesty  was  shown 
here  which  surprised  us.  My  coxswain  had  traded  a 
fowl  from  a  native,  and,  locking  its  wings,  had  laid  it 
under  the  boat's  thwart,  but  the  bird  freed  itself,  and 
flew  like  a  partridge  to  the  bush  before  we  were  100 
yards  from  the  beach.  The  natives  saw  what  had 
happened,  and  on  our  returning  to  the  village  shortly 
after,  the  owner  of  the  fowl  brought  the  trade  back, 
and  pressed  it  upon  us.  "We  highly  commended  his 
honesty,  but  of  course  refused  to  benefit  by  it. 

The  friendliness  of  these  natives  to  us  was  remark- 
able;  and  I  have  deeply  regretted  to  learn  that  some 
difficulty  has  since  arisen  between  them  and  H.M. 
schooner  "  Sandfly,"  during  her  late  visit  to  this  place, 
resulting  in  the  loss  of  numerous  native  lives.  An 
event  of  this  kind  is  to  be  regretted,  not  so  much  for 


88  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  vn. 

the  present  effect,  as  for  the  misunderstanding,  the 
want  of  confidence,  and  the  revengeful  feeling  it  pro- 
duces in  the  future. 

Santa  Cruz  is  only  inhabited  on  a  narrow  strip 
round  the  shore,  the  inner  part  being  to  all  appear- 
ances given  up  to  jungle  and  forest.  This  fact  con- 
tains in  itself  an  answer  to  one  weak  excuse  which 
has  been  advanced  in  favour  of  the  forced  deportation 
of  South  Sea  Islanders,  to  the  effect  that  they  will 
otherwise  suffer  privation  of  food  as  their  numbers 
increase,  for  it  proves  that  these  islands  are  in  most 
cases  able  to  support  enormously  increased  popula- 
tions ;  and  many  of  them  have  others  in  close  vicinity, 
which  are  still  absolutely  uninhabited. 

Leaving  Byron's  Bay  on  the  5th,  we  reached  the 
volcanic  mountainous  island  of  Mount  Edgecombe, 
which  had  never  been  surveyed  nor  landed  upon,  as 
far  as  we  knew,  and  spent  the  day  in  surveying  its 
surrounding  reef,  to  find  a  channel  through  if  possible. 
We  had  no  success  that  day  in  finding  a  ship  channel, 
although  for  some  miles  the  reef  was  submerged  to  a 
depth  of  six  or  eight  feet,  so  stood  off  and  on  during 
the  night,  which  was  an  anxious  one,  blinding  thick, 
with  tremendous  rain  squalls.  In  the  morning  we 
turned  to  work  with  the  first  light,  and  were  well  paid 
for  our  trouble,  for  we  found  a  passage  of  four  fathoms 
over  the  reef,  leading  into  a  lagoon  big  enough  to  hold 
a  navy,  with  a  fine  harbour  at  the  head.  This  im- 
portant harbour  Lieutenant  Hayter,  Nav. -Lieutenant 
Mourilyan,  and  I  roughly,  but  carefully  surveyed, 


•:.*..  .•     •--< 

*Mc*i  *!'"  '-i$f<£*>r 


3     4,  __^  Nautical  Miles. 
BASILISK  HARBOUR,  EDGECOMBE  ISLAND. 


CHAP.  vii.  BASILISK  HARBOUR  DISCOVERED.  89 

and  were  satisfied  with  its  capabilities.  We  called  it 
Basilisk  Harbour,  in  honour  of  the  ship,  and  felt  rather 
proud  of  our  discovery  ;  for  previous  visitors  had  pro- 
nounced the  island  wholly  inaccessible  on  account  of 
its  surrounding  reef.  This  fine  harbour  is  shaped  like 
a  boot,  the  leg  being  about  one  and  a-half  miles  long, 
and  the  foot,  from  heel  to  toe,  about  two  miles,  and 
contains  anchorage-ground  sufficient  for  the  British 
navy.  High,  well-wooded  land  surrounds  the  har- 
bour, and  there  are  several  native  villages  on  the 
beach. 

The  natives,  who  were  woolly-headed  and  black, 
were  quiet  and  friendly,  but  a  degraded,  wretched- 
looking  race.  They  had  no  mats  nor  articles  worth 
bartering  for,  which  we  regretted,  as  this  sort  of  little 
commerce  often  opens  the  way  quickly  towards  a  good 
understanding. 

At  Tevai  Bay,  Vanikoro  Island,  the  scene  of  the 
disaster  of  "  La  Perouse,"  we  anchored  on  the  9th. 
Lieutenant  Smith  landed  to  conciliate  the  timid 
and  suspicious  people  we  saw  awaiting  us,  with 
arrows  on  the  string  ready  for  instant  use ;  and  going 
boldly  amongst  them,  succeeded  in  winning  half  their 
confidence.  They  thawed,  but  still  kept  the  arrows 
ready.  They  permitted  us  to  go  to  their  village  on 
Direction  Islet,  and  I  took  two  armed  boats  there,  as  the 
distance  from  the  ship  was  considerable,  and  very  few 
women  were  visible.  We  found  the  village  nearly 
deserted,  and  remained  there  an  hour,  successfully 
trading  .with  the  people  that  remained,  followed  all 


90  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  vn. 

the  time,  however,  by  a  number  of  men  who  watched 
our  movements  suspiciously. 

We  certainly  left  a  good  impression  on  their  minds, 
which  was  of  course  the  object  in  view ;  but  I  would 
gladly  have  spent  a  week  with  them  and  confirmed  it. 
An  interpreter  would  have  been  invaluable.  They  are 
precisely  similar  in  appearance  to  the  Edgecombe 
Islanders.  The  coral  here  is  of  extraordinary  beauty ; 
we  saw  some  through  a  shallow  depth  of  water  on  the 
reef,  of  an  exquisite  blue  colour,  the  very  tint  that  may 
be  seen  down  the  crevasse  of  a  glacier,  but  it  faded  on 
being  taken  out  of  the  water. 

We  sighted  the  Torres  group  on  the  9th.  It  con- 
sists of  four  principal  coral-volcanic  islands,  and  a  few 
small  ones,  from  four  to  six  miles  in  length,  running 
north  and  south,  and  separated  from  each  other  by 
narrow  channels.  It  was  blowing  hard ;  but  directly 
we  came  under  their  lee  we  rode  at  shelter  in  blue 
water,  with  scarce  a  ripple,  the  coral  beach,  with  its 
still  dark  green  background,  looking  very  peaceful 
after  the  stormy  sea  we  had  just  crossed.  I  went  with 
two  boats  to  make  friends  with  some  natives  on  the 
beach,  but  when  we  landed  they  drew  off  to  about 
half  a  bowshot  from  us,  and  stood  ready  with  the  bow. 
We  advanced  a  few  paces,  and  they  retreated  into  the 
bush,  where  it  would  have  been  madness  to  follow 
them.  At  last,  in  despair  of  communicating,  I  sent 
every  one  back  to  the  boats,  except  trusty  Mr.  Bent- 
ley,  the  gunner,  and  he  and  I  advanced  alone  and  ap- 
parently unarmed,  but  with  pistols  hidden,  making 


CHAP.  vii.  NATIVES  OF  TORRES  GROUP.  91 

friendly  signs.  On  getting  pretty  near  the  bush  I 
placed  a  bright  coloured  handkerchief  on  the  ground, 
and  retired  a  little.  Two  of  the  boldest  soon  came 
forward,  and  prodded  it  with  their  bow  ends,  evidently 
suspecting  some  trap,  then  they  took  it,  went  back 
into  the  bush,  and  came  out  again  with  cocoa-nuts, 
which  they  laid  on  the  same  spot  for  us  to  take  them. 
This  we  did,  making  signs  of  acceptance  and  grati- 
tude. 

By  degrees  we  got  amongst  them,  and  then  our 
bright  beads  and  fish-hooks  completed  their  captiva- 
tion.  They  are  black  Milanesians,  perfectly  unclothed, 
with  hair  frizzed  out  a  foot  from  their  heads,  and 
rather  repulsive  looking.  Before  we  left  they  sur- 
rounded our  boats,  eager  to  barter  all  they  had.  I 
mention  our  delay  in  establishing  relations  with  them, 
to  show  that  our  successors  need  not  be  discouraged 
by  a  little  difficulty  at  starting.  Pleasant  looks,  a 
quiet  confident  manner,  and  a  soft  tone  of  voice,  soon 
gain  on  them,  and  a  judicious  display  of  bright  co- 
loured articles  easily  catches  their  attention.  It  is 
also  well  to  be  patient,  and  not  show  any  haste  or 
anxiety.  They  are  very  children  these  South  Sea 
people,  and  should  be  persuaded  as  such.  The  orna- 
ments worn  here  are  peculiar.  No  tortoise-shell  nor 
pearl  shell  ornaments  were  to  be  seen ;  but  instead, 
cylinders  of  polished  ebony,  neatly  tipped  with  mother 
of  pearl  at  the  ends,  were  worn,  thrust  through  the 
cartilage  of  the  nose  and  ear.  These  cylinders  are 
about  an  inch  and  a  half  long,  and  three-quarters  of 


92  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  vn. 

an  inch  in  diameter.  They  also  wore  ivory  armlets — 
the  tusks  of  a  peculiar  kind  of  boar,  which  they  always 
keep  tied  up,  so  as  to  prevent  any  injury  to  the  tusk. 
Leaving  these  people,  we  ran  down  to  the  next  island, 
and  picking  out  a  lovely  bay,  anchored  for  the  night. 
The  natives  here  were  more  easily  approached  than 
their  neighbours,  but  did  not  become  so  confiding.  They 
bartered,  but  only  at  arm's  length,  and  with  a  few  of 
us  at  a  time.  We  could  not  discover  their  villages, 
and  it  would  have  been  imprudent  to  venture  into  the 
bush  to  look  for  them.  Indeed,  I  had  a  sort  of  escape 
here.  Mr.  Bentley  saw  a  native  on  the  point  of  strik- 
ing at  my  head  with  his  club,  who  refrained  when  he 
saw  himself  perceived;  but  Mr.  Bentley's  quick  eye 
and  ready  pistol  would  doubtless  have  stopped  the 
savage's  blow  had  he  attempted  it. 

Mr.  Mourilyan  and  I  were  early  astir  next  morn- 
ing, and  made  a  running  survey  of  the  anchorage,  to 
which  we  gave  the  name  of  the  senior  lieutenant,  and 
called  it  Hayter  Bay.  It  is  a  roomy  anchorage,  and 
well  sheltered  from  the  prevailing  wind.  The  two 
remaining  islands  of  the  Torres  group  were  visited  by 
us  on  August  10th,  and  we  found  the  people  very  dif- 
ficult of  access  at  first.  Eventually,  however,  we  made 
friends  with  them,  but  not  having  interpreters  could 
not  find  out  if  they  had  been  visited  by  kidnappers. 
Our  work  as  pioneers  of  Christianity  and  civilisation 
at  many  of  these  islands  was  very  anxious,  and  to 
some  extent  dangerous,  and  kept  our  faculties  in  a 
state  of  tension.  On  the  last  island  we  found  a  native 


CHAP.  TII.  NATIVES  OF  ESPIEITU  SANTO.  93 

who  spoke  a  little  English.  He  said  that  kidnapping 
vessels  had  never  been  seen  here ;  but  he  might  have 
been  a  kidnapping  agent  himself,  for  what  we  could 
tell. 

The  north  end  of  Espiritu  Santo  is  indented  by  a 
large  gulf,  up  which  we  steered  on  making  the  island, 
and  found  an  anchorage  at  the  head  of  the  gulf,  off 
the  mouth  of  the  river  Jordan,  so  named  by  the  old 
Spaniards,  according  to  their  delight  in  Scripture 
names.  Lieutenant  Hayter  and  I  examined  the  river 
for  some  distance  on  Monday  12th,  and  found  it  navi- 
gable for  boats  for  about  a  mile  above  the  sea.  It  is 
simply  a  fine  rapid  torrent,  coming  from  a  lofty  range 
of  hills,  and  running,  at  the  lower  part  of  its  course, 
through  rich,  open  country,  and  forms  a  boundary 
between  two  powerful  tribes,  who  appear  to  live  in 
a  state  of  warfare.  The  inhabitants  of  Espiritu 
Santo  are  black,  fine  athletic  men,  woolly-headed, 
many  of  them  with  really  pleasing  faces.  They  are 
well  armed  with  clubs,  and  three -pronged  spears 
barbed  with  human  bones,  which  they  throw  to  a 
great  distance.  They  placed  great  value  on  their 
weapons,  making  signs  of  their  urgent  need  of  them 
to  guard  against  the  attacks  of  their  enemies  at  the 
other  side  of  the  river,  and  would  not  sell  me  a  club. 
They  showed  no  jealousy  of  their  women,  which  was 
a  new  feature  since  our  leaving  the  Christianised 
islands ;  so  we  went  freely  about  amongst  the  un- 
sightly Eves,  who  regarded  us  with  much  amazement. 
They  were  all  but  unclad,  and  hideously  ugly  by 


94  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  vii. 

nature  and  fashion,  for  the  upper  front  teeth  had  been 
extracted,  the  hair  cropped  short,  and  in  most  cases 
the  poor  black  face  daubed  over  with  charcoal.  The 
material  for  civilisation  to  work  on  here  is  certainly 
very  rough  and  raw.  We  made  up  a  party  for  shoot- 
ing wild  duck,  and  ascending  the  river  a  short  way, 
landed  and  went  up  the  country,  on  its  banks,  of  which 
we  much  admired  the  richness.  Wild  sugar-cane, 
wild  pine-apples,  and  other  tropical  fruits,  grew  in 
abundance ;  and  the  land  seemed  easy  of  cultivation. 
Doubtless,  in  time,  Australia  will  throw  off  settlers  to 
this  glorious  island,  which  is  capable  of  bearing  all 
the  spices  of  the  East.  The  natives  were  delighted 
with  us,  and  eagerly  showed  us  the  best  spots  for 
duck,  which  were  there  in  any  quantities,  but  very 
wild — probably  from  being  constantly  made  targets 
for  the  native  arrows. 

There  was  a  sort  of  natural  lock  across  the  river, 
from  which  it  ran  furiously  down  a  steep  descent 
for  eighty  yards,  forming  a  fine  slide  for  our 
many  bathers,  who  allowed  themselves  to  be  swept 
away  like  corks  the  whole  distance,  and  had  good 
sport. 

We  visited,  on  Tuesday  13th,  one  of  the  curious 
volcanic  cone-shaped  islands,  not  uncommon  in  these 
seas.  This  one — Star  Island — rises  in  a  perfect  cone 
to  the  height  of  2900  feet,  and  is  densely  wooded  and 
thickly  populated,  though  it  has  no  water  and  no 
natural  soil.  It  is,  however,  highly  fertile,  for  the 
pulverised  scoria  has  been  mixed  with  such  a  quan- 


CHAP.  vii.          VOLCANIC  CONED-SH APED  ISLANDS.  95 

tity  of  decayed  vegetable  matter  as  to  create  a  rich 
deposit.  The  natives  are  well  accustomed  to  white 
men,  and  many  of  them  had  gone  in  labour  vessels  to 
Queensland  and  worked  in  the  plantations.  Some 
told  us  that  they  meant  to  go  again — an  evident  proof 
of  kind  treatment,  and  explained  that  they  under- 
stood the  nature  of  the  agreement  made  by  them  with 
the  Queensland  labour  vessels.  One  of  the  mission 
boys,  with  whom  I  talked  at  Norfolk  Island,  was  a 
native  of  this  isle.  We  climbed  up  the  precipitous 
side  of  the  cone  for  eight  or  nine  hundred  feet,  through 
a  thick  forest,  meeting  with  native  huts  perched  about 
on  every  holding-ledge,  halting  often  to  refresh  our- 
selves with  cocoa-nut  milk,  for  the  ascent  was  almost 
perpendicular,  and  we  were  obliged  to  use  hands  and 
feet  to  surmount  the  gnarled  roots  which  spread  like 
bars  across  the  rough  native  track,  and  to  climb  some 
overhanging  ledges.  The  crater  at  the  summit  is  now 
extinct.  In  many  places  the  ground  was  artificially 
terraced,  to  make  room  for  houses  to  stand.  The 
natives  lead  a  sort  of  fly-like  existence,  having  to 
cling  on  with  hands  and  feet  whenever  they  stir  out- 
side their  doors.  They  were  innocent  of  clothing,  and 
worshipped  idols  of  the  most  hideous  kind.  It  is  to 
be  hoped  that  the  lads  from  this  island,  now  being 
educated  at  the  Milanesian  college,  will  be  able  to 
cope  with  this  idolatry  on  their  return. 

On  August  15th  we  reached  Mota,  the  principal 
island  station  of  the  late  Bishop  Pattison.  This 
island,  called  Sugar  Loaf  by  the  English,  from  its 


96  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  vn. 

shape,  rises  to  a  height  of  1350  feet.  Its  people, 
about  2000  in  number,  are  much  attached  to  the 
mission. 

I  was  met  on  landing  by  the  Kev.  -  -  Palmer, 
who  led  us  by  a  steep  slippery  path  to  the  mission- 
house,  where  every  sign  of  real  good  work  was  to  be 
seen.  The  system  pursued  appeared  to  be  quiet 
and  methodic.  The  educated  deacons  from  Norfolk 
Island  are  evidently  well-approved  and  instructed 
men.  Having  talked  matters  over  with  Mr.  Palmer, 
I  secured  the  pleasure  and  advantage  of  his  company 
for  a  few  days  to  the  neighbouring  islands, — Valua  or 
Saddle  Island,  Bligh  Island  (where  an  extinct  crater 
has  formed  a  large  bay),  and  St.  Maria.  At  this 
latter  place  we  received  a  hearty  welcome  on  landing 
from  several  hundreds  of  savages,  who  wore  no  clothes, 
and  were  armed  with  deadly  arrows.  Amongst  them  we 
saw  one  who  was  the  happy  owner  of  a  red  shirt  and 
double-barrelled  gun,  and  he  spoke  English  well,  and 
told  us  that  he  had  spent  five  years  in  Australia.  We 
talked  about  kidnapping,  and  he  observed,  "  All  black 
men  savey,  no  kidnapping  now ;  if  black  man  like  to 
go  he  go,  if  he  like  to  stop  he  stop,"  a  valuable  piece 
of  testimony  from  this  group  of  islands,  long  the 
principal  scene  of  kidnapping. 

On  standing  down  the  south  side  of  the  island  we 
fell  in  with  a  ketch  of  twenty  tons,  with  twenty-one 
natives  on  board,  and  no  licence  to  carry  them.  The 
owner,  as  well  as  the  master,  was  on  board,  and  told 
us  that  he  had  a  cotton  plantation  at  Sandwich  Island, 


CHAP.  vii.    NATIVES  OP  AURORA  AND  AOBA  ISLANDS.          97 

and  was  willing  to  provide  himself  with  legal  papers, 
but  as  yet  had  not  had  an  opportunity.  After  much 
consideration,  the  natives  being  evidently  free  agents, 
and  the  new  Act  not  as  yet  come  into  force,  I  decided 
on  sending  Lieutenant  Smith  to  Sandwich  Island  in 
the  ketch,  and  he  parted  company  accordingly. 

On  Sunday,  August  18th,  we  sheltered  from  a 
southerly  gale  under  the  lee  of  Aurora  Island,  where 
the  paymaster  of  the  "Kosario"  had  been  cruelly 
clubbed,  and  all  but  killed  on  the  beach.  Knowing 
that  here,  and  at  all  the  islands  south  of  this,  the 
natives  are  very  treacherous,  I  landed  with  great 
caution,  taking  some  spare  hands  with  loaded  rifles  in 
the  galley,  but  walked  apparently  unarmed  towards 
the  natives.  A  lad  of  thirteen  or  fourteen  allowed 
me  to  approach  him,  so  I  gave  him  some  beads,  after 
which  the  savages  came  closer,  but  kept  a  reserve 
body  behind  the  rocks,  ready  to  let  their  deadly 
arrows  fly  at  a  moment's  notice.  The  women,  who 
were  repulsively  ugly,  were  unclothed,  and  the  men 
nearly  so.  They  traded  with  us  a  little,  but  did  not 
take  to  us  at  all  heartily,  and  remained  shy  and  dis- 
trustful to  the  last. 

On  Monday,  the  gale  having  moderated,  we  ran 
down  to  Aoba,  or  Leper's  Island,  only  twenty  miles 
distant,  and  here  the  natives  flocked  down  quite  un- 
armed to  trade  with  us,  which  fact  confirmed  me  in 
the  idea  I  had  formed  that  there  is  often  very  little 
inter-communication  between  the  islands  of  some  of 

the  groups.     These  islanders  were  perfectly  confiding, 

H 


98  NEW  GUINEA,  CHAP,  vii, 

and  eagerly  surrounded  us  on  the  beach,  seeming  to 
take  interest  in  our  looks  and  gestures.  One  little 
occurrence  cemented  our  friendship.  Mr.  Hayter 
turned  up  his  sleeve  to  please  them,  and  catching 
sight  of  some  tattoo  marks  he  had  acquired  in  Japan, 
they  compared  them  with  their  own  tattooing,  and 
went  off  into  fits  of  delight.  We  stayed  bartering 
with  them  for  a  long  time,  and  they  brought  us  down 
quite  a  collection  of  the  boar's  tusk  armlets,  which  are 
really  handsome  ornaments,  and  if  mounted  with  a 
golden  snake-head  and  tail,  and  a  pair  of  emerald 
eyes,  would  not  be  unworthy  to  be  worn  on  fair  wrists 
at  home.  They  would  not,  however,  dispose  of  the 
best  armlets  for  anything  we  could  offer.  They  were 
clothed  in  a  small  degree,  both  men  and  women. 

We  landed  next  day  on  Pentecost — a  fine  island, 
38  miles  in  length;  and  using  every  caution,  found 
the  people  friendly.  On  the  night  of  August  21st 
we  anchored  under  the  lee  of  Ambrym  Island,  and  I 
went  on  shore  to  open  an  intercourse,  but  in  vain. 
The  natives  of  all  these  isles  are  afraid  of  darkness, 
and  never  venture  out  after  sunset.  In  the  morning 
Mr.  Hayter  and  I  went  again,  and  we  became  good 
friends.  They  sold  us  some  of  their  common  clubs, 
on  which  a  certain  two  of  us  gave  vent  to  our  spirits, 
and  celebrated  the  entente  cordiale  by  dancing  an 
English  war-dance,  whooping,  and  nourishing  the  clubs 
in  true  savage  style.  At  this  the  savages  shouted 
with  delight  and  laughter,  and  called  to  all  their 
friends  to  come  and  see.  It  will  readily  be  believed 


CHAP.  vii.          VOLCANOES — MALLICOLO  ISLAND.  99 

that  our  friendship  progressed  rapidly  after  the  ex- 
hibition of  such  kindred  customs  ;  and  I  was  well 
pleased  to  have  it  so,  the  more  so  as  a  native  had 
threatened  to  strike  me  with  his  tomahawk  on  landing. 
The  act  was  perhaps  only  the  result  of  timidity  on  his 
part,  and  I  was  prepared  to  intercept  the  blow ;  but 
it  showed  that  these  people  might  have  been  danger- 
ous. Leaving  this  island,  and  steering  south,  we  had 
a  fine  view  of  its  volcanic  mountain,  3000  feet  high, 
from  which  volumes  of  smoke  issued,  and  sometimes 
jets  of  flame.  The  sides  of  the  mountain  are  cut  into 
deep  gullies,  where  rivers  of  lava  have  flowed  down. 
Grand  as  this  object  was,  it  was  eclipsed  by  the  glorious 
cone-shaped  island  of  Lopevi,  which  was  here  in  sight, 
springing  in  perfect  symmetry  to  a  height  of  5000 
feet  above  the  sea.  Its  summit  is  divided  into  two 
huge  lips,  from  which  belch  continual  smoke  and  fire. 
These  two  volcanoes  are  not  twenty  miles  apart.  We 
landed  at  the  latter,  and  found  the  people  friendly ; 
but  very  few  live  here,  and  these  only  at  the  base  of 
the  volcano.  It  must  need  some  courage  to  live  in 
such  proximity;  we  were  surprised  to  find  any  in- 
habitants. 

Off  Mallicolo,  a  splendid  island,  56  miles  in  length, 
we  anchored  in  a  fine  harbour,  about  which  the  land 
was  well  wooded,  and  diversified  by  hill  and  plain. 
The  natives  received  us  well  on  our  landing,  and  took 
us  to  the  top  of  the  hill  on  which  their  village  was 
built,  when  we  were  met  by  a  perfect  picture  of 
savage  life.  The  thatched  huts  were  scattered  about 


100  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  vn. 

under  the  trees,  so  low  that  we  had  to  creep  serpent 
fashion  to  get  in,  and  when  inside  could  scarce  sit 
upright.     The  Devil -ground  presented  a  unique  pic- 
ture of  savage  superstition.     It  was  a  large  cleared 
space,  and  contained  a  collection  of  frightful -looking 
idols,  some  twenty  feet  in  height,  and  broad  in  pro- 
portion, hollowed  out  to  serve  the  purpose  of  drums. 
Soft-wood  drum-sticks  lay  beside  them,  and  on  being 
struck   they   emitted   a  hollow   monotonous    sound. 
The  shape  of  these  idols  was  very  rude ;  they  were 
all  head  and  body,  with  very  small  arms  stuck  on,  of 
which  the  hands  rested  on  the  stomach,  and  the  legs 
were  smaller  than  the  arms — the  whole  being  devoid 
of  action  or  expression.     Near  one,  a  gigantic  idol  sur- 
rounded by  a  bamboo  fence,  a  poor  girl  suffering  from 
an  ulcerated  leg  was  placed  for  cure,  and  lay  looking 
dejected  enough,  as  if  she  knew  the  hopelessness  of 
the  charm  ;  nor  was  the  behaviour  of  her  elders  at  all 
calculated  to  increase  the  girl's  reverence,  for  they 
showed  no  respect  themselves,  and  only  laughed  when 
we  struck  the  huge  idols  and  made  them  emit  a  dull 
resonance.      Most  of  the  women  wore  waist -cloths, 
but  the  men  were  naked.     The  manners  of  both  were 
most  kind  and  friendly  to  us.     Several  of  the  men 
told  us  that  they  had  gone   to  Queensland   in   the 
labour  vessels,  and  having  been  well-treated  by  the 
planters,  and  given  plenty  of  trade,  were  anxious  to 
go  again.      Our  views  as  to  the  evils  of  the  labour 
traffic  began  to  be  much  modified  by  the  nature  of 
the  natives'  testimony.     In  cases  where  the  labour- 


CHAP.  vii.  NATIVE  LABOUR  A  NECESSITY.  101 

compact  is  perfectly  understood  and  agreed  to  by  the 
natives,  and  where  the  conditions  are  afterwards  faith- 
fully adhered  to,  a  positive  good  may  result,  and  an 
impetus  be  given  to  the  improvement  of  these  races 
by  the  contact  with  civilisation.  Stringent  laws 
securing  justice,  paternal  treatment,  and  religious 
instruction,  are  highly  necessary ;  and  will  doubtless 
be  hailed  by  the  mass  of  employers,  as  assisting  them 
to  discharge  their  duties  on  a  well-considered  and 
systematic  system ;  they  will  rejoice  to  see  crime  and 
cruelty  made  impossible,  and  to  be  relieved  from  the 
disgrace  of  any  supposed  partnership  with  wretches 
who  have  disgraced  the  English  name. 

Auxiliary  labour  is  a  necessity  in  Queensland, 
from  the  nature  of  the  soil,  which  produces  crops  that 
require  minute  attention ;  and  from  the  unfitness  of 
the  European  for  labour  in  its  hot  latitudes,  it  will 
always  remain  so.  The  fact  of  such  a  necessity  ex- 
isting, is,  to  a  believer  in  Providence,  a  proof  that  it  is 
capable  of  being  dealt  with  in  a  satisfactory  manner. 
Neither  the  philanthropy  nor  the  power  to  alchemise 
this  social  difficulty  into  good  are  lacking  in  Queens- 
land, and  the  experience  of  years  has  furnished  a  suffi- 
cient fund  of  fact  to  be  drawn  on  in  the  construction 
of  a  perfect  system — one  beneficial  to  employer 
and  employed.  I  say  "  perfect "  advisedly,  because 
we,  in  this  generation,  have  attained  to  clear  moral 
perceptions  of  duty  towards  aboriginal  races,  and  an 
increased  power  of  putting  such  into  practice.  It 
should  be  as  perfect  as  possible,  and  made  so  speedily, 


102  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  vn. 

because  any  neglect  in  treating  so  vital  a  question 
must  be  prolific  of  future  evil  in  an  incalculable  ratio  ; 
and  issues  that  can  now  be  grasped  in  the  hand,  and 
dealt  with,  will  soon  by  natural  increase  become  too 
vast  for  control ;  witness  the  issues  of  the  slave  ques- 
tion in  the  United  States  of  America.  Our  position 
makes  us  guardians  of  the  nonage  of  these  undeveloped 
races :  and  our  responsibility  should,  in  my  opinion, 
be  accepted,  even  to  the  limit  of  taking  all  the  un- 
claimed islands  in  the  Australian  neighbourhood  under 
our  protection.  The  terrible  atrocities  which  have 
occurred  in  connection  with  the  labour  trade,  and 
which  can  never  be  forgotten — never  remembered  but 
with  sorrow  and  shame,  have  drawn  public  attention 
to  this  subject,  as  perhaps  nothing  else  would,  and 
emphasised  the  demand  for  exhaustive  legislation. 

It  presents  itself  to  my  mind,  that  the  demand  for 
labour  will  become  increasingly  disproportionate  to  its 
supply  from  these  islands,  as  they  are  rather  under 
than  over  populated.  New  Guinea,  if  annexed,  will 
perhaps  assist  in  the  solution  of  this  difficulty. 

Lieutenant  Hayter,  Drs.  Goodman  and  Haines, 
and  I,  visited  a  small  island,  named  Shepherd  Isle, 
near  Api,  on  the  24th,  when  I  was  compelled  to  sub- 
mit to  a  singular  process  of  exorcism  before  we  were 
permitted  to  land.  A  devil-man,  fantastically  painted, 
and  adorned  with  leaves  and  flowers,  waded  out  to 
meet  our  boat,  waving  a  bunch  of  palm-leaves  rapidly 
round  his  head,  and  as  I  jumped  on  shore  he  rushed 
at  me,  and  grasping  my  right  hand,  waved  the  leaves 


CHAP.  VII.  EXORCISM.  103 

round  my  head  in  the  same  manner.  I  saw  that  he 
meant  no  harm,  so  let  him  have  his  way,  and  he  placed 
the  leaves  in  my  left  hand,  putting  a  small  green  twig 
into  his  mouth,  still  holding  me  fast,  and  then,  as  if 
with  great  effort,  drew  the  twig  from  his  mouth — this 
was  extracting  the  evil  spirit — after  which  he  blew 
violently  as  if  to  speed  it  away.  I  now  held  a 
twig  between  my  teeth,  and  he  went  through  the  same 
process,  all  the  time  showing  signs  of  strong  excite- 
ment. 

He  led  me  then  to  the  edge  of  the  bush,  and  I 
began  to  feel  rather  reluctant,  and  doubtful  as  to  how 
all  was  going  to  end,  but  thought  I  had  better  see  it 
out.  Here  two  sticks,  ornamented  with  leaves,  were 
fixed  in  the  ground,  and  bent  to  an  angle  at  the  top, 
with  leaves  tied  to  the  point,  and  round  these  sticks 
the  devil-man  and  I  raced  in  breathless  circles  till  I  was 
perfectly  dizzy.  He,  however,  did  not  seem  to  mind  it 
at  all,  and  presently  flew  off  with  me  up  a  steep  path 
into  the  bush,  when,  at  a  short  distance,  we  came  to 
two  smaller  sticks  crossed  ;  here  he  dropped  my  hand, 
and  taking  the  bunch  of  palm-leaves  from  me,  waved 
them,  and  sprang  over  the  sticks  and  back  again. 
Then  placing  both  his  hands  on  my  shoulders,  he 
leaped  with  extraordinary  agility,  bringing  his  knees 
to  the  level  of  my  face  at  each  bound,  as  if  to  show 
that  he  had  conquered  the  devil,  and  was  now  tramp- 
ling him  into  the  earth.  When  he  had  leaped  for 
a  while,  he  made  signs  that  all  was  over,  and  we 
walked  back  together  to  the  officers  who  had  been 


104  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  vn. 

rather  anxiously  watching  these  singular  proceedings. 
The  natives  who  had  kept  quietly  aloof,  now  came 
freely  about  us,  and  showed  by  their  manner  that  they 
considered  us  free  of  the  island.     Had  I  not  submitted, 
we  certainly  should  not  have  had  any  communication. 
They  took  us  up  to  their  fortified  village  by  a  walk 
of  a  mile  and  a  half,  through  forest  and  cultivated 
fields  of  yam,  taro,  and  sugar-cane ;  and  there  a  roast 
pig  was  set  before  us,  over  which  the  devil-man  and  I 
were  forced  to  go  through  no  end  of  ceremonies,  which 
he  ended  by  stamping  the  devil  into  two  large  holes 
which  he  had  worn  in  the  earth  by  constant  efforts. 
He  then  tore  the  pig  into  pieces,  and  gave  me  the 
first.     I  handed  it  to  the  chief,  and  he  gave  me  a 
large  piece  for  myself,  which  I  had  to  hold  with  a 
great  war-club  in  the  same  hand,  till  a  given  signal 
was  made,  when  I  was  supposed  to  eat  it.     After  the 
feast  we  were  free  to  roam  about  as  we  pleased.    Many 
of  the  natives  here  had  been  kidnapped,  and  had  since 
returned  home,  and  were  consequently  well  able  to 
make  themselves  understood.      They  also  agreed  in 
saying  "  white  men  no  steal  black  men  now."     The 
idols  in  the  village  were  similar  to  those  I  have  just 
described.      The  same  day  we  steered  for  a  similar 
island  only  a  few  miles  distant,  named  Three  Hill 
Island,  and  here  also  were  invited  to  visit  the  village. 
We  reached  it  by  a  delightful  walk  of  two  miles  through 
forest,  and  about   one  through  well-kept  plantations 
of  yam  and  taro,  the  ground  steadily  ascending  till 
it  reached  a  height  of  800  or  900  feet  above  the  sea, 


CHAP.  vn.  TRADING  WITH  NATIVES.  105 

where  the  village  stood.  Its  natives  have  the  credit 
of  being  bloodthirsty  and  treacherous.  On  this  small 
island,  which  is  only  about  four  by  three  miles  in 
extent,  there  are  three  tribes,  each  speaking  a  different 
dialect,  and  each  at  fierce  war  with  the  others.  The 
tribe  visited  by  us  appeared  highly  prosperous  and 
contented,  and  we  were  pleased  to  see  that  the  women 
seemed  to  do  the  light  work  and  the  men  the  heavy. 

We  remained  at  the  village  for  an  hour,  the 
cynosure  of  all  eyes,  and  did  a  brisk  trade  at  easy 
rates,  giving  a  knife  for  a  pig ;  two  or  three  strings  of 
beads  for  a  fowl,  and  lesser  prices  for  fruit  and  vege- 
tables. 

On  our  first  visit  to  Montague  Island,  or  Niguna, 
no  natives  were  to  be  seen.  I  landed  there  and 
strolled  along  the  beach,  shouting  for  some  to 
appear,  for  I  had  little  doubt  but  that  we  were  ob- 
served, but  as  they  had  recently  been  fired  upon,  and 
had  their  villages  burned  by  one  of  our  ships,  they 
were  timid.  After  a  time  five  or  six  men,  armed  with 
muskets  and  tomahawks,  appeared ;  and,  backed  by 
three  followers,  I  went  up  and  presented  them  with  a 
couple  of  trade  handkerchiefs,  on  which  they  became 
fairly  friendly,  and  told  me  that  the  missionary,  Mr. 
Milne,  lived  on  the  other  side  of  the  island.  I  was 
anxious  to  get  to  Havannah  harbour,  Sandwich  Island, 
that  night,  and  meet  Lieutenant  Smith  in  the  ketch, 
so  I  resolved  to  defer  my  visit  to  Mr.  Milne,  and  we 
sailed  for  Sandwich  at  once.  On  Sunday,  25th,  we 
anchored  in  this  really  noble  Havannah  harbour,  and 


106  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  vn. 

were  filled  with  admiration  of  its  capacity  and  shelter- 
ing power.   The  island,  which  is  the  most  fertile  of  the 
New  Hebrides  group,  extends  about  20  miles  each 
way,  and  is  almost  English  in  appearance ;  partial 
clearings  have  been  made,  and  wooden  buildings  spring 
up  round  the  anchorage  at  the  head  of  the  harbour, 
and  attest  the  presence  of  the  pushing  Anglo-Saxon 
race.     All  the  settlers  are  cotton-planters,  and  seem  to 
have  a  good  chance  for  making  money,  as  the  natives 
sell  land  greedily,  and  the  cotton  grown  is  of  good 
quality.     It  was  a  relief  to  my  mind  to  find  Mr.  Smith 
and  the  ketch  safe  and  sound,  as  we  had  experienced 
some  heavy  weather  since  our  parting.     This  little 
vessel  I  restored  with  much  pleasure  to  the  master 
and  owner,  on  their  addressing  a  formal  request,  and 
stating  the  exceptional  circumstances  of  their  case. 
This  settled,  a  deputation  of  planters  came  forward 
with  a  memorial,  stating  that  a  necessity  existed  for 
extra  labour  on  their  thriving  cotton  plantations,  and 
praying  for  a  license  to  import  it.     Then  the  land 
sales  of  the  natives,  and  other  magisterial  affairs,  came 
on  for  settlement,  and  just  as  we  drew  to  a  conclusion 
word  came  that  a  schooner,  the  "  Van  Tromp,"  had 
been  wrecked  on  Three  Hill  Island,  and  her  captain 
and  part  of  her  crew  murdered  by  a  tribe  adjoining 
the  one  we  had  visited  a  few  days  before.    This  called 
for  prompt  action,  and  we  left  immediately  for  the 
scene  of  the  wreck,  taking  with  us  some  of  the  crew 
who  had  escaped,  and  brought  the  report.     The  evi- 
dence was  very  complete,  and  I  woke  on  the  morning 


CHAP,  vii,       WRECK  OF  SCHOONER  "VAN  TROMP."  107 

of  the  27th  with  the  feeling  that  some  of  our  number 
would  be  no  more  in  all  probability  before  the  sun  set, 
for  the  tribe  accused  was  armed  with  muskets,  and 
we  should  be  at  disadvantage  if  we  had  to  follow  up 
the  offenders.  At  8  A.M.  we  were  abreast  of  the 
schooner  lying  on  the  reef,  and  saw  that  she  was 
crowded  with  pilfering  natives,  who,  on  seeing  us, 
cleared  out  and  fled  into  the  bush,  after  which  neither 
native  nor  white  man  was  to  be  seen ;  a  little  dog  be- 
longing to  the  ship  was  straying  about  on  the  beach, 
and  howling  pitifully. 

I  had  not  the  faintest  hope  of  finding  the  men 
alive,  but  determined  not  to  begin  hostilities  till  I  had 
exhausted  every  effort  to  persuade  or  force  the  native 
chiefs  to  an  interview.  We  boarded  the  schooner  first, 
and  I  was  surprised  to  see  no  trace  of  bloodshed ; 
then  I  pulled  for  the  beach,  taking  with  me  Mr.  Free- 
man, the  master  of  a  trading  schooner,  whom  I  had 
brought  on  account  of  his  knowledge  of  native  charac- 
ter. As  we  landed  a  crowd  of  natives  came  out  of  the 
bush  armed  with  muskets,  of  which  some  men  carried 
two.  When  within  a  hundred  yards  of  shore  our  boat 
grounded  on  the  reef,  and  we  had  to  wade  the  rest  of 
the  distance.  Accompanied  by  four  armed  men,  and 
backed  up  by  the  crew  which  remained  in  the  boat,  and 
which  would  have  poured  in  a  deadly  volley  at  a  sign, 
Mr.  Freeman  and  I  advanced,  and,  every  step  that  I 
took  assured  me  more  and  more  that  the  people  were 
only  frightened,  and  meant  us  no  harm.  It  proved  so ; 
and  further,  to  our  hearty  pleasure,  we  learned  that  the 


108  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  vn. 

captain  and  men  were  alive.  They  were  at  a  long  dis- 
tance from  the  wreck ;  but  after  some  little  delay  they 
joined  us  safe  and  sound,  and  highly  praised  the  human- 
ity of  the  natives,  who  had  actually  helped  them  through 
the  surf  to  land,  and  then  treated  them  with  kindness. 
After  a  little  talk  the  natives  brought  back  everything 
they  had  taken  from  the  vessel ;  and  next  day,  on 
clearing  out  the  schooner  to  see  if  there  was  any 
chance  of  getting  her  off,  I  gave  them  two  bags  of 
biscuit  and  some  tobacco  and  powder  in  return  for 
the  kind  treatment  which  the  shipwrecked  captain  and 
crew  had  received  at  their  hands.  They  were  de- 
lighted, and  fully  appreciated  this  and  our  praise. 
There  was  no  hope  of  getting  the  schooner  off,  her 
bottom  being  staved  in,  so  we  dismantled  her,  took 
her  stores  on  board  to  be  landed  at  Havannah  har- 
bour, and  then  went  on  that  evening  to  Montague 
Island,  which  we  reached  in  the  dark.  The  natives 
being  as  usual  too  superstitious  to  stir  out  at  night,  we 
could  not  find  any  when  we  landed,  but  by  continued 
shouting  we  got  some  of  the  missionary  people  to  hear, 
and  they  brought  Mr.  Milne  the  missionary  to  us,  who 
kindly  gave  me  all  the  information  I  required  as  to 
the  state  of  the  island. 

On  the  29th  we  returned  to  Havannah  harbour, 
and  at  the  request  of  the  planters  I  visited  some  of 
the  cotton  plantations.  Doubtless  in  a  few  years  a 
flourishing  town  will  have  arisen  where  the  rude  open 
houses  of  the  settlers  now  stand.  Many  acres  of  land 
are  already  cleared  and  producing  the  finest  cotton. 


CHAP.  vii.  RICH  SOIL CANDLE-NUT  TREE.  109 

Steam  machinery  for  cleaning  and  ginning  the  cotton 
is  already  at  work.  The  forerunners  of  civilisation  in 
these  splendid  islands  deserve  all  the  support  the 
Imperial  Government  can  give  them,  and  will  doubt- 
less have  it  as  their  wants  become  known.  We  came 
on  many  parties  of  natives  grubbing  away  at  the 
ground  to  prepare  it  for  cotton,  and  they  seemed  to 
work  cheerily  and  well.  They  had  plenty  of  food  and 
to  spare,  for  the  fertility  and  rapidity  of  nature  here 
is  unbounded.  For  example,  I  was  shown  sweet 
potatoes  but  nine  days  planted,  and  the  stems  were 
already  from  twelve  to  fourteen  inches  long.  Castor- 
oil  plants  and  sugar-cane,  the  growth  of  six  months, 
were  from  fourteen  to  fifteen  feet  high.  The  trees 
here  are  very  rich,  some  of  them  of  large  size,  bearing 
lovely  blossoms  and  rich  oil-nuts.  One,  called  the 
candle-nut  tree,  shoots  up  to  the  height  of  150  feet, 
and  its  great  branches,  covered  with  small  silvery-green 
leaves,  bear  millions  of  nuts.  These  nuts,  which  have 
a  shell  as  hard  as  stone,  contain  a  sort  of  oil  as  thick 
as  the  substance  of  a  composite  candle,  and  burn  with 
a  brilliant  light. 

I  will  not  weary  the  reader  with  an  account  of  our 
visits  to  all  the  small  islands,  for  they  presented 
features  of  much  sameness.  We  often  felt  our  duties 
monotonous,  but  had  the  comfort  of  knowing  that  we 
were  collecting  a  mass  of  information  which  will  all 
prove  useful  in  time,  and  in  some  sort  preparing  the 
native  mind  for  a  good  reception  of  our  countrymen  to 
come. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

DILLON'S  BAY,  ERROMANGA,  AND  MURDER  OF  MR.  GORDON — OUR  ACTION — A 
SUNKEN  WHALE — WASTE  OF  SANDAL  WOOD — TANNA — ITS  VOLCANO  —  A 
LONELY  COTTON  PLANTEK — ARRIVE  AT  FRENCH  SETTLEMENT  AT  NUMEA, 
WHICH  CONCLUDES  CRUISE. 

ON  our  arrival  at  Dillon's  Bay,  Erromanga,  September 
1st,  I  found  that  a  missionary  named  Gordon  had 
been  murdered  in  the  February  before,  a  brother  of 
the  former  Mr.  Gordon,  missionary,  who,  with  his 
wife,  had  been  murdered  on  this  island.  It  appears  that 
Mr.  Gordon  had  worked  nobly  for  five  years  amongst 
the  worst  heathen  natives,  in  the  east  of  the  island, 
and  drawn  together  a  congregation  of  forty-five  people, 
including  children.  His  death  was  caused  by  the 
credulity  of  a  father,  to  whose  sick  children  he  had 
given  medicine.  The  children  dying,  he  conceived 
the  idea  that  the  missionary  had  killed  them,  and 
murdered  him  in  revenge.  It  is  remarkable  that  Mr. 
Gordon,  who  was  translating  the  Bible  into  the  Erro- 
manga tongue,  should  just  have  made  a  version  of  the 
last  verse  of  Acts,  12th  chapter,  which  relates  the 
death  of  Stephen,  before  he  went  out  to  the  grass  in 
front  of  his  house  to  rest,  and  was  struck  down. 
Had  matters  remained  in  this  state,  my  course  of 
action  would  have  been  plain ;  but  a  complica- 
tion had  arisen ;  the  native  Christians  from  Dillon's 
Bay  had  flown  to  "the  wild  justice  of  revenge," 


CHAP.  viii.  DILLON'S  BAY — MISSIONARY  SETTLEMENT.    Ill 

treacherously  fallen  on.  some  isolated  members  of  the 
guilty  tribe,  and  killed  four.  Two  of  these  retaliators 
were  communicants. 

On  arriving  at  Dillon's  Bay  I  consulted  with  the 
three  white  residents — a  missionary,  and  two  white 
men  who  have  established  a  whale-fishery  here ;  and 
having  obtained  from  them  an  exact  account  of  all 
that  had  taken  place,  decided  to  bring  the  Christian 
east  and  heathen  west  chiefs  together  if  possible,  and 
tell  them  that,  as  the  Christians  had  improperly  taken 
the  law  into  their  own  hands,  I  should  not  inflict 
further  punishment  if  they  would  give  me  an  assur- 
ance of  living  peaceably  for  the  future.  I  despatched 
messengers  to  secure  the  attendance  of  the  Christian 
chiefs,  and  by  1 1  o'clock  P.M.  had  nine  of  them  on  board 
the  "  Basilisk ; "  one  old  chief  had  an  arrow-head  in 
his  back,  which  native  skill  had  failed  to  extract,  and 
was  all  but  disabled,  but  we  made  him  as  comfortable 
as  we  could. 

A  beautiful  stream  runs  between  precipitous  hills 
into  the  head  of  Dillon's  Bay,  on  one  bank  of  which 
lies  the  missionary  settlement,  and  on  the  other  a 
whaling  establishment.  Here  the  good  John  Williams 
was  killed  ;  and  the  graves  of  the  martyred  Gordons, 
and  of  a  missionary  who  died  of  fever  and  ague, 
gleamed  white  in  the  setting  sunshine  before  us  that 
evening,  and  filled  the  heart  with  many  thoughts  of 
those  who  had  not  counted  their  lives  dear  unto  them. 
Next  morning  we  steamed  round  to  the  scene  of  the 
murder,  on  the  east  side  of  the  island,  taking  the  nine 


112  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  vm. 

chiefs ;  and  when  arrived,  Lieutenant  Sydney  Smith 
landed  with  them  to  meet  the  eastern  chiefs,  and  invite 
them  on  board,  with  power,  in  case  of  their  being  too 
frightened  to  come,  to  cause  them  to  "  make  a  paper," 
i.e.  to  affix  their  mark  to  a  satisfactory  paper  to  be 
drawn  up  by  him,  after  being  made  to  understand  our 
reasons  for  not  punishing  them.  This  done,  he  was 
to  direct  them  to  shake  hands  all  round.  Finding  them 
terribly  alarmed,  he  took  the  latter  course  with  perfect 
success,  and  finished  by  informing  them  that  the 
tribes  must  assemble  and  meet  me  on  the  following 
day,  when  I  should  bring  plenty  of  white  men  to 
meet  them,  and  show  them  that  we  had  not  lacked 
power  to  punish  them. 

Next  morning,  being  joined  by  several  friendly 
chiefs,  we  marched  100  seamen  and  marines  four  miles 
to  the  place  where  poor  Gordon  was  murdered,  and 
reaching  a  considerable  stream,  which  forms  the 
boundary  of  the  offending  tribe,  found  the  people 
so  terror-stricken  that  the  only  chance  of  getting  at 
them  was  for  me  to  cross,  with  two  or  three  others 
alone.  This  I  did,  wading  across,  and  having  drawn 
the  natives  together  on  a  grassy  hillock,  overlooking 
the  opposite  bank,  I  directed  their  attention  to  the 
movements  of  our  men  there,  who  were  then  put 
through  skirmishing  movements  and  volley  firing  by 
Lieutenant  Hayter.  The  natives  were  ready  to  sink 
into  the  earth  with  fear  and  amazement.  I  then 
addressed  them,  one  of  the  Christian  chiefs  interpret- 
ing, and  told  them  that  we  forgave  them  this  time, 


CHAP.  vni.  ERROMANGA — DILLON'S  BAY.  113 

but  that  a  ship  would  come  and  punish  them  if  they  ever 
harmed  one  hair  of  a  white  man's  head  again ;  on  which 
they  made  earnest  promises,  which,  I  trust,  will  be  kept. 

Close  to  the  spot  stood  the  remains  of  poor  Gor- 
don's house,  with  the  floors  torn  up,  and  nothing  but 
the  roof  and  framework  left — a  picture  of  ruin.  His 
tasteful  garden  was  fast  becoming  a  wilderness,  and 
his  books  were  all  scattered  about  in  an  adjoining  hut 
that  he  had  fitted  up  as  his  little  library.  We  collected 
as  many  as  filled  four  large  chests,  and  brought  them 
down  for  auction.  In  the  indignant  feeling  that  such 
a  sight  provoked,  we  were  for  a  moment  ready  to 
regret  that  the  right  to  punish  had  been  taken  out  of 
our  hands.  Reflection  showed,  however,  that  not  only 
would  our  line  of  action  have  been  approved  by  Mr. 
Gordon  himself,  but  that  it  was  wise,  in  view  of  the 
safety  of  present  and  future  white  inhabitants ;  as 
also  in  producing  the  settlement  of  a  question  that 
would  otherwise  have  led  to  a  vendetta  between  the 
two  tribes,  that  would  probably  have  gone  on  to  the 
extinction  of  one. 

Standing  in  for  Dillon's  Bay  on  the  morning 
of  the  4th,  we  saw  the  whaling  boats  belonging  to 
Messrs.  Smith  and  Guy,,  the  enterprising  whalers 
settled  here,  fast  to  a  large  whale;  the  lines  fouled, 
however,  and  they  had  to  cut  adrift. 

The  whales  are  frequently  lost  after  being  killed, 
through  the  boats  lacking  power  to  tow  them  on 
shore.  We  passed  a  spot  where  a  whale  had  sunk  in 

forty  fathoms  water,  some  weeks  before,  and  observed 

i 


114  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  VHI. 

that  the  surface  was  covered  with  oil,  and  that  a 
powerful  stench  prevailed.  Messrs.  Smith  and  Guy 
have  now  got  engines  from  Sydney,  and  built  a  small 
steamer  with,,  their  own  hands,  which  will  doubtless 
prevent  such  losses  for  the  future.  Erromanga  was 
once  famous  for  its  sandal  wood,  which  is  worth  £25 
a  ton  on  the  spot,  but  most  of  the  trees  have  been 
ruthlessly  destroyed. 

Such  instances  of  a  waste  of  natural  riches,  from 
want  of  knowledge,  are  to  my  mind  an  argument  in 
favour  of  the  annexation  of  these  islands  to  Australia. 

On  September  6th  we  anchored  off  "  Black  Beach," 
Tanna  Island,  the  scene  of  the  engagement  between 
H.M.S.  "  Iris"  and  the  natives,  some  fifteen  years  ago, 
and  since  then  of  many  a  lawless  kidnapping  affray. 
Two  labour  vessels  lay  close,  to  us,  engaged  in  pro- 
curing natives,  one  of  which,  by  a  strange  coincidence, 
was  commanded  by  a  man  who  twenty  years  before 
had  served  as  a  seaman  on  board  the  "  Basilisk."  The 
papers  of  both  vessels  were  all  right.  Near  the  an- 
chorage was  the  cotton  plantation  of  one  of  the  most 
notorious  of  those  lawless  men  who  have  been  charged 
with  the  commission  of  frightful  crimes  in  procuring 
labour  from  the  islands,  and  who,  with  reckless  hardi- 
hood, have  planted  themselves  in  solitary  independ- 
ence on  these  islands,  prepared  to  defend  their  posses- 
sions, purchased  for  a  few  old  Tower  muskets,  by  the 
terror  they  inspire.  The  owner  of  the  plantation 
came  on  board  to  pay  his  respects,  and  I  looked  with 
curiosity  on  this  specimen  of  a  class  of  men  who,  with 


CHAP.  vm.  TANNA  ISLAND.  115 

all  their  great  faults,  possess  many  of  the  rough  strong 
virtues  of  Englishmen.  He  was  a  big,  burly,  middle- 
aged  man,  with  a  large  red  beard  and  moustache,  a 
small  nose,  surmounted  by  light,  restless,  blue  eyes, 
and  a  low  square  forehead,  which  betokened  the  power 
to  will  and  do  without  regard  to  consequences.  He 
walked  with  difficulty,  from  more  than  one  gunshot 
wound  received  from  the  natives.  Landing  with  him, 
and  climbing  the  steep  cliffs  that  bounded  the  beach, 
we  found  ourselves  on  an  open  rising  table-land,  about 
thirty  acres  of  which  was  in  full  bearing  of  the  best 
kind  of  cotton,  and  fifty  or  sixty  acres  more  were  lying 
ready  to  be  added  within  the  next  three  months.  This 
land,  with  some  thousand  acres  of  grass  land  adjoining, 
all  nominally  belonged  to  my  companion.  Gangs  of 
natives  from  other  islands — (for  natives  will  not  labour 
on  their  own  islands) — were  at  work,  and  appeared  to 
be  well  fed,  and  happy  enough  in  the  prospect  of  be- 
coming the  possessors  of  a  musket  or  two  when  their 
term  of  servitude  should  expire.  There  can  be  no 
doubt  of  this  man's  ultimate  wealth,  if  he  can  secure 
his  life,  but  that  is  the  question.  As  we  passed  a 
small  neat  inclosure,  I  asked  "  What  is  that  ?"  and  he 
said  "  My  partner's  grave,  sir.  He  was  shot  there, 
where  he  is  buried,  nine  months  ago,  by  some  of  the 
hill  natives  who  had  laid  an  ambush  for  him,  and  shot 
him  as  he  walked  along  the  path  where  we  now  stand." 
I  asked  why  they  shot  him;  and  the  reply  was,  "  They 
owed  him  a  grudge  for  something  or  other,"  and  I  did 
not  care  to  press  the  question,  as  it  was  evidently  not 


116  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  vin. 

an  agreeable  one,  and  the  matter  had  been  settled  be- 
fore my  arrival.  When  we  reached  his  small  wooden 
house,  principally  built  of  planks  obtained  from  the 
labour  vessels,  and  guarded  by  an  outside  fence  to 
stop  a  rush,  he  stepped  in  before  and  gave  me  a  hearty 
welcome ;  and  I  sat  and  talked  awhile  with  this 
strange  solitary  man.  Loaded  guns  hung  round  the 
room,  and  the  pistols  in  his  belt  showed  that  he  was 
ready  for  any  emergency.  He  told  me  that  he  could 
obtain  as  many  native  labourers  as  he  pleased,  without 
recourse  to  kidnapping,  and  that  he  always  returned 
them  to  their  homes  at  the  expiration  of  a  year's  ser- 
vice. His  chief  difficulty  was  from  the  hill  natives  of 
the  island,  who,  he  said,  would  attack  him  without 
any  provocation,  but  he  was  doing  his  best  to  con- 
ciliate them.  He  was  reticent  as  to  his  former  life ; 
but  if  report  spoke  truth,  it  had  been  a  wild  and 
wicked  one.  However  there  was  no  special  charge 
against  him,  and  I  left  him,  feeling  admiration  for  his 
indomitable  pluck,  although  of  a  vagabond  kind.  On 
the  following  day  we  anchored  in  Port  Resolution, 
when,  accompanied  by  thirty  seamen,  we  made  an 
excursion  to  Tanna  Volcano,  led  by  guides  provided 
by  the  missionaries.  For  the  first  five  or  six  miles 
our  road  led  through  thick  forest,  where  the  interlacing 
branches  of  the  trees  formed  a  screen,  that  the  tiniest 
sun  ray  could  not  filter  through.  Now  and  then  we 
came  to  openings  where  the  sky  and  a  blaze  of  sun- 
shine broke  in  at  once,  that  seemed  to  blind  us,  and 
were  glad  to  plunge  into  shade  and  dusk  again.  The 


CHAP.  vin.  TANNA  VOLCANO.  117 

ground  soon  began  to  grow  warm  under  our  feet  in 
these  openings ;  it  was  spongy  and  grassy,  and  steam 
was  breaking  out  in  many  small  jets.  In  bare  places 
it  was  too  hot  to  touch  with  the  hand.  We  emerged 
quite  suddenly  on  a  broad  barren  space,  covered  with 
ashes  and  scoriae,  from  which  a  bare  cone-shaped  hill 
rose  abruptly  for  five  or  six  hundred  feet,  with  a  crater 
at  its  summit,  which  seemed  to  be  about  two  miles  in 
circumference.  We  had  heard  the  roar  of  the  volcano 
miles  away ;  but  the  sight  was  sudden,  and  we  stood 
awe-struck  for  some  moments,  contemplating  this  great 
power  of  nature  at  work.  The  crater  belched  inces- 
sant smoke  and  flame ;  and  at  short  intervals  great 
masses  of  stone  were  shot  high  into  the  tormented  air, 
and  came  down  with  heavy  thuds.  We  resolved  to 
climb  to  the  edge  of  the  crater,  and  with  a  fresh  trade- 
wind  blowing  an  ascent  of  the  weather  side  is  toler- 
ably safe  ;  but  the  wind  happened  now  to  be  light  and 
variable,  and  our  guides  were  doubtful.  A  native  chief 
told  us  not  to  run  when  we  saw  stones  falling,  but  to 
stand  and  watch  them,  and  jump  aside  as  needful ; 
and  this  we  did,  and  spread  ourselves  out  in  skirmish- 
ing order  to  face  the  cannonade  of  white-hot  stones, 
some  of  them  large  enough  to  crush  an  elephant,  that 
fell  amongst  us.  The  men  lit  pipes,  or  cooked  a  bis- 
cuit on  some  of  these  stones.  Finding  it  too  exciting 
to  be  pleasant,  we  went  streaming  round  the  rim  of 
the  crater  to  what  seemed  the  safer  side.  On  one 
edge  the  descent  of  the  cone  lay  below  us,  blasted  and 
bare,  and  covered  with  scoriae ;  at  the  other  the  crater 


118  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  vm. 

went  down,  and  we,  marching  on  the  narrow  rim  be- 
tween, with  our  figures  relieved  by  the  leaden  sky, 
looked  not  unlike  what  Dante  might  have  conceived 
of  a  company  of  lost  souls  being  marshalled  to  hell. 
At  this  side  we  stood  with  some  safety  to  watch  the 
ways  of  the  volcano.  For  a  moment  we  could  look 
down  into  the  vast  pit,  and  see  the  vent-holes  two 
hundred  feet  below — three  of  the  largest  full  of  a  red- 
hot  seething  mass,  mixed  with  flame,  and  streaked  with 
black,  till  the  smoke  gushed  out  and  obscured  all, 
rolling  up  in  volumes  of  tender  grey  colour,  that 
seemed  almost  to  woo  us  to  throw  ourselves  on  their 
soft  convolutions  and  float  upwards.  Then  a  roar 
would  come  widening  up  from  the  abyss,  filling  the 
ears  with  stupendous  sound,  the  flame  burst  out  afresh, 
and  the  volley  of  stones  shoot  high  into  the  air,  fall 
with  a  rattle  and  thud,  and  all  be  clear  again. 

There  is  a  small  lake  at  the  north-east  side  of  the 
mountain,  which  communicates  by  an  underground 
fissure  with  the  volcano.  It  is  a  shallow  dead  sea,  with 
arid  banks  at  one  side  and  rich  vegetation  on  the  other. 
Here  we  rested,  and  a  number  of  Tanna  women  hav- 
ing found  out  our  retreat,  we  prevailed  on  them,  by 
promises  of  tobacco  and  beads,  to  give  us  one  of  their 
monotonous  song  dances. 

We  returned  to  the  ship  through  a  valley,  richly 
cultivated  by  the  natives,  and  found  work  awaiting  us 
in  the  settlement  of  some  disputes  between  a  white 
man  and  some  natives,  which  prevented  our  sailing  that 
evening,  as  we  had  intended. 


CHAP.  viir.  END  OF  THE  CRUISE.  119 

On  Monday  9th  we  arrived  at  Aneiteum,  the 
southernmost  of  the  New  Hebrides  Isles ;  and  on  the 
12th  at  Numea,  the  French  settlement  in  New  Cale- 
donia, having,  by  the  goodness  of  Providence,  safely 
visited  fifty-three  islands  in  the  course  of  our  cruise, 
amidst  many  anxieties ;  much  of  the  navigation  hav- 
ing been  unknown,  and  our  constant  intercourse  with 
the  natives  having  demanded  unceasing  effort.  We 
met  our  orders  from  the  commodore  here,  and,  in  ac- 
cordance with  them,  sailed  after  three  days'  stay,  for 
Sydney,  which  we  reached  on  the  early  morning  of 
September  24th,  and  dropped  anchor  in  the  friendly 
waters  of  the  harbour. 

On  arriving,  we  found  ourselves  under  orders  from 
the  Admiralty  to  proceed  again  to  Torres  Straits  and 
the  coast  of  New  Guinea,  for  a  period  of  four,  after- 
wards changed  to  six  months.  We  had  gone  through 
nine  months  of  tropical  service  and  ceaseless  work ; 
but  the  health  of  the  ship's  company  was  good,  and 
the  ship  (some  refitting  being  done)  was  available,  so 
we  turned  ourselves  from  thoughts  of  rest,  and  set  to 
work  to  make  preparations  for  the  cruise. 

Our  stay  at  Sydney  was  longer  eventually  than  we 
expected,  for  a  strike  amongst  the  operatives  delayed 
the  caulking  of  the  "  Basilisk." 

In  the  meantime  the  kidnapping  Act  of  1872  had 
come  into  force,  and  we  were  thus  prepared  to  deal 
effectively  with  the  kidnapping  and  South  Sea  Island 
labour  questions,  which  were  to  occupy  an  important 
place  in  the  forthcoming  cruise. 


CHAPTER   IX. 

LEAVE  SYDNEY,  DECEMBER  8TH,  FOE  SECOND  TORRES  STRAITS  CRUISE  — 
NAVIGATING  LIEUTENANT  CONNOR — MAKE  PRIZES  OF  THE  SCHOONERS 
"MELANIE"  AND  "CHALLENGE"  —  NOVEL  MODE  OF  CLEANING  SHIP'S 
BOTTOM  —  SEIZE  THE  BARQUE  "WOODBINE" — THE  "  CRISHNA" — FIND 
THAT  NO  B.IVER  EXISTS  IN  LLOYD'S  BAY — VENTILATION  AND  HEALTH  IN 
THE  "BASILISK" — RAINY  SEASON — RING  BIRD  OF  PARADISE — SURVEY 
BETWEEN  SADDLE  AND  JARVIS  ISLANDS — NAME  PHILIP  HARBOUR — SIN- 
GULAR PRACTICE  WITH  BONES  OF  THE  DUGONG. 

ON  Sunday,  December  8,  we  left  Sydney  bound  on 
our  second  Torres  Straits  cruise,  with  permission  to 
visit  the  coast  of  New  Guinea,  and  went  slowly  north 
with  a  tumbling  sea  and  a  fresh  breeze. 

On  the  1 7th  we  had  a  cheering  meeting  with  Lord 
and  Lady  Normanby  at  Brisbane,  who  both  took  a 
deep  interest  in  our  labours,  past  and  future.  I  in- 
formed the  governor  and  Mr.  Palmer  that  the  principal 
object  of  the  cruise  was  to  put  down  illegal  practices 
in  connection  with  the  pearl-shelling  in  Torres  Straits, 
and  that  I  was  directed  to  make  inquiries  as  to  the 
fate  or  condition  of  Mr.  Miklucko  Macklay,  the  emi- 
nent Russian  traveller  in  New  Guinea,  who  has  ex- 
plored so  much  of  its  northern  shores, — as  he  had  been 
for  some  time  lost  to  sight,  and  it  was  feared  he  had 
perished.  I  also  fully  explained  to  them  that  during 
the  performance  of  these  and  the  routine  duties  of  the 
cruise,  opportunities  might  occur  for  our  rendering 


CHAP.  ix.  SECOND  TORRES  STRAITS  CRUISE.  121 

special  services  to  the  colony,  and  that  I  was  prepared 
to  take  advantage  of  such  to  the  best  of  my  ability. 

Much  of  the  navigation  of  Torres  Straits  was  still 
unknown,  and  not  only  were  they  now  becoming  a 
frequent  resort  of  merchant  ships,  but  it  was  actually 
in  contemplation  to  run  the  line  of  mail  steamers  be- 
tween Brisbane  and  Singapore  through  them.  It  was 
therefore  of  the  last  importance  to  throw  as  much  light 
as  possible  on  their  many  dangers,  and  to  indicate  a 
safe  navigation,  and  the  position  of  suitable  anchor- 
ages where  such  might  exist.  This  I  was  ready  to 
do  by  surveying,  whenever  time  and  means  lay  at  my 
disposal. 

Lord  Normanby  and  the  Queensland  Government 
cordially  accepted  my  offer  of  rendering  such  service, 
if  possible,  in  the  course  of  duty,  and  at  my  request 
allowed  Navigating  Lieutenant  Connor,  E.N.,  a  good 
surveyor,  to  accompany  us  in  the  "  Basilisk."  I  had 
made  attempts  to  get  a  surveyor  at  Sydney,  and 
failed ;  so  it  was  with  much  satisfaction  that  I  received 
Mr.  Connor  in  the  capacity  of  "  passenger,"  and  stowed 
him  away  in  my  side  cabin. 

We  reached  Cardwell  on  January  2d,  in  a  heavy 
gale,  accompanied  by  thick  weather,  and  anchored 
under  the  lee  of  Gould  Island,  whilst  I  ran  in,  in  the 
galley,  to  gain  information  from  Mr.  Sheridan,  the 
Police  Magistrate.  I  found  from  him  that  the  pearl- 
shellers  had  received  warning  that  the  new  kidnapping 
act,  which  rendered  the  employment  of  natives  illegal, 
without  license,  had  come  into  force,  and  that  they 


122  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  ix. 

knew  of  the  "  Basilisk's  "  coming,  and  were  clearing  out 
of  the  Straits  as  fast  as  possible,  on  which  I  determined 
to  make  all  haste  north.  On  the  5th  we  chased  and 
overhauled  two  schooners,  the  "  Melanie,"  with  fifty- 
five,  and  the  "  Challenge,"  with  thirty-three  South 
Sea  Islanders  on  board,  who  had  been  employed  as 
divers  in  Torres  Straits.  These  schooners  had  been 
warned  of  the  passing  of  the  new  Act  by  the  Marquis 
of  Normanby  himself,  who  had  visited  the  Straits  some 
months  previously,  but  they  had  stayed  on  to  the  last 
moment,  and  attempting  to  escape  on  hearing  of  our 
approach,  had  fallen  into  our  clutches. 

Each  individual  case  of  the  islanders  on  board 
needed  investigation,  so  we  anchored  with  our  prizes 
off  Fitzroy  Island,  where  the  good  anchorage  was  very 
welcome.  The  result  of  our  examination  was  to  bring 
out  the  facts  that  in  the  "  Melanie  "  fourteen  natives 
had  been  from  four  to  six  years,  fourteen  from  three 
to  four  years,  and  one  for  one  year,  working  without 
any  wages  beyond  their  necessary  clothing  and  tobacco, 
and  that  no  agreement  had  been  made  with  them. 
Seventeen  stated  that  they  had  shipped  from  their 
island  on  board  another  vessel  from  three  to  four  years 
ago,  and  had  since  been  transferred,  against  the  wish 
of  the  majority,  to  the  "Melanie,"  and  kept  at  work 
without  any  agreement ;  the  rest  were  on  the  ship's 
books  as  having  been  legally  shipped  at  Sydney.  The 
stories  of  these  men  were  various  ;  most  of  them  had 
shipped  voluntarily  —  seven  had  been  kidnapped. 
"  Captain  gammon  me — say  I  go  back — I  never  go 


x.     "  MELANIE"  AND  "CHALLENGE"  PRIZES.     123 

back,"  said  one  poor  fellow ;  and  two  others  had  the 
same  tale,  "  Captain  gammon  me/'  Another  had  been 
seized  from  a  reef;  two  had  been  run  down  in  their 
canoe  by  a  schooner  named  the  "  Maria  Kenny,"  and 
taken  on  board. 

To  secure  themselves  from  the  penalties  of  the  new 
Act,  the  pearl-shellers  had  induced  these  natives  to 
sign  an  agreement  to  serve  them  for  five  months  from 
August,  and  had  fixed  wages  for  them. 

This  analysis  is  a  fair  sample,  and  will  give  an  idea 
of  the  then  average  state  of  affairs.  We  sent  the 
vessels  as  prizes  to  Sydney,  where  they  were  con- 
demned; but  on  a  subsequent  appeal  to  the  Privy 
Council,  the  highest  appeal  court  for  the  colonies,  the 
vessels  were  restored,  on  paying  all  costs  connected 
with  the  case,  on  the  grounds  that  retrospective  evi- 
dence could  not  be  entertained,  and  that  an  intention 
to  procure  a  license  had  been  proved. 

Whilst  here  investigating,  our  men  had  a  good 
opportunity  of  enjoying  themselves  on  shore,  bathing, 
washing  clothes,  and  hauling  the  seine ;  and  the  natives 
of  both  our  prizes  did  us  a  good  turn  by  cleaning  the 
ship's  bottom  right  up  from  the  keel.  It  was  quite  a 
sight  to  see  them,  some  eighty  in  number,  swimming 
round  the  ship  armed  with  scrubbing  brushes,  laugh- 
ing and  gesticulating,  some  disappearing  every  moment 
from  the  surface,  to  re-appear  far  below  as  shadowy 
undulating  forms  along  the  sheathing,  where  they  were 
busy  scrubbing  off  the  grass  and  barnacles  from  the 
copper  in  the  most  systematic  manner.  As  they  re- 


124  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  ix. 

appeared  they  always  gave  vent  to  a  clear,  soft,  whistle, 
which  seemed  to  come  from  an  involuntary  effort  of 
the  lungs.  They  stayed  a  very  short  time — two  or 
three  minutes — on  the  surface,  when  they  come  up  for 
air,  and  dived  again  as  fresh  as  ever ;  and  in  about  an 
hour  and  a  half  made  the  ship's  bottom  as  clean  as  if  she 
had  been  in  dock. 

On  January  8th  we  continued  our  passage  to  Cape 
York,  and  next  day  boarded  the  barque  "  Woodbine." 
Her  men  were  suffering  dreadfully  from  scurvy,  and 
our  officers  contributed  with  much  liberality  from  their 
stores  to  help  them.  Finding  that  this  ship  had  no 
articles,  that  she  had  twenty  tons  of  pearl-shell  on 
board,  the  result  of  coloured  labour,  and  three  South 
Sea  Islanders  without  a  license,  and  that  the  master 
could  give  no  explanation,  I  sent  this  vessel  to  Bris- 
bane in  charge  of  Lieutenant  S.  G.  Smith,  where  she 
was  eventually  released  for  want  of  sufficient  evidence. 

Our  first  penny  reading  on  board  H.M.S.  "  Basil- 
isk " — a  forerunner  of  many  pleasant  gatherings — came 
off  on  the  evening  of  Tuesday  14th,  and  was  a  perfect 
success,  owing  to  the  organising  talent  of  Lieutanants 
Hayter  and  Sydney  Smith ;  and  I  was  truly  glad  at  the 
outset  of  this  cruise  to  find  that  such  a  fund  of  amuse- 
ment lay  ready  to  be  drawn  on  to  beguile  the  tedium  of 
the  work  before  us.  All  experience  goes  to  prove  that 
every  effort  to  vary  the  monotony  of  ship  life  is  re- 
warded by  increased  efficiency ;  it  is  in  the  nature  of 
things  that  it  should  be  so. 

On  the    14th  we  boarded  the  barque  "Crishna" 


CHAP.  ix.  SEARCH  FOR  A  SUPPOSED  RIVER.  125 

of  Sydney,  and  found  that  she  had  thirty-five  South 
Sea  Islanders  on  board,  whose  history  was  so  similar 
to  that  of  the  "  Melanie"  natives  that  I  need  not  relate 
it.  We  sent  her  to  Brisbane,  where  she  was  condemned, 
and  sold  for  £3900,  with  her  cargo,  intelligence  of 
which  was  very  cheering  to  the  ship's  company.  This 
amount  has  since  been  heavily  cut  down  by  law  ex- 
penses, and  the  Imperial  Government  has  claimed  half 
the  remainder. 

Wishing  to  clear  up  doubt  as  to  the  existence  or 
non-existence  of  a  river  reported  at  the  bottom  of 
Lloyd's  Bay,  we  stood  in  and  anchored  near  Low  Island 
on  the  evening  of  the  15th.  The  chart  at  this  point 
is  marked,  "apparent  opening  of  large  river;"  and  it 
will  be  seen,  by  a  glance  at  the  map  of  North  Queens- 
land, that  a  river  would  be  a  rich  gift  of  nature  here, 
as  affording  an  opening  into  the  country,  and  a  high- 
way for  the  transit  of  agricultural  produce.  Navigat- 
ing Lieutenant  Connor  and  I,  in  the  galley,  and  Mr. 
Mourilyan  in  the 'gig,  came  to  an  anchor  accordingly, 
off  the  supposed  entrance  of  the  river,  at  11  P.M.,  and 
spreading  our  awnings  and  making  ourselves  as  com- 
fortable as  we  could  for  the  night,  we  drank  off  a  dose 
of  quinine  every  man,  and  turned  over  to  sleep.  It 
was  a  hot  calm  moonlight  night,  and  my  companions 
were  soon  breathing  measuredly.  I  had  a  lantern  in 
the  stern  gratings,  and  enjoyed  to  the  full  the  rare 
pleasure  of  a  little  quiet  reading  and  thought.  At 
daybreak  we  began  our  search  for  the  river,  and  ex- 
plored one  salt-water  creek  after  another;  but  each 


126  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  ix. 

was  a  failure,  and  led  only  to  entanglement  in  the 
swamp,  where  clouds  of  mosquitoes  resented  our  in- 
vasion of  their  holds.  There  was  no  river.  The 
drainage  of  a  hill-range,  six  or  seven  miles  inland, 
had  created  a  swamp  of  many  miles  extent,  covered 
with  mangroves  and  intersected  by  these  salt-water 
creeks ;  and  this  was  all.  Finding  a  piece  of  sandy 
beach,  we  breakfasted  there  with  all  willingness,  for 
river-hunting  is  very  hungry  work,  and  returning  to 
the  ship,  got  under  weigh  directly. 

The  heat  now  began  to  be  very  trying,  90°  on 
deck,  under  the  awnings.  We  knew  that  the  "  Basil- 
isk "  had  earned  a  bad  reputation  for  herself  as  a  sickly 
ship  during  former  commissions  in  the  West  Indies, 
and  a  letter  from  a  former  commander  had  warned 
me  of  this.  It  struck  me  that  the  cause  might  be  in 
the  isolation  of  the  engine-room,  which  was  shut  in  by 
strong  bulk-heads,  right  across  the  ship,  at  both  ends, 
thus  preventing  a  free  circulation  of  air.  To  remedy 
this  we  cut  a  large  scuttle  about  four  feet  square  be- 
tween the  lower  deck  and  the  foremost  stoke-hole, 
and  the  result  was  a  success,  particularly  under  steam, 
when  the  rush  of  cold  air  to  the  furnaces  was  such  as 
to  make  the  lower,  or  troop-deck,  one  of  the  coolest 
places  in  the  ship.  To  this  simple  measure,  and  the 
allowance  of  a  free  tank  for  all  purposes,  I  principally 
attribute  the  marvellous  healthiness  of  the  ship  during 
the  years  of  tropical  work  we  went  through.  During 
the  period  of  our  service  we  did  not  lose  a  man  from 
sickness,  our  total  of  deaths  being  two  from  accident, 


CHAP.  ix.  HEALTH  OF  SHIP'S  COMPANY.  127 

and  one  at  Sydney  from  rapid  consumption.  On  the 
whole,  I  am  of  opinion  that  the  health  of  a  ship's 
company  can  be  kept  up  to  the  normal  standard 
during  exposure  to  intense  heat  and  a  rainy  season, 
if  incessant  precaution  is  taken ;  clothing  lightened  to 
a  bearable  degree ;  cleanliness  and  ventilation  attended 
to ;  food  made  as  nourishing  and  various  as  may  be ; 
extra  allowances  of  non-stimulating  drinks  issued  to 
repair  the  waste  caused  by  continual  perspirations ; 
leave  given  on  shore  whenever  possible,  and  as  much 
wholesome  amusement  provided  on  board  as  circum- 
stances will  allow. 

On  January  1 8th  we  took  up  our  old  anchorage  off 
Somerset,  and  saw  the  anchor  go  down  with  different 
feelings  from  those  of  last  year.  Then,  its  plunge  marked 
our  work  as  complete,  now  Cape  York  was  but  a  start- 
ing-point for  arduous  work.  Mr.  Jardine  welcomed  us, 
and  gave  us  the  benefit  of  all  his  information;  and  the 
next  day,  Sunday,  was  spent  as  a  day  of  rest — Mr. 
Murray,  the  missionary,  conducting  our  service  on 
board.  This  gentleman  had  been  absent  from  England 
on  mission  work  for  thirty-five  years,  without  once 
returning,  and  had  been  instrumental  in  sowing  the 
seeds  of  Christianity  in  very  many  islands. 

The  rainy  season  had  now  commenced,  and  we 
suffered  the  inconvenience  of  a  constant  downpour — a 
serious  one  in  a  flush-decked  vessel.  Our  rain  awnings, 
too,  were  insufficient,  lacing  inside  the  bulwarks  to 
the  deck,  instead  of  outside.  Whilst  here  we  fell  in 
with  a  lonely  waif  of  society,  named  Cockerill,  who 


128  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  ix. 

has  betaken  himself  to  live  in  a  tiny  vessel  of  about 
eight  tons,  and  accompanied  only  by  his  son  and  two 
natives,  cruises  about  these  seas  as  a  naturalist,  and 
seems  to  be  happy  enough  in  his  own  way.  His  boat 
was  laden  with  specimens  of  beautiful  birds  ;  and  from 
the  Aru  Islands,  500  miles  west  of  Somerset,  which  he 
had  just  left,  he  had  brought  some  boxes  full  of  the 
Great  Bird  of  Paradise,  and  the  still  more  exquisite 
King  Bird  of  Paradise,  of  which  he  kindly  gave  me  a 
specimen.  This  bird,  only  lately  becoming  known  at 
home,  is  as  large  as  a  small  thrush,  the  back  glossy 
crimson,  the  head  feathers  being  soft,  and  deep  in  tone 
like  velvet,  the  throat  crimson,  and  separated  from  the 
pure  white  breast  by  a  wide  band  of  green.  It  has 
the  long  wire  tail  of  all  Birds  of  Paradise,  terminating, 
however,  in  two  circular  feathers,  about  the  size  of  a 
sixpenny  piece,  of  a  burnished  green.  But  its  peer- 
less ornaments  are  two  small  feather  fans  of  intense 
emerald  colour,  set  in  the  upper  joint  of  the  wing,  and 
capable  of  being  spread  or  folded  at  pleasure. 

We  had  now  a  period  of  six  weeks  before  us,  to  be 
spent  in  Torres  Straits  and  on  the  coast  of  New 
Guinea,  at  the  end  of  which  time  we  were  to  return 
to  Somerset  and  take  in  the  coal  and  stores  which 
would  then  await  us  there.  The  duty  assigned  us 
had  been  to  put  down  all  illegal  practices  against 
Polynesians  in  these  waters,  and  having  succeeded  in 
doing  this,  I  desired  to  make  the  most  of  the  time  at 
our  disposal  by  rendering  what  hydrographical  service 
should  be  possible.  By  a  late  Act  of  government,  all 


CHAP.  ix.  SADDLE  AND  JARVIS  ISLANDS.  129 

islands,  lying  within  sixty  miles  of  the  shores  of 
Queensland,  had  been  declared  British  possessions,  and 
this  Act  had  brought  the  Australian  boundary  to 
within  twenty  miles  of  New  Guinea.  It  was  thus 
important  that  something  should  be  known  of  the 
navigation  between. 

On  Friday,  24th,  we  left  Somerset,  after  four  hours' 
difficulty  in  weighing  the  anchor  and  getting  clear, 
for  the  ship  was  whirled  round  and  round  in  cross 
currents  at  such  a  rate  that  the  chains  kept  continu- 
ally fouling,  and  we  lost  both  flukes  of  our  best  bower 
anchor  before  we  could  extricate  ourselves.  We  an- 
chored that  night  near  Saddle  Island,  and  next  morn- 
ing proceeded  through  an  unsurveyed  portion  of  the 
Straits  to  Brothers  Island,  surveying  as  we  went ; 
whilst  Navigating-Lieutenant  Connor  laid  down  a  line 
of  soundings  in  a  different  course  between  these  two 
islands.  On  our  return  to  the  Brothers,  we  saw  seven 
large  boats  belonging  to  the  vessels  we  had  captured 
in  Torres  Straits,  hauled  up  under  orders  not  to  work 
till  their  owners  had  obtained  license  to  fish. 

On  Sunday  we  found  a  clear  deep  water  channel 
on  our  way  west  to  Jarvis  Island,  thirty  miles  from  the 
Brothers,  till  on  coming  close  to  the  island,  and  reach- 
ing asupposed  clear  patch  of  surveyed  water,  we  struck, 
and  remained  fast  on  a  sandy  knoll.  All  were  at  their 
posts  ;  so,  vexatious  as  it  was,  we  had  the  consolation 
of  feeling  that  we  had  gone  ashore,  strictly  according 
to  Act  of  Parliament.  It  was  ebb  tide,  and  we  ran 
out  an  anchor  and  cable  astern,  got  the  guns  aft,  and 


130  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  ix. 

waited  the  flow,  when  the  old  ship  floated  off  much  to 
our  joy,  unharmed.  A  ship  is  never  safe  in  Torres 
Straits  when  out  of  the  beaten  track,  the  lurking  dan- 
gers are  so  many.  The  changes  made  during  heavy 
gales  in  the  shape  of  rapid  shifts  and  accumulations  of 
sand,  defy  calculation ;  added  to  which  the  sea  is  so 
discoloured  by  the  New  Guinea  rivers  flowing  down, 
that  such  dangers  are  made  imperceptible.  Jarvis  is 
a  lofty  volcanic  island,  525  feet  high,  and  about  fifty- 
five  miles  from  Cape  York,  and  is  within  the  line  of 
British  possessions,  and  the  headquarters  of  three 
pearl  shelling  stations.  We  were  anxious  to  make  a 
survey  of  the  anchorage,  so  next  morning  Lieutenant 
Connor  and  some  of  our  officers  began  to  survey  it, 
and  after  three  days'  arduous  labour,  proved  it  to  be  a 
valuable  harbour,  protected  by  the  island  and  surround- 
ing coral  reefs,  having  sufficient  water  for  large  vessels, 
but  tides  of  great  strength.  This  harbour  we  named 
Philip  Harbour,  and  were  glad  to  find  it  so  available, 
as  it  will  always  be  a  main  resort  of  the  pearl  shelling 
industry.  The  space  of  thirty-six  miles  which  lies 
between  Jarvis  Island  and  the  low  mangrove-covered 
coast  of  New  Guinea  is  a  mass  of  coral  reefs,  and  con- 
tains no  passage  for  ships,  and  scarcely  any  for  boats. 
Thus  all  the  passages  by  which  ships  can  enter  Torres 
Straits  lie  between  Jarvis  Island  and  Cape  York,  and 
are  now  British  waters.  These  passages  are  very  nar- 
row, under  two  miles  in  width ;  whilst  the  one  most 
generally  taken — the  Prince  of  Wales's  Channel,  be- 
tween Hammond  Island  and  the  north-west  reef — is 


CHAP.  ix.         DUGONG  BONES — SINGULAR  PRACTICE.          131 

barely  a  mile  and  a  half  wide.  We  hold  this  great 
highway  of  the  ocean  therefore  on  the  best  strategic 
terms.  The  average  depth  of  water  in  these  channels 
is  only  seven  or  eight  fathoms,  and  a  few  torpedoes 
judiciously  placed  would  effectually  block  up  this 
route  to  an  enemy. 

The  natives  of  Jarvis  Island  are  black  Papuans, 
quite  uncivilised  and  unclothed.  At  their  village  I 
saw  signs  of  a  custom  which  will  perhaps  one  day 
puzzle  the  naturalist.  The  huts  were  pitched  under 
the  shelter  of  some  enormous  banyan  trees,  in  the  mas- 
sive trunks  of  which  the  bones  of  the  dugong  were  so 
deeply  imbedded  as  to  seem  one  with  the  wood. 
Looking  farther,  I  saw  that  many  tender  shoots,  just 
drooping  to  root  themselves,  were  twined  round  the 
bones  of  freshly  killed  dugong.  They  are  placed  thus 
as  a  propitiatory  offering,  and  are  never  removed. 
The  large  teeth  and  ribs  of  the  dugong  are  ivory  of 
an  inferior  sort,  and  doubtless  give  the  unfortunate 
animal  a  market  value  that  will  lead  to  its  speedy 
extinction. 


CHAPTER  X. 

PICK  OUR  WAY  TO  CORNWALLIS  ISLAND— SAIBAI,  AND  ITS  TWO  STORIED 
HOUSES — MR.  CONNOR  AND  MR.  PITT  LKFT  BEHIND  FOR  DETACHED  SUR- 
VEY— SAIL  FOR  NEW  GUINEA — DARNLEY  ISLAND,  AND  BECHE  DE  MER 
FISHERIES— SINGULAR  MODE  OF  BURIAL — REDSCAR  BAY,  NEW  GUINEA 
— EXPLORE  THE  RIVERS  FALLING  INTO  THE  TOWTON-OPENING — USBORNE 
RIVER. 

WE  sailed  for  Cornwallis  Island  on  the  30th,  but  were 
soon  obliged  to  anchor  under  the  lee  of  a  coral  reef, 
the  weather  became  so  thick  and  dirty.  On  the  31st 
we  crossed  an  unknown  part  of  the  Straits,  supposed 
to  be  closed  by  coral,  to  reach  an  anchorage  between 
two  large  islands.  One — Mount  Cornwallis,  once  be- 
lieved to  be  an  integral  part  of  New  Guinea,  is  high 
and  healthy  land ;  the  other,  which  we  placed  on  the 
chart  last  year  by  its  native  name  of  Saibai,  is  low 
ground,  and  probably  malarious.  Cautiously  we 
picked  our  way  through  these  dangerous  waters,  often 
with  only  a  few  feet  of  water  to  spare  under  our  keel, 
and  reached  our  desired  anchorage  off  Cornwallis,  late 
in  the  afternoon.  This  island,  which  lies  about  five 
miles  from  the  New  Guinea  coast,  is  lofty,  rising  to  a 
height  of  790  feet,  rugged,  covered  with  huge  granite 
boulders,  and  in  part  with  dark  green  trees.  On  its 
north-eastern  side  lie  some  fine  patches  of  grassy  land, 
well  supplied  with  fresh  water,  and  a  richly  cultivated 
valley,  producing  taro  and  melons ;  and  here  the  vil- 
lage and  native  mission  station  are  placed,  but  the 


CHAP.  x.      SAIBAI — ITS  INHABITANTS  AND  HOUSES.          133 

native  houses  are  only  occasionally  occupied,  as  the 
natives  live  on  Saibai,  three  miles  to  the  east- 
ward. I  visited  Saibai  with  Lieutenant  Hayter, 
Dr.  Goodman,  and  other  officers,  and  found  it  a 
low  island,  about  twelve  miles  long  by  three  broad, 
having  a  large  brackish  lagoon  within,  which  abounds 
with  curlew,  wild  duck,  and  other  wild  fowl.  The 
northern  shores  are  cultivated,  and  produce  abundance 
of  yams  and  other  roots,  cocoa-nuts  and  fruits — the 
rest  of  the  island  is  swampy,  and  covered  with  man- 
groves. Saibai  is  well  populated,  and  .the  principal 
village  contains  about  600  inhabitants.  The  houses 
are  well  sized,  and  two  stories  high — the  latter  a 
peculiarity  not  elsewhere  seen  by  us.  These  houses 
are  built  on  poles  in  the  ordinary  way ;  the  upper 
room  is  used  as  the  better  chamber  and  sleeping 
place,  and  the  lower,  which  is  formed  by  thatching  in 
the  poles,  as  a  store-room  for  weapons  and  fishing- 
gear.  The  sleeping  place  contains  some  rude  mats  on 
which  to  lie  at  night,  and  is  reached  by  the  simplest 
of  ladders — a  piece  of  notched  wood.  Human  skulls 
are  suspended  round  the  houses,  but  the  people  are  not 
cannibals ;  they  have  plenty  of  vegetables  and  fish,  of 
pigs,  in  which  the  island  abounds,  and  a  supply  of 
turtle  and  the  flesh  of  the  dugong,  which  is  very  good 
eating,  and  tastes  rather  like  veal.  The  canoes  are  large, 
and  made  of  a  single  tree  dug  out,  to  which  wash- 
boards are  lashed  on  with  cocoa-nut  fibre,  and  head 
and  stern  pieces  of  wood,  that  are  fitted  to  meet  them. 
They  have  very  long  outriggers,  and  on  either  side  a 


134  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  x. 

platform,  on  which  wicker  cages  are  fixed  to  hold 
weapons.  They  carry  two  mat  sails  on  shifting  poles, 
and  are  frequently  ornamented  by  a  short  pole  at  the 
stem,  with  a  bunch  of  grass  floating  from  it,  and 
picked  out  prettily  with  ochres,  and  devices  burnt  out. 
The  weapons  used  here  are  iron  tomahawks,  bows,  and 
arrows  barbed  with  wallaby  bones,  and  poisoned,  which 
are  said  to  cause  convulsions  and  rapid  death.  The 
people,  who  are  tall  and  muscular,  are  jet  black ;  their 
eyes  are  brown,  and  very  lustrous,  and  they  have 
good  noses  and  mouths,  the  former  sometimes  in- 
clining to  the  aquiline,  and  a  facial  angle  of  about 
sixty-five  degrees.  The  head,  which  is  well  shaped,  is 
covered  with  crisp  woolly  hair. 

The  women  wear  their  hair  cut  close,  except  a 
narrow  ridge  from  ear  to  ear,  which  is  left  under  an 
inch  long.  Many  of  the  men  cut  theirs  quite  close, 
and  wear  wigs  made  of  matting,  with  narrow  ring- 
lets fastened  in  so  closely,  that  for  some  time  we 
thought  them  the  natural  hair.  They  go  nearly 
quite  unclothed.  Polygamy  is  general  amongst  the 
natives  of  the  Torres  Straits  Islands,  and  the  crime  of 
infanticide  prevails.  The  principal  diseases  are  fever 
and  ague,  for  which  they  bleed  the  sufferer  freely  from 
the  forehead,  back,  and  limbs,  with  flints.  Ulcerated 
mosquito  bites  are  frequent,  and  some  few  cases  of 
hydrocele  and  elephantiasis  have  been  seen.  These 
last  remarks  I  make  on  the  authority  of  Navigating- 
Lieutenant  Connor,  who  spent  many  weeks  in  sur- 
veying amongst  these  islands. 


CHAP.  x.       DETACHED  SURVEYING  PARTY.         135 

Having  finished  our  inquiries  at  Saibai,  we  left 
this  zealous  volunteer  behind,  with  Mr.  Pitt,  midship- 
man, and  four  men,  in  the  pinnace,  and  a  fine  whale- 
boat,  lent  us  by  Mr.  Jardine,  manned  by  five  of  our 
best  seamen,  to  survey  these  newly  known  islands, 
and  the  opposite  coast  of  New  Guinea,  and  sailed  our- 
selves for  the  eastern  islands  of  Torres  Straits,  and 
the  New  Guinea  coast  300  miles  east  of  this  point. 
As  we  passed  out  of  sight  of  Mr.  Connor's  boats,  an 
anxious  feeling  filled  my  breast — there  were  so  many 
chances  possible  against  his  safety  and  success— 
quarrels  with  the  natives,  sickness,  sudden  gales,  and 
dangerous  navigation ;  but  I  had  full  confidence  in 
his  prudence  and  seamanship. 

On  February  4th  we  called  at  Warrior  Island, 
where  we  found  that  Mr.  Bedford  had  been  succeeded 
at  his  post  by  a  worn-out  sailor,  who  seemed  very  in- 
capable. Pearl -shelling  had  ceased,  and  thirty- two 
South  Sea  islanders  were  waiting  in  idleness  till  their 
masters  could  procure  licenses  to  fish.  It  came  on  to 
blow  hard,  with  a  confused,  dangerous  sea,  and  we  had 
some  difficulty  in  communicating.  Next  day  we  steered 
through  Basilisk  Pass,  and  anchored  off  the  low  coral 
shore  of  Cocoa  Nut  Island,  where  a  Scotchman  has 
recently  established  a  pearl-shell  fishery.  The  fishers 
in  his  employment  have  more  decent  dwelling-places 
than  those  at  other  pearl-shelling  stations.  They  close 
in  a  small  square  of  white  coral  sand  with  a  light  fence, 
trample  it  hard,  and  build  two  oblong  huts  with  sticks, 
and  thatching,  in  opposite  corners,  about  four  feet 


136  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  x. 

high,  and  ten  long  by  eight  feet  wide,  leaving  a  small 
hole  for  a  door  in  each,  large  enough  to  admit  a  man's 
body.  The  natives  in  these  parts  are  not  able  to 
supply  visitors  with  any  refreshments,  neither  is  there 
any  water  on  this  island,  which  has  a  population  con- 
sisting of  nearly  150  souls,  and  all  the  water  used  has 
to  be  brought  from  Sue  Island,  about  fifteen  miles 
distant,  in  large  hollow  bamboos. 

Friday,  8th,  found  us  at  the  mountainous  Darnley 
Isle,  situated  at  the  eastern  entrance  of  Torres  Straits, 
past  the  region  of  pearl-shell,  but  the  headquarters  of 
the  beche-de-mer  fisheries.  It  is  now  generally  known 
that  beche-de-mer  is  a  large  sea  slug,  and  is  found  left 
in  large  quantities  on  the  coral-reefs  by  the  receding 
tide,  falling  an  easy  prey  to  the  fishers.  The  slugs 
are  cut  open,  cleaned,  and  placed  on  thin  iron  plates 
in  a  smoke-drying  room,  where,  after  being  thoroughly 
dried,  they  are  packed  and  sorted  for  the  Chinese 
market.  The  b^che-de-mer  is  divided  into  three 
qualities.  The  best,  called  the  Red  Fish,  is  worth 
£140  per  ton  at  Sydney;  the  second,  or  Black  Fish, 
£120  ;  and  the  worst,  or  Teat  Fish,  about  £80  ;  and 
as  slugs  are  plentiful  on  the  reefs  the  trade  is  a  lucra- 
tive one. 

The  natives  here  are  tall,  well-built  men,  quick  in 
understanding,  able  to  drive  a  bargain  with  Europeans, 
and  good  cultivators  of  the  soil.  This  is  the  only 
island  in  Torres  Straits  on  which  sago  palms  grow. 
They  are  to  be  found  here  in  a  well-watered  glen, 
where  their  emerald-plated  trunks,  furnished  far  down 


CHAP.  x.  SINGULAR  BURIAL  CUSTOM.  137 

with  great  feathery  branches,  form  a  pleasing  contrast 
to  the  tall  bare-stemmed  cocoa-nut  trees  with  their  top- 
heavy  crowns.  The  inhabitants  treat  their  dead  pre- 
cisely in  the  manner  of  the  Capuchin  Friars  of  Sicily, 
save  that  they  dry  the  body  in  the  sun  instead  of  in  an 
oven.  When  fully  hardened,  the  ghastly  obj  ect  is  placed 
recumbent  in  a  deserted  dwelling-house.  I  shall  not 
easily  forget  our  disgust,  when,  seeing  one  of  the  pretty 
well-thatched  oval  houses  standing  in  a  thick  grove  of 
palm  and  fruit  trees,  we  went  to  it,  expecting  to  be 
met  by  the  usual  group  of  dark,  plump,  bright-eyed 
children,  and  found  instead  silence  and  rank  vegetation 
round  the  door,  and  inside  two  shrivelled  corpses. 
This  is  the  only  island  where  I  have  seen  this  custom 
practised  in  all  these  seas. 

Having  transacted  our  fishing  business,  and  given 
the  native  teachers  some  biscuit  and  beef,  we  sailed 
for  a  solitary  sand-cay,  about  thirty  miles  distant — a 
noted  resort  of  turtle — as  we  were  anxious  to  give  the 
men  some  fresh  meals.  When  half-way  there  our 
paddle-wheel  sustained  a  shock,  and  we  perceived  that 
it  had  struck  an  enormous  basking  turtle.  The 
creature  was  wide  awake  now,  and  lay  on  its  back, 
flapping  violently  till  we  had  secured  it.  The  weight 
was  472  Ibs.,  and  it  proved  to  be  the  Luth,  or  Leathery 
Turtle,  so  called  from  the  soft  leathery  plates,  similar 
in  appearance  to  the  armour  of  an  ironclad,  with  which 
it  is  covered.  This  specimen  was  a  small  one,  for  they 
are  known  to  attain  a  length  of  nine  feet  and  a  weight 
.of  1600  Ibs.  Naturalists  sav  that  its  flesh  is  hurtful, 


138  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  x. 

and  causes  many  symptoms  of  poisoning  in  those  who 
eat  it,  but  this  one  afforded  all  hands  nearly  two  good 
meals,  and  no  harm  resulted,  the  only  fault  found 
being  that  its  flavour  was  somewhat  fishy. 

On  the  llth,  after  visiting  the  Murray  Islands,  we 
left  Torres  Straits  and  stood  across  the  Gulf  of  Papua 
for  Redscar  Bay,  about  200  miles  distant,  on  the  east 
New  Guinea  coast,  to  visit  the  mission  station  estab- 
lished there,  where  the  missionaries  were  said  to  be 
sick  and  half-starving,  and  to  gain  kidnapping  infor- 
mation. Some  large  rivers  were  reported  to  exist  in 
this  neighbourhood,  and  we  determined  to  explore 
sufficiently  to  make  sure. 

We  had  quite  an  alarm  at  daybreak  on  the  13th, 
for  the  officer  of  the  watch  reported  "reefs  right 
ahead,  and  close  to  ! "  and  sure  enough  there  appeared 
to  be  long  lines  of  reef  stretching  away  in  patches  as 
far  as  the  eye  could  see,  the  nearest  within  100  yards 
of  the  ship.  Fuller  light,  however,  showed  that  they 
were  not  reefs,  but  collections  of  huge  trees  which 
some  flood  in  the  New  Guinea  rivers  had  torn  from 
their  banks  and  swept  thirty  miles  out  to  sea;  and 
showed  us  also  the  magnificent  Owen  Stanley  range 
purple  against  the  sky. 

This  part  of  the  coast  was  partially  surveyed  by 
Captain  Owen  Stanley  in  1849,  but  landing  was  but 
once  attempted  by  his  party,  as  the  natives  were  be- 
lieved to  be  dangerous. 

Anchoring  in  Redscar  Bay,  we  pulled  for  four 
miles  over  a  dangerous  shallow  flat,  formed  by  the 


CHAP.  x.  REDSCAR  BAY — NEW  GUINEA.  139 

alluvial  deposit  of  the  rivers  which  empty  themselves 
through  the  Towton-Opening  at  the  head  of  this  bay  ; 
and  passing  through  the  opening  entered  a  splendid 
expanse  of  inland  water  which  appeared  to  be  about 
three  miles  wide,  and  showed  no  limit  as  to  its  length, 
except  where  a  wooded  islet  intercepted  our  view  to 
the  north-east.  It  seemed  to  offer  a  promising  water 
way  to  the  interior  of  the  island,  and  we  resolved  to 
explore  it,  but  our  first  object  was  to  visit  the  starv- 
ing native  teachers  at  Redscar  village.  We  pulled  in 
for  the  village,  where  crowds  of  natives  were  anxiously 
watching  and  waiting  for  us,  beached  our  boats 
amongst  a  crowd  of  canoes  hauled  up  on  the  black 
sandy  beach,  and  stepped  on  shore  amongst  our  new 
friends,  who,  wholly  unarmed,  and  without  a  sign  of 
distrust,  gave  us  a  hearty  welcome.  We  were  sur- 
prised to  see  that  these  people  differed  totally  from 
the  tall,  muscular,  fierce-looking,  naked  black  Papuans 
we  had  left  in  Torres  Straits.  These  men  were  more 
of  the  Malay  type — small,  lithe,  copper-coloured  people, 
with  clean  well- cut  features,  and  a  pleasing  expression 
of  countenance.  They  wore  their  own  hair,  frizzled 
out  mop-fashion,  and  were  slightly  tattooed  with  stars 
and  small  figures,  on  the  breast  and  shoulders,  as  I 
have  never  seen  the  black  Papuans.  They  had  no- 
thing in  the  way  of  clothes  but  a  sort  of  leaf  girdle. 
The  young  men  were  ornamented  with  white  cowrie 
shells,  bound  round  their  foreheads,  arms,  and  legs, 
and  bird  of  Paradise  and  Cassowary  plumes,  on  their 
heads  and  shoulders ;  the  older  appeared  to  dispense 


140  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  x. 

with  these  adornments.  The  septum  of  the  nose  and 
lobes  of  the  ear  were  pierced,  and  tortoise-shell  rings, 
pieces  of  bamboo  or  shell  put  through.  The  women 
were  ill-made  and  slovenly -looking  as  compared  with 
the  men;  their  dress  was  the  "Ti-ti"  or  grass  petti- 
coat ;  but  the  otherwise  nude  body  was  adorned  by  the 
most  extensive  tattooing,  so  well  executed  as  to  excite 
the  admiration  of  all  amongst  us  who  had  not  seen  the 
exquisite  tattooing  of  the  Japanese.  The  village  is  built 
on  low  swampy  ground,  from  which  the  mangroves 
have  been  cleared,  and  numbers  about  one  hundred 
houses,  raised  on  poles  of  the  unusual  height  of  fifteen 
and  twenty  feet,  probably  for  safety  in  case  the  river 
should  overflow  its  low  banks,  and  also  to  lift  them 
somewhat  above  the  range  of  the  vicious  mosquitoes 
that  blacken  the  air  in  these  swampy  places.  Some 
of  the  houses  are  thirty  or  forty  feet  in  length,  and 
not  more  than  ten  feet  broad,  and  look  like  long  nar- 
row passages  inside.  The  entrance  is  at  the  gable 
end,  where  there  is  a  large  bamboo  platform  before 
the  door,  which  forms  a  pleasant  chatting  place,  or 
cool  seat  for  the  family  at  meals.  At  the  other  ex- 
tremity a  small  space  is  divided  off  by  bamboo  poles 
into  one  or  two  small  compartments,  which  we  sup- 
posed to  be  intended  as  sleeping  places  for  the 
girls.  The  little  children  were  all  dressed  like  their 
elders  of  either  sex,  and  did  not  fear  us  in  the  least  as 
we  walked  about,  but  played  round  us,  shooting  with 
small  bows  and  arrows. 

Our  visit  was  short,  for  on  reaching  the  mission 


CHAP.  x.       RIVER  EXPLORATION — TOWTON-OPENINQ.        141 

hut  we  found  three  teachers  so  near  death's  door  that 
Dr.  Haines  requested  me  to  send  them  on  board 
the  "Basilisk"  immediately,  as  the  only  chance  of 
saving  their  lives.  They  had  little  or  no  food,  and  it 
needed  but  a  look  round  on  the  low  malarious  country 
to  make  sure  that  any  but  aboriginal  natives  must  be 
visited  more  or  less  by  disease  here.  These  three  poor 
creatures,  who  were  without  any  necessary  medicines, 
were  carried  by  our  men  to  my  boat,  and  placed  under 
a  canvas  screen  on  deck,  to  be  treated  by  the  skilful 
hands  of  Drs.  Goodman  and  Haines,  and  their  wives 
were  brought  on  board  and  made  comfortable  in  my 
side  cabin. 

On  Friday,  14th,  the  gunner  and  I  in  the  galley, 
and  Mr.  Hayter  and  Dr.  Haines  in  the  gig,  left,  the 
ship  to  ascend,  if  possible,  one  of  the  rivers  debouch- 
ing here,  to  its  home  in  the  mountains  of  Stanley 
Kange,  the  nearest  peak  of  which  is  not  more  than 
twenty  miles  from  the  flat  belt  of  low  country  border- 
ing here  on  the  sea.  We  called  first  at  the  Towton 
village  and  induced  one  of  the  native  teachers  to  go 
with  us  as  pilot,  and  then,  with  a  fair  breeze  aiding  us 
against  the  strong  downward  current,  we  passed  up 
the  wide  estuary,  named  by  us  Galley  Reach,  which  is 
formed  here  by  the  confluence  of  many  streams  which 
fall  into  it,  and  escape  to  the  sea  by  the  Towton- 
Opening. 

We  regretted  as  we  crossed  it  that  no  navigable 
passage  connects  it  with  the  sea,  for  such  a  passage 
would  make  it  one  of  the  finest  harbours  in  the  world. 


142  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  x. 

Instead  of  proceeding  to  the  head  of  Galley  Eeach  we 
made  for  the  mouth  of  a  fine  stream  which  lay  to  the 
right,  about  three  miles  above  the  Towton  or  Redscar  vil- 
lage, afterwards  named  by  us  Usborne  River.  Our  pilot 
told  us  that  it  led  to  the  home  of  a  warlike  tribe  about 
fifteen  miles  distant,  and  added  that  the  coast  villagers 
were  much  afraid  of  this  tribe.  I  determined  to  meet 
and  gain  the  friendship  of  these  people  if  possible,  and 
obtain  their  concurrence  in  an  attempt  to  reach  the 
interior ;  but  my  time  was  short,  as  my  orders  obliged 
me  to  be  at  Cape  York  in  three  weeks'  time,  and  I  was 
anxious,  after  exploring  these  rivers  falling  into  Galley 
Reach,  to  examine  the  almost  unknown  coast  of  New 
Guinea  farther  to  the  eastward,  the  outline  of  which 
had  been  traced  from  a  distance  by  Captain  Owen 
Stanley,  R.N.,  twenty-five  years  before,  and  had  never 
since  been  visited  by  white  men. 

The  river  now  entered  by  us  had  a  rapid  current, 
and  was  from  100  to  120  yards  broad,  with  an  average 
depth  of  twelve  feet.  The  banks  were  composed  of 
black  fetid  mud,  from  which  sprang  tall,  melancholy, 
mangrove  trees,  ranking  their  bare  thin  trunks  so 
closely  together  that  it  was  difficult  to  pass  between 
them,  whilst  their  dank  foliage  mingled  seventy  or 
eighty  feet  overhead  in  a  mass  of  darkness.  We  fre- 
quently landed,  and  strove  to  penetrate  this  slimy 
mangrove  forest,  in  the  hope  of  reaching  some  clear 
ground ;  but  after  many  efforts,  much  slipping  off 
the  mangrove  roots  deep  into  the  slime,  and  much 
startling  of  little  red  and  brown  crabs,  lizards,  snakes, 


CHAP.  x.  EXPLORATION  OF  COAST.  143 

and  other  ugly  creatures  in  their  happy  homes,  we 
had  to  return  to  the  boats  without  success.  On  one 
of  these  occasions,  seeing  a  serpent  of  the  boa  tribe 
twined  round  the  trunk  of  a  tree,  gorged,  and  fast 
asleep,  we  shot  it,  and  it  quickened  at  once,  and 
glared  savagely  at  us,  till  killed  by  repeated  blows. 
The  edge  of  these  mangrove  banks  was  lined  with  a 
gigantic  shrub,  which,  for  want  of  better  knowledge,  I 
call  a  Bastard  Palm ;  it  has  no  trunk,  but  sends  up 
great  leaf-branches  of  a  palm  shape,  each  thirty  or 
forty  feet  long,  that  arch  over  the  stream  at  a  height 
of  five  or  six  feet.  A  small  species  of  the  same  kind 
was  armed  on  the  edge  of  its  leaves  with  sharp  strong 
hooks,  and  these  bending  low  over  the  water,  often 
cruelly  lacerated  our  flesh,  as  we  were  obliged  to  keep 
close  under  the  banks  to  avoid  the  strong  current. 
By  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  we  had  reached  a 
distance  of  ten  miles  above  the  Towton  village,  with- 
out having  come  to  any  break  in  the  mangrove  swamp. 
At  last,  when  we  had  almost  ceased  to  expect  a  change, 
we  were  cheered  by  seeing  the  banks  rise  a  little,  after 
which  a  grassy  glade  soon  showed  itself,  and  we  were 
speedily  on  shore,  with  triangles  rigged,  and  our 
dinners  cooking  over  fine  wood  fires,  the  smoke  of 
which  somewhat  daunted  the  mosquitoes.  After  din- 
ner heavy  tropical  rain  began  to  fall,  but  we  struggled 
manfully  on  under  it,  and  against  a  fierce  current,  till 
nightfall,  and  then  anchoring  in  midstream  prepared 
to  pass  the  night.  We  covered  the  boats  in  with  rain 
awnings,  changed  our  clothes,  and  had  an  impromptu 


144  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  x. 

penny  reading,  with  plenty  of  songs.  When  ready  for 
sleep  we  drank  a  dose  of  quinine,  and  settled  down 
for  what  we  hoped  would  prove  a  quiet  night.  A 
"  quiet  night " !  if  ever  poor  mortals  suffered  the  tor- 
ments of  the  lost  in  a  small  way,  we  did.  The  air  was 
thick  with  mosquitoes,  armed  with  stings  that  pierced 
us  as  easily  as  though  we  had  only  been  arrayed  in 
the  woad  of  our  ancestors.  They  nearly  drove  us  into 
the  water,  and  I  had  to  caution  the  men  continually 
to  keep  their  arms  and  legs  on  board  for  fear  of  the 
alligators. 

We  were  glad  to  be  at  work  again  before  daylight 
broke,  and  slowly  forcing  our  way  up-stream,  through 
a  country  which  soon  revealed  itself  to  sight,  for  the 
banks  were  now  open,  and  broken  into  undulations, 
so  that  we  could  see  all  kinds  of  huge  palm,  and  great 
bread-fruit  trees,  the  lovely  tree-fern,  and  trees  which 
we  were  not  botanists  enough  to  name,  stretching  away 
on  every  side  into  seemingly  interminable  forest.  Here 
and  there  we  observed  a  creeper  of  a  rich,  dark,  green 
colour,  climbing  to  the  top  of  the  loftiest  tree,  and 
crushing  the  life  out  of  its  support.  This  beautiful 
destroyer  had  quite  killed  some  mighty  trees,  and 
clung  now  to  the  dead  branches,  assuming  all  their 
stark  shapes.  In  other  places  it  ran  down  and  formed 
impenetrable  hedges  seventy  or  eighty  feet  high,  be- 
tween which  the  river  ran  like  a  deep  ditch.  The 
silence,  but  for  our  oars,  was  unbroken — land  and 
water  seemed  asleep — not  a  breeze  stirred,  not  a 
creature,  man  nor  beast,  appeared  to  peep  at  us,  or 


CHAP.  x.  USBORNE  RIVER.  145 

question  our  passage ;  but  after  a  time  the  birds  began 
to  awake  with  discordant  screams.  Parrots  and  cocka- 
toos abounded,  so  also  did  the  great  crowned  pigeon, 
a  specimen  of  which  we  shot,  but  it  fell  into  the  jungle 
and  was  lost.  Large  white  storks  were  numerous, 
and  other  birds  of  kinds  ^unknown  to  us,  all  unusually 
wary,  keeping  to  the  highest  branches  of  the  lofty 
trees,  out  of  gunshot ;  but  no  animal  was  to  be  heard, 
and  the  birds  soon  quieted  down  again.  We  break- 
fasted, and  pushed  on  again  against  a  still  increasing 
current,  through  which  we  made  headway  only  by 
continually  shooting  the  stream  from  side  to  side,  and 
gaining  the  shelter  of  the  projecting  points ;  but  it 
was  difficult  to  make  progress,  for  huge  snags  and 
fallen  trees  impeded  the  stream,  and  we  had  many 
narrow  escapes  from  upset.  The  hills  now  began  to 
rise,  and  rocky  knolls  showed  themselves  occasionally, 
and  this  cheered  us  to  fresh  exertions.  We  came  to 
a  place  where  the  river  divides  itself,  and  keeping  to 
the  main  stream,  found  ourselves  in  a  grand,  rapid 
river,  twenty-five  feet  deep.  I  now  felt  sure  that 
such  a  volume  of  water  must  have  a  clear  course  for 
many  miles ;  but  in  one  short  mile  we  were  brought 
to  a  stand-still  by  a  vast  accumulation  of  fallen  and 
uprooted  trees,  swept  down  during  ages  from  the 
mountains,  which  had  completely  bridged  the  river, 
which  is  here  about  sixty  feet  wide.  Eank  vegetation 
grew  out  of  the  decaying  trunks,  and  several  small 
islets,  formed  of  debris  and  alluvial  matter,  bound  the 

mass  together.     The  river  rushed  furiously  under,  but 

L 


146  .NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  x. 

could  not  sweep  away  this  barrier  of  its  own  creation. 
We  made  long  and  fruitless  efforts  to  find  a  way 
through,  but  as  we  had  not  time  nor  means  at  our 
disposal  to  haul  the  boats  overland  and  relaunch 
them,  and  the  current  above  appeared  too  strong  for 
oars  to  contend  with,  we  had  to  give  up,  and  unwill- 
ingly turn  back.  I  would  have  given  much  to  have 
explored  to  the  head  of  this  river,  and  reached  the 
mountain  range,  and  I  hope  that  others  will  follow 
me  here  and  succeed,  as  river  communication  will  be 
of  the  last  importance  in  opening  up  New  Guinea. 

We  went  down  swiftly  with  the  current,  and 
reached  Towton,  where  I  slept  at  the  Mission-house, 
and  the  good  Samoian  teachers  made  me  most  comfort- 
able. There  was  but  one  apartment  in  the  hut,  with 
separate  spaces,  screened  off  by  tappa,  and  it  rocked 
gently  on  its  long  poles  in  the  breeze,  with  the  motion 
of  a  ship  at  sea. 

Disappointed  in  reaching  the  interior  of  New 
Guinea  by  this  stream,  and  in  finding  any  trace  of 
inland  inhabitants,  I  resolved  to  make  another  effort 
at  the  head  of  Galley  Reach  to  find  a  stream  which 
should  form  an  inland  highway,  but  as  the  examina- 
tion of  the  coast  to  the  east  was  more  important,  and 
it  was  necessary  for  the  "  Basilisk  "  to  call  at  Redscar 
again  on  her  way  back  to  Cape  York,  I  deferred  this 
attempt  till  our  return  from  the  eastward. 


CHAPTEK  XL 

EXAMINE  THE  COAST  FOR  FIFTY  MILES  EAST  OF  REDSCAR  BAY — FRIENDLY 
UNARMED  NATIVES — FIND  "BASILISK"  PASSAGE  THROUGH  THE  BARRIER 
REEF — AGE  OF  STONE  IN  NEW  GUINEA — DISCOVER  PORT  MORESBY  AND 
FAIRFAX  HARBOUR— EXPLORE  INSIDE  BARRIER  REEF  TO  HOOD'S  POINT — 
A  HILL  VILLAGE — DESCRIPTION  OF  COUNTRY,  TREES,  SOIL,  AND  GRASS- 
PLAINS — EDITH  RIVER — BACK  TO  CAPE  YORK — EPISODE  OF  THE  BARQUE 
"  SPRINGBOK  " — NAVIGATING-LIEUTENANT  CONNOR  REJOIN  FROM  SURVEY 
ON  NORTH  SHORE  OF  TORRES  STRAITS — REPORT  TO  REV.  W.  A.  MURRAY. 

ON  Monday,  17th,  Navigating-Lieutenant  Mourilyan 
and  I  started  in  the  cutter  and  galley,  well  armed,  and 
taking  a  week's  provisions,  to  examine  the  coast  for 
fifty  miles  to  the  eastward  of  Eedscar  Head.  This 
coast  had  been  surveyed  by  the  "  Rattlesnake,"  outside 
the  Barrier  Reef,  which  was  correctly  laid  down,  as 
also  the  general  outline  of  the  coast.  But  no  attempt 
had  been  made  to  survey  inside  the  reef,  and  this 
deficiency  we  desired  to  remedy. 

Immediately  to  the  east  of  Redscar  Head,  the  out- 
lying Barrier  Reef  lifts  itself  to  the  surface,  at  a  distance 
varying  from  three  to  eight  miles  off  shore,  and  guards 
the  coast  from  the  surf.  Simultaneously  with  its 
appearance  the  coast  rises,  and  precipitous  round- 
topped  grassy  hills,  openly  timbered,  and  backed  up 
by  higher  ranges  inside,  spring  from  the  white  coral 
and  sandy  beach.  Between  these  hills  fertile  valleys 
lie,  and  villages  nestle,  with  groves  of  cocoa-nut  trees 
surrounding  them.  The  houses  are  built  in  the  Malay 


148  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xi. 

fashion,  on  poles,  some  standing  far  out  on  the  shore 
reefs,  in  quiet  waters,  others  clustering  amongst  planta- 
tions on  the  hill  side.  This  change  from  low  man- 
grove swamp  to  fine  hilly  land  is  as  refreshing  to  the 
eye,  weary  with  that  dead  sameness,  as  it  is  sudden. 
From  Kedscar  Head  to  Hood  Point,  a  distance  of 
seventy  miles,  not  a  stream  was  to  be  seen  falling  into 
the  sea.  We  found  some  trickling  rivulets  and  some 
water  holes,  but  no  clear  running  stream.  The  soil  in 
the  valleys  is  of  a  black,  peaty,  spongy  nature,  which 
probably  absorbs  the  rain  as  it  falls. 

After  examining  a  vast  extent  of  unknown  reefs, 
we  landed  the  first  day  to  dine  on  Cliff  Island,  a  flat 
coral  rock  covered  with  grass,  and  a  few  bushes  and 
trees,  and  Mr.  Mourilyan  shot  the  two  solitary  in- 
habitants, a  pigeon  and  a  jungle  fowl.  From  this 
spot  as  far  as  eye  could  see,  the  water  inside  the 
Barrier  Reef  appeared  to  be  blocked  up  by  coral,  east- 
ward, but  on  continuing  our  soundings,  we  found  a 
fine  deep  water  passage  leading  east  between  these  reefs 
and  the  mainland.  Reaching  an  island,  since  named 
by  us  Lily  Island,  Mr.  Mourilyan  in  the  cutter  kept 
to  the  deep  water  passage  outside  it,  and  I  attempted 
to  take  the  galley  between  it  and  the  island,  and 
found  that  there  is  no  inner  passage,  as  the  island  is 
joined  to  the  mainland  by  long  sandy  spits.  We 
grounded  opposite  a  large  village,  standing  on  poles,  far 
out  in  the  clear  blue  water,  and  stretching  back  into 
the  verdure  that  climbed  the  undulating  hills.  The 
natives  came  off  at  once,  some  in  canoes,  some  wading, 


CHAP.  xi.  FRIENDLY  NATIVES.  149 

all  unarmed,  to  the  number  of  about  100,  and  closed 
round  us,  with  amazement  in  their  faces,  but  not  a 
shade  of  fear.  This  was  a  new  experience  to  us,  for 
at  all  the  unchristianised  islands  we  had  visited,  the 
natives  had  been  armed  and  on  their  guard.  We 
were  probably  the  first  white  men  seen  by  them,  and 
their  curiosity  was  so  eager  that  our  men  mistook  it 
at  first,  and  seized  their  arms ;  but  I  had  noticed  not 
only  that  the  natives  were  unarmed,  but  that  their 
women  and  children  had  all  turned  out  on  the  beach 
to  see  us.  I  therefore  bid  our  men  lay  down  their 
arms  and  welcome  the  New  Guinea  men  as  friends — 
and  friends  the  kindly  creatures  proved. 

After  they  had  handled  us  to  their  heart's  content, 
we  induced  them  to  track  our  boat  through  a  narrow 
channel,  and  thus  rejoined  the  cutter.  We  then  took 
a  series  of  soundings  from  Lily  Island  to  Fisherman's 
Islets,  which  are  of  low  sandy  formation  and  covered 
with  scrub,  which  is  the  home  of  innumerable  Torres 
Straits  pigeons.  Here  we  supped  on  a  delicious  stew 
of  these  birds,  and  then  the  boats,  converted  by  their 
rain-awnings  into  floating  tents,  were  hauled  off  and 
anchored.  The  men  lit  their  pipes,  and  readings  and 
songs  followed,  each  boat  trying  to  outvie  the  other, 
till  nine  o'clock,  when  all  lay  down  to  sleep.  There 
were  no  mosquitoes,  and  it  was  a  calm  moonlight  night, 
so  we  slept  like  princes  till  half-past  5  A.M.  Then 
we  landed,  cooked  breakfast,  cleaned  our  arms,  and  had 
the  usual  morning  prayers,  after  which  Mr.  Mourilyan 
took  the  cutter  to  examine  a  large  bay  in  the  main- 


150  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xi. 

land,  to  the  north  of  Fisherman's  Islets,  whilst  I  at- 
tempted to  find  a  passage  by  which  a  ship  might  pass 
through  the  Barrier  Eeef.  From  the  boat  I  could  see 
nothing  but  a  mass  of  reefs,  so  climbing  the  steep 
rugged  sides  of  Pyramid  Point  on  the  mainland,  about 
eight  miles  from  Fisherman's  Islets,  I  stood  at  the 
height  of  643  feet  above  the  sea.  From  thence  1  could 
see,  for  miles  on  either  side,  every  coral  patch  that  lay 
relieved  by  its  clear  pale  green  from  the  blue  of  the 
deep  water.  The  Barrier  Reef  stretched  away  like  a 
green  ribbon  floating  on  the  sea,  till  lost  to  sight ; 
its  edge  fringed  all  along  by  a  line  of  snow-white  surf, 
that  looked  as  soft  as  down.  At  one  point  the  ribbon 
was  broken  into  two — a  piece  of  blue  untroubled 
water  lay  between — and  this  I  felt  would  prove  the 
entrance  I  sought.  A  group  of  small  islets,  unmarked 
on  the  chart,  lay  just  below  us ;  so,  turning  to  the 
fine  young  seaman  beside  me,  I  asked  him  if  he  would 
wish  them  to  bear  his  name,  and  shall  not  easily 
forget  his  look  of  pleasure  as  he  assented.  The  islets 
accordingly  appear  in  the  chart  as  "  Head  Islets." 
The  whole  scene  was  lovely ;  the  sea  was  studded  with 
green  islets,  beautiful  bays  ran  into  the  land,  villages 
came  clustering  down  to  the  brink  of  the  calm  water, 
and  running  out  into  the  shallows,  and  the  rich  high 
land  behind,  closed  in  all  with  its  wooded  hills,  steeped 
in  the  glow  of  a  vertical  sun.  I  made  my  notes,  and 
descending,  found  my  men  on  the  best  of  terms  with 
a  crowd  of  natives,  who  were  bartering  their  feathers 
and  cocoa-nuts  for  beads.  These  people  were  perfectly 


CHAP.  xi.  FINDING  OF  BASILISK  PASSAGE.  151 

harmless  and  friendly,  but  we  found  out,  after  their 
leaving  us,  that  they  had  pilfered  some  small  articles 
that  were  lying  loose  in  the  boat.  It  was  now  too  late 
to  make  use  of  the  knowledge  I  had  gained  from  Pyra- 
mid Point,  and  I  was  tired  out  besides,  so  we  supped 
on  our  frequent  fare  of  pigeons,  and  anchoring  under 
the  lee  of  a  newly  found  islet,  were  asleep  as  soon  as 
our  heads  were  laid  down. 

Next  morning  saw  us  early  astir,  making  for  the 
hoped-for  entrance ;  and  on  reaching  the  spot  we 
soon  assured  ourselves  that  a  passage  did  exist  there, 
about  three-quarters  of  a  mile  wide,  and  bottomless  as 
far  as  our  lines  went.  With  our  boat's  bows  resting 
on  one  horn  of  the  reef,  her  stern  was  in  deep  water, 
so  perpendicularly  does  this  coral  wall  rise  from  its 
ocean  depths.  The  cutter  had  gone  to  the  bay  to 
complete  her  survey,  so  we  joined  her  there,  and  Mr. 
Mourilyan  met  me  with  the  news  that  an  opening 
existed  at  the  head  of  the  bay,  which  might  lead  to  a 
landlocked  harbour.  The  bay  itself  was  a  reward  for 
our  labour,  as  it  formed  a  fine  sheltered  anchorage, 
but  we  earnestly  desired  that  our  hope  of  finding  a 
harbour  here  might  be  realised,  as  up  to  this  time  the 
wild  exposed  anchorage  of  Kedscar  Bay  had  been  the 
only  known  shelter  for  ships  on  the  entire  south  coast 
of  New  Guinea,  east  of  Torres  Straits.  We  went  at 
once  to  examine  the  opening  at  the  head  of  the  bay, 
and  to  our  delight  found  that  it  was  a  deep  water  pas- 
sage, leading  into  a  broad  sheet  of  calm  water,  two  miles 
by  one  and  a-half  in  extent,  deep  enough  nearly  every- 


152  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xi. 

where  to  float  the  largest  ship  ;  and  we  resolved  that 
the  "  Basilisk  "  should  be  the  first  ship  to  honour  the 
new  harbour  with  her  presence.  We  landed  on  a 
wooded  island,  about  600  feet  high,  at  the  head  of  the 
outer  bay — since  named  by  us  Jane  Island — and  found 
a  fine  well  there,  from  which  the  natives  aided  us  to 
fill  our  water  barricoes.  They  were  as  friendly  as 
possible ;  even  the  women  and  children  thronged 
round  us  for  strings  of  red  beads.  We  had  come 
upon  them  in  their  "  age  of  stone,"  and  they  had  no 
knowledge  of  the  use  of  iron,  which  we  oifered  them ; 
but  they  were  willing  to  exchange  their  axes  and  adzes, 
made  of  a  kind  of  green  stone,  and  set  into  curved 
wooden  handles,  for  our  beads.  By  sunset  we  had 
regained  our  first  camping  place  on  Fisherman's  Islets, 
and  there,  after  supper,  and  reading  and  songs  as  usual, 
we  betook  ourselves  to  rest.  Next  morning  early  we 
started  for  the  ship,  and  were  dismayed  on  coming 
within  five  miles  of  her,  to  see  her  steaming  out  to 
sea.  After  an  hour's  anxiety  she  saw  us,  and  when 
we  got  on  board  we  found  that  Lieutenant  Hayter  had 
grown  anxious,  and  was  coming  down  the  coast  to  look 
for  us. 

The  ship,  where  we  met  her,  was  surrounded  by 
coral  reefs,  in  an  open  bay,  and  had  barely  water  enough 
to  float  her,  and  this  so  discoloured  as  to  hide  the  reefs, 
we  therefore  gave  it  the  name  of  Caution  Bay,  as  a 
warning  to  future  navigators.  We  had  an  anxious 
time  in  getting  out  of  the  bay,  but  Providence  was 
good  to  us,  and  we  extricated  ourselves  at  last,  and 


CHAP.  xr.       PORT  MORESBY  AND  FAIRFAX  HARBOUR.        153 

pro  ceeded  for  the  new  harbour  which  all  hands  were 
anxious  to  see. 

At  ten  o'clock  on  Friday  morning,  the  "  Basilisk  " 
was  off  the  opening  we  had  found  in  the  reef,  hence- 
forth to  be  known  as  Basilisk  Passage,  and  from  the 
foretop,  whence  every  reef  could  be  seen,  I  conned  her 
through  the  passage  into  the  still  waters  of  Port 
Moresby  to  Jane  Island,  and  past  it  into  landlocked 
many-bayed  Fairfax  Harbour,  where  we  anchored  in 
five  fathoms  water.  As  we  broke  into  these  unknown 
waters  I  determined  that  the  outer  and  inner  harbours 
should  bear  these  names  of  my  father,  the  venerable 
admiral  of  the  fleet. 

Port  Moresby,  situated  where  coral  and  white  sand 
has  succeeded  the  low  mangrove -covered  coast,  lies  in 
latitude  9°  30'  south,  and  longitude  147°  10'  east. 
The  entrance  is  good,  and  the  land,  which  is  covered 
with  many  trees,  rises  gently  on  either  side,  to  a  con- 
siderable height.  The  inner,  Fairfax  Harbour,  is  an 
irregular  basin  surrounded  by  round-topped  grassy 
hills,  having  the  Australian  gum-tree  scattered  over 
them,  with  rich  valleys  between.  The  depth  of  water 
is  from  between  seven  and  four  fathoms  to  within  a 
few  yards  of  the  beach.  The  sides  of  the  hills  are 
well  cultivated,  and  yield  abundance  of  yams  and 
taro. 

We  must  have  been  a  surprising  sight  to  the 
natives,  for  they  flocked  on  board  in  hundreds,  eager 
and  curious,  chattering  like  monkeys,  as  they  pointed 
out  to  each  other  the  marvels  that  took  their  fancy. 


154  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xi. 

Mr.  Mourilyan  and  I  now  began  to  make  a  survey 
of  the  harbour,  and  Lieutenant  Hayter  went  away 
with  the  galley  and  a  fresh  crew  to  continue  our  ex- 
ploration inside  the  Barrier  Reef,  for  forty  miles  east 
of  Port  Moresby  to  Hood's  Point,  where  the  barrier 
reef  curves  in  and  joins  the  mainland,  forming  a 
cul-de-sac. 

A  singular  feature  in  this  hilly  country,  inter- 
sected by  deep  valleys,  is  the  almost  total  absence 
of  running  water.  The  soil  is  very  porous,  and  the 
streams  probably  take  an  underground  course  till  they 
reach  the  mangrove  swamps,  in  which  the  valleys 
abutting  on  Fairfax  Harbour  terminate. 

We  went  to  visit  one  of  the  hill  villages  in  the 
afternoon,  going  quite  unarmed,  such  was  our  con- 
fidence in  the  people,  and  climbing  a  steep  hillside 
sprinkled  with  gum  trees,  and  covered  with  granite 
boulders  and  quartz,  found  ourselves  overlooking  a 
rich  tropical  valley,  and  saw  the  village  on  the  oppo- 
site hillside  amongst  abundant  trees.  The  thin  rocky 
soil  gave  place  as  we  began  to  descend  the  slope,  to 
rich  dark  mould,  from  which  grass  sprang  nearly  shoul- 
der high,  varied  with  occasional  clumps  of  splendid 
hard  wood,  tropical  trees,  and  groups  of  the  sago  palm. 
Here  and  there  spaces,  some  three  acres  in  extent, 
were  enclosed  by  stiff  bamboo  fences,  and  produced 
bananas,  yams,  and  taro  in  profusion,  although  no 
effort  seemed  to  be  made  to  keep  the  weeds  under. 
The  bananas,  which  were  nearly  ripe,  were  tied  up  in 
leaves  to  save  them  from  the  flying  foxes. 


eHAP.  xi.        A  HILL  VILLAGE — RICH  GRASS  PLAINS.          155 

The  village  consisted  of  about  six  houses,  built  on 
poles,  and  looking  as  if  they  were  marching  out  from 
amongst  the  trees  on  stilts.  The  houses,  which  con- 
sisted of  one  room  as  usual,  were  tenanted  below,  in 
the  space  between  the  poles,  by  pigs  and  wretched 
looking  dogs,  that  kept  up  an  eager  fight  for  the 
pieces  of  broken  cocoa-nut  that  had  fallen  from  above 
to  their  share.  The  villagers  gave  us  a  few  stone 
clubs  and  wooden  spears  in  exchange  for  our  bottles 
and  beads,  but  would  not  look  at  our  iron-hoop  and 
axes.  They  were  not  nearly  so  much  adorned  with 
feathers  and  shells  as  their  neighbours  on  the  sea- 
shore, and  I  fancied  their  complexion  to  be  of  a 
slightly  darker  shade.  Their  only  tools  for  turning 
up  the  soil  were  stone  adzes,  capable  of  penetrating 
for  about  four  inches.  We  showed  the  women  a  look- 
ing-glass, and  they  started  back  and  would  not  look  a 
second  time.  I  offered  my  watch  to  be  examined,  but 
no  one  would  touch  the  possessed-looking  thing. 

All  the  valleys  we  travelled  over  were  covered 
with  rich  grass,  shoulder  high,  and  had  we  possessed 
an  army  of  Irish  scythes,  and  an  English  market,  we 
might  have  cut  down  our  fortune.  The  hills  on  the 
north  of  the  harbour  are  separated  from  a  loftier  range 
behind  by  extensive  grass  plains,  abounding  in  water 
holes,  well  dotted  over  with  timber,  and  having  a  rich 
black  soil. 

Nothing  could  exceed  the  kindness  of  the  natives, 
in  proof  of  which  I  will  mention  but  one  fact.  Mr. 
Watts,  one  of  our  engineers,  lost  his  way  the  evening 


156  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xi. 

before  our  visit  to  this  village,  and  when  beginning  to 
grow  anxious,  fell  in  with  a  party  of  natives ;  far  from 
attempting  to  take  any  advantage  of  his  helplessness, 
they  fed  him,  and  took  him  to  their  village,  making 
signs  that  they  wished  him  to  sleep  there.  Finding 
that  he  wanted  to  return  to  his  companions,  they 
offered  to  guide  him,  stipulating,  however,  that  he 
should  show  himself  off  in  the  village  first,  and  per- 
mit all  the  inhabitants  to  admire  his  white  skin.  This 
he  did  with  a  great  deal  of  pleasure,  placing  himself 
on  a  verandah,  to  be  handled  and  gazed  at  by  scores 
of  beholders. 

The  large  village  at  the  entrance  to  Port  Moresby, 
which  consists  of  two  rows  of  well-built  houses,  sepa- 
rated by  groves  of  cocoa-nut  trees,  was  often  visited 
by  us.  Its  inhabitants,  numbering  perhaps  800  of 
all  ages,  were  well  fed,  contented-looking  people.  The 
women  seemed  to  busy  themselves  much  in  pottery, 
and  moulded  clay  into  large  globe-shaped  jars,  which 
they  baked  slowly  amongst  the  embers  of  wood  fires. 
They  use  these  jars  much  in  their  cookery,  and  I  have 
partaken  of  a  vegetable  porridge  cooked  in  them,  con- 
sisting of  mangrove  fruit,  taro,  and  yams,  with  cocoa- 
nut  finely  shred  over  all,  and  found  it  excellent. 
They  are  skilful  in  netting  bags  and  fishing-nets, 
which  they  do  so  precisely  in  our  mode  that  our  men 
often  took  up  their  shuttles  and  went  on  with  the  net. 
These  nets  are  made  of  the  fibre  of  a  small  nettle-like 
plant,  and  are  shaped  like  our  English  seine. 

On  one  occasion  an  incident  happened  here  which 


CHAP.  xi.     VILLAGE  AND  NATIVES  AT  PORT  MORESBY.      157 

bringing  with  them  a  bundle  of  rushes,  and  knotting 
them  together  carefully  measured  the  length  and 
breadth  of  the  ship.  They  evidently  wished  to  pre- 
serve a  record  of  the  size,  for  they  stowed  the  rush 
line  away  in  their  canoe  with  many  signs  of  won- 
derment. 

At  most  of  the  villages  on  this  coast  we  observed 
that  the  men  liked  to  hold  our  hands  as  we  walked 
through,  and  that  they  did  not  wish  us  to  enter  their 
houses ;  but  if  we  pressed  the  point  they  yielded  in 
this,  and  awaited  us  patiently  outside.  We  used 
sometimes  to  sit  and  rest  on  the  verandah  or  landing- 
place  outside  the  door  of  the  upper  storey,  and  they 
would  bring  us  fresh  cocoa-nut  milk,  or  some  of  the 
sago  they  had  boiled  for  their  meal.  These  people, 
and  all  the  light-coloured  Malay  race  of  eastern  New 
Guinea,  are  without  bows  and  arrows.  As  far  as 
Redscar  Bay  we  saw  toy  bows  amongst  the  chil- 
dren, but  beyond  that  point  the  bow  ceases  alto- 
gether, till  it  reappears  on  the  northern  shores,  west  of 
Astrolobe  Gulf.  The  houses  visited  by  us  all  contained 
spears  and  stone  weapons,  some  of  the  latter  very  well 
shaped  and  finished. 

On  Wednesday,  26th,  Lieutenant  Hayter  returned, 
having  made  some  soundings  and  diligently  examined 
over  fifty  miles  of  coast,  in  which  neither  harbour  nor 
river  were  to  be  seen.  He  confirmed  our  good  opinion 
of  the  natives,  saying  that  he  had  found  them  friendly 
on  all  occasions.  Walking  over  the  hills  that  evening, 
Dr.  Goodman  and  I  were  much  struck  with  the 


158  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xi. 

surprised  us.  A  number  of  natives  came  on  board, 
beauty  of  some  parrots  flying  from  tree  to  tree.  The 
bodies  were  black,  wings  green,  and  heads  and  tails 
scarlet. 

Next  day  was  an  anxious  but  successful  one.     I 
had  set  my  heart  on  finding  a  passage  for  the  ship  by 
an  inshore  route  between  the  mainland  and  Barrier 
Reef  back  to  the  anchorage  in  Redscar  Bay,  so  as  to 
prove  that  Port  Moresby  might  be  reached  thus,  as 
well  as  through  the  opposite  opening  in  the  Barrier 
Reef  which  we  had  named  Basilisk  Passage.     With 
Mr.  Bentley  by  my  side,  therefore,  I  conned  the  ship 
from  the  foretop  for  twenty  miles  through  the  winding 
channel  which  we  had  previously  discovered  running 
between  reefs,  and  giving  us  several  times  but  three  feet 
of  water  to  spare  under  our  keel.     It  was  an  anxious 
time,  but  we  never  touched,  and  dropped  anchor  safe 
and  sound  in  Redscar  Bay,  having  established  the  fact 
of  the  existence  of  a  passage.     What  a  miserable  spot 
the   bay  seemed  after  lake-like,  mountain-girt   Port 
Moresby! — so  dreary -looking,  so  exposed  too  to  the 
full  strength  of  the  S.E.  monsoon.     And  this  anchor- 
age, lying  four  miles  out  at  sea,  was  the  only  one 
known  on  the  S.E.  coast  of  New  Guinea  till  the  dis- 
covery of  Port  Moresby.     Was  it  any  wonder  if  we 
were  all  inclined  to  exult  a  little  ? 

At  daylight,  on  the  28th,  Mr.  Mudge  and  I  started 
with  the  galley  to  explore  the  remaining  or  northern 
branch  of  Redscar  River,  and  calling  at  the  Towton 
village,  shipped  one  of  the  native  teachers  as  pilot,  and 


CHAP.  xi.  DIFFICULT  EXPLOEATION.  159 

made  sail  over  the  broad  sheet  of  Galley  Reach  in  a 
north-easterly  direction  to  its  head.  Arrived  there, 
we  could  find  no  principal  river.  A  mangrove  swamp 
lay  before  us,  subject  to  frequent  inundations,  and  cut 
up  into  innumerable  channels,  some  of  which  were 
broad  enough  to  raise  our  hopes.  We  explored  several 
of  these,  but  invariably  the  mangroves  and  bastard 
palms  closed  in  on  us  till  we  could  no  longer  move  our 
oars ;  and  farther  on,  the  canoe  paddles,  to  which  we 
betook  ourselves,  were  stopped  by  the  narrowness  of 
the  ditch  and  the  rank  vegetation  that  overhung  it. 
More  than  once  we  lost  our  way,  though  every  pre- 
caution was  taken,  and  each  change  noted  on  a  tracing ; 
and  a  dread  came  over  me  that  we  might  have  to  pass 
a  night  in  this  dismal  swamp,  the  home  of  reptiles  and 
fever.  The  thick  vegetation  caused  a  gloom  that 
amounted  in  places  to  darkness,  and  at  times  we  had 
to  stand  up  in  the  boat  and  cut  our  way  through  the 
tangled  creepers.  As  our  paddles  struck  the  muddy 
banks,  little  slimy  creatures  slid  away  from  us,  and 
myriads  of  spider-crabs  crawled  out,  tiny  things,  with 
burnished  shells,  white,  brown,  and  red,  not  larger 
than  a  shilling,  and  escaped  with  great  swiftness. 
This  was  the  only  animal  life  we  saw  here. 

After  much  effort  we  succeeded  in  extricating  our- 
selves from  this  foul  choking  labyrinth,  and  anchored 
in  the  head  waters  of  Galley  Reach,  where  we  refreshed 
ourselves  with  dinner.  Here  myriads  of  flying-foxes 
came  about  us,  and  I  shot  one,  but  it  hung  on  by  the 
hooks  of  its  wings  on  a  high  tree,  and  when  dislodged 


160  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xr. 

by  another  shot,  fell  into  the  water  and  sank  like  a 
stone.  Dinner  over,  we  once  more  took  to  our  oars, 
and  pulled  for  the  mouth  of  a  considerable  river  which 
we  had  observed  emptying  itself  into  Galley  Reach, 
about  two  miles  from  its  head.  The  heat  was  most 
oppressive,  but  we  pulled  up  this  new  river  till  dark. 
We  had  divided  ourselves  into  two  sets,  each  of  which 
took  a  half-hour's  spell  at  the  oars  in  turn.  Mr. 
Mudge,  two  seamen,  and  I,  made  one  party,  and  the 
four  remaining  seamen  the  other.  As  evening  closed 
in  we  looked  out  anxiously  for  a  spot  on  which  to 
land  and  boil  some  water  for  our  tea,  but  could  see 
none.  At  last,  on  a  knot  of  dryer  mud  than  the  rest, 
we  contrived  to  make  a  fire  and  refresh  ourselves  with 
that  greatest  of  all  comforts  after  such  a  day's  work — • 
a  basin  of  tea ;  after  which  we  prepared  ourselves  as  if 
for  an  Arctic  night  to  defy  the  mosquitoes — pulling  on 
two  pairs  of  trousers  and  two  coats  apiece,  boots,  thick 
stockings,  and  gloves ;  wrapping  the  head,  neck,  and 
ears  in  bunting,  and  smearing  our  faces  with  oil ;  and 
this  done  we  hauled  off  into  the  stream  for  the  night. 
Some  of  us  had  three  hours  of  broken  sleep,  but  those 
who  had  left  any  part  of  the  body  unprotected  did  not 
even  doze.  In  the  morning  our  clothes  were  as  wet 
with  perspiration  as  if  they  had  been  dipped  over  the 
side,  but  anything  was  better  than  being  covered  with 
mosquito  bites.  We  began  our  work  with  the  first 
streak  of  day,  and  groped  along  through  the  dense 
malarious  fog  that  filled  the  channel,  till  the  sun 
arose  and  drank  it  up,  when  we  pulled  on  cheerily, 


CHAP.  xi.  RIVERS  USBORNE  AND  EDITH.  161 

looking  for  a  spot  to  land  on  and  cook  breakfast ; 
but  all  was  dank  swamp,  covered  with  rank  vegeta- 
tion, through  which  trees  shot  up  to  a  height  of  200 
feet,  whilst  bastard  palms  trailed  their  leaves,  thirty 
and  forty  feet  long,  in  the  muddy  tide  of  what  had 
now  become  a  rapid  fresh-water  river. 

We  landed  at  last,  and  tried  hard  to  light  a  fire, 
but  could  not  succeed,  though  we  used  carbolic  acid,  so 
had  to  content  ourselves  with  a  cold  breakfast. 

The  swiftness  of  the  current  now  increased  rapidly, 
and  uprooted  trees  and  logs  came  shooting  with  the 
stream  round  its  abrupt  corners,  and  made  progress 
dangerous.  These  trees  at  last  made  such  a  barrier 
that  we  were  obliged  to  yield  to  circumstances  and 
turn  the  boat's  head  backwards,  leaving  to  those  who 
shall  follow  us  the  honour  of  reaching  the  Highlands 
of  New  Guinea  by  this  water-way.  The  depth  at  our 
turning-point,  about  ten  miles  from  the  mouth  of  this 
branch,  was  close  on  twelve  feet,  the  breadth  some 
thirty  yards. 

It  is  impossible  for  me  to  express  an  opinion  as  to 
how  far  the  swiftness  of  these  two  rivers,  named  by 
us  the  Usborne  and  the  Edith,  may  be  due  to  the  ob- 
structions which  have  fallen  across  their  course,  but  I 
think  they  must  considerably  influence  it.  Explorers 
coming  to  the  two  points  where  we  left  off,  with 
light  portable  boats,  could  easily  settle  this  question. 
Both  rivers  could  be  ascended  without  difficulty  by 
steam-launches,  and  used  for  rafting  down  timber  and 

other  produce  to  the  sea.     Leaving  an  ample  supply 

M 


162  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xi. 

of  provisions  with  the  Samoen  teachers,  we  weighed 
at  sunset  for  Cape  York.  Sunday,  2d,  was  a  day  of 
rest,  hailed  by  many,  for  those  of  us  who  had  been 
most  away  from  the  ship  were  tormented  with  boils 
and  prickly  heat,  the  result  of  continual  exposure,  and 
fatigued  with  constant  rowing,  and  effort  of  all  kinds. 
We  anchored  for  the  night  off  Bramble  Cay,  where 
Mr.  Hayter  and  party  were  fortunate  in  capturing  a 
fine  hawk's-bill  turtle  before  morning.  It  rained  and 
blew  hard  next  day,  but  we  ran  on  from  island  to 
island,  and  anchored  at  Albany  Pass,  Somerset,  at 
8  o'clock  P.M.,  on  Wednesday  5th,  in  a  heavy  squall 
of  wind  and  rain,  where  we  found  our  store-ship, 
the  "Kestless,"  awaiting  us.  Monday  came  with 
water -spouts  of  rain,  but  we  got  the  "  Eestless " 
alongside,  and  began  to  take  in  our  stores. 

At  Somerset  we  found  eighty-five  disappointed 
diggers  returning  from  the  gold-fields  at  Port  Darwin, 
in  the  barque  "  Springbok."  They  were  suffering 
dreadfully  from  want  of  provisions  and  stores;  and 
the  master  had  proved  so  incompetent  that  a  Naval 
Court,  which  I  appointed  to  examine  into  the  charges, 
removed  him  from  his  command.  I  placed  Sub- 
Lieutenant  Alan  Waters  in  command  of  the  "  Spring- 
bok," thus  entrusting  him  with  as  difficult  and 
responsible  a  task  as  could  well  fall  to  the  lot  of 
so  young  an  officer ;  not  only  had  he  to  keep  in 
subjection  these  eighty-five  unruly  men,  rendered 
doubly  difficult  to  manage  by  the  privations  they 
were  enduring,  but  also  to  navigate  a  heavy  ship 


CHAP.  xi.         EPISODE  OF  BARQUE  "  SPRINGBOK."  163 

against  a  strong  monsoon,  through  most  intricate  navi- 
gation, inside  the  great  Barrier  Reef.  It  speaks  well 
for  the  professional  ability  of  young  officers  of  the 
present  day  that  Mr.  "Waters  was  able  to  maintain 
his  authority  over  these  rough  diggers,  under  exceed- 
ingly trying  circumstances,  and  thrashing  his  ship 
through  all  dangers,  to  bring  his  half-famished  crew 
in  safety  to  Newcastle,  N.S.W. 

On  March  7th,  Navigating -Lieutenant  Connor, 
and  Mr.  Pitt,  midshipman,  rejoined  us  from  their 
survey  on  the  northern  shore  of  Torres  Straits.  These 
two  officers,  and  their  nine  men,  had  been  detached 
for  six  weeks  in  open  boats,  exposed  to  a  tropical 
sun,  and  to  severe  weather  on  a  lee  shore,  and  now 
returned,  having  made  a  highly  valuable  trigono- 
metrical survey  of  Saibai  and  Cornwallis  Islands,  and 
of  a  part  of  the  New  Guinea  Coast.  It  is  impossible 
to  describe  the  relief  and  pleasure  it  gave  us  to  wel- 
come our  shipmates  amongst  us  again,  all  safe  and  in 
rude  health  ;  burnt  nearly  as  dark  as  Papuans  with 
exposure,  but  willing  to  start  away  again  if  more 
work  should  call  them. 

We  handed  over  the  three  native  teachers  and  two 
wives,  brought  by  us  from  Redscar  Bay,  to  Mr.  Murray, 
with  their  health  all  but  re-established,  which  was 
satisfactory,  the  poor  creatures  being  very  grateful 
for  the  kindness  shown  them  on  board.  I  addressed 
a  report  to  Mr.  Murray  on  the  state  in  which  we  had 
found  the  mission  stations  visited  by  us,  and  gave 
him  a  full  and  true  account  of  the  unprovided  and 


164  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xi. 

actually  starving  state  of  the  Polynesian  teachers 
placed  on  these  Torres  Straits  Islands  by  the  London 
Missionary  Society,  and  left  alone  to  fight  a  losing 
battle  against  famine,  sickness,  want  of  knowledge  of 
the  languages  required,  and  the  contempt  and  hostility 
of  fierce  Papuan  heathen.  The  Kev.  A.  "W.  Murray, 
with  his  wife,  had  arrived  from  Sydney,  and  taken  up 
his  quarters  at  Cape  York,  in  a  bungalow,  kindly 
placed  at  their  service  by  Mr.  Jardine,  and  from  this 
central  point  he  hoped  to  control  and  sustain  the 
various  mission  parties  scattered  not  only  on  the 
islands  of  Torres  Straits,  but  even  as  far  as  Eedscar 
Bay,  on  the  New  Guinea  coast,  more  than  300  miles 
from  Cape  York.  He  laboured,  however,  under  the 
difficulty  of  having  no  vessel,  nor  other  means  of 
communication  with  these  widely  separated  stations ; 
and  reports  of  death  and  disaster  attacking  these  un- 
fortunate native  teachers  were  arriving  up  to  the  time 
of  our  leaving  Cape  York  to  make  this  late  cruise. 
Under  these  circumstances  I  had  been  glad  to  make 
myself  useful,  and  take  such  supplies  for  them  as  Mr. 
Murray  could  provide.  I  had  now  to  inform  him 
that  I  had  found  the  real  state  of  these  poor  creatures 
far  worse  than  anticipated.  At  Jarvis  Island  their 
only  store  of  food,  when  visited  by  us,  consisted  of 
ten  or  twelve  pounds  of  salt  meat  for  four  adults  and 
two  infants,  but  this  island  being  a  pearl-shelling 
station,  they  were  kept  from  actual  starvation  by  the 
humanity  of  the  pearl-shellers ;  and  were  living  in  a 
poor  and  very  uncleanly  native  hut,  wholly  without 


CHAP.  xi.  REPORT  ON  MISSION  STATIONS.  165 

influence  of  any  kind  over  the  natives  of  the  island. 
At  Cornwallis  they  were  better  off,  having  a  roomy 
house,  and  good  sweet  potato  and  melon  gardens ; 
but  of  the  four  teachers,  their  wives  and  children,  one 
child  and  three  adults  were  down  with  fever,  and 
Dr.  Goodman,  on  examining  their  medicine,  had  re- 
ported that  they  possessed  no  proper  medicines,  nor 
any  understanding  to  guide  them  in  using  such  medi- 
cines as  they  had.  At  Murray  Island  the  two  teachers 
and  their  wives  were  well  off,  having  good  native 
houses,  and  plenty  of  yams,  but  they  complained 
much  of  having  no  trade  to  purchase  other  food  from 
the  natives.  The  circumstances  of  the  teachers  at 
Eedscar  may  have  already  been  described,  but  it  may 
be  added  that  but  for  our  visit,  and  the  abundant  sup- 
plies we  gave  them,  it  seemed  most  probable  that  all 
would  have  perished. 

At  Bampton  Island  the  two  native  teachers  and 
their  wives,  who  had  been  posted  there  some  months 
previously,  and  had  not  since  been  visited  nor  supplied, 
had  been  murdered  by  the  natives. 

I  am  glad  to  know  that  matters  have  now  been 
put  on  a  better  footing.  The  Society  has  sent  out  a 
small  steamer,  which  is  to  have  her  headquarters  at 
Cape  York,  and  by  means  of  this  vessel  regular  com- 
munication will  be  maintained  with  the  various 
stations.  Several  younger  labourers  have  also  taken 
the  place  of  the  venerable  Mr.  Murray,  who  has  well 
earned  rest  after  a  lifetime  of  faithful  labour  and  much 
success.  It  pained  me  to  make  the  above  reports  to 


166  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xi. 

this  worthy  gentleman,  but  I  felt  that  he  would 
generously  understand  that  an  onus  lay  on  me  to  see  to 
the  welfare  of  all  natives  claiming  the  protection  of 
the  English  flag,  whether  pearl-shellers  or  Christian 
teachers  ;  and  in  this  belief  I  was  not  mistaken. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

DETACH  MR.  CONNOR  AND  PARTY  AGAIN — SAIL  FROM  CAPE  YORK — FIND  WATER 
ON  HAMMOND  ISLAND— RE-VISIT  PEARL-SHELLING  STATIONS — SAIL  FOR 
EAST  COAST  OF  NEW  GUINEA — ANCHOR  OFF  YULE  ISLAND — FIND  AN  EN- 
TRANCE TO  ROBERT  HALL  SOUND,  SURVEY  AND  NAME  IT — EXPLORE  HILDA 
AND  ETHEL  RIVERS — SAIL  FOR  EAST  NEW  GUINEA — STATE  OF  KNOWLEDGE 
THEN  EXISTING  AS  TO  THIS  COAST — TESTE  ISLAND — BELL  ROCK — TRACES 
OF  DEVIL-WORSHIP — FIND  THE  SO-CALLED  "  SOUTH-EAST  EXTREMITY  OF 
NEW  GUINEA"  TO  BE  AN  ERROR — OUR  INTERCOURSE  WITH  THE  NATIVES. 

WE  expected  to  receive  fresh  orders  from  the  commo- 
dore by  the  "  Restless/'  but  none  having  come  I  had 
to  remain  in  this  part  of  the  station  till  relieved  by 
another  ship,  about  the  1st  of  June.  Two  months, 
therefore,  lay  at  our  disposal,  to  be  employed  in  cruis- 
ing in  Torres  Straits  and  on  the  south  coast  of  New 
Guinea. 

From  Lord  Normanby  I  had  received  a  request  to 
co-operate  with  Mr.  Jardine  in  selecting  another  site 
for  the  establishment  at  Somerset, — one  better  suited 
to  increasing  requirements.  I  also  determined  to  revisit 
the  principal  pearl-shelling  stations,  and  see- that  all 
was  right  there ;  but  these  two  duties  would  barely 
occupy  a  week.  Before  our  leaving  Sydney  the  ques- 
tion of  the  exploration  of  the  unknown  south-east 
coast  of  New  Guinea  had  been  publicly  discussed, 
attention  having  been  particularly  called  to  that  great 
island  by  the  sad  fate  of  the  "  Maria  "  expedition. 

Notes  of  alarm  were  sounded,  to  the  effect  that 


168  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xn. 

Eussian,  French,  and  Italian  travellers  were  now  ex- 
ploring this  island,  the  possession  of  which  must  in 
the  future  be  a  necessity  to  Australia  because  of  its 
near  vicinity  and  its  strategic  and  relative  geographical 
position,  and  it  was  feared  that  these  efforts  might 
lead  to  a  foreign  occupation  in  time. 

Amongst  other  rumours  it  was  reported  that 
Americans  were  about  to  send  an  expedition  from  San 
Francisco  to  examine  the  eastern  shores  of  the  island. 
I  deeply  felt  the  importance  of  forestalling  any  at- 
tempts of  alien  nations  to  establish  a  claim  to  this 
great  island,  knowing  that  foreign  possession  might 
lead  to  complications,  and  feeling  that  the  develop- 
ment of  the  great  Australian  Empire  would  be  cramped 
in  the  future  should  its  progress  be  arrested  in  the 
north.  I  desired  also  to  secure  for  England  the 
honour  due  to  a  country  which  had  sent  Cook,  and 
Dampier,  and  Owen  Stanley  to  these  seas,  by  filling 
in  the  last  great  blank  remaining  in  their  work,  and 
laying  down  the  unknown  outlines  of  East  New  Guinea 
on  the  map  of  the  world. 

My  means  to  accomplish  these  desires  were  very 
small ;  I  had  but  two  months'  time  at  my  disposal, 
and  was  confined  by  my  orders  to  the  eastern  limit  of 
148°  E.  longitude,  just  the  longitude  of  Port  Moresby, 
a  paragraph  in  which,  however,  gave  me  power  to  go 
beyond  this  degree  should  circumstances  warrant  it. 

I  had  received  directions  from  the  commodore  to 
make  all  possible  inquiries  and  search  for  Mr.  Macklay, 
the  eminent  Eussian  traveller,  who  had  been  wander- 


CHAP.  xn.  SURVEYING  PARTY  DETACHED.  169 

ing  in  New  Guinea,  and  this  search,  combined  with 
duties  to  be  performed  under  the  kidnapping  Act, 
might,  I  hoped,  give  us  opportunity  to  render  good 
service. 

Before  leaving  Cape  York  I  again  entrusted  Navi- 
gating-Lieutenant  Connor  with  the  charge  of  a  sur- 
vey on  the  northern  shores  of  Torres  Straits.  This 
energetic  officer  had  not  been  idle  during  our  stay  at 
Somerset,  but  instead  of  enjoying  the  rest  he  had  so 
well  earned,  had  busied  himself  in  making  a  trigono- 
metrical survey  of  the  harbour  at  Somerset,  which  I 
had  pleasure  in  forwarding  to  the  Admiralty. 

Mr.  Pitt,  midshipman,  was  succeeded  by  Mr. 
Grant,  midshipman,  as  second  to  Navigating-Lieutenant 
Connor.  Every  possible  precaution  was  taken  to 
secure  the  comfort  and  safety  of  the  small  company 
to  be  left  behind ;  and  our  shipmates  left  us  for  two 
months'  work  with  that  light-hearted  energy  which 
young  officers  and  seamen  always  feel  when  going 
away  on  detached  service. 

The  gun-room  mess  was  now  reduced  to  the  number 
of  two  midshipmen  and  an  assistant-paymaster,  Mr. 
Byron,  a  zealous  young  officer,  ready  to  make  himself 
useful  on  all  occasions.  Our  senior  lieutenant,  boat- 
swain, and  gunner,  were  now  our  only  executive 
officers ;  but  no  ship  ever  had  better  petty-officers  than 
the  "Basilisk,"  and  during  the  frequent  absences  of 
these  remaining  officers  on  surveying  work  during  our 
coming  cruise,  they  performed  the  ordinary  duties  of 
lieutenants  in  a  satisfactory  manner. 


170  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xn. 

On  March  20th  we  sailed  from  Cape  York  for  our 
anxious  cruise,  which  seemed  to  hold  out  possibilities 
of  useful  issues.  Our  first  object  was  to  examine 
Hammond  Island,  which  is  situated  at  the  western 
entrance,  by  which  all  ships  are  advised  to  enter 
Torres  Straits,  and  to  leave  them  when  coming  from 
the  eastward,  and  is  thus  on  the  direct  track  of  all 
passing  vessels,  besides  being  in  a  position  that  com- 
mands the  pearl-shell  fisheries.  These  advantages 
seem  to  mark  it  out  as  the  proper  site  for  the  English 
settlement  in  these  waters.  The  island  is  about  three 
miles  and  a  half  by  one  and  a  half  in  extent,  high 
and  rocky  on  the  western  side,  which  commands  the 
entrance  to  Torres  Straits,  and  sprinkled  over  with 
boulders.  The  hills  on  the  island  are  precipitous,  and 
rise  to  a  height  of  600  feet.  Mr.  Mudge  and  Mr. 
Bentley  went  on  shore  with  two  parties  to  explore  in 
different  directions.  I  took  a  third  party ;  and  Mr. 
Mourilyan  went  to  take  soundings  off  shore.  One 
object  was  to  find  water,  and  this  we  all  succeeded  in 
doing.  My  party  fortunately  landed  at  a  bay  into 
which  a  stream  of  fresh  water,  almost  large  enough  to 
be  called  a  river,  was  discharged,  and  this  was  the 
more  welcome  as  the  Torres  Straits  Islands  are  almost 
wholly  destitute  of  water.  We  followed  the  stream 
up  through  a  deep  rocky  gorge,  amongst  scenes  as 
picturesque  as  can  be  imagined.  Sometimes  it  was 
lost  to  sight  in  a  gloomy  depth,  overhung  by  tropic 
growth,  then  it  rose  again,  racing  and  foaming  over 
huge  boulders,  forming  here  waterfalls  ten  or  fifteen 


CHAP.  xn.      HE-VISIT  PEARL-SHELLING  STATIONS.  171 

feet  deep,  and  there  deep  stilly  pools,  from  which  it 
slipped  softly  down.  On  reaching  the  summit  we 
found  that  the  hills  spread  themselves  out  into  a  large 
concave  plain,  forming  a  great  natural  reservoir,  from 
which  many  streams  descended,  a  very  cheering  dis- 
covery. The  island  is  well  wooded,  and  also  possesses 
extensive  clear  grass  plots,  but  except  on  the  heights 
the  soil  is  poor.  Mr.  Mourilyan's  soundings  soon 
showed  that  safe  and  commodious  anchorage  can  be 
obtained  here. in  perfectly  smooth  water,  and  out  of 
the  strong  currents  which  sweep  through  Prince  of 
Wales's  Channel,  on  either  the  north-east  or  north-west 
of  the  island,  according  as  the  north-west  or  south- 
east monsoons  prevail.  The  shore-reefs  here  also 
afford  facilities  for  running  out  piers,  whilst  the  lofti- 
ness of  the  island  would  doubtless  render  it  a  healthy 
station.  Having  thus  enabled  ourselves  to  report 
favourably  of  Hammond  Island,  we  proceeded  to  take 
up  the  second  part  of  our  work,  and  revisited  the  prin- 
cipal pearl-shelling  establishments  on  the  various 
islands,  which  we  found  still  idle  and  awaiting  govern- 
ment licenses. 

We  visited  Cornwallis,  and  sailed  for  Warrior  Island 
on  the  26th,  when  we  had  a  narrow  escape,  for,  set 
out  of  our  way  by  a  strong  flood-tide,  we  ran  right 
over  an  unknown  shoal,  and  for  some  time  had  only 
three  fathoms  of  water — nine  inches  above  our  draft 
— under  the  keeL  Every  moment  we  expected  to 
hear  the  horrible  grating  noise,  and  feel  the  life-like 
motion  of  the  ship  reduced  to  stillness.  We  anchored, 


172  NEW  GUINEA. 


CHAP.  XII. 


and  when  the  tide  slackened  got  clear  without  having 
touched  a  grain  of  sand.  The  anxieties  of  years 
seemed  to  have  crowded  into  that  short  time — all 
our  hopes  of  good  service ;  the  very  safety  of  the  ship, 
were  jeopardised. 

Leaving  Torres  Straits  on  the  28th  of  March,  we 
sailed  on  our  way  to  the  east  coast  of  New  Guinea, 
glad  indeed  to  be  clear  of  the  intricacies  of  Torres 
Straits,  with  a  new  and  unentered  field  of  work 
stretching  away  before  us.  At  Bramble  Cay  we  tried 
for  turtle  as  before,  with  no  success ;  but  the  men 
brought  off  buckets  full  of  sea-bird's  eggs,  which  were 
sweet  and  well-tasted.  Many  of  the  stupid  birds 
allowed  themselves  to  be  knocked  down  with  sticks, 
and  the  men  appeared  to  enjoy  eating  them,  in  spite 
of  a  rank  fishy  taste. 

Our  first  point  was  Yule  Island,  off  which  we  had 
seen  the  large  quantity  of  driftwood,  that  had  led  me 
to  hope  we  should  find  some  great  river  issuing  from 
the  New  Guinea  mainland  here. 

On  Sunday,  at  7  P.M.,  we  anchored  off  Yule  Island, 
and  spent  a  quiet  day ;  lying  just  opposite  to  what 
seemed  the  mouth  of  a  large  river,  but  we  had  learned 
by  this  time  not  to  trust  to  appearances,  and  did  not 
hope  too  much.  Yule  Island  had  been  laid  down  on 
the  chart  by  the  "  Kattlesnake,"  when  she  passed  along 
the  coast  in  1849,  but  no  white  man  had  ever  pene- 
trated to  the  noble-looking  sheet  of  water  which  lay 
inside  between  it  and  the  mainland.  We  began  on 
Monday  1st  to  sound  for  an  entrance  into  it,  attempt- 


CHAP.  xii.         ROBERT  HALL  SOUND  DISCOVERED.  173 

ing  this  simultaneously  by  the  north  and  south 
channels,  Mr.  Mourilyan  and  I  working  at  the 
north,  which  we  believed  to  be  the  most  hopeful,  as 
the  Stanley  survey  marked  it  as  "probably  a  clear 
passage,"  whilst  Mr.  Pitt  sounded  out  the  south.  The 
result  of  our  work  was  exactly  contrary  to  our  ex- 
pectations, for  we  found  the  north  entrance  blocked 
by  reefs,  and  the  north  side  of  the  harbour  a  great  mud 
flat ;  whilst  the  south  entrance,  supposed  to  be  blocked 
by  reefs,  proved  to  be  a  good  safe  channel.  The 
former  surveyors  had  doubtless  been  deceived  by  the 
discoloured  state  of  the  water,  caused  by  the  amount 
of  fresh  water  escaping  here.  Through  this  channel 
we  now  took  the  "  Basilisk "  in,  and  she  soon  lay  at 
anchor  in  the  broad  waters  of  Robert  Hall  Sound,  as 
we  decided  to  name  this,  our  second  found  harbour 
on  the  south  New  Guinea  coast,  after  the  secretary  of 
the  Admiralty.  Robert  Hall  Sound  lies  in  lat.  9° 
N.,  and  long.  146°  3'  E.,  and  is  well  marked  by 
Yule  Island  at  its  entrance.  It  is  perfectly  protected 
and  land-locked,  and  has  deep  water,  where  hundreds 
of  ships  may  lie  in  safety.  The  land  surrounding  it, 
excepting  for  some  comparatively  bold  headlands,  is 
low  and  swampy  ground,  backed  up  six  or  eight  miles 
inland  by  low  hills,  behind  which  range  rises  after 
range,  till  the  magnificent  Owen  Stanley  range  is 
reached  as  a  culminating  point. 

Yule  Island,  near  which  ships  would  anchor,  is 
high  and  healthy  ground.  At  the  head  of  the  har- 
bour two  rivers  issue,  combined,  forming  the  river 


174  NEW  GUINEA. 


CHAP.  XII. 


mouth  which  had  raised  our  expectations  on  Sunday. 
Of  these,  Hilda  River,  a  rapid  powerful  stream,  with 
too  swift  a  current  to  be  ascended  by  row  boats,  but 
navigable  for  steam  launches,  falls  into  Ethel  River,  a 
mile  and  a  half  from  its  embouchement,  and  is  doubt- 
less destined  in  time  to  bear  the  rich  produce  of  the 
interior  downwards  on  its  rapid  bosom.  Ethel  River 
upwards,  from  the  point  of  junction,  assumes  the  char- 
acter of  a  sluggish  stream,  from  80  to  100  yards  in 
width,  and  twelve  feet  deep,  and  leads  eastward  through 
an  immense  mangrove  swamp.  We  ascended  it  for 
about  ten  miles,  when,  much  to  our  disappointment,  it 
divided  itself  into  a  number  of  small  channels  without 
a  current,  some  of  which  were  examined  by  us,  but 
proved  not  to  lead  to  the  hills.  The  scenery  on  the 
river  banks  was  monotonous  in  the  extreme — a  dense 
growth  of  mangrove  and  other  moisture-loving  trees 
prevailing,  with  no  animal  life  to  enliven  it,  for,  with 
the  exception  of  flying  foxes  and  some  screaming  gaudy- 
coloured  birds,  nothing  living  was  to  be  seen  or  heard. 
Occasionally  ill-made  native  huts  were  to  be  seen 
on  the  banks,  from  which  a  track  through  the  swamp 
led  to  some  acres  of  raised  ground,  like  an  oases  in  a 
desert.  These  were  carefully  cleared  and  cultivated. 
Here  also  were  some  permanent  houses,  built  as  usual 
on  poles  some  eight  feet  from  the  ground,  with  one 
room  common  to  the  whole  family.  The  natives  hid 
themselves  in  the  swamp  when  we  came  into  sight ; 
indeed  it  must  have  appeared  to  them  as  if  we  had 
dropped  from  the  clouds.  It  seemed  marvellous  that 


CHAP.  xii.  HILDA  AND  ETHEL  RIVERS.  175 

human  life  could  exist  in  such  a  malarious  vile  place. 
Even  in  the  glare  of  a  noonday  sun  the  air  was  thick 
with  mosquitoes. 

I  longed  for  a  steam  pinnace  to   ascend   Hilda 
River,  for  it  maintained  its  depth,  and  evidently  ran 
up  into  the  heart  of  the  country,  and  it  was  bitterly 
disappointing  to  have  to  leave  the  fact  unverified. 
Our  men  pulled  their  hardest,  but  the  current  was  too 
powerful,  and  the  banks  were  a  mass  of  intertwined 
jungle.     I  started,  after  our  return  to  the  ship,  with 
an  armed  party,  to  try  and  find  out  the  villages  on 
Yule  Island,  and  on  landing  we  met  with  some  natives, 
who  seemed  very  adverse  to  our  going  to  their  village. 
After  a  while  I  made  them  signs  that  we  wanted  rest, 
and  they  took  us  by  a  long  winding  path  through  the 
bush,  to  a  large  cleared  space  where  their  village  stood, 
each  house  being  the  usual  large  oval-shaped  room 
raised  on  poles.     At  a  little  distance  in  the  rear  were 
large  vegetable  and  fruit  plantations,  neatly  fenced  in, 
and  well  kept.    Taking  us  to  a  large  house,  some  forty 
feet  in  length,  and  entirely  unoccupied,  they  made 
signs  that  we  might  rest  in  it,  which  we  did,  whilst 
refreshing     ourselves    with     cocoa-nut     milk.      The 
villagers  continued  very  timid,  and  all  their  young 
women  and  children  were  kept  out  of  sight  in  the 
bush,  where  we  could  hear  them  chattering  and  laugh- 
ing.    Any  movement  of  ours  in  their  direction  met 
with  energetic  remonstrance  from  the  men.     However, 
the  older  women  were  about  amongst  us,  so  I  was 
satisfied  that  we  should  not  be  attacked.     The  houses, 


176  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xir. 

except  the  one  devoted  to  our  use,  were  all  shut  up, 
and  the  entrance- doors  barred. 

Our  attempts  to  trade  met  with  small  success,  for, 
having  no  conception  of  the  use  of  iron,  they  would 
not  barter  their  handsome  stone  implements  for  our 
axes.  The  more  we  endeavoured  to  show  their 
superior  value  by  cutting  and  chopping  branches,  the 
more  incredulously  they  smiled,  and  preferred  their 
own  rude  instruments. 

Before  long  their  curiosity  at  our  white  skins, 
clothes,  and  watches,  etc.,  having  become  exhausted, 
they  made  signs  that  they  wished  us  to  go.  Before 
going  I  thought  to  try  the  effect  of  firearms  on  their 
minds,  so,  placing  a  mark  against  a  tree,  and  preparing 
the  natives  to  expect  something  wonderful,  I  had  a 
shot  fired.  The  first  effect  was  blank  amazement,  and 
the  second,  when  they  saw  the  hole  made  by  the  ball, 
an  increased  anxiety  to  be  rid  of  us.  They  would  not 
touch  our  rifles,  but  pushed  them  away  with  terror. 
Returning  to  the  ship  we  met  natives  in  their  canoes 
diving  for  cray-fish  on  the  coral  reef  in  one  and  two 
fathom  water.  Standing  in  their  canoes,  they  waited 
till  they  saw  the  big  unsuspicious  cray-fish  crawl 
leisurely  over  the  coral  beneath,  and  then  flashed 
overboard,  and  rarely  missed  their  prey. 

A  quantity  of  fine  steel  sand  was  found  in  Robert 
Hall  Sound. 

The  people  here  are  of  the  Malay  type,  but  differ 
from  the  pure  Malay  in  being  less  in  stature,  coarser 
in  feature,  thicker  lipped,  and  having  less  hair  on  the 


CHAP.  xii.  NATIVES  OF  YULE  ISLAND.  177 

face^being,  indeed,  almost  beardless.  They  have 
high  cheek-bones,  like  the  pure  Malay,  but  their  noses 
are  inclined  to  be  aquiline,  and  are  sometimes  well 
formed ;  their  eyes  are  dark  and  beautiful,  with  good 
eyebrows.  The  men  have  their  hair  frizzed  out  in  a 
mop,  but  the  women  cut  theirs  short,  and  tatoo  their 
bodies  in  graceful  lace-like  patterns,  which  the  men 
never  do.  They,  however,  are  not  without  adorn- 
ment, for  they  paint  with  black,  red,  and  white  pig- 
ments ;  and  wear  flowers,  and  the  plumes  of  the  Bird  of 
Paradise,  fastened  to  their  heads  and  shoulders,  and 
occasionally  two  great  beaks  of  the  hornbill,  as  horns 
on  the  head.  They  were  much  disfigured  by  constant 
use  of  the  betel-nut.  Unlike  the  Port  Moresby 
natives,  they  are  possessed  of  bows  and  arrows,  of 
spears,  and  clubs  of  wood  and  stone,  and  they  seemed 
to  us  to  be  less  kindly  disposed  than  the  Port  Moresby 
people.  They  are  equally  ignorant  of  the  use  of  iron, 
and  no  sign  of  cannibalism  was  visible  at  either  place. 
This  race  abuts  on  the  black  Papuan,  somewhere  in 
the  vicinity  of  Cape  Possession ;  but  I  do  not  believe 
that  a  fixed  line  of  demarcation  exists,  for  here  both 
types  of  race  were  present,  and  the  natives  varied  in 
colour,  stature,  and  cast  of  feature.  A  mixture  of 
habits  also  obtained  here,  which  confirmed  the  idea 
of  a  fusion  of  races,  for  some  chewed  the  betel-nut 
Malay-wise,  whilst  others  rejected  it ;  some  wore  the 
specially  Papuan  adornment  of  the  great  bill  of  the 
hornbeak  on  the  head,  and  all  were  entirely  destitute 
of  the  ornaments  of  human  bone  that  we  afterwards 

N 


1 78  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xii. 

found  to  be  generally  worn  to  the  eastward.  It 
must,  however,  be  taken  into  account  that  natives 
from  different  parts  of  the  coast,  perhaps  attracted  by 
the  news  of  our  presence,  kept  arriving  during  our 
stay,  as  this  would  perhaps  account  in  part  for  the 
different  habits  and  shades  of  colour  we  observed. 

On  the  morning  of  April  6th  we  weighed  at  eight 
o'clock,  and  stood  for  East  New  Guinea,  having 
anxious  work  before  us,  and  very  few  hands  to  do  it 
with  just  then, — Mr.  Hayter  being  laid  up  with  a 
throat  affection,  and  Mr.  Shortland  ill ;  so  that  Mr. 
Mourilyan,  Mr.  Pitt,  and  the  two  warrant  officers,  were 
the  only  ones  left  at  this  time  to  do  duty.  Our  work 
lay  where  no  navigator  had  ever  laid  down  a  line  for 
us  to  follow. 

Bongainville,  D'Entrecasteaux,  D'Urville,  and  Cap- 
tain Owen  Stanley,  had  all  seen  what  they  took  to  be 
the  eastern  extremity  of  New  Guinea,  but  did  not 
approach  near  enough  to  define  the  outline  of  the 
land  seen  by  them.  H.M.S.  "  Blanche"  had  the  pre- 
vious year  approached  the  eastern  shores  of  New 
Guinea  from  E.N.E.,  but,  meeting  dangerous  shoals, 
had  anchored  thirty-four  miles  from  the  nearest  point 
of  the  mainland  (East  Cape),  at  which  distance  it  is 
not  visible,  and  twenty-one  miles  E.N.E.  of  Moresby 
Island,  the  easternmost  of  the  large  islands  off"  the 
south-east  extremity  of  New  Guinea,  which  was  thought 
by  the  "  Blanche  "  to  be  the  mainland  (see  Admiralty 
Chart,  Papua,  sheet  7,  A.D.  1875,  and  hydrographic 
notices,  Pacific  Ocean,  A.D.  1873,  page  105,  paragraphs 


CHAP.  xii.      KNOWLEDGE  AS  TO  EAST  NEW  GUINEA.  179 

2  and  3).  The  "  Blanche  "  remained  in  this  position 
one  night,  and  the  following  day  retraced  her  way 
without  having  made  any  nearer  approach,  leaving  the 
configuration  of  the  eastern  shores  of  New  Guinea  still 
unknown ;  but  arriving  at  the  same  intelligent  con- 
clusion as  D'Urville,  that  the  south-east  extremity  of 
New  Guinea  was  formed  of  a  number  of  high  islands. 

The  state  of  knowledge  previous  to  the  visit  of  the 
"  Basilisk "  as  to  the  supposed  shape  of  South-East 
New  Guinea  will  be  evident  on  referring  to  the  map 
attached  to  this  book. 

Captain  Owen  Stanley,  deceived,  doubtless,  by 
the  configuration  of  the  land,  laid  down  the  great 
range  of  mountains  which  bears  his  name  for  thirty 
miles  farther  to  the  eastward  than  it  actually  extends, 
and  marked  a  point  of  land,  indistinctly  seen  by  him, 
as  the  south-eastern  extremity  of  Papua — a  point  after- 
wards found  by  us  to  be  no  part  of  the  mainland,  but 
existing  as  a  small  island  some  thirty  miles  from  the 
mainland  of  New  Guinea. 

Of  the  north-east  shores  of  New  Guinea  from  East 
Cape,  as  since  laid  down  by  us,  and  shown  by  the 
accompanying  map,  no  knowledge  existed,  nor  is 
there  any  record  of  their  ever  having  been  seen  by  a 
white  man,  till  a  point  is  reached,  190  miles  as  the 
crow  flies,  to  the  west.  There  land  was  indistinctly 
seen  from  a  distance  by  D'Entrecasteaux,  and  named 
by  him  Cape  Sud  Est,  by  a  mistake,  as  this  position 
falls  in  reality  twelve  miles  inland  on  the  mountain 
range  which  rises  there,  and  was  doubtless  believed 


180  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xn. 

by  D'Entrecasteaux  to  be  the  coast-line.  Beyond  this 
a  blank  succeeded,  which  was  unbroken  for  forty 
miles,  till  another  high  point  of  land,  seen  indistinctly 
by  D'Entrecasteaux,  and  named  by  him  Eichie  Is- 
land, was  marked  on  the  chart — a  misnomer,  for  no 
island  exists  there,  and  he  had  in  reality  caught  a 
glimpse  of  the  mainland.  This  was  followed  by 
another  blank  of  some  sixty  miles  to  the  west,  when 
Huon  Gulf  was  marked  down,  after  which  the  main- 
land had  been  traced  with  tolerable  accuracy.  The 
D'Entrecasteaux  Islands,  so  named  by  their  discoverer, 
who  had  never  visited  them,  lying  off  the  north-east 
extreme  of  New  Guinea,  were  so  unknown,  that  the 
sailing  directions  supplied  to  us  said  that  they  would 
probably  be  found  to  be  not  islands  but  an  integral 
part  of  New  Guinea. 

The  principal  cause  which  appears  to  have  pre- 
vented navigators  from  nearing  these  unknown  shores, 
has  been  the  enormous  coral  barrier  of  the  Louisiade 
Eeef,  which  extends  from  Teste  Island  to  the  east  for 
200  miles,  and  is  beaten  on  by  an  everlasting  surf,  blown 
on  by  the  S.E.  monsoon  for  eight  months  of  the  year, 
and  set  on  by  strong  currents  which  make  approach 
dangerous.  These  dangers,  and  the  supposed  ferocity 
of  the  natives,  have  caused  the  mariner  to  give  this 
locality  a  wide  berth,  and  prevented  all  attempts  to 
explore  the  eastern  end  of  New  Guinea.  Bongain- 
ville,  even  in  his  distressed  condition,  preferred  to  beat 
to  windward  round  the  entire  Louisiade  group,  rather 
than  seek  for  passage  here,  on  his  way  to  the  Dutch 


CHAP.  xii.  TESTE  ISLAND  AND  BELL  ROCK.  181 

settlements ;  but  my  conviction  was  strong  that  a 
passage  might  be  found,  through  the  Louisiade  Eeef, 
which  would  open  up  a  navigation  between  Australia 
and  North-East  New  Guinea,  and  shorten  the  route 
between  Australia  and  China. 

On  April  9th  we  finally  passed  out  of  surveyed 
waters,  and  steered  for  Teste  Island,  there  to  anchor 
for  the  night. 

Immediately  to  the  west  of  Teste  Island  the  great 
Louisiade  Eeef  sinks  from  the  surface  to  a  depth  of 
ten  or  twelve  fathoms,  and  remains  submerged  for 
more  than  100  miles  to  the  west.  Over  this,  aptly 
named  by  Captain  Stanley  "  The  sunken  Barrier  Eeef 
of  New  Guinea/'  I  intended  to  pass  at  a  point  near 
Teste  Island,  and  take  up  the  survey  from  the  Heath 
Point  of  Captain  Stanley's  survey.  Teste  Island, 
twenty-two  miles  south  of  the  then  supposed  south- 
eastern extremity  of  New  Guinea,  had  been  seen  from 
a  distance  of  six  miles  by  surveying  ships,  and  put  on 
the  chart  by  Captain  Stanley,  but  not  visited.  It  is  a 
narrow  island,  about  two  miles  and  a  half  long,  and  is 
traversed  by  a  line  of  hills  which  rises  into  a  peak  at 
each  end,  and  dips  in  the  centre — the  western  peak 
being  about  500,  and  the  eastern  470,  feet  above  the 
sea.  The  sides  of  the  hills  are  wooded,  and  the  tops 
bare  'and  grassy.  On  the  ridge,  near  the  western  sum- 
mit, standing  alone,  are  two  remarkable  trees  of  great 
size  and  beauty.  I  am  unable  to  name  their  species, 
but  we  were  several  times  struck  with  the  prominence 
of  similar  trees  towering  on  lofty  positions. 


182  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xn. 

In  Teste  Island,  and  Bell  Kock — a  noble  mass  of 
rock  about  two  miles  west  of  it,  which  is  not  more 
than  100  yards  in  circumference,  and  rises  steep  from 
the  sea  to  a  height  of  420  feet,  wooded  wherever  a 
crevice  offers  room  for  a  tree  to  grow — nature  has 
placed  striking  landmarks.  Passing  close  to  this 
splendid  rock  we  saw  many  of  the  natives,  whose 
canoes  were  rocking  on  the  calm  waters  at  its  base, 
perched  like  monkeys  far  up  on  its  rocky  ledges,  wav- 
ing green  branches,  and  making  all  possible  signs  of 
friendship.  We  returned  these  signs,  and  steered  for 
Teste  Island,  from  which  we  must  have  been  early 
seen,  for  numerous  canoes  and  catamarans  came  to  us 
miles  from  the  island,  whose  rowers  did  not  manifest 
any  fear  of  us,  although  an  accident  happened  to  one 
poor  fellow  which  might  have  caused  suspicion.  He 
had  seized  a  fishing-line  which  our  indefatigable  fisher- 
man, Dr.  Goodman,  was  using,  to  save  himself  the 
trouble  of  paddling,  by  being  towed ;  the  hook  caught 
him,  and  his  hands  were  a  good  deal  torn.  Steering 
for  a  grove  of  cocoa-nut  trees  on  the  north  side  of 
Teste  Island  we  found  a  precarious  anchorage  within 
a  cable's  length  of  the  shore. 

The  natives  here  were  similar  in  appearance  to 
those  at  Redscar  and  Port  Moresby.  They  were  shy 
of  coming  on  board  at  first,  but  we  tempted  one  by 
stripes  of  red  cloth,  and  I  went  down  into  a  catamaran 
to  assure  his  friends,  after  which  they  crowded  on 
board  —  copper-coloured  intelligent -looking  people, 
who  number  about  300  souls.  We  made  up  a  party 


CHAP.  xii.  NATIVES  OF  TESTE  ISLAND.  183 

to  visit  their  village,  and  they  received  us  in  a  friendly 
manner,  taking  us  by  the  hands  as  we  stepped  on  shore, 
and  so  leading  us  the  distance  of  two  miles  to  their 
villages  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  island. 

Teste  Island  is  rich  in  soil,  and  well  cultivated 
in  parts,  and  its  backbone,  of  high  grassy  hills,  slopes 
away  at  either  side  into  fine  cocoa-nut  groves,  and 
fenced-in  plantations  of  fruits  and  vegetables,  suffi- 
cient to  feed  three  times  the  number  of  inhabitants. 
The  houses,  which  are  large,  and  are  kept  clean  and 
neat,  are  simply  wooden  frames  thatched  over.  I  cannot 
better  describe  their  appearance  than  by  asking  you  to 
think  of  a  large  clothes-basket  as  inverted  and  placed 
upon  poles  six  feet  high,  the  basket  to  be  forty  feet 
long  by  twelve  wide,  with  a  floor  laid  four  feet  below 
its  rim,  neatly  covered  with  mats.  We  found  distinct 
traces  of  devil-worship  here — a  thing  unknown  in  our 
after  experience  of  New  Guinea.  The  people  pos- 
sessed small  ugly  figures,  carved  on  sticks  and  bowls, 
of  hard  wood,  which  by  signs  they  made  us  under- 
stand had  great  power.  These  things  were  all  in  the 
keeping  of  the  women,  with  whom  we  found  it  im- 
possible to  trade,  whilst  the  men  were  ready  to  give 
us  all  they  possessed  for  our  red  cloth  and  knives ; 
that  is,  with  one  exception,  for  it  was  hard  to  induce 
them  to  part  with  their  ornaments  made  from  the 
bones  of  slain  enemies.  These  consisted  of  bracelets 
of  human  jaw-bones  and  spiral  rings,  and  as  we  ex- 
amined these  they  made  us  understand,  in  a  boastful 
way,  that  they  had  eaten  their  first  owners. 


184  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP,  xn 

The  skulls  of  these  unfortunates  were  also  hung 
up  in  numbers  in  the  villages.  We  made  a  collection 
of  wooden  swords  and  clubs,  and  then  returned  to  the 
ship  by  a  course  which  took  us  nearly  all  round  the 
island,  and  kept  us  scrambling  over  volcanic  rocks  all 
the  way,  so  that  we  were  heartily  ready  for  a  plunge 
into  the  cool  water  when  we  reached  the  coral  beach 
where  our  boats  lay  at  anchor. 

From  our  anchorage  at  Teste  Island,  the  blue  out- 
line of  the  supposed  New  Guinea  coast  showed  to  the 
north  at  twenty  miles'  distance.  Anxiously  I  'scanned 
it  for  some  indication  of  its  character,  and  drew  com- 
fort from  its  lofty  appearance,  for  it  was  a  bold  honest 
outline,  not  a  mass  of  swamp  and  reef. 

Hoping  for  the  best,  we  left  Teste  Island,  and 
steered  for  what  was  marked  on  the  chart  as  the 
"  south-east  extremity  of  Papua,  indistinctly  seen," 
and  distant  from  Teste  Island  about  twenty-two  miles, 
laying  down  a  line  of  soundings  as  we  went,  and 
having  occasional  false  alarms  of  shoal  water,  which 
proved  only  to  be  tide-rips.  As  we  neared  our  des- 
tination, we  found  to  our  surprise  that  the  so-called 
"  south-east  extremity "  was  nothing  but  a  point  on 
an  island,  which  evidently  made  one  of  a  group  of 
small  lofty  islands  lying  about  a  mile  off  what  we 
were  now  led  to  suppose  was  the  true  east  extremity 
of  Papua. 

The  weather  now  came  on  thick  and  squally,  so 
we  sought  for  an  anchorage  in  a  large  bay  some  twelve 
miles  to  the  westward  of  the  island,  which  fortunately 


CHAP.  xii.     NATIVES  OP  MAINLAND  OF  NEW  GUINEA.        185 

answered  our  expectations,  and  took  up  a  sheltered 
berth  under  what  we  now  believed  to  be  the  mainland 
of  New  Guinea.  The  southward  land  of  the  bay 
having  somewhat  the  appearance  of  an  island,  our 
boats  were  sent  to  explore,  and  found  it  was  such, 
the  officer  reporting  it  to  be  a  small  island  about  two 
miles  in  length,  separated  from  the  mainland  by  a 
channel  only  a  quarter  of  a  mile  broad. 

Our  anchor  was  scarcely  let  go  before,  from  the 
villages  on  the  sandy  shore  of  the  bay,  and  from  the 
newly-found  islets,  canoes  of  all  sizes  issued  and 
hovered  about  us  at  a  distance.  We  turned  all  our 
attention  to  gain  the  good-will  of  our  visitors,  knowing 
how  much  our  future  success  depended  on  it,  but  for 
more  than  an  hour  all  our  peaceable  signs  and  baits  of 
bright-coloured  cloths  were  unavailing.  The  men,  in 
some  sixteen  or  twenty  large  canoes,  armed  with  spears 
and  stone  tomahawks,  sometimes  made  a  few  strokes 
with  their  paddles  as  if  they  would  venture  along- 
side, but  their  hearts  always  failed  them,  and  they 
stopped  and  anxiously  scanned  our  every  movement, 
ready  for  instant  flight.  At  last,  when  we  despaired 
of  success,  four  men  in  one  of  the  small  canoes  were 
induced  to  come  near  enough  to  receive  our  presents 
on  the  extreme  ends  of  the  paddles.  They  came  still 
closer,  and  at  last  one  bold  islander,  enticed  by  many 
presents,  and  encouraged  by  much  patting  on  the  back, 
with,  "  Come  along,  old  fellow  ! "  slowly  climbed  the 
ladder,  and  stood  on  our  quarter-deck,  looking  scared, 
and  squeezing  his  nose  spasmodically  with  one  fore- 


186  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xn. 

finger  and  thumb,  and  his  navel  with  the  other. 
Guessing  it  might  mean  some  form  of  salutation,  we 
all  responded  in  the  same  fashion.  The  sight  was 
most  ludicrous,  but  the  effect  was  instantaneous ;  the 
scared  look  gave  place  to  one  of  delight  as  he  looked 
round,  and  his  confidence  was  complete.  Rejoicing 
in  our  discovery,  we  all  stood  on  the  gangways,  and 
so  displayed  our  knowledge  that  we  made  friends  of 
the  whole  crowd.  The  only  difficulty  after  this  was 
to  keep  our  new  friends  out  of  the  ship.  It  was  dark 
before  they  left  us  that  evening  to  quiet  and  consider- 
ation of  the  friendly  intercourse  of  the  day,  so  unex- 
pected by  us  after  the  reports  we  had  heard  of  the 
ferocity  of  these  people.  Their  surprise  was  always 
great  on  first  coming  on  board  at  the  size  of  the  deck, 
and  at  all  they  saw,  particularly  at  the  brass  rails 
and  glass  hatchway  coverings,  and  they  expressed  it 
by  a  peculiar  inarticulate  sound.  Our  first  visitors  at 
a  new  place  would  come  up  the  ladder  by  degrees, 
and  peeping  through  the  gangway,  return  to  their 
canoes,  telling  the  others  what  they  had  seen;  then 
others  would  steal  up,  till  at  last  one  more  bold  than 
the  rest  would  venture  on  deck.  One  of  us  would 
take  him  by  the  hand  and  lead  him  forward  to  look  at 
the  wonders  of  the  ship,  and  he  would  then  return  to 
his  companions,  bring  them  up  and  (evidently  proud  of 
his  position)  lead  them  forward,  and  show  them  what 
he  himself  had  seen.  It  was  with  great  difficulty  we 
could  get  them  to  approach  the  sheep  we  had  on  board 
— they  appeared  to  think  them  ferocious.  It  appeared 


CHAP.  xn.  INTERCOURSE  WITH  NATIVES.  187 

to  afford  them  great  amusement  to  watch  us  at  meals ; 
and  they  would  sit  in  a  circle  round  the  wardroom 
skylight,  pointing  at  us,  and  occasionally  roaring  with 
laughter,  and  afterwards  they  might  be  seen  relating 
the  details  of  the  meal  to  their  companions,  and  imi- 
tating our  use  of  the  knife  and  fork.  They  were  wil- 
ling to  take  anything  that  came  from  the  ship  in  the 
way  of  barter ;  cocked-hats  manufactured  out  of  news- 
papers had  a  great  run  for  a  short  time ;  pictures  they 
seemed  slow  to  comprehend,  but  would  take  them. 
Hoop-iron,  however,  was  always  in  the  greatest  de- 
mand from  the  time  we  first  offered  it,  and  thus  this 
anchorage  came  to  be  named  "  Hoop-iron  Bay."  The 
price  of  a  pig  varied  here  from  one  to  three  trade 
hatchets;  and,  as  a  proof  of  the  honesty  of  the  vendors, 
it  should  be  told  that  a  pig  which  had  been  bought  in 
the  daytime  and  had  jumped  overboard  at  night  and 
was  drowned,  was  brought  to  us  by  a  canoe  in  the 
morning.  From  henceforth  in  New  Guinea  iron-hoop 
became  the  standard  of  value ;  for  these  natives,  unlike 
those  at  Kobert  Hall  Sound  and  Kedscar  Bay,  were 
alive  to  the  value  of  iron — some  few  carefully  pre- 
served specimens  of  which,  in  the  shape  of  sharpened 
bolts  and  spike-nails,  we  found  scattered  in  most  of 
their  villages.  These  relics  were  probably  obtained 
from  the  eastern  islands  of  the  Louisiade  Group,  where 
ships  are  known  to  have  been  wrecked,  and  with  whose 
inhabitants  intercourse  is  probably  held  by  means  of 
the  large  trading  canoes  hailing  from  New  Guinea, 
which  were  frequently  met  by  us  at  sea. 


188  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xn. 

The  iron  hoop  and  scrap  iron  had  the  most  value 
in  their  eyes,  for  it  was  readily  shaped  into  the  form 
of  their  stone  hatchets  and  fitted  into  the  handles,  so 
all  Her  Majesty's  iron  hoop  on  board  was  served  out 
in  equal  proportions  to  the  various  messes,  and  our 
men  were  enabled  to  purchase  an  abundant  supply  of 
yams,  fruits,  and  pigs.  The  natives  here  are  a  small,' 
active,  copper-coloured  race,  with  frizzled  hair  standing 
out  a  foot  from  their  heads,  and  similar  in  appearance 
to  those  at  Port  Moresby.  They  paint  and  adorn 
themselves  in  a  hideous  manner,  principally  with  black 
and  white  pigments,  shells,  strips  of  bark,  and  palm 
leaves.  Cassowary  and  Birds  of  Paradise  head-dresses 
were  commonly  worn ;  and  they,  as  well  as  the  Teste 
Islanders,  wear  the  bones  of  their  devoured  enemies  as 
bracelets.  Some  of  the  men  had  the  entire  body 
blackened  with  a  mixture  of  charcoal  and  cocoa-nut 
oil ;  and  they  made  us  understand  that  this  was  done 
as  mourning  for  the  death  of  a  relation.  They  ap- 
peared to  treat  their  women  kindly,  and  permitted 
them  to  have  their  say  in  bartering,  and  to  meet  us 
freely.  The  good  feeling  shown  towards  us  by  these 
poor  savages  was  an  unspeakable  comfort  to  me,  for 
every  reason;  not  the  least  being,  that  any  hostility  on 
their  part  would  have  hindered  or  even  stopped  our 
work. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

DISCOVER  MORESBY  ISLAND  —  VIEW  OF  D' ENTREC ASTEAUX  GROUP  FROM 
CAPE  LOOK-OUT — FRESH  WATER  FISH — TONS  OF  YAMS  BOUGHT  FOR  IKON 
HOOP — TRADING  CANOES  COME  FROM  THE  EAST — FIND  A  NEW  STRAIT, 
AND  CUT  OFF  "BASILISK  "  ISLAND  FROM  NEW  GUINEA — DISCOVER  CHINA 
STRAITS  AND  HAYTER  ISLAND. 

EARLY  on  Good  Friday  morning,  Mr.  Mourilyan  and 
I  started  to  climb  to  the  top  of  the  island  under 
which  we  were  anchored — to  a  height  of  600  feet,  for 
the  purpose  of  taking  angles.  From  the  ship,  O'Neill 
Island  as  we  named  it,  appeared  a  precipitous  ascent, 
crowned  at  the  summit  of  the  highest  peak  by  one 
large  and  graceful  tree,  which  forms  a  good  landmark 
here,  and  covered  with  what  seemed  a  soft  velvety 
emerald  grass.  How  deceitful  was  this  latter  appear- 
ance !  This  velvety  sward  proved  to  be  coarse,  sharp- 
edged,  thickly  interwoven  grass,  from  ten  to  fourteen 
feet  high.  Our  party — Mr.  Mourilyan,  the  coxswain, 
two  of  the  boat's  crew,  and  I — landed  at  a  spot  clear 
of  the  village,  so  as  to  avoid  delay  from  the  natives, 
pushed  our  way  through  a  belt  of  scrub,  and  found 
ourselves  amongst  this  grass.  We  faced  the  perpe- 
tually rising  grass  wall  boldly,  thinking,  at  first,  that 
every  step  would  show  us  daylight  beyond,  but  it  was 
no  short  work  that  lay  before  us.  Our  plan  was  for 
the  leading  man  of  the  party  to  throw  himself  bodily 
forward,  and  press  the  grass  down  with  his  dead- 


190  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xm. 

weight,  pick  himself  up,  and  repeat  the  operation ;  and 
we  relieved  each  other  at  this  post  at  very  short  inter- 
vals. We  were  soon  all  bleeding  from  the  sharpness 
of  the  grass ;  the  want  of  circulation  of  air  between 
our  grassy  walls,  and  the  fierceness  of  the  sun  also, 
tried  us  sorely.  The  coxswain,  a  fine  powerful  man, 
became  exhausted,  and  we  left  him  behind  in  charge 
of  one  of  the  men,  and  struggled  on,  till  after  about 
two  hours  of  effort  we  stood  under  the  noble  tree, 
with  clothes  cut  into  rags,  and  skin  not  much  better, 
but  still  there,  which  was  worth  it  all.  After  a  little 
rest  we  climbed  the  stately  trunk,  and  were  able  to 
look  down  on  our  grassy  enemy  from  its  branches. 
The  glorious  prospect  before  us  took  all  our  thoughts ; 
but  what  was  this  ?  There  lay  the  south-east  end  of 
New  Guinea  with  its  great  mountain  chain,  cleft  sud- 
denly in  twain  by  a  bright  blue  thread  that  lay  across 
it !  We  thought  our  eyes  must  be  playing  us  false— 
that  it  could  not  be  water,  but  was  perhaps  a  blue  mist 
lying  in  a  deep  valley,  or  a  river.  It  was  only  visible 
in  parts  between  the  hills;  but  the  valley  through 
which  it  passed  afforded  an  opening  by  which  the  sea 
was  visible  on  the  other  side,  running  up  in  a  bay  to 
the  end  of  this  blue  strait,  if  strait  it  was ;  and  this 
made  us  exclaim  "  We  have  not  yet  found  the  true 
south-east  extreme  of  New  Guinea."  Having  taken  a 
round  of  angles,  we  descended  easily  by  our  beaten 
track,  found  Jenkins  all  right,  and  went  on  board  to 
discuss  our  hot-cross  buns.  Then  came  Divine  service 
as  befitted  the  day ;  and  after  the  men  had  dined,  Mr. 


CHAP.  xiii.  SOUTH-EAST  OF  NEW  GUINEA.  191 

Mourilyan  and  I  left  the  ship  to  make  sure  of  the  new 
discovery.  There  it  was,  plain  to  be  seen,  a  noble 
strait,  contracting  in  one  part  to  a  width  of  about  a 
quarter  of  a  mile,  and  expanding  to  that  of  three  or 
four  miles  of  deep  navigable  water,  unmarked  by  reefs, 
sprinkle'd  with  islets,  leading  through  from  sea  to  sea. 
It  was  flanked  on  both  sides  by  mountains  covered 
with  forest,  that  rose  steep  from  the  water's  edge 
to  a  height  of  1400  or  1500  feet,  and  were 
broken  into  picturesque  valleys  and  gorges.  A  fierce 
tide  ran  through  Fortescue  Straits,  as  we  named  them, 
causing  an  overfall  dangerous  for  boats  in  the  narrow 
parts.  These  straits  cut  off  nearly  fourteen  miles  from 
New  Guinea,  and  gave  us  Moresby  Island.  Our  south- 
east cape  of  the  day  before  was  now  proved  to  be  a 
point  not  on  the  mainland  but  on  Moresby  Island. 
On  Saturday  12th  we  began  a  running  survey  of  our 
discoveries.  My  first  object  was  to  examine  Fortescue 
Straits,  with  the  hope  that  they  would  prove  a  navi- 
gable channel  by  which  we  could  pass  to  the  north 
side  of  New  Guinea ;  and  if  found  such,  it  occurred  to 
me  that  I  might  be  able  to  point  out  a  new  and 
shorter  route  between  Australia  and  China,  as  well  as 
open  up  the  northern  shores  of  New  Guinea  to  trade. 
It  was  therefore  with  an  exhilarated  feeling  that  I 
satisfied  myself  that  the  "Basilisk"  could  be  taken 
through  Fortescue  Straits. 

Easter  Sunday  brought  us  some  welcome  rest,  but 
not  silence,  for  all  day  long  the  ship  was  surrounded 
by  canoes  filled  with  men,  women,  and  children,  who 


192  NEW  GUINEA. 


CHAP.  XIII. 


kept  up  a  Babel  of  sound.  On  Easter  Monday  we 
made  an  early  start,  and  left  Hoop-iron  Bay,  to  the 
great  regret  of  our  new  friends,  amongst  whose  villages 
our  officers  and  men  had  gone  freely.  Taking  the  ship 
through  the  narrow  waters  lying  between  O'Neill  and 
Moresby  Islands,  we  turned  sharp  to  the  northward, 
and  entered  Fortescue  Straits,  through  which  the  tide 
was  rushing  fast. 

The  broad  waters  of  the  great  bay  into  which  the 
straits  opened,  showed  plain  before  us,  studded  over 
with  islets  that  seemed  asleep  in  a  great  calm.  The 
variety  of  the  tints  seen  in  northern  climes  alone,  was 
wanting  to  make  the  colouring  of  this  landscape  as 
perfect  as  its  form.  We  could  scarcely  believe  that 
such  beauties  had  been  hidden  from  European  eyes 
till  now.  The  "  Basilisk  "  had  to  do  her  best  to  stem 
the  tide,  for  we  had  chosen  the  time  when  it  should  be 
against  us,  to  avoid  the  greater  danger  of  being  sud- 
denly carried  into  unknown  reefs.  On  clearing  the 
straits,  I  congratulated  myself  on  gaining  the  open  sea 
safely,  and  had  left  the  deck  for  a  few  minutes  when 
the  sound  of  "  Three  fathoms ! "  called  from  the  chains, 
brought  me  quickly  on  deck,  to  find  that  we  had 
passed  into  a  labyrinth  of  reefs.  On  one  of  them  we 
struck,  but  fortunately  passed  over.  Keefs  and 
broken  water  now  appeared  in  all  directions  round ; 
but  we  found  our  way  to  a  snug  anchorage  off  a  good- 
sized  inhabited  island,  named  by  us  "  Carrie  Island," 
at  the  northern  extreme  of  Fortescue  Straits ;  and,  as 
soon  as  the  ship  swung  to  her  anchor,  sent  all  our 


CHAP.  xm.  SURVEYING  DISAPPOINTMENTS.  193 

boats  away  to  search  for  a  channel  through  the  reefs. 
Our  disappointment  at  meeting  these  reefs  was  keen, 
as  their  presence  threatened  to  make  the  Straits  almost 
valueless  from  a  practical  point  of  view,  and  the  more 
we  laboured  the  more  reefs  we  found ;  and  of  a  par- 
ticularly dangerous  kind — small  detached  masses,  from 
twenty  to  a  hundred  yards  in  circumference,  with  deep 
water  channels  between,  scattered  about  everywhere, 
like  flowers  in  a  flower-bed.  I  was  not  without  hopes 
of  picking  out  a  safe  channel  for  the  few  miles  needful, 
and  of  finding  it  lead  speedily  into  a  clear  sea.  I  was 
possessed  with  a  sense  of  the  importance  of  finding  a 
passage  round  the  east  end  of  New  Guinea,  and  believ- 
ing then  in  the  general  report  of  a  vast  extent  of  reefs 
barring  the  sea  to  the  east  of  the  land  just  found  by  us 
to  be  an  island,  I  based  all  my  hopes  of  finding  a  pas- 
sage on  this  strait.  All,  however,  was  in  vain.  The  most 
diligent  search  only  proved  that  no  safe  outlet  existed 
through  the  reefs  that  blocked  the  northern  entrance 
of  Fortescue  Straits. 

Almost  despairing  of  taking  the  ship  through  to 
the  northern  shores  of  New  Guinea  in  the  limited 
time  at  my  disposal,  I  resolved  to  make  such  surveys 
as  were  possible  in  the  boats,  which  unfortunately  were 
of  the  most  useless  description  supplied  to  H.M.  ships. 
A  slow,  heavy,  eight-oared  cutter,  and  my  galley,  which 
was  a  fast  boat,  but  so  lean  at  her  ends  as  to  be  very 
dangerous  in  a  sea-way. 

Leaving  the  ship  anchored  at  Carrie  Island  on 

April  15th,  Mr.  Mourilyan,  Mr.  Pitt,  and  I,  made  an 

o 


194  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  XIH. 

early  start  in  the  galley  and  cutter,  to  survey  the 
north  and  east  shores  of  Moresby  Island.  We  com- 
pleted a  running  survey  of  the  northern  shores,  which 
extend  about  twelve  miles  east  and  west,  before  even- 
ing, and  found  it  strewn  with  villages  built  in  the  usual 
Malay  fashion,  and  surrounded  by  plantations  of  sago- 
palm,  cocoa-nut,  and  other  fruit  trees.  The  abrupt 
hills,  of  which  the  highest  peak,  1326  feet  high,  was 
named  by  us,  "  Fairfax,"  were  covered  with  forest  trees, 
except  on  the  extensive  Cultivated  patches  which  ran 
up  their  sides.  Towards  the  north-east  end  of  the 
island  several  deep  bays  were  passed  which  we  had 
not  time  to  examine;  till,  reaching  the  eastern  ex- 
tremity, I  ascended  a  considerable  hill,  which  I  named 
"  Cape  Look-out,' '  and  anxiously  scanned  the  sea  to 
the  east.  Well  it  seemed  to  justify  its  supposed  dan- 
gers, for  reefs  and  broken  water  abounded.  The  view 
was  very  fine,  and  it  was  a  stirring  thing  to  be  the 
first  to  gaze  on  the  new  groups  of  low  wooded  coral, 
and  lofty  volcanic  islands,  which  thickly  studded  the 
eastern  sea ;  and  turning  north  to  see  the  dark  purple 
D'Entrecasteaux  Islands,  twenty  miles  away,  separate 
their  lofty  heights  from  the  mass  of  New  Guinea,  of 
which  they  had  hitherto  been  often  supposed  an  integral 
part.  To  the  north-west  ran  a  large  extent  of  lofty 
land,  which  I  supposed  then  to  be  a  great  unknown 
island,  and  resolved  if  possible  to  visit.  I  came  down 
deeply  impressed  with  the  vast  amount  of  work  wait- 
ing to  be  done,  and  regretting  the  smallness  of  our 
time  and  means.  As  night  closed  in  we  ran  into  a 


CHAP.  xiii.  PITT  BAY.  195 

capacious  bay,  which  I  named  after  the  midshipman 
in  charge  of  the  cutter,  "  Pitt  Bay ; "  and  landing  on 
the  white  coral  beach  of  a  luxuriant  little  island,  we 
lighted  our  fires,  and  cooked,  and  ate,  and  talked  of 
the  events  of  the  day,  over  our  evening  glass  of  grog, 
till  the  stars  shone  out.  We  were  weary  enough  to 
keep  early  hours,  and  soon  covering  in  the  boats  with 
their  awnings,  and  paddling  out  into  the  bay  beyond 
mosquito  range,  we  resigned  ourselves  to  rest.  The 
softly  lapping  water  was  very  lulling,  but  it  was  not 
easy  to  sleep  at  once.  The  half-pleasing  feeling  of 
loneliness,  which  the  quiet  and  isolation  of  the  spot  was 
sure  to  produce,  the  sense  of  distance  from  home  and 
friends,  speculations  as  to  what  unknown  thing  the 
next  day  would  give  to  our  knowledge,  and  as  to  the 
effect  our  discoveries  might  have  on  the  course  of 
trade,  and  the  future  of  New  Guinea,  refused  to  be  dis- 
missed. One  beautiful  object  was  of  itself  enough  to 
make  one  wakeful — the  reef  over  which  we  lay ;  it 
shone  with  such  a  clear  pale  effulgence,  from  the 
phosphoric  creatures  that  floated  over  it. 

The  following  morning  all  hands  were  turned  up 
as  usual,  and  paddling  to  shore  we  lit  our  fires  and 
cooked  breakfast.  Then  arms  were  cleaned  and 
inspected,  morning  prayers  read,  and  we  were  ready 
to  work.  During  the  night  I  had  noticed  that  a  con- 
siderable body  of  the  tide  escaped  through  a  narrow 
opening  into  what  seemed  to  be  a  part  of  Moresby 
Island,  so  we  first  explored  this  creek,  which  was 
scarcely  wide  enough  to  admit  the  passage  of  the 


196  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xm. 

boats,  even  when  using  native  paddles  instead  of  oars, 
and  found  that  it  cut  off  a  considerable  piece  of  land 
from  Moresby  Island,  and  led  us  out  on  the  south- 
eastern shores.  Here  a  multitude  of  islands,  dotted 
with  picturesque  villages,  of  channels,  creeks,  and 
wooded  bays,  formed  a  fairy  archipelago,  which  it  was 
not  easy  to  place  on  paper.  It  was  a  living  picture, 
too,  for  many  natives  were  fishing  on  the  reefs,  and 
paddling  about  in  their  graceful  canoes.  We  spent  as 
much  time  as  we  could  here ;  but  it  was  important 
that  we  should  explore  the  strange  land  seen  from 
Cape  Look-out  to  the  north-west,  so  having  joined  the 
outline  of  Moresby  Island  to  the  point  where  we  had 
fixed  it  in  the  ship,  we  turned  our  faces  towards  the 
"  Basilisk ; "  landing  on  the  way,  that  these  eastern 
natives  might  know  something  of  us,  at  a  large  village, 
at  the  head  of  a  fine  deep  bay.  We  were  few  in  num- 
ber, and  its  inhabitants  might  easily  have  attacked  us 
had  they  been  so  disposed ;  but  they  received  us  with 
the  greatest  cordiality ;  making  the  usual  absurd  sign 
of  welcome,  and  our  men  strolled  about,  feeling  quite 
at  home,  taking  care  of  course  not  to  separate  from 
each  other,  and  to  be  pleasant  with  the  natives.  Mr. 
Mourilyan  and  I  were  taken  by  the  villagers  to  a  fine 
mountain  stream,  with  deep  pools,  that  contained  fine 
fresh  water  fish,  some  of  which  were  a  pound  in  weight. 
They  also  let  us  have  a  large  supply  of  yams,  cocoa-nuts, 
and  a  pig  for  our  trade.  A  strong  favourable  breeze 
brought  us  back  to  the  ship  at  Carrie  Island  in  the 
evening,  where  I  found  that  all  was  well,  and  that  so 


CHAP.  xni.  GREAT  SUPPLY  OF  YAMS.  197 

extensive  a  trade  had  been  opened  up  with  the  natives 
that  several  tons  of  yams  had  been  bought  for  hoop- 
iron — a  grand  supply  of  farinaceous  food.  During  our 
absence  the  ship  had  been  visited  by  some  trading 
canoes  of  large  size  which  came  from  the  east — we 
supposed  from  some  of  the  Louisiade  group.  The 
natives  appeared  to  fear  these  new-comers,  and  hid 
away  till  they  were  gone,  making  signs  to  us  on  their 
return,  that  they  were  bad  men. 

The  two  following  days  were  devoted  to  attempts 
to  find  a  safe  passage  by  which  the  ship  might  pass  to 
the  north  end  of  Fortescue  Straits,  but  the  discovery  of 
reefs  after  reefs,  with  no  anchorage  near  them,  compelled 
me  at  last  to  give  up  this  hope,  and  to  fall  back  on  our 
boats  for  the  proposed  expedition  to  the  land  seen  to 
the  north-west.  This  was  rather  a  serious  undertaking, 
but  officers  and  men  were  willing  workers ;  the  weather 
appeared  settled,  and  I  resolved  to  attempt  it.  My 
chief  anxiety  was  with  respect  to  the  conduct  of  the 
natives  we  might  meet ;  they  were,  however,  certain  to 
be  unacquainted  with  firearms,  and  the  mere  report  of 
a  gun  would  probably  be  sufficient  to  ensure  our  safety. 
Having  provisioned  and  stored  our  boats  for  a  week's 
cruise,  a  supply  which  was  as  much  as  we  could  con- 
veniently carry,  we  made  an  early  start  on  April  1 9th 
leaving  the  ship  still  at  anchor  off  Carrie  Island ;  Mr. 
Mourilyan  being  with  me  in  the  galley,  and  Mr.  Mudge, 
boatswain,  in  charge  of  the  cutter,  and  made  sail  to 
the  north-west,  for  the  lofty  unknown  land  seen  in 
that  direction.  Towards  noon  it  fell  a  dead  calm,  with 


198  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  XIH. 

no  signs  of  a  coming  breeze,  and  by  this  time  we  had 
opened  an  extensive   bay  about   ten   miles   west  of 
Fortescue  Straits,  which,  it  was  evident  from  its  depth, 
must  nearly  unite  with  the  sea  on  the  south  side  of 
New  Guinea.    I  should  have  passed  on  had  there  been 
any  wind,  but  the  importance  of  giving  the  men  a 
good  night's  rest  decided  me  to  pull  in  south  and  ex- 
amine this  bay,,  which  seemed  to  extend  about  twelve 
miles  from  east  to  west,  by  five  or  six  miles  in  breadth, 
and  was  studded  over  with  wooded  islets.    Nearing  its 
southern  shores  we  looked  sharply  for  an  opening  in 
the  neck  of  land,  a  southern  entrance  to  the  bay,  and 
every  moment  our  impression  strengthened  that  we 
were  cutting  off  another  island  from   the  supposed 
length  of  New  Guinea ;  there  certainly  could  not  be 
half-a-mile  of  land  lying  between  us  and  the  Southern 
Sea  now,  as  we  stood  towards  a  sharp  range  of  wooded 
hills.     These  hills  were  five  or  six  hundred  feet  high, 
covered  with  thick  forest,  and  sank  in  one  or  two 
places  to  the  height  of  about  150  feet;  I  resolved  to 
try  and  reach  the    summit  of  the  highest  of  them. 
Presently  two  overlapping  points  seemed  to  separate, 
and  through  an  opening,  at  first  not  bigger  than  a 
window,  we  saw  the  distant  horizon.     Expressions  of 
wonder  passed  freely  round — there  lay  a  narrow  strait 
before  us,  uniting  the  waters  of  the  bay  to  the  broad 
blue  Southern  Sea,  and  cutting  off  ten  or  twelve  miles 
more  from  the  supposed  length  of  New  Guinea.     It 
looked  as  though  a  giant  had  bitten  a  morsel  out  of 
the  narrow  ridge  of  mountains  that  ran  along  the  neck 


CHAP.  xin.  FIND  A  NEW  STRAIT.  199 

of  land,  and  let  the  sea  sweep  through.  Being  anxious 
to  explore  this  discovery  before  dark,  which  was  just  ap- 
proaching, the  men  gave  way  with  a  will,  forgetting  their 
fatigue,  and  we  entered  these  fairy-like  straits,  about 
a  hundred  yards  wide,  to  which  dark  steep  hills  came 
down  on  each  side.  Numerous  canoes  were  fishing 
in  quiet  coves  off  the  straits.  The  crews  of  which 
paddled  wildly  for  shore,  and  disappeared  in  the  bush 
at  our  approach.  We  had  no  time  to  land  and  con- 
ciliate them,  but  pushed  on  through  this  remarkably 
beautiful  opening  into  the  great  Southern  Sea. 

We  had  separated  another  island  from  New 
Guinea,  and  found  ourselves  now  in  an  open  bay,  near 
a  large  village,  on  the  shores  of  the  newly  discovered 
island,  the  inhabitants  of  which  were  watching  us  with 
intense  interest.  We  were  anxious  to  find  if  this  narrow 
opening  would  afford  a  passage  for  the  ship,  and  spent 
the  remainder  of  daylight  in  examining  it ;  but  a  rocky 
ledge,  which  ran  across,  barred  it  to  ships,  and  made 
it  dangerous  even  for  boats  at  the  strength  of  the  tide, 
the  overfall  of  pent-up  water  was  so  great.  The  island, 
now  added  to  the  map,  formed  three  sides  of  a  hollow 
square  open  to  the  west,  its  length  being  about  nine 
miles  east  and  west,  and  its  greatest  breadth  about 
eight  miles  on  the  east,  where  it  formed  the  western 
boundary  of  Fortescue  Straits.  We  named  it  after  our 
good  ship  "Basilisk;"  and  its  highest  peak,  900  feet 
high,  Mount  Goodman,  after  our  worthy  Doctor.  The 
soil  is  generally  poor,  and  it  contained  only  three  vil- 
lages, but  Mount  Goodman  is  extensively  cultivated. 


200  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xm. 

I  named  the  bay  after  my  coxswain,  Jenkins ;  and 
the  islands   scattered  on  its  broad  bosom  after  the 
boat's  crew — fine  cheerful  young  English  seamen  as 
ever  pulled  an  oar.     We  found  rest  for  the  night  on  a 
little  luxuriant  button  of  an  islet  in  Jenkins  Bay,  a 
high  mound  of  rock  and  earth,  about  thirty  yards  in 
diameter,  and  set  to  work  to  cook ;  it  was  a  good 
spot,  and  our  fire  soon  burned  cheerily.     The  place 
swarmed  with  pigeons,  of  which  Mr.  Mourilyan  shot  a 
goodly  bag,  that  vastly  assisted  our  supper ;  and  here 
I  may  remark  that  the  quantity  of  fresh  food  procured 
by  our  guns  had  certainly  an  influence  on  the  health 
of  the  boats'  crews  employed  in  detached  work.     We 
hauled  our  boats  off  after  supper,  and  anchored  just 
over  the  exquisite  grottoes,  and  bright-painted  gardens 
of  a  South  Sea  coral-bed.     Every  fragile  branch  and 
blossom  shimmered  up  through  the  still  water  in  in- 
tense  moonlight,    and   little   fishes    glided   between, 
azure-blue,  purple,  crimson,  and  golden — beautiful  as 
rainbows.     But  there  were  creatures  yet  more  lovely 
— small  animalcules,  that  shot  about  like  flashes  of 
living  light.      Literally  like  living  light,  and  more 
beautiful  than  I  can  describe,  are  these  little  phos- 
phoric things,  which  do  not  emit  a  steady  ray  but 
seem  to  palpitate  light.     When  seen  quiescent  they 
look  like  tiny  motes  of  silver,  then  they  throb,  and 
throb,  swelling  larger,  and  brighter,  with  every  effort, 
and  stream  away  at  last  in  a  train  of  splendour.     We 
finished  our  evening  with  an  impromptu  penny-read- 
ing, followed  by  many  songs,  and  as  the  last  notes 


CHAP.  xin.  DISCOVER  CHINA  STKAITS.  201 

died  away  in  silence,  we  stretched  ourselves  on  the 
thwarts  and  oars  to  sleep. 

Next  morning  was  Sunday ;  and  up  to  this  time 
we  had  always,  when  possible,  made  a  point  of  keeping 
Sunday  as  a  day  of  rest,  but  as  a  ship  prosecutes  her 
voyage  on  Sunday  so  our  boats  had  now  to  go  on  with 
their  work.  After  reading  the  proper  morning  prayers, 
we  continued  to  track  Jenkins  Bay  round,  and  watch 
for  what  it  would  develop  ;  and  the  farther  we  went 
the  more  the  formation  of  the  land  led  us  to  suppose 
that  even  now  we  had  not  found  the  real  terminating 
point  of  New  Guinea.  After  pulling  six  or  seven 
miles  to  the  west,  we  found  our  conjectures  verified 
by  the  discovery  of  a  clear  broad  blue  channel,  two 
miles  wide,  leading  fair  from  sea  to  sea — fit  for  a  fleet 
to  pass  through  under  sail.  Our  hearts  filled  with 
delight  and  wonder  as  we  looked.  There  and  then 
I  named  it  China  Straits ;  the  wish  being  father  to  the 
thought,  that  I  had  found  a  new  highway  between 
Australia  and  China. 

Before  reaching  China  Straits  our  fresh  water  had 
all  been  used,  and  our  efforts  to  find  a  supply  on 
shore  had  failed ;  for  there  are  no  villages  in  Jenkins 
Bay.  To  get  water  was  a  necessity,  so  seeing  one  of 
the  large  trading  canoes  standing  in  for  China  Straits, 
we  gave  chase,  to  the  great  alarm  of  its  crew,  who 
numbered  about  fifteen,  and  had  several  women  and 
children  on  board.  There  was  no  wind,  so  we  soon 
came  alongside,  and  when  the  astonished  creatures 
found  that  we  meant  no  harm,  they  gladly  supplied  us 


202  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xin. 

with  water  from  cocoa-nuts,  the  orifices  of  which  were 
stopped  with  grass,  and  pointing  to  a  large  village  in 
China  Straits,  made  signs  that  we  could  obtain  plenty 
there.  Accordingly,  we  pulled  in  for  the  western  shore 
of  this  third  new  island,  named  by  us  after  the  senior 
lieutenant,  "  Hayter,"  by  the  discovery  of  which  we  had 
now  cut  off  in  all  forty  miles  from  the  supposed  length 
of  New  Guinea.  As  we  approached  the  village,  which 
was  situated  partly  on  a  small  islet,  and  partly  on  the 
mainland,  to  which  it  was  joined  by  a  reef,  numbers 
of  canoes  came  out  to  meet  us ;  manifesting  some 
doubtfulness,  until  they  had  communicated  with  their 
friends  in  the  large  trading  canoe,  after  which  they 
became  assured,  and  crowded  round  us.  One  old 
bald-headed  fellow  jumped  into  the  galley,  and  pat- 
ting me  in  the  most  friendly  manner  on  the  back,  sat 
himself  down,  and  pointed  the  way  over  the  fringing 
shore  reef  to  the  village,  which  was  large,  and  straggled 
for  more  than  a  mile  round  the  shores.  High  land 
rose  immediately  behind  it ;  the  highest  point  of 
which,  Mount  Haines,  is  about  800  feet  high,  and 
cultivated  in  terraces  to  its  summit. 

Two  or  three  hundred  natives  -waited  our  landing, 
all  of  the  copper-coloured  Malay  type,  carrying  stone 
tomahawks  over  their  shoulders,  but  not  showing  any 
spears,  or  clubs.  Women  and  children  were  amongst 
the  crowd,  so  I  did  not  hesitate  to  land  at  once ;  and 
leaving  half  the  men  to  guard  the  boats,  took  the  rest 
up  to  a  small  stream  shown  us  by  the  natives,  where 
we  got  water — they  carrying  our  barricoes,  and  help- 


CHAP.  xin.  HAYTER  ISLAND  NATIVES. 

ing  us  in  every  possible  way.     This  done  we  began  to 
barter  with  them  for  their  fine  stone  hatchets,  their 
yams,  cocoa-nuts,  and  large  crabs,  with  our  iron  h  oop. 
We  found  the  women,  who  were  more  ugly  than  can 
well    be    described,    with    their    close- cropped    hair> 
blackened  skin,  and  mouths  wholly  disfigured  by  con- 
stant use  of  the  betel-nut,  much  more  difficult  to  trade 
with  than  the  men ;  and  they  would   not  allow  us  to 
go  near  them  as  they  sat  on  the  verandahs  in  front  of 
their  houses. 

The  stone  axes  we  found  here  were  the  most  perfect  / 
specimens  I  have  ever  seen,  and  had  been  clipped  into 
shape,  and  polished  with  a  skill  that  must  have  been 
the  result  of  practice  for  ages.  The  stone  used  was  a 
kind  of  green-stone,  hard,  close-grained,  and  susceptible 
of  high  polish,  but  liable  to  chip  off  in  irregular  scales. 
The  blades  were  some  as  large  as  seven  inches  round 
the  edge,  narrowed  to  three  at  the  hilt,  the  length  from 
edge  to  hilt  was  fifteen  inches,  and  they  tapered  away 
in  a  beautiful  curve  to  a  sharp  edge ;  they  were  set 
into  a  cleft  in  a  handle,  which  described  two  sides  of  a 
triangle,  and  secured  by  stripes  of  rattan.  The  axe 
was  carried  over  the  shoulder.  The  southern  entrance 
to  China  Straits  is  full  of  wooded  islets,  and  to  one  of 
these,  named  by  us  "  Dinner  Islet,"  about  a  mile  in 
length,  and  200  feet  high,  we  went  to  dine,  apart  from 
our  savage  friends ;  but  we  were  followed  there  by  the 
fighting  men  to  the  number  of  about  100.  As  they 
seemed  in  nowise  alarmed  themselves,  we  only  kept  a 
little  more  together,  and  went  on  cooking  our  dinner. 


NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xin. 

We  sat  at  the  edge  of  the  bush,  under   the  shelter 
of  gigantic  banyan  trees,  that  dropped  their  hundred 
roots  into  the  soil  beneath  the  white  coral  sand ;  and 
this  was  a  strategic  position,  for  it  kept  the  natives  in 
our  front,  and  prevented  a  surprise — a  point  I  was 
always  particular  in  guarding,  as  savages  are  never 
wholly  to  be  trusted.     They  squatted  between  us  and 
the  blue  rippling  water,  watching  all  our  proceedings 
with  intense  curiosity,  and  expressed  utter  disgust  on 
tasting  our  dish,  which  was  as    delicious,   according 
to  our  ideas,  as  ever  explorers  sat  to — a  stew  made  of 
preserved  soup  and  potatoes,  salt  pork,  curlew,  and 
pigeons.    As  we  grew  more  friendly,  several  of  our  men 
got  into  the  native  canoes  to  try  their  skill ;  and,  after 
a  few  attempts  at  paddling,  were  ignominiously  cap- 
sised,  to  the  great  amusement  of  the  natives ;  and  the 
rest  of  us  were  surrounded  by  inquiring  groups,  who 
opened  the  breasts  of  our  shirts  and  stroked  our  white 
skin  with  much  wonder  and  admiration.     The  rest  of 
the  day  was  devoted  to  a  cursory  examination   of 
China  Straits,  which  convinced  me  that  the  ship  could 
be  taken  through,  and  I  determined  at  once  to  return 
to  her,  hope  again  reviving  that  I  might  thus  take  her 
round  to  the  unknown  coast-land  to  the  north-west, 
which  was  not  more  than  twelve  miles  distant  from 
China   Straits.      We   were   twenty   miles    from   the 
"Basilisk,"  but  by  dint  of  hard  pulling,  and  favoured 
occasionally  by  a  little  wind,  we  got  back  to  the  ship 
before  midnight,  well  pleased  with  our  discoveries. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

SCENERY  IN  CHINA  STRAITS— TAKE  THE  SHIP  THROUGH — REASONS  FOR  TAKING 
CONDITIONAL  POSSESSION  OF  NEWLY  DISCOVERED  ISLANDS — TAKE  POSSES- 
SION— DISCOVER  MILNE  BAY — PANIC  AT  DISCOVERY  BAY — REMARKABLE 
WAR  CANOES — FIRST  TOMB  SEEN  IN  NEW  GUINEA — KILLERTON  GROUP — 
DOG  SACRIFICE — SPLENDID  TREES — NORTH  SHORE  OF  MILNE  BAY — FIND 
THE  TRUE  EAST  CAPE  OF  NEW  GUINEA. 

ON  the  morning  of  the  21st  we  got  the  ship  under 
weigh,  and  took  her  through  Fortescue  Straits,  now 
so  completely  thrown  into  the  shade,  and  passing  to 
the  westward  along  the  southern  shores  of  Basilisk  and 
Hayter  Islands,  found,  as  I  expected,  a  fine  clear  pas- 
sage leading  into  China  Straits.  We  dropped  anchor 
in  a  bay  on  the  western  shores  of  Hayter  Island,  and 
looked  round  on  the  beautiful  scene  revealed  to  us  with 
a  sanguine  trust  that  our  hopes  of  finding  the  desired 
passage  were  at  last  to  be  realised. 

The  southern  entrance  to  China  Straits  is  guarded 
by  Heath  Island — a  bold  lofty  island,  1000  feet  high 
at  its  highest  point,  and  five  miles  in  length,  luxuri- 
antly wooded,  and  having  large  villages  on  its  northern 
slopes,  surrounded  by  cultivated  ground.  Many  islets 
and  coral  sandbanks  offer  the  most  lovely  little  boat 
harbours  off  the  northern  shores  of  Heath  Island, 
and  the  sea  that  surrounds  it  on  the  south,  east, 
and  west,  is  enriched  with  many  islands  that  vary  in 
size,  form,  and  colouring.  Turning  from  these,  and 


206  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xiv. 

looking  northward  up  China  Straits,  the  eye  rests  first 
on  two  salient  features  at  their  entrance.  On  the  left 
hand  a  great  rounded,  almost  perpendicular  mass,  dips 
from  a  height  of  2000  feet  into  the  blue  waters  of  the 
Strait.  This  great  bluff  is  the  real  and  majestic  ter- 
minating point  of  the  Owen  Stanley  Range,  and  of 
south-east  New  Guinea  itself.  It  is  covered  with 
sombre  monotonous  forest,  and  contrasts  strongly  with 
Hayter  Island,  which  fronts  it  on  the  right  side  of  the 
entrance,  and  is  much  lower  land ;  its  culminating 
peak,  Mount  Haines,  being  but  800  feet  high,  whilst 
its  surface  is  varied  by  being  broken  up  into  heights, 
wooded  or  bare,  or  cultivated  in  patches,  and  the  whole 
is  enlivened  by  picturesque  villages. 

Twenty  miles  to  the  north  the  view  up  the  Straits 
is  closed  by  the  lofty  purple  peaks  of  a  then  unknown 
land.  Between  us  and  these  peaks  lay  first  the  broad 
southern  entrance  to  the  Straits,  then  six  miles  of  narrow 
river-like  scenery,  terminating  in  the  northern  entrance, 
which  was  sprinkled  over  with  a  fresh  group  of  islets. 

We  had  many  doubts  at  first  as  to  whether  the 
great  bluff  which  overlooks  the  western  entrance  of 
China  Straits  was  indeed  part  of  New  Guinea,  and  not 
another  island,  we  had  been  so  often  mistaken ;  but 
the  work  of  the  ensuing  days  convinced  us,  and  proved 
also  that  China  Straits  offered  a  wide  safe  channel,  by 
which  ships,  as  I  then  thought,  could  gain  the  northern 
shores  of  New  Guinea,  and  I  trusted  that  we  had  in- 
deed found  the  passage  I  desired,  and  that  these  Straits 
would  form  the  highway  of  a  new  route. 


CHAP.  xiv.  TAKE  POSSESSION  OF  ISLANDS.  207 

The  importance  of  our  discoveries  led  me  to  con- 
sider their  bearing  on  Imperial  and  Australian  interests. 
There  lay  the  vast  island  of  New  Guinea,  dominating 
the  shores  of  northern  Australia,  separated  at  one  point 
by  only  twenty  miles  of  coral  reef  from  British  posses- 
sions, commanding  the  Torres  Straits  route,  the  transit 
of  the  Queensland  mails,  and  our  newly-discovered  route 
for  Australian  trade  to  China ;  commanding  the  rich 
and  increasing  pearl-shell  fisheries,  with  the  working 
of  which  we  had  obtained  a  complete  and  interesting 
acquaintance,  and  also  the  beche-de-mer  fishery,  which 
furnishes  an  important  article  of  export  to  China. 

I  felt  that  the  occupation  of  this  island  by  any 
foreign  maritime  power,  more  especially  since  the  dis- 
covery of  the  "Basilisk's"  harbours  and  anchorages, 
would  be  a  standing  menace  to  Queensland. 

I  was  also  impressed  by  the  richness  and  beauty  of 
the  new  islands,  and  the  number  of  their  vegetable 
products — fine  timber,  the  cocoa-nut,  the  sago-palm, 
sugar-cane,  maize,  jute,  and  various  vegetable  fibres, 
fruits  and  rich  grasses,  and  my  conclusion,  after  weigh- 
ing all  the  considerations  involved  was,  that  it  was  my 
duty  to  take  formal  possession  of  our  discoveries  in 
the  name  of  Her  Majesty.  Such  a  course  secured  a 
postponement  of  occupation  by  any  Power  till  our 
Government  could  consider  its  own  interests,  and 
whilst  the  acquisition  of  these  islands  might  commend 
itself,  and  my  act  result  in  annexation  on  the  one 
hand,  it  might  be  negatived  on  the  other,  with  easy 
simplicity,  by  a  neglect  to  confirm  it. 


208  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xiv. 

On  April  24th  we  made  the  best  dispositions  we 
could  to  give  some  little  eclat  to  the  ceremony  of 
taking  possession. 

The  trunk  of  a  tall  cocoa-nut  tree,  deprived  of  its 
crown,  standing  on  the  west  beach  of  Hayter  Island, 
was  fitted  with  a  block  to  be  used  as  a  flag-staff; 
officers,  marines,  and  small-armed  men  landed  under 
arms,  and  all  standing  uncovered,  the  following  pro- 
clamation was  read — 

"  I,  JOHN  MORESBY,  captain  in  the  royal  navy, 
commanding  Her  Majesty's  ship  'Basilisk/  having 
discovered  three  considerable  islands,  from  henceforth 
to  be  known  as  Moresby,  Hayter,  and  Basilisk  islands, 
off  the  east  coast  of  New  Guinea,  together  with  various 
groups  of  detached  islets,  and  deeming  that  the  pos- 
session of  these  islands  may  hereafter  prove  of  con- 
siderable importance,  do  hereby,  by  right  of  discovery, 
take  possession  of  all  the  aforesaid  islands  and  islets, 
lying  within  the  parallels  of  10°  25'  and  10°  40'  south 
latitude,  and  between  the  meridians  of  150°  35'  and 
151°  20'  east  longitude,  in  the  name  and  on  behalf  of 
her  most  gracious  Majesty  Queen  Victoria,  her  heirs 
and  successors,  in  token  whereof  I  have  hoisted  and 
saluted  the  British  flag  on  the  shores  of  these  islands. 

"  God  save  the  Queen. 
"H.M.S.  'Basilisk,'  Possession  Bay, 
"Hayter  Island,  April  24th,  1873." 

The  Jack  was  then  run  up  and  saluted,  and  three 
hearty  cheers  were  given.  All  listened  to  the  few 
sentences  read  with  attention  and  with  pleasure,  for 


CHAP.  xiv.  POSSESSION  BAY.  209 

every  man  present  had  a  right  to  identify  himself  with 
the  work  done.  A  feu-de-joie  was  then  fired,  and  I 
said,  "  Lads,  in  honour  of  what  the  old  '  Basilisk '  has 
done,  we  will  splice  the  main  brace  to-night,"  and  so 
our  little  ceremony  ended. 

The  few  natives  present  had  watched  our  proceed- 
ings with  amazement,  little  guessing  how  much  their 
own  future  was  involved,  but  the  firing  and  cheering 
sent  them  off  frightened  into  the  bush. 

We  named  the  bay  in  which  we  had  anchored 
Possession  Bay,  in  honour  of  the  event.  Here,  at  the 
foot  of  a  mountain  torrent,  which  formed  a  succession 
of  deep  pools,  in  running  down  its  rocky  channel  on 
the  side  of  Mount  Haines,  we  dug  a  deep  well  for  the 
convenience  of  future  visitors. 

Dr.  Haines  and  I  changed  to  our  cool  working 
clothes  after  the  ceremony,  and  started  to  reach  the 
summit  of  the  hill  which  bears  his  name.  Taking  a 
native  track  which  led  at  first  beside  the  rocky  channel 
of  the  stream,  but  soon  deviated  from  it,  and  led  through 
forest  to  enclosures  of  sugar-cane  and  banana,  we 
came  out  quite  unexpectedly  on  a  small  village  of  the 
usual  kind,  consisting  of  long  tunnel-shaped  houses, 
standing  on  poles,  and  surrounded  by  cocoa-nut  trees. 
On  a  rocky  ledge  above  the  village  stood  a  group  of 
natives,  armed  with  spears  and  wooden  clubs,  evidently  ••! 
waiting  our  approach.  We  were  rather  taken  aback 
at  this,  for  we  were  quite  unarmed ;  but  we  put  on  a 
bold  face,  and  walked  towards  them,  making  the 
usual  grotesque  sign  of  greeting.  They  were  evidently 


210  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xrv. 

dubious  as  to  how  to  act,  but  consented  presently  to 
point  out  our  way;    they  would  not  accompany  us, 
however,  but  stood  and  watched  us  with  doubtful 
faces  till  we  were  lost  to  sight.      The  village  stood 
about  two-thirds  from  the  hill  top,  and  the  remaining 
height  was  roughly  terraced,  and  planted  with  yam, 
sugar-cane,  and  taro,  which  were  growing  luxuriantly. 
The  view  from  the  top  rewarded  us  for  our  climbing 
— groups  of  islands  were  in  sight  that  had  no  existence 
on  the  chart,  and  away  to  the  north-west  stretched  the 
unknown  land  that  now  drew  all  my  desires.     To  the 
south  the  islands  of  the  Louisiade  group  studded  the 
blue  expanse ;  to  the  east  lay  Jenkins'  Bay,  with  its 
islets,  bays,  and  coves,  backed  up  by  the  bold  wooded  out- 
lines of  Moresby  and  Basilisk  Islands,  which  lay  asleep 
in  sunshine ;   to  the  north  the  unvisited  D'Entrecas- 
teaux  Islands  reared  lofty  lengths  of  deep  violet  blue ; 
to  the  west  our  noble  China  Straits  streamed  north- 
ward from  beneath  the  mighty  bluff  that  terminates 
the  Owen  Stanley  Eange,  all  clothed  in  solemn  forest 
to  the  foot.     The  more  I  gazed  on  all  this  grandeur 
and  beauty,  the  more  persuaded  was  I   that   these 
islands  will  some  day  become  English  homes ;  for  all 
the  conditions  were  here,  beauty  of  aspect,  high  land, 
unbounded  fertility,  position  on  an  open  sea,  and  at 
the  entrance  of  the  shortest  route  between  Australia 
and  China.     I  felt  that  the  future  might  safely  be 
trusted  to  time. 

Having  completed  our  surveys,  we  left  China  Straits 
by  its  northern  entrance  on  April  25th,  and  rounding 


CHAP.  xiv.  GROPE  OUR  WAY.  211 

the  great  bluff  end  of  New  Guinea,  which  we  named 
the  North  Foreland,  we  considered  ourselves  now 
fairly  to  the  north  of  that  vast  island,  and  stood  west, 
keeping  close  to  the  New  Guinea  shore,  for  it  was 
evident  that  the  channel  would  not  be  a  broad  one 
which  separated  the  unknown  land,  so  often  observed 
by  us,  from  the  north  coast  of  New  Guinea.  After 
much  deliberation,  we  had  come  to  the  conclusion  that 
this  unknown  land  was  a  part  of  the  D'Entrecasteaux 
group,  not  seen  by  D'Entrecasteaux,  as  he  only  passed 
by  the  eastern  shores  of  the  group. 

We  were  anxious  now  to  prove  whether  the 
D'Entrecasteaux  Islands  was  an  integral  part  of  New 
Guinea,  or  could  be  resolved  into  separate  islands. 
Our  sailing  directions  inclined  to  the  first  belief,  but 
the  chart,  copied  from  the  French,  showed  islands 
there.  The  shore  that  we  were  coasting  was  wooded, 
precipitously  steep,  and  falling  sheer  into  the  sea, 
which  had  a  depth  of  ninety  fathoms  at  a  cable's 
length  from  the  shore. 

Ten  miles  to  the  west  of  China  Straits,  a  powerful 
mountain  torrent,  dashing  down  through  a  gorge, 
formed  a  small  lagoon  at  its  mouth,  which  offered  the 
chance  of  an  anchorage  being  found  in  alluvial  deposit 
at  its  entrance.  The  weather  had  turned  out  thick 
and  squally,  so  I  wished  if  possible  to  anchor  here  till 
it  cleared,  as  well  as  to  replenish  our  stock  of  water 
from  so  bountiful  a  source,  and  we  stood  in  cautiously 
till  our  mast-heads  seemed  almost  to  mingle  with  the 
dense  foliage  of  an  overhanging  hill,  and  dropped 


212  .  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xiv. 

anchor  in  eighteen  fathoms,  off  the  entrance  of  the 
lagoon.  The  officer  in  charge  of  the  two  boats  sent  for 
water — not  an  Irishman — took  them  into  the  lagoon, 
and  loaded  them  deeply,  and  this  done  found  himself 
a  prisoner,  as  they  would  not  now  float  over  the  bar 
at  the  entrance.  He  had  therefore  to  discharge  his 
cargo  and  load  again  outside,  and  was  chaffed  most 
unmercifully  for  his  exploit.  We  were  weather-bound 
here  for  twenty-four  hours,  and  some  of  us  took  occa- 
sion to  climb  up  along  the  course  of  the  torrent  for 
two  or  three  miles,  till  we  were  stopped  by  perpen- 
dicular cliffs  some  hundreds  of  feet  in  height,  over 
which  the  torrent  rolled  from  various  channels,  and 
broke  into  soft  showers  of  spray.  All  about  us 
stretched  thick  forest  and  jungle,  full  of  an  oppressive 
silence,  only  broken  by  the  occasional  scream  of  some 
parrot  from  a  high  tree  top.  There  were  no  fish  in 
the  torrent,  and  we  washed  the  sand  in  places  for  gold, 
but  none  was  found.  One  of  our  exploring  parties 
found  a  small  village  in  a  deep  narrow  valley.  It  was 
ill  built,  and  its  people  were  dirtier,  and  seemed  more 
savage,  and  slightly  darker  in  complexion  than  the 
Moresby  Island  natives.  They  were  much  alarmed  on 
seeing  our  party,  but  were  assured  after  a  little,  and 
brought  crabs  and  oysters,  and  bird  of  paradise  plumes, 
off  to  the  ship  in  wretched  little  canoes.  The  weather 
cleared  on  the  afternoon  of  April  27th,  and  we  weighed 
and  continued  to  run  up  what  we  supposed  was  a  strait 
leading  between  New  Guinea  and  the  D'Entrecasteaux. 
The  land  was  closing  in  on  us,  and  was  soon  not  more 


CHAP.  xiv.          HIGH  HOPES — DISAPPOINTMENT.  213 

than  eight  miles  apart ;  and  as  headland  after  head- 
land opened  out,  all  hands  watched  with  interest  for 
the  secret  to  reveal  itself ;  all  the  officers  were  on  the 
bridge,  and  the  men  crowded  the  bulwarks.  It  was 
one  of  those  exciting  moments  which  rarely  occur  and 
are  never  forgotten.  The  scene  was  indeed  beautiful ; 
the  New  Guinea  mountains  had  receded  from  the  sea, 
and  left  behind  them  a  strip  of  rich  plain  country, 
strewn  with  villages,  and  beautified  with  groves  of 
palm,  behind  which  the  Owen  Stanley  mountains 
swelled  again  into  noble  height,  and  this  made  a  sharp 
contrast  with  the  northern  shore,  where  the  land  was 
broken  and  rugged,  and  rose  into  lesser  heights.  Be- 
fore us,  to  the  north-west,  lay  a  group  of  small  islets  in 
a  stream  of  light  from  the  setting  sun.  On  the  near 
shore  the  natives,  excited  beyond  expression,  raced 
along  the  black  volcanic  sand,  brandishing  club  and 
spear  as  we  passed.  The  mountain  streams,  swollen  by 
the  late  rain,  brought  down  floods  of  discoloured  water, 
which  we  crossed  with  anxious  hearts,  not  knowing 
what  it  might  hide ;  but  at  last,  passing  another  head- 
land, we  saw  the  blue  distant  hills  to  the  westward 
meet  the  unknown  land  and  touch,  and  knew  that  we 
had  only  sailed  up  a  great  unknown  bay,  and  that  the 
north  side  of  New  Guinea  was  yet  to  be  reached. 

My  disappointment  was  extreme.  I  had  set  my 
heart  on  China  Straits  forming  the  noble  passage  which 
nature  had  seemed  to  intend  to  be  the  northern  shores 
of  New  Guinea,  but  all  was  once  more  thrown  into 
doubt  and  uncertainty.  Pressing  on  in  hope  of  get- 


214  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xiv. 

ting  to  an  anchorage  before  dark — so  necessary  in  these 
narrow  waters — we  came  in  sight  of  the  head  of  this 
great  bay,  which  was  closed  to  the  west  by  a  consider- 
able extent  of  flat  country,  backed  by  a  range  of  high 
mountains,  which  ran  south  till  it  joined  the  Owen 
Stanley  range,  and  north  to  the  high  land  which  forms 
the  northern  shores  of  this  bay,  and  was  afterwards 
named  Stirling  Range.  The  waters  at  the  head  of  the 
bay  were  dotted  with  ugly-looking  reefs,  and  were  far 
too  deep  for  anchorage ;  but  our  good  star  prevailed, 
and  we  opened  a  lovely  oval-shaped  cove,  on  the  shore 
of  which  was  a  large  well-constructed  village,  standing 
as  usual  amid  tropic  surroundings.  Mr.  Mourilyan 
went  at  once  to  examine  the  tiny  bay,  which  lies  about 
twenty  miles  west  of  China  Straits,  and  though  half 
its  space  was  blocked  by  a  long  reef,  there  remained  a 
space  in  which  the  "  Basilisk/'  accustomed  as  she  now 
was  to  narrow  waters,  might  make  herself  at  home. 
Passing  so  close  to  a  lovely  green  point  fringed  with 
black  sand  that  the  gesticulating  natives  might  have 
thrown  their  spears  on  our  decks,  we  entered  the 
little  bay  and  anchored  in  twelve  fathoms,  our  stern 
just  swinging  clear  of  the  beach  in  eight  fathoms. 
Words  fail  to  describe  the  feeling  of  rest  and  satisfac- 
tion we  felt  on  reaching  such  a  secure  haven  as  this 
after  our  work  amongst  unknown  waters,  when  the 
responsibility  I  had  taken  added  to  my  anxieties. 

The  cove  we  had  entered  was  semi -circular,  and 
fringed  all  round  by  graceful  cocoa-nut  palms,  the 
blue  water  rippling  up  to  their  roots.  Pretty  native 


CHAP.  xiv.  PANIC  AT  DISCOVERY  BAY.  215 

houses  were  scattered  amongst  the  trees,  every  one  of 
which  seemed  to  have  sent  forth  its  inmates  to  gaze 
at  us.  There  was  no  unfriendliness;  canoes  of  all 
sizes,  and  catamarans  darted  about  us,  bringing  fine 
pigs  and  vegetables,  which  were  gladly  exchanged  for 
our  hoop-iron.  The  next  day  was  Sunday ;  but  ex- 
cept during  divine  service,  when  we  sent  the  natives 
away,  their  jabbering  over  the  bartering  kept  the  noise 
of  a  fair  about  us  all  day.  I  disliked  the  turning  of 
Sunday  into  a  market-day,  but  the  natives  would  have 
thought  us  offended  with  them  and  retained  a  bad 
impression  had  I  stopped  the  trading ;  and  our  seamen, 
deprived  of  the  only  pleasure  the  incessant  nature  of 
their  work  permitted,  would  have  hated  the  day.  Half 
our  men  spent  the  afternoon  on  shore  and  thoroughly 
enjoyed  themselves.  Mr.  Mourilyan  took  the  galley 
and  surveyed  the  head  of  Milne  Bay  (thus  named  by 
me  after  the  Senior  Naval  Lord  of  the  Admiralty)  on 
Monday,  and  came  back  with  a  report  that  it  was  full 
of  reefs,  and  that  the  natives  had  been  troublesome  in 
pressing  on  him.  I  was  too  ill  to  go  with  him  from 
the  effect  of  sundry  bruises  and  strains  received  during 
the  last  fortnight  in  climbing  and  other  work,  added 
to  which  I  had  been  attacked  by  one  of  our  usual 
enemies,  a  tumour,  which  had  fallen  in  the  right  ear ; 
but  the  work  was  in  safe  hands. 

We  had  quite  a  scene  during  his  absence,  caused 
by  the  manning  and  arming  of  our  boats,  which  went 
outside  the  cove  for  target  firing.  The  natives  had 
crowded  down  to  the  point  near  the  boats,  curious  as 


216  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP,  xiv. 

to  what  was  to  happen,  and  at  the  first  report  of  the 
sharp  ringing  Armstrong  guns,  had  shrieked  in  terror 
and  scampered  off.  The  panic  seized  the  village,  all 
valuables  were  hurriedly  taken  away,  and  every  living 
thing  cleared  out  and  made  for  the  bush,  except  a  few 
women,  who  finding  that  no  harm  came  to  them, 
stayed  on  the  point,  and  watched  the  firing  to  the  end. 
I  was  well  enough  to  land,  and  found  several  natives 
in  the  rear  of  the  village  in  a  state  of  alarm,  but  the 
presence  of  the  brave  women  who  had  watched  the 
firing  and  our  signs,  and  a  few  presents  given,  soon 
brought  them  round,  and  they  accompanied  us  back 
to  the  village,  and  were  persuaded  to  venture  along- 
side the  ship  as  usual.  In  the  evening  we  had  the 
satisfaction  of  seeing  the  natives  bring  back  their 
valuables,  and  before  dark  their  confidence  was  quite 
restored.  Tuesday  was  devoted  to  a  survey  of  our 
anchorage,  after  which  it  received  the  name  of  Dis- 
covery Bay.  The  catamarans  here  are  made  of  three 
or  more  cocoa-nut  trees  lashed  together  and  sharpened 
at  the  ends.  Some  have  a  small  platform  about  a  foot 
high  in  the  centre,  on  which  to  carry  the  goods  dry, 
but  most  are  without  this,  and  the  sea  washes  freely 
over  them.  They  require  careful  handling,  but  were 
freely  used  by  our  men  and  officers. 

The  natives  of  Discovery  Bay  were  friendly  from 
the  first.  They  were  similar  in  appearance  to  those 
we  had  as  yet  met  on  this  coast.  Their  numbers  on 
board  and  alongside  amounted  at  times  to  three  and 
four  hundred,  who  kept  us  plied  with  their  merchan- 


CHAP.  xiv.  SUP  WITH  THE  NATIVES.  217 

disc,,  ornaments,  weapons,  and  their  beautiful  canoe 
paddles,  which  were  shaped  like  the  long  narrow  leaves 
of  some  water  plants,  with  a  spine  running  down  the 
centre.  As  a  rule  they  traded  honestly.  Our  method 
was  to  drop  a  piece  of  iron  hoop  at  the  end  of  a  cord 
into  a  canoe,  on  which  the  natives  would  touch  one 
article  after  another  till  consent  was  nodded  from  the 
ship,  and  then  joyfully  detach  the  iron  and  tie  on  the 
pig,  yams,  or  ornaments  sold,  to  be  hauled  up.  Our 
men,  when  on  shore,  used  to  sit  down  freely  and  partake 
with  them  of  their  evening  meal — a  mess  of  yams  and 
vegetables,  to  which  pork  was  sometimes  added,  sea- 
soned with  cocoa-nut  finely  shred  over,  and  cooked  in 
large  earthen  bowls.  The  mess  was  eaten  with  exquisite 
little  spoons  cut  out  of  pearl  shell,  and  made  a  meal 
not  to  be  despised.  The  women  generally  presided  at 
the  feast,  and  the  men  looked  well  pleased  to  see  the 
children  receiving  their  shares  in  little  cocoa-nut 
basins ;  indeed,  their  whole  manner  spoke  well  for 
their  treatment  of  these  weaker  ones. 

I  never  saw  Indian  corn  used  as  food,  nor  did  it 
appear  to  be  cultivated  in  large  quantities.  The  most 
palatable  native  dish  was  made  of  the  inamy  apple, 
stewed.  Our  friends  were  always  anxious  to  be  rid  of 
us  at  dusk,  and  would  make  signs  that  they  wanted 
to  sleep,  op  which  we  always  conformed  to  their  wish. 
It  was  amusing  to  see  our  men  come  paddling  off  to 
the  ship  in  catamarans  and  canoes,  the  natives  scream- 
ing with  delight  as  a  clumsy  stroke  sent  some  frail 
craft  rolling  over.  They  always  came  to  the  rescue 


218  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xiv. 

though — righted  the  canoe,  and  gave  it  some  sharp 
jerks  backward  and  forward,  checking  it  abruptly,  so 
that  the  water  was  projected  over  each  way,  and  then 
a  man  got  in  and  baled  it  out. 

It  must  not  be  supposed  that  our  men  were  allowed 
to  be  at  the  mercy  of  the  natives,  for  savages,  as  I 
have  said,  are  never  to  be  trusted.  Armed  boat- 
keepers  always  kept  the  boats  ready  for  instant  em- 
barkation ;  the  liberty-men  were  told  off  into  two 
companies,  each  under  the  command  of  an  officer,  who 
had  orders  to  keep  his  men  generally  together,  and  to 
serve  as  a  rallying-point  in  case  of  need.  These 
parties  were  sub-divided  into  fours,  which  were  ordered 
never  to  separate,  and  every  second  man  carried  fire- 
arms. The  completeness  of  our  precautions  was  hap- 
pily never  tested — a  fact  owing  as  much  to  the  unex- 
ceptionable good  behaviour  and  prudence  of  our  men 
as  to  the  friendliness  of  the  natives.  It  is  a  gratifying 
reflection  to  me  that,  during  the  constant  intercourse 
maintained  by  our  men  with  the  New  Guinea  people, 
they  never  offered  the  slightest  insult,  nor  quarrelled 
with  a  native  man  or  woman.  The  war  canoes  at 
Discovery  Bay  were  very  remarkable,  and  were  care- 
fully kept  under  sheds  between  the  houses.  They 
were  from  fifty  to  sixty  feet  long,  dug  out  of  a  single 
tree,  with  topside  planking  laced  on.  The  .ends  were 
ornamented  with  high  movable  prow  and  stern  pieces, 
grotesquely  carved  and  painted,  from  which  cassowary 
feathers  floated,  and  all  round  the  sides  of  the  boat 
strings  of  white  cowrie  shells  were  looped  up. 


CHAP.  xiv.       FIRST  TOMB  SEEN  IN  NEW  GUINEA.  219 

We  saw  a  tomb  here,  the  first  since  our  leaving 
Teste  Island ;  evidently  the  grave  of  a  great  man.  A 
small  space  inside  the  village,  about  ten  feet  by  five, 
was  enclosed,  in  which  stood  a  miniature  house,  neatly 
made,  and  painted  with  ochres  and  lime,  covering  the 
remains.  Two  or  three  pretty  shrubs  were  planted  in 
the  enclosure,  and  the  whole  was  kept  in  good  order. 
We  afterwards  saw  similar  graves  in  the  Engineer 
group,  adorned  with  strings  of  cocoa-nuts ;  otherwise 
no  burial-places  were  seen,  and  we  were  unable  to 
learn  from  the  natives  how  they  disposed  of  their 
dead.  We  never  saw  any  sign  of  religious  observance 
amongst  these  people,  unless  the  cocoa-nuts  hung  on 
poles  on  the  reefs  or  on  their  houses  were  intended  as 
a  propitiatory  offering  ;  and  there  was  also  a  peculiar 
ceremony  to  which  I  shall  presently  allude.  They 
had  many  pets,  tame  cassowaries,  which  ran  about  the 
village  freely,  several  varieties  of  the  (Wallis)  custus, 
and  some  exquisitely  plumaged  birds,  which  they  kept 
in  wicker  cages. 

Having  completed  our  survey  of  this  part  of  Milne 
Bay,  we  left  our  pleasant  anchorage  on  April  30th,  to 
trace  its  northern  shores  to  their  eastern  termination. 
The  width  of  Milne  Bay  at  Discovery  Bay  is  about  six 
miles  ;  and  we  stood  to  the  north-east,  sufficiently  near 
to  take  the  bearings  of  the  prominent  headlands.  Un- 
fortunately it  came  on  thick  and  rainy,  and  we  were 
obliged  to  seek  shelter  amidst  the  group  of  islands  we 
had  seen  from  the  entrance  of  China  Straits,  about 
twenty  miles  north-east  of  Discovery  Bay.  Passing 


220  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xiv. 

over  some  dangerous  coral  patches,  we  found  a  good 
anchorage  between  the  principal  island  and  the  main- 
land. Jjfhe  group  consisted   of  three  larger  islands, 
about  a  mile  in  length,  and  several  smaller  ones,  and 
was  named  Killerton  group  by  us.     Its  inhabitants  at 
first  seemed  inclined  to  be  troublesome,  and  met  our 
boats    in   canoes   waving  their   stone   weapons,   and 
shouting  defiantly.     Two  or  three  canoes  full  of  fight- 
ing men  came  round  Mr.  Mourilyan's  boat  in  a  most 
threatening  manner ;  but  his   resoluteness  and  good 
temper  told  after  a  while,  and  the  natives  began  to 
consult  with  each  other.     Some  paddled  off  to  shore 
and  presently  returned,  bringing  one  of  the  lean  wolf- 
ish curs  that  infest  their  villages.     They  sprang  up 
the  side  of  the  "  Basilisk,"  the  leader  carrying  the  dog 
in  his  arms,  and  dashed  out  its  brains  on  the  quarter- 
deck, before  any  one  could  stop  them.     On  this  all  the 
natives  near  us  changed  their  manner,  and  showed  a 
desire  to  be  friendly,  by  making  the  usual  uncouth 
greeting ;  but  the  ire  of  the  officer  of  the  watch  and 
petty  officers  was  so  kindled  at  seeing  Her  Majesty's 
quarter-deck  defiled,  that  the  dog-sacrificers  and  their 
friends  were  bundled  out  of  the  ship  at  once,  and  their 
victim  thrown  after  them.     I  had  been  below  at  the 
time,  and  was  sorry  to  hear  of  this  summary  treatment, 
for  I  felt  that  the  rite  had,  doubtless,  either  a  religious 
and  sacrificial  meaning  to  its  perpetrators,  or  was  in- 
tended as  a  seal  of  amity  between  us.    I  therefore  went 
on  shore  immediately,  to  show  friendliness,  at  a  spot 
where  a  large  crowd  had  assembled  round  the  body  of 


CHAP.  xiv.  NATIVES  OP  KILLERTON  GROUP.  221 

the  dead  dog  in  noisy  consultation,  and  received  so 
friendly  a  welcome,  that  my  companion  and  I  did  not 
hesitate  to  go  on  to  the  village  with  our  new  acquaint- 
ances, who,  similar  in  physique  to  their  neighbours, 
were  painted  in  so  extraordinary  a  manner  as  to  look 
more  like  monkeys  than  men.  They  had  black  lines 
like  spectacle  rims  drawn  round  their  eyes,  one  cheek 
and  half  the  chin  was  painted  white,  and  the  other  half 
and  the  nose  black.  One  old  native  led  me  by  the 
hand,  and  the  crowd  followed  us  for  about  a  mile 
through  sugar-cane  plantations,  melon,  taro,  and  yam 
gardens,  interspersed  with  palms  and  fruit  trees,  to  the 
village,  which  is  beautifully  placed  at  the  foot  of  a  high 
range  of  hills,  and  on  the  banks  of  a  rapid  stream. 
Many  forest  trees  had  been  suffered  to  remain  in  the 
cleared  ground  about  it,  and  had  developed  into  more 
magnificent  proportions  than  any  trees  I  have  ever 
seen,  not  excepting  the  giant  pines  of  California. 
Their  girth  at  a  man's  height  from  the  ground  is  about 
thirty  feet ;  twenty  feet  above  which  the  foliage  com- 
menced, and  threw  a  shadow  on  the  ground  about  100 
feet  in  diameter.  A  large  talking-house,  about  sixty 
feet  long,  stood  in  the  centre  of  the  village,  and  round 
it,  on  a  hard  trampled  space,  the  saddle-roofed  houses 
were  grouped.  The  natives  had  brought  us  to  their 
village,  but  would  not  let  us  enter  their  houses ;  and 
for  this  I  could  discover  no  reason,  as  their  women  were 
all  about  us.  I  looked  into  several  of  the  houses,  and 
could  see  nothing  beyond  the  usual  belongings,  wea- 
pons, fishing-nets,  stores  of  yams,  and  lumps  of  sago 


222  :NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xiv. 

wrapped  up  in  dried  cocoa-nut  leaves.  As  they  would 
not  admit  us,  we  leaned  against  a  huge  tree  trunk,  and 
made  signs  that  we  were  thirsty,  when  they  brought 
us  fresh  cocoa-nut  milk. 

Returning  on  board,  the  remainder  of  the  day  was 
spent  in  examining  the  various  channels  between  the 
islets,  but  their  number  obliged  us  to  be  cursory. 
The  Torres  Straits  pigeon  swarmed  on  these  islets.  On 
May  1st  the  weather  had  cleared  sufficiently  for  us  to 
make  a  fresh  start,  so  keeping  close  along  the  northern 
shores  of  Milne  Bay,  we  made  for  the  unknown  north- 
east point  of  New  Guinea. 

Immediately  to  the  east  of  Killerton  Islands  the 
mountains  dropped  from  a  height  of  near  2000  feet, 
and  became  low  wooded  hills  of  300  or  400  feet  in 
height,  with  plains  between ;  and  we  began  to  feel  that 
we  were  coasting  a  narrow  neck  of  land,  though  the 
water  at  the  other  side  could  not,  of  course,  be  seen. 
Coral  reefs  and  broken  water  were  visible  ahead,  but 
we  pushed  on  and  were  soon  rewarded.  The  land  had 
now  narrowed  to  about  a  mile  in  width,  of  low  undu- 
lating forest-country,  sprinkled  with  villages.  Sud- 
denly an  abrupt  double -topped  hill  sprang  upward  to 
a  height  of  300  feet,  with  a  village  at  its  foot,  half 
hidden  in  a  grove  of  bread-fruit  and  cocoa.-nut  trees, 
and  two  small  flat  coral  islets  off  it ;  beyond  them  a 
broad  strait  rolled  its  waters  for  eight  miles,  till  it 
washed  the  shores  of  the  D'Entrecasteaux  Group.  My 
desire  was  answered ;  the  true  terminating  point  of 
New  Guinea  was  found ;  the  D'Entrecasteaux  Group 


CHAP.  xiv.       FIND  TRUE  EAST  CAPE  OP  NEW  GUINEA.      223 

lay  afar,  distinctly  separate,  never  more  to  be  con- 
founded with  New  Guinea,  and  ours  were  the  first 
European  eyes  which  had  looked  on  these  things. 
Continuing  our  course,  I  hoped  to  double  East  Cape, 
as  the  terminating  point  was  now  named  by  us,  and 
take  the  ship  round  to  the  northern  shores  of  New 
Guinea,  but  immediately  to  the  eastward  of  the  cape 
we  fell  amongst  the  reefs  before  seen,  and  being  com- 
pletely embayed  by  them  were  compelled  to  seek  a 
precarious  anchorage  to  windward  of  one  of  the  small 
coral  islets  off  East  Cape,  on  which  a  strong  monsoon 
was  blowing. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

EAST  NEW  GUINEA  FOUND  TO  BE  FORK-SHAPED — GO  ROUND  TO  THE  NORTH 
COAST  IN  A  BOAT — SOP  WITH  THE  NATIVES  AT  EAST  CAPE — PETS  AND 
CURIOSITIES  ON  BOARD — SAIL  FOR  SOMERSET — NAVIGATING-LIEUTENANT 
CONNOR  AND  MR.  GRANT  REJOIN  FROM  THEIR  SURVEY — TAKE  STEPS  TO 
SET  THE  PEARL-SHELLING  FISHERIES  FREE  TO  WORK — BRISBANE — SYD- 
NEY— NEW  ZEALAND  CRUISE— LIEUTENANT  DAWSON  SENT  OUT  BY  AD- 
MIRALTY— JOINS  BASILISK — SAIL  TO  JOIN  THE  COMMODORE  AT  FIJI. 

NEW  GUINEA  was  now  known  by  us  to  be  fork-shaped 
to  the  east ;  the  lower  prong  consisting  of  Moresby, 
Hayter,  Basilisk,  and  other  islands — the  upper,  of  a 
long  narrowing  strip  of  land,  ending  in  the  double- 
topped  point  to  which  we  now  gave  the  name  of  East 
Cape  ;  and  between  these  prongs  lay  Milne  Bay.  Our 
next  efforts  were  directed  to  find  a  channel  through 
the  reefs  which  had  so  unfortunately  obstructed  us, 
but  the  more  we  searched  the  clearer  it  became  that 
no  channel  round  East  Cape  existed  here.  I  was  con- 
fident that  a  way  would  be  found,  on  search  being 
made,  farther  to  the  southward  and  eastward,  but 
having  a  distance  of  about  2000  miles  to  accomplish 
against  the  monsoon,  before  a  further  supply  of  coal 
and  stores  could  be  obtained ;  and  it  being  necessary 
that  I  should  be  at  Cape  York  in  a  few  days,  I  had 
neither  the  time  nor  means  to  make  it. 

With  great  reluctance,  therefore,  I  abandoned  the 
idea  of  taking  the  ship  farther,  and  thought  that  the 
elucidation  of  this  part  of  the  new  route  was  reserved 


CHAP.  xv.       NORTH-EAST  COAST  OP  NEW  GUINEA.  225 

for  some  happier  navigator,  possessed  of  means  and 
leisure.  The  importance  of  such  a  discovery,  in 
shortening  the  route  to  China,  and  opening  up  the 
rich  New  Guinea  coast  to  trade,  impressed  itself  so 
much  on  my  mind  that  I  resolved  to  suggest  to  Ad- 
miral Sir  Alexander  Milne  the  advisability  of  allowing 
me  to  try  if  I  could  not  find  my  way  to  England  by 
the  new  route,  when  the  ship's  time  was  expiring,  in- 
stead of  taking  the  usual  course  from  Australia  round 
Cape  Horn.  This  application  was  afterwards  made 
by  me,  and  permission  given,  of  which  the  result  will 
be  told  farther  on.  Before  turning  my  back  on 
Eastern  New  Guinea,  I  resolved  on  visiting  its  un- 
known northern  shores  in  my  boat.  The  ship  was 
riding  uneasily  at  her  exposed  anchorage,  [and  a  dis- 
agreeable sea  was  running,  but  it  did  not  prevent  the 
natives  coming  off  in  their  frail  canoes  and  catamarans 
to  communicate. 

Taking  Mr.  Bentley  in  the  galley,  I  rounded  East 
Cape,  passing  between  it  and  the  Island  off  which  we 
were  anchored  by  a  narrow  channel,  where  a  hollow 
dangerous  sea  was  running;  passing  this  we  shot 
under  the  lee  of  East  Cape,  and  found  ourselves  in  a 
moment  sheltered,  and  floating  on  a  deep,  tranquil 
sea,  ruffled  but  gently  by  the  monsoon. 

Full  of  pleasant  excitement,  we  lay  on  our  oars  to 
take  in  the  exquisite  scene  revealed.  Behind  us,  on  a 
breaking  sea,  the  tall  masts  of  the  ship  were  rocking 
to  and  fro  over  the  coral  islet,  whilst  we  lay  motion- 
less. To  the  eastward  rose  the  lofty  wooded  D'Entre- 


226  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xv. 

casteaux  Islands ;  within  a  hundred  yards  of  us  a 
large  village  lay  peacefully  amongst  its  palms  and 
fruit  trees — its  canoes  floating  before  it,  full  of  anxious 
gazers ;  on  and  on  the  eye  travelled  to  the  westward, 
from  the  near  thickly-populated  shores  to  the  blue 
shadowy  outlines  of  the  massive  New  Guinea  mountains, 
seventy  or  eighty  miles  distant.  The  sight  of  a  clear 
reefless  sea,  added  to  the  exhilaration  we  felt,  but  it 
enhanced  the  disappointment  of  thinking  that  not  to 
us  would  be  given  the  honour  of  bringing  a  ship  into 
these  waters.  Fate  proved  kinder  to  us  afterwards  than 
we  then  expected.  We  steered  to  the  west  for  several 
miles  along  a  shore  more  luxuriant  and  beautiful  than 
words  can  describe,  and  then  returned  and  landed  at 
the  village  of  East  Cape,  where  the  natives  came  down 
in  numbers  to  meet  us,  and  crowding  Around  like  a 
number  of  delighted  children,  led  us  to  their  village, 
where  mats  were  spread  for  us  under  the  shade  of 
great  cocoa-nut  trees.  Then  they  examined  us  from 
our  hats  to  our  shoes  in  the  most  minute  manner, 
wondering  over  everything,  especially  at  our  white 
skins ;  the  young  women,  who  were  agreeable  enough 
looking,  and  had  beautifully  small  hands  and  feet, 
being  specially  interested.  We  decorated  some  of  the 
babes  with  strips  of  turkey  red,  on  which  our  popu- 
larity became  unbounded,  and  all  the  mothers  came 
round  us  holding  up  their  copper-coloured,  dark-eyed, 
babes.  We  shared  their  evening  meal,  and  returned 
to  the  ship,  voting  the  East  Cape  people  the  pleasantest 
savages  we  had  ever  met.  The  ship  lay  uneasily  at 


CHAP.  xv.  EAST  CAPE  AND  CAPE  BASILISK.  227 

her  anchor,  but  next  day  the  strong  monsoon  which 
was  blowing  moderated,  and  Mr.  Mourilyan  and  I 
were  able  to  leave  her,  and  explore  to  the  west  along 
the  north  shore  of  New  Guinea.  We  passed  between 
East  Cape  and  the  two  outlying  islets,  and  ran  some 
fourteen  miles  to  the  west,  along  a  thickly-populated, 
well  cultivated  coast,  without  meeting  a  single  outlying 
reef — the  narrow  shore  reef  dropping  down  "  steep- 
to,"  into  a  depth  that  gave  us  no  bottom,  with  thirty 
fathoms  of  line.  We  made  a  running  survey  as  we 
passed  along  the  north  coast  of  the  narrow  neck  of 
land,  which,  as  I  have  before  said,  encloses  Milne  Bay 
on  the  north,  and  terminates  north-east  New  Guinea ; 
and,  disregarding  many  invitations  of  the  natives  to 
land  at  their  villages,  pushed  on  to  a  mountain,  which, 
rising  in  the  rear  of  Killerton  Islands,  throws  a  ridge 
into  the  northern  sea.  This  mountain  was  intended 
by  me  to  be  the  limit  point  of  our  work  in  this  cruise, 
the  boats  having  to  return  against  the  monsoon.  We 
rested  and  dined  under  its  shadow,  in  as  perfect  a 
little  boat-harbour  as  ever  mortal  eyes  beheld ;  shaded 
overhead  by  the  foliage  of  overhanging  trees,  with  two 
fathoms  depth  of  water  round  the  boat,  through  which 
a  perfect  forest  of  branching  coral  glimmered  up. 
This  point  was  the  western  limit  actually  reached  by 
us,  but  we  named  a  cape,  seen  by  us  some  fifteen  miles 
beyond,  Cape  Basilisk. 

As  soon  as  Mr.  Mourilyan  had  sketched  the 
D'Entrecasteaux  group,  as  seen  from  this  position, 
we  turned  our  faces  towards  the  ship,  with  many 


228  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xv. 

regrets  at  being  forced  to  leave  this  unexplored  coast 
behind  us,  and  returned,  landing  at  some  of  the  vil- 
lages on  our  way,  where  we  found  the  people  as  gentle 
and  friendly  as  possible.  At  times  I  found  myself 
drawing  a  contrast  between  the  squalid  poverty,  too 
often  seen  in  humble  life  in  England,  and  the  plenty 
and  cleanliness  that  met  us  here  at  every  step,  where 
the  small  cane  houses  lay  in  valleys  rich  as  the  garden 
of  Eden,  and  no  man  had  to  go  more  than  a  stone's 
throw  from  his  own  door  to  find  all  the  necessities  of 
his  simple  life. 

They  possess  cocoa-nuts,  the  bread-fruit,  citron, 
oranges,  and  sago,  by  the  bounty  of  nature,  and  they 
cultivate  yams,  taro,  bananas,  and  various  other  roots 
which  we  found  very  good  to  eat,  but  were  unable  to 
name.  They  are  great  fishers  and  traders,  passing 
from  island  to  island  in  large  canoes,  forty  or  fifty  feet 
long,  made  of  a  hollowed  tree,  with  top  sides  secured 
by  cane  lacing  and  large  wooden  knees.  They  use  a 
great  oval-shaped  mat  sail,  and  handle  it  so  skilfully, 
that  when  we  met  them  at  sea,  and  the  "  Basilisk  "  was 
going  five  knots,  they  easily  sailed  round  us,  and  luff- 
ing under  our  lee  were  with  difficulty  prevented  from 
boarding  us  whilst  under  weigh.  What  have  these 
people  to  gain  from  civilisation  ?  Pondering  on  the 
fate  of  other  aboriginal  races  when  brought  into  con- 
tact with  the  white,  I  was  ready  to  wish  that  their 
happy  homes  had  never  been  seen  by  us ;  but  con- 
siderations of  this  kind  cannot  be  entertained  by  those 
who  see  a  simple  duty  before  them,  and  have  means 


CHAP.  xv.  SAIL  FOR  SOMERSET.  229 

to  execute  it ;  we  were  not  responsible  for  the  issues, 
and  Providence  may  surely  be  trusted -to  work  out  its 
own  ends. 

The  great  Owen  Stanley  range  may  be  said  to 
terminate  at  the  head  of  Milne  Bay,  but  one  of  its 
spurs,  named  by  me  Sterling  Eange,  runs  at  a 
diminished  elevation  through  this  new  neck  of  land 
or  narrow  peninsula  which  terminates  in  East  Cape. 
The  double -topped  hill  which  marks  this  henceforth 
important  promontory  on  the  map  of  the  world,  was 
crowned  to  the  summits,  when  first  we  saw  it,  with 
tropical  forest,  but  the  noble  trees  afterwards  fell  to 
our  axes,  as  we  made  it  a  theodolite  station. 

I  left  East  Cape  with  the  "  Basilisk,"  May  3d, 
which  was  marked  by  an  unlucky  accident;  for  in 
trying  to  weigh  our  anchor  we  lost  it,  through  its 
catching  in  a  coral  rock,  and  the  chain  carrying  away. 
Kunning  a  fresh  line  of  soundings  across  Milne  Bay, 
we  re-entered  China  Straits,  and  re-anchored  in  Posses- 
sion Bay,  where  five  days  were  spent  in  watering,  and 
further-  examination  of  the  surrounding  coast. 

We  felt  that  we  had  much  reason  to  be  satisfied 
with  the  results  obtained  in  our  cruises,  especially  that, 
as  Englishmen,  we  had  secured  to  our  country  a  right 
to  take  possession  of  a  territory  that  will  every  day 
become  more  important  to  Australia ;  and  had  found 
safe  commodious  harbours,  by  means  of  which  a  healthy 
commerce  might  be  carried  on. 

The  ship  was  full  of  strange  pets  and  curiosities. 
The  most  remarkable  of  the  pets  was  a  cassowary  from 


230  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xv. 

Cornwallis  Island  ;*  there  were  some  New  Guinea  pigs, 
some  varieties  of  cuscus,  and  any  amount  of  birds. 
We  had  stone  and  wood  weapons  and  instruments  of 
all  kinds ;  amongst  which  the  large  greenstone  axes 
used  by  the  natives  in  making  canoes  were  the  most 
conspicuous — the  blades  very  sharp,  and  the  stone  re- 
sembling the  prized  greenstone  of  New  Zealand.  We 
had  canoe  paddles  made  of  a  fine  dark  wood,  shaped  like 
a  long  water  leaf,  and  well  carved,  which  were  really 
graceful  objects.  There  were  gourds  of  all  sizes  and 
shapes,  with  patterns  delicately  burnt  out,  ornamenting 
the  whole  surface ;  cocoa-nuts,  used  to  carry  water,  and 
carved  all  over ;  bowls  of  red  fire-baked  clay,  such  as 
the  women  may  at  any  time  be  seen  making  in  the 
villages ;  baskets  also,  made  of  sinnet,  lined  with  the 
envelope  of  the  young  leaf  of  the  palm,  and  fitting 
compactly  one  inside  the  other,  to  form  a  large  set ; 
netted  bags,  fish-hooks,  and  bait,  carved  out  of  pearl- 
shell  ;  plumes  of  the  cassowary  and  red  bird  of  paradise  ; 
fillets  for  the  head,  and  breastplates  made  of  fibre,  and 
beautifully  embroidered  with  shells  and  berries. 

The  day  before  we  finally  sailed  from  Possession 
Bay,  one  of  our  stokers  wandered  away  by  himself 
when  on  shore,  in  disobedience  of  the  general  orders, 
and  was  relieved  by  a  party  of  natives  of  all  the  iron 
hoop  he  had  about  him.  I  mention  this  as  being  the 
only  instance  in  which  they  took  advantage  of  their 
superior  numbers. 

Having  paid  our  last  visit  to   the  villages,  we 

*  Now  in  the  Zoological  Gardens,  London. 


CHAP.  xv.  SURVEYING  EXPEDITION  ENDED.  231 

weighed  and  stood  south ;  but  wishing  to  ascertain 
whether  a  passage  into  China  Straits  existed  on  the 
west  side  of  Heath  Island,  took  the  ship  out  by  this 
untried  channel.  We  got  out  in  safety,  but  had  to 
pass  over  the  tail  of  some  dangerous  reefs,  which  it  re- 
quired much  conning  from  aloft  to  avoid.  Fifteen 
miles  south  of  Heath  Island  we  crossed  the  line  of  the 
sunken  barrier  reef  in  seventeen  fathoms  water,  and 
looking  back  could  more  easily  understand  from  the 
configuration  of  the  land,  how  it  was  that  our  prede- 
cessors in  these  seas,  viewing  it  from  a  distance,  had 
mistaken  the  facts. 

It  was  a  relief  to  feel  our  good  ship  once  more  ris- 
ing and  falling  on  the  free  ocean  swell ;  but  I  left  New 
Guinea  with  regrets  for  what  we  had  left  undone, 
thinking  that  I  should  never  see  it  again. 

A  pleasant  passage  of  ten  days  brought  us  once 
more  to  an  anchor  at  Somerset,  where  our  hearts  were 
rejoiced  by  an  accumulation  of  three  months'  home 
letters.  Here  Navigating-Lieutenant  Connor  and  Mr. 
Grant  rejoined,  after  laborious  work  on  the  northern 
shores  of  Torres  Straits,  where  they  had  spent  two 
months  in  open  boats,  exposed  to  unusual  severity  of 
weather  on  a  lee-shore  during  the  south-east  monsoon ; 
but  in  spite  of  difficulties  they  had  accomplished  a 
trigonometrical  survey  of  46  miles  of  the  great  Warrior 
Reef,  and  148  miles  of  the  south  coast  of  New  Guinea 
and  islands,  including  those  of  Cornwallis  and  Saibai, 
which  had  been  placed  on  the  chart  by  the  "  Basilisk." 
They  had  not  met  with  any  trouble  from  the  natives, 


232  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xv. 

who  had  been  quite  friendly  all  through;  and  the 
health  of  the  men  had  been  excellent.  They  would 
scarcely  have  been  recognised  by  their  nearest  friends, 
so  tanned  were  they  by  sun  and  wind ;  but  they  were 
happily  none  the  worse  for  their  work  Navigating- 
Lieutenant  Connor's  labours  had  added  so  largely  to 
the  amount  of  our  geographical  work,  that  I  felt  re- 
warded a  hundred  times  over  for  the  anxiety  and 
responsibility  I  had  accepted  in  detaching  him  in  so 
unusual  a  manner. 

Having  made  a  tour  of  all  the  pearl-shelling  and 
beche-de-mer  stations  before  sailing  for  New  Guinea, 
on  our  return  to  Cape  York  I  drew  Mr.  Jardine's 
attention  to  the  fishery  question.  All  fishing  opera- 
tions were  now  suspended  till  the  receipt  of  govern- 
ment licences.  The  Polynesian  islanders  had  been 
freed  from  their  servitude  and  sent  to  their  homes; 
and  the  law  had  now  provided  such  enactments  as 
would  secure  righteous  treatment  for  them  in  case  of 
their  making  a  compact  to  serve  their  old  masters 
again.  The  Torres  Straits  islanders  entertained  a  per- 
fectly-friendly feeling  towards  the  white  men  stationed 
on  their  islands,  and  were  willing  and  anxious  to  serve 
them  for  fair  pay  ;  whilst  such  service  would  be  useful 
in  civilising  them,  by  adding  to  their  comfort  in  the 
present,  and  affording  opportunities  for  their  gradual 
moral  elevation.  Under  these  circumstances  I  felt  the 
importance  of  setting  the  fishing  establishments  free  to 
work  again  without  further  delay,  lest  an  industry  so 
valuable  in  its  results  should  be  paralysed ;  and  urged 


CHAP.  xv.  ARRIVE  AT  SYDNEY.  233 

Mr.  Jardine  to  grant  such  temporary  licences  as  his 
powers  permitted,  for  the  employment  of  Torres  Straits 
natives  :  this  after  some  difficulty  he  did. 

On  the  24th  we  bid  what  all  hands  hoped  might 
be  an  eternal  farewell  to  Somerset.  Indeed,  what  with 
the  bad  anchorage,  ruinous  aspect  of  the  buildings,  and 
want  of  any  kind  of  fruit  or  vegetable,  there  is  little 
to  make  a  stay  cheerful  or  comfortable.  Falling  short 
of  coal  on  our  return,  we  anchored  under  the  lee  of 
Gloucester  Island  for  four  days,  and  cut  a  supply  of 
wood.  On  June  21st  we  arrived  at  Brisbane,  where 
we  were  received  with  the  utmost  kindness  by  the 
governor  and  Mr.  Palmer,  who  took  a  most  generous 
view  of  the  importance  of  our  services.  On  the  2d 
July  our  eventful  six  months'  cruise  came  to  an  end, 
and  we  took  up  our  old  position  in  Farm  Cove,  Sydney. 
The  ship  was  of  course  thronged  by  people  coming  to 
hear  something  about  New  Guinea,  and  to  see  the  curi- 
osities we  had  brought  thence,  and  many  of  the  seamen 
drove  lucrative  bargains  with  the  Sydney  people. 
One,  in  particular,  received  five  pounds,  as  I  was  after- 
wards informed,  for  a  New  Guinea  pig,  which  was  im- 
mediately shaved  by  its  purchaser,  painted  in  stripes 
of  different  colours,  and  otherwise  decorated.  A  small 
tent  was  then  set  up  in  one  of  the  principal  thorough- 
fares, and  the  proprietor  informed  the  public  that  a 
wonderful  striped  New  Guinea  pig,  brought  by  H.  M. 
ship  "Basilisk,"  was  on  view,  and  charged  sixpence 
a-head  for  entrance,  with  a  result  that  was  said  to 
have  answered  his  most  sanguine  expectations. 


234  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xv. 

At  Sydney,  in  accordance  with  orders  awaiting  us, 
we  refitted  and  proceeded  to  New  Zealand,  where  we 
remained  till  December  1st,  making  a  tour  of  the  New 
Zealand  ports.  At  Auckland,  on  the  1st,  we  received 
the  English  mail  and  were  joined  by  Lieutenant  Daw- 
son,  Admiralty  Surveyor,  who  had  been  sent  out  to 
assist  us,  my  desire  having  been  assented  to,  that  we 
should  return  to  England  by  the  route  which  I  believed 
would  be  found  to  exist  round  the  east  end  of  New 
Guinea.  We  were  ordered  to  spend  six  weeks  in 
making  additional  surveys  on  the  New  Guinea  coast, 
and  Lieutenant  Dawson  came  provided  with  a  supply 
of  the  best  surveying  instruments  for  the  purpose.  I 
ought  here  to  express  my  sense  of  gratitude  to  Admiral 
Eichards,  late  Hydrographer  of  the  navy,  for  kindly 
giving  us  some  surveying  instruments  on  our  leaving 
England,  which  I  asked  for,  on  the  chance  of  their 
proving  useful,  little  thinking  how  much  I  should  need 
them. 

Lieutenant  Dawson  had  only  given  me  this  news 
unofficially,  and  our  orders  had  gone  on  to  Commodore 
Goodenough,  whom  I  knew  to  be  at  Fiji,  so  that  two 
or  three  months  must  elapse  before  I  could  receive 
them  from  him,  by  waiting  which  time  I  should  lose 
the  fine  weather  season  in  New  Guinea,  which  was  all 
important  to  the  success  of  the  work  entrusted  to  us. 

I  was  loath  to  shorten  by  a  day  the  pleasures  of 
our  stay  in  this  colony,  for  officers  and  men  deserved 
a  little  enjoyment  and  rest ;  besides,  we  were  the  only 
man-of-war  in  New  Zealand,  and  the  rule  was  strin- 


CHAP.  xv.  JOIN  THE  COMMODORE  AT  FIJI.  235 

gent  that  New  Zealand  was  never  to  be  left  without  a 
man-of-war ;  but  having  weighed  all  considerations,  I 
telegraphed  to  Sir  James  Fergusson,  Governor  of  New 
Zealand,  who  was  then  at  Christ  Church,  to  ask  if  the 
colony  could  spare  us,  whilst  I  took  the  ship  to  Fiji 
to  communicate  with  the  Commodore.  Sir  James,  who 
had  taken  a  warm  interest  in  our  New  Guinea  work, 
answered,  saying  that  we  could  be  spared,  and  we 
started  at  once  for  Fiji,  coaling  at  the  Bay  of  Islands 
on  our  way  thither. 

On  December  21st,  at  1  A.M.,  we  were  standing  for 
Levuku,  with  studding  sails  set  in  a  light  fair  breeze, 
when  we  unexpectedly  found  ourselves  close  to  a 
dangerous  reef,  having  been  swept  twelve  miles  out 
of  our  reckoning  by  an  unsuspected  current.  Before 
the  ship  could  answer  her  helm  she  was  on  the  reef, 
and  lay  there  bumping  for  six  hours  before  we  could 
get  her  off.  It  was  a  terribly  anxious  time ;  for  some 
hours  I  thought  the  good  old  vessel's  hours  were  num- 
bered, but  fine  weather  continuing,  the  efforts  we 
made  were  successful. 

We  arrived  at  Levuku  next  day,  and  I  was  grati- 
fied by  finding  that  the  commodore  approved  of  my 
proceeding  in  leaving  New  Zealand,  and  was  prepared 
by  every  means  in  his  power  to  assist  in  promoting 
the  success  of  the  expedition,  by  helping  me  to  carry 
out  my  views,  and  aiding  me  with  his  own  valuable 
advice. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

PROVIDED  WITH  A  STEAM  PINNACE — LAST  FAREWELL  TO  SYDNEY — TESTE 
ISLAND — MAKE  A  THEODOLITE  STATION  ON  GLENTON  ISLAND — VIEW  FROM 
THE  SUMMIT — ENGINEER  GROUP — NATIVES  SUSPICIOUS — FIND  A  PASSAGE 
BETWEEN  GRANT  AND  SHORTLAND  ISLANDS — FIRST  LANDING  ON  D'ENTRE- 
CASTEAUX  ISLANDS — HUMAN  FIGURES  PAINTED  ON  GABLE-ENDS  OF  HOUSES 
— RUNNING  SURVEY  OF  o'ENTRECASTEAUX — NAME  TWO  OF  THE  ISLANDS 
RESPECTIVELY  NORMANBY  AND  FERGUSSON— DISCOVER  DAWSON  STRAITS — 
ARMED  NATIVES  COME  DOWN — WE  CONCILIATE  THEM — DISCOVER  MORESBY 
STRAITS  SEPARATING  THESE  ISLANDS  FROM  A  THIRD,  WHICH  WE  NAME 
GOODENOUGH  ISLAND — MUSHROOM  CORAL — MOUNT  GOODENOUGH — FER- 
GUSSON ISLAND — ITS  FRIENDLY  WOMEN — INLAND  PLANTATIONS — THE 
SAGO-PALM — BOILING  MINERAL  SPRINGS — SMALL  RUBIES  AND  AMETHYSTS 
— SEARCH  FOR  A  BETTER  PASSAGE  ROUND  THE  EAST  CAPE  OF  NEW  GUINEA 
— HOME  OF  THE  MEGAPODES — A  LAND  SNAKE — FIND  THE  DESIRED  PAS- 
SAGE FROM  TESTE  ISLAND  TO  THE  NORTH  OF  NEW  GUINEA — H.M.S.  "  SAND- 
FLY  "  AND  THE  NATIVES. 

ONE  of  H.M.  schooners,  the  "  Sandfly,"  commanded  by 
Lieutenant  Nowell,  was  ordered  to  accompany  the 
"  Basilisk  "  to  New  Guinea,  and  the  Commodore  kindly 
offered  to  give  us  the  assistance  of  H.M.S.  "Rosario," 
an  intention,  of  which  after  circumstances  prevented 
the  fulfilment.  Encouraged  thus  by  the  good  wishes  of 
my  old  friend  and  esteemed  chief,  we  sailed,  December 
26th,  to  refit  and  prepare  for  the  expedition.  On  our 
passage  a  singular  alarm  happened.  A  heavy  sea 
struck  the  ship  and  shook  her  violently  at  night,  and 
the  men  having  the  memory  of  our  many  narrow 
escapes  in  their  minds,  raised  a  cry  that  she  had  struck 
on  a  reef,  and  rushed  on  deck  to  get  heartily  laughed 


CHAP.  xvi.  GET  A  STEAM  PINNACE.  237 

at  by  the  watch.  We  reached  Sydney  January  6th, 
and  found  the  public  prints  full  of  articles,  which 
showed  the  interest  taken  in  our  late  New  Guinea  work, 
and  expressed  hope  for  our  future  success,  which  it 
almost  depressed  me  to  read,  knowing,  as  I  did,  the 
short  time  placed  at  my  disposal  by  the  Admiralty. 
My  experience  in  former  cruises  had  shown  me  that 
a  steam  pinnace  was  a  necessity,  and  the  Commodore 
being  unable  to  supply  me,  I  resolved  to  buy  one  here, 
hoping  after  our  survey  was  over,  to  reimburse  myself 
by  selling  it  to  the  Dutch  at  Amboyna. 

I  was  unable  to  see  anything  suitable,  except  one 
which  belonged  to  the  New  South  Wales  Government, 
and  this  was  lent  me  through  the  kindness  of  Sir 
Hercules  Eobinson,  the  governor,  and  Mr.  Parkes, 
prime  minister,  on  my  making  myself  personally  re- 
sponsible in  case  of  damage  or  loss,  and  undertaking 
to  return  her  to  Sydney  after  we  had  reached  Singa- 
pore. I  was  but  too  glad  to  accept  these  or  any  con- 
ditions. The  Government  also  supplied  me  with  a 
deep-sea  sounding  apparatus,  and  by  permission  of  the 
Commodore  we  were  also  provided  with  deep  sea 
lines,  and  an  abundance  of  saws  and  axes  for  cutting 
wood,  which  I  foresaw  would  be  often  a  necessity  in 
the  work  before  us.  When  the  ship  was  docked  for 
repairs,  we  found  that  our  escape  from  the  Figi  coral- 
reef  had  been  of  the  narrowest,  as  the  planking  had 
been  all  but  ground  through. 

H.M.  s.  schooner  "  Sandfly "  sailed  for  Possession 
Bay,  New  Guinea,  January  30th,  and  next  day  the 


238  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xvi. 

"  Basilisk,"  laden  with  provisions,  and  carrying  fifty 
tons  of  coal  on  deck,  was  all  ready  for  sailing.  It 
was  a  wild  day,  blowing  half  a  gale,  but  numbers  of 
people  came  down  to  the  rocky  point  of  Farm  Cove,  off 
which  we  were  anchored,  to  see  us  off;  others  came 
in  boats,  and  the  ship  was  crowded  with  friends,  from 
whom  we  all  felt  it  more  or  less  painful  to  part.  As 
soon  as  the  anchor  was  at  our  bow,  our  men  sprang 
aloft  with  flags,  and  running  out  on  the  yard-arms, 
and  up  to  the  mast-heads,  waved  them  for  farewell ; 
this  was  answered  with  cheer  on  cheer  from  the  shore, 
which  the  "  Basilisk's "  crew  heartily  returned,  and 
then  we  steamed  on  our  way — our  homeward-bound 
pennant  streaming  eighty  yards  astern. 

We  were  much  delayed  by  contrary  winds  during 
our  first  week  at  sea,  accompanied  by  such  strong 
southerly  currents  that  we  were  obliged  to  put  into 
Brisbane  to  replenish  coal,  lest  we  should  be  crippled 
ere  our  surveying  commenced.  We  shipped  another 
deck  load,  and  encouraged  by  the  hearty  interest 
taken  in  the  work  before  us  by  Lord  Normanby  and 
his  Government,  finally  left  the  Australian  shores 
on  February  9th,  and  steered  for  Teste  Island.  We 
occupied  our  time  on  the  way  by  preparing  for  the 
survey ;  deep-sea  lines  were  marked  up  to  3000  fath- 
oms, the  steam  pinnace  fitted  with  strong  canvas  upper 
works,  and  a  hood  over  the  bows  to  increase  her  safety 
in  a  sea-way,  and  give  comfort  to  the  men,  and  the 
other  boats  made  ready  for  detached  service. 

On  February  17th,  when  within  100  miles  of  Teste 


CHAP.  xvi.  A  MAN  OVERBOARD.  239 

Island,  we  met  a  strong  north-west  gale,  accompanied 
by  a  heavy  sea,  in  which  the  deep-laden  "  Basilisk  "  did 
not  make  her  usual  good  weather.  "We  were  striking 
the  top-gallant  masts  when  she  made  a  sudden  plunge, 
a  great  sea  swept  over  the  forecastle,  and  with  it  went 
our  gallant  boatswain.  The  cry  of  "  a  man  overboard ! " 
roused  every  one.  A  boat's  crew  sprang  at  once 
into  the  quarter-boat  to  go  to  the  rescue.  For  an  in- 
stant I  was  agitated  by  as  painful  a  doubt  as  can  assail 
a  seaman,  as  to  whether  I  could  permit  the  attempt 
to  be  made,  the  chances  were  so  heavy  against  these 
nine  lives  in  the  quarter-boat ;  but  a  look  to  windward 
decided  me,  for  Mr.  Mudge  was  striking  out  bravely, 
and  as  he  rose  on  the  top  of  a  great  wave,  he 
shouted  out  cheerily — "I  am  all  right,  sir!" — an  un- 
selfish speech,  for  he  afterwards  told  me  that  he  had 
thought  by  my  face  that  I  was  about  to  jump  over- 
board to  save  him,  and  wished  to  prevent  it.  I  had 
no  such  thought,  for  I  could  not  have  saved  myself  in 
such  a  sea,  and  my  duty  was  to  look  after  the  ship. 

The  boat  was  skilfully  lowered  away,  and  got  clear 
safely,  and  the  issue  for  life  or  death  was  watched 
breathlessly  from  the  ship,  for  the  boatswain  was  a 
favourite  with  all  hands.  A  heavy  sea  disabled  the 
oars  for  a  space,  and  hope  sank  low,  for  our  shipmate 
was  exhausted,  and  lay  floating  deeply,  and  about  to 
sink.  At  last  the  cry  arose — "  They  have  him ! "  and 
thank  God  it  was  true,  though  he  had  sunk  below  the 
surface  ere  rescued.  Almost  as  anxiously  we  watched 
for  the  return  of  the  boat,  which  came  borne  along  on 


240  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xvi. 

the  crest  of  a  great  wave,  and  then  appeared  to  be 
sinking  stern  foremost  into  the  yawning  abyss  ;  but  all 
were  soon  safe  on  board,  and  in  a  day  or  two  we  had 
the  satisfaction  of  seeing  Mr.  Mudge  at  his  duty. 

On  the  20th  we  passed  Bell  Eock,  and  through  a 
grey  watery  mist  made  out  the  well-remembered  peaks 
and  outlines  of  our  former  discoveries  with  a  thrill  of 
gratification,  remembering  our  work  done,  and  feeling 
that  we  were  returning  to  complete  it  under  honour- 
able circumstances.  That  evening  we  rode  at  anchor 
in  our  old  haven,  Hoop-iron  Bay,  surrounded  by 
hundreds  of  natives,  who  recognised  us  with  shouts 
of  welcome,  and  Lieutenant  Dawson  and  the  new 
hands  were  enchanted  with  the  exquisite  scenery  sur- 
rounding. 

Six  weeks  only  lay  at  our  disposal,  and  I  had 
anxiously  considered  how  to  make  the  most  of  them. 
We  were  ordered  to  commence  the  survey  where  we 
had  left  off  last  year,  and  carry  it  thence  round  East 
Cape,  and  along  the  unknown  north  coast  of  New 
Guinea,  till  the  expiration  of  our  time  should  arrest 
us ;  but  I  resolved  to  begin  by  making  a  trigono- 
metrical survey  of  the  space  between  Teste  Island  and 
East  Cape,  so  as  to  decide  at  the  outset  the  important 
question  as  to  whether  an  available  entrance  to  the 
new  route  existed  here  or  not. 

We  remained  at  Teste  Island  till  February  24th, 
rating  the  chronometers,  and  accurately  fixing  the 
position  of  O'Neill  Island  as  a  starting-point  for  our 
survey,  and  during  this  time  our  steam  pinnace  was 


CHAP.  xvi.     TfiEODOLITE  STATION,  GLENTON  ISLAND.       241 

an  unceasing  wonder  to  the  natives.     On  one  occasion 
Lieutenant  Smith  took  about  fourteen  of  their  canoes 
in  tow,  and  the  owners  shouted  with  pleasure  and 
admiration,  till  he  blew  the  steam  whistle,  when  their 
consternation  was  extreme.     They  became  convinced, 
however,  that  no  ill  was  intended  them,  and  after 
landing,   collected   their  women   on  the   beach,   and 
made  signs  that  they  wished  the  whistle  to  be  blown, 
which  was  done,  and  the  men  were  highly  amused  by 
the  terror  of  the  women,  who  fled  in  dismay.     Some 
time  afterwards  we  had  a  native  with  us  in  the  steam 
pinnace  a  whole  day,  and  Lieutenant  Dawson  took  pains 
in  explaining  the  action  of  the  engine  to  him,  and  found 
the  man  so  interested  and  intelligent  as  apparently  to 
grasp  the  principle  by  which  it  acted.     Amongst  our 
many  necessary  duties  was  one  of  making  surveying 
stations  on  various  lofty  points,  and  except  in  the  case 
of  our  first  station  under  the  lofty  tree  before  men- 
tioned, on  O'Neill  Island,  all  the  required  points  were  so 
thickly  wooded  that  regular  expeditions  had  to  be  made 
to  clear  a  horizon  for  the  theodolite.     The  summit  of 
Glenton,  a  small  island  some  three  miles  in  circum- 
ference, and  400  feet  high,  four  miles  south-east  of 
Moresby  Island,  was  first  attacked  by  a  party,  con- 
sisting of  about  forty  men  armed  with  axes  and  saws. 
The  island  rises  so  precipitously  from  the  sea  that 
landing  is  difficult,  but  we  found  a  small  sandy  beach, 
and  landing  without  a  wetting,  we  chose  the  shoulder 
of  a  steep  hill  which  seemed  likely  to  lead  to  the  top, 

and  began  to  climb.    It  was  easy  at  first,  for  we  could 

B 


242  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xvi. 

pass  between  the  trees ;  soon,  however,  the  dense 
under-growth  closed  in,  and  every  foot  of  way  had  to 
be  cut  through  creepers  and  bushes.  So  thick  was  the 
entanglement,  that  we  could  only  direct  our  progress 
to  the  top  by  sending  men  into  the  lofty  tree-tops  to 
guide  us.  Streaming  with  perspiration,  and  tormented 
with  mosquitoes,  we  found  ourselves  at  last  on  a  nar- 
row plateau,  about  a  quarter  of  an  acre  in  extent, 
dipping  on  its  southern  side  to  a  precipice  so  wooded 
as  to  shut  out  every  glimpse  of  the  sea,  the  sun  itself 
was  almost  hidden  from  our  sight  by  the  dense  under- 
growth in  which  we  were  buried,  and  the  over-shrouding 
leafage.  It  seemed  a  task  for  Hercules  to  clear  away 
such  a  mass  of  obstruction;  but  the  strong  arms  of 
our  men  soon  let  in  daylight :  axes  rang  and  saws 
grated  cheerfully,  and  every  now  and  then  came  the 
cry,  "  Stand  clear ! "  and  a  big  tree  bowed  its  head 
and  toppled  over,  crushing  down  the  underwood  in  its 
fall,  and  thus  doing  good  service.  Below  the  plateau 
our  men  found  foothold  on  projecting  ledges,  and 
felled  the  huge  trees  that  grew  up  the  face  of  the  pre- 
cipice. These,  as  they  rolled  over,  were  often  caught 
in  their  descent  by  other  trees,  and  remained  provok- 
ingly  obstructing  the  view,  so  that  three  trees  had 
often  to  be  felled  to  lower  one.  In  the  midst  of  our 
work  a  violent  tropical  storm  burst  over  us,  and  was 
welcome  indeed,  for  the  water  we  had  brought  up 
with  us  was  all  expended,  and  we  were  all  thirsty. 
As  the  rain  ran  in  small  water-spouts  from  the 
branches,  every  mouth  was  open  to  catch  it,  and  we 


CHAP.  XVL       VIEW  FROM  SUMMIT  OF  GLENTON.  243 

thought  the  refreshment  cheaply  purchased  by  a 
wetting. 

In  a  few  hours  all  the  trees,  except  a  giant  which 
we  left  to  crown  the  summit,  had  fallen,  and  the 
theodolite  was  free  to  sweep  the  horizon.  We  felt 
proud  of  our  work,  but  gazed  on  it  with  some  ruth  as 
we  thought  of  the  years  it  would  take  nature  to 
replace  these  leafy  shades.  Our  thoughts  were  soon 
drawn  away  by  the  glorious  panorama  that  stretched 
before  us.  Below  us,  at  the  foot  of  the  precipice,  the 
light  waves  curled  on  a  snowy  coral  beach ;  to  the 
west  the  wooded  peaks  of  Moresby  Island  closed  the 
view ;  but  on  every  other  side,  island  after  island 
floated  on  the  calm  of  an  intense  blue  sea,  volcanic, 
lofty  and  rugged,  or  coralline,  low,  white,  and  covered 
with  graceful  trees.  Every  variety  of  form,  and  tint 
of  light  and  shadow,  abounded  in  the  near  islands ; 
whilst  those  beyond  faded  out,  as  they  distanced,  into 
dim  shapes,  faint  clouds,  very  dreams  of  islands,  giving 
one  a  sense  of  the  profusion  of  creative  power,  that  was 
almost  overwhelming. 

The  summit  of  Glenton  Island  being  cleared,  we 
left  Lieutenant  Dawson  to  take  his  round  of  angles, 
and  went  to  visit  a  group  of  islands  about  nine  miles 
off  the  east  end  of  Moresby  Island,  named  by  us 
Engineer  Group,  as  a  whole;  and  separately,  Slade, 
Skelton,  Watts,  and  Butchard,  after  our  able  engineers. 
The  three  first  are  lofty  islands,  from  six  to  nine  miles 
in  circumference,  and  highly  cultivated  by  their  in- 
habitants :  Slade  Island  has  very  large  villages, 


244  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xvi. 

Lieutenant  Smith  and  I  finding  that  there  was  too 
much  surf  on  for  us  to  land  from  the  steam  pinnace 
on  Slade  Island,  went  on  shore  in  native  canoes,  know- 
ing that  in  case  of  treachery  at  the  hands  of  these 
untried  natives  we  could  protect  ourselves  with  our 
revolvers,  and  received  a  somewhat  doubtful  welcome 
from  a  large  crowd  on  the  beach.  We  gave  them  the 
salutation  learned  by  us  on  our  last  cruise,  and  on 
this  the  people  thawed  a  little,  and  led  us  to  a  cleared 
space  in  their  village,  where  we  sat  down,  and  they 
all  seated  themselves  round  us,  and  commenced  an 
animated  conversation  amongst  themselves,  of  which 
we  were  evidently  the  subjects.  Tired  of  waiting  their 
pleasure,  we  rose  presently,  and  began  to  walk  about 
and  investigate.  They  seemed  to  think  we  were  going 
to  steal  their  goods,  and  would  not  let  us  enter  their 
houses,  nor  barter  for  anything,  save  a  few  nuts 
and  yams ;  so  that  we  left  them  with  our  bags  of  iron 
hoop  pretty  full.  Going  off  in  the  canoe,  I  was  upset 
for  the  second  time  that  day,  and  being  weighed  down 
by  the  iron  hoop,  sank,  and  should  have  found  a  diffi- 
culty in  getting  to  the  surface  again,  had  it  not  fallen 
out  of  the  bag  and  allowed  me  to  rise  and  gain  the 
bottom  of  the  canoe. 

By  March  3d,  after  unremitting  hard  work  of 
officers  and  men,  Lieutenant  Dawson  and  I  had  satis- 
fied ourselves  that  the  passage  round  East  Cape  was 
not  through  China  Straits,  but  round  the  east  end  of 
Moresby  Island ;  and  on  this  day  I  had  the  satisfac- 
tion of  conning  the  ship  from  the  foretop  through 


CHAP.  xvi.  D'ENTRECASTEAUX  GROUP.  245 

the  passage  between  Grant  and  Shortland  Islands,  and 
so  through  still  narrower  waters  to  an  island  near 
East  Cape,  seen  by  us  last  year,  and  named  Lydia, 
about  ten  miles  in  circumference,  and  1034  feet  high. 
This  was  a  great  point  gained,  as  it  proved  the  ex- 
istence of  a  channel  navigable  for  large  steamers 
round  the  East  Cape  of  New  Guinea ;  but  as  it  led  in 
one  place  between  dangerous  reefs,  with  a  channel 
scarce  500  yards  wide,  I  resolved  to  devote  more 
time,  and  search  for  a  safe  channel  for  sailing-vessels. 
In  the  meantime  the  lofty  razor-edge  summit  of  Lydia 
Island  was  cleared  for  a  station,  and  from  this  look- 
out we  could  discern  more  than  fifty  islands  awaiting 
our  survey  and  naming.  I  was  struck  by  the  con- 
scientiousness displayed  by  a  boy  at  Lydia  Island, 
with  whom  I  attempted  to  barter  an  axe  for  a  hand- 
some shell  necklace  he  wore.  He  made  signs  that  the 
necklace  was  not  his,  and  refused  to  trade ;  his 
companions  urged  him  vehemently,  even  trying  to 
force  it  off  his  neck,  and  at  last  so  far  prevailed  that 
he  took  the  axe  from  my  hand  and  half  unfastened 
the  necklace ;  conscience  pricked  him,  and  he  hurriedly 
thrust  back  the  axe,  and  making  signs  that  he  would 
go  and  get  leave  from  the  owner  to  sell  it,  paddled  off 
amidst  the  jeers  of  his  friends.  The  houses  on  Lydia 
Island  were  unusually  small,  and  the  natives  seemed 
of  a  darker  race  than  those  in  the  vicinity. 

On  March  4th  we  paid  our  first  and  much  desired 
visit  to  the  D'Entrecasteaux  group.  These  lofty 
islands,  which  culminate  in  7000  feet  of  height,  had 


246  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xvi. 

been  seen  from  a  distance  on  their  eastern  side  by  the 
French  navigator  whose  name  they  bear,  but  had  not 
been  visited  by  him  or  any  white  man.    We  had  spent 
this  day  in  surveying  off  the  southern  shores  of  the 
Prevost  range,  as  we  have  named  the  lofty  southern 
range  of  the  islands,  and  observing  a  populous  village 
at  Cape  Ventenat,  resolved  to  land  there.     The  people 
in  the  canoes  near  shore  feared  and  avoided  us,  so  we 
gave  chase  to  some  canoes  which  we  saw  to  seaward, 
and  coming  up  with  them  before  they  could  reach  the 
reef  they  were  making  for,  threw  them  some  strips  of 
red  cloth  and  lengths  of  iron  hoop,  and  conciliated 
them ;  but  we  landed  with  caution,  for  all  the  women 
had  been  sent  out  of  sight,  and  the  men  looked  doubt- 
ful of  us.     Our  precautions  were  happily  needless ;  we 
were  eagerly  welcomed ;  the  women  and  children  soon 
reappeared,  and  we  were  offered  hot  and  savoury  food 
from  their  large  earthen  bowls.      Here,  for  the  first 
time,  human  figures  painted  on  the  gable-ends  of  the 
larger  houses  were  seen  by  us ;  the  artist's  skill  was  of 
the  rudest,  and  the  subjects  were  unfit  for  reproduc- 
tion.    We  did  not  meet  with  any  other  attempt  to 
delineate  the  human  form  here,  save  in  some  small 
grotesque  carvings   at   the  ends  of  wooden   knives, 
spoons,  and  ornamented  clubs,  of  which  many  were 
pretty  well  executed. 

On  March  8th,  so  much  surveying  work  had  been 
accomplished  that  it  became  needful  for  Lieutenant 
Dawson  to  leave  off  active  work,  and  plot  or  place  the 
accumulated  results  on  the  chart,  and  as  this  would 


CHAP.  xvi.  NATIVES  OF  TRAP  BAY.  247 

occupy  our  able  surveyor  a  week,  I  determined   to 
spend  this  time  in  making  a  running  survey  of  the 
D'Entrecasteaux   group.      We   took   the    "Basilisk" 
accordingly  that  evening  round  to  the  northern  coast 
of  New  Guinea,  and  after  much  searching,  the  shore 
being  "steep  to,"  and  the  water  very  deep,  found 
ground  in  twenty-two  fathoms,  with  swinging  room 
for  the  ship  in  a  bay.     Dropping  anchor  about  five 
yards  from  the  sounding,  it  sank  into  forty-five  fathoms, 
whilst  under  our  stern  the  depth  was  ninety-three 
fathoms.     Next  day  we  steered  for  the  western  shores 
of  D'Entrecasteaux,  passing  several  dangerous  reefs, 
and  anchored  twenty-five  miles  north  of  East  Cape,  in 
a  small  cove,  where  the  ship  had  barely  room  to  swing 
clear  of  the  reefs.     Trap  Bay,  as  we  named  it,  is  ex- 
posed to  westerly  winds,  but  the  weather  was  fine, 
and  it  answered  our  requirements.     The  ship  safe,  I 
went  away  exploring  the  coast  to  the  north,  and  found 
what  I  thought  to  be  an  extensive  bay,  but  which 
proved  afterwards  to  be  broad  straits  separating  the  two 
southern  islands  of  the  D'Entrecasteaux  group.    It  was 
dark  when  we  returned  to  the  ship,  and  a  heavy  swell 
was  rolling  in,  precursor  of  bad  weather,  which  kept  us 
bound  to  our  dangerous  anchorage  for  two  days.    Only 
a  few  natives  lived  about  Trap  Bay,  and  their  houses 
were  so  well  hidden  in  the  bush  that  we  could  not 
find  them.     They  would  not  communicate  with  us  on 
shore,  but  came  freely  off  to  the  ship,  with  pigs  and 
fruit.     On  the  10th  we  stood  north,  to  look  for  an 
anchorage,  and  found  ourselves  in  a  wide  strait,  separat- 


248  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xvi. 

ing  the  two  large  southern  islands  which  we  have 
since  named  Normanby  and  Fergusson  Islands.  We 
kept  along  its  southern  shores,  beneath  the  lofty  vol- 
canic peaks  of  Normanby  Island,  not  knowing  what  any 
moment  might  reveal  to  us,  and,  being  under  its  lee, 
were  sailing  in  calm  blue  water.  Before  us  rose  a  pyra- 
midal mountain,  about  4000  feet  high,  rounding  which 
we  could  see  the  sea  beyond,  but  almost  shut  out  from 
view  by  a  cluster  of  islets  at  this,  the  eastern  entrance 
to  the  Straits.  Our  boats  went  now  to  search  for 
anchorage,  and  soon  we  dropped  anchor,  and  swung 
clear  by  a  few  yards  of  a  dark  sandy  beach,  through 
which  a  clear  mountain  stream  cut  its  way  to  the  sea. 
The  beach  was  fringed  with  jungle  and  forest  trees, 
but  casting  our  eyes  up  the  precipitous  mountain-side 
we  saw  abundant  cultivation,  and  beyond  us  a  cleared 
space  where  a  number  of  women  were  standing  gazing 
at  us,  but  no  village.  Presently  the  men  came  crowd- 
ing to  the.  beach,  armed  with  clubs  and  spears,  and 
Mr.  Bentley  and  I  landed,  and  walking  up  to  the 
astonished  savages  gave  them  some  presents,  and 
patted  them  on  the  back  ;  in  fact,  by  this  time  we  had 
all  attained  such  experience  in  the  management  of 
savages  that  we  felt  confident  of  succeeding  with 
these,  and  they  soon  Became  friendly,  and  we  pre- 
sently returned  to  the  ship,  carrying  our  purchases  of 
weapons,  which  had  perhaps  been  brought  to  the  beach 
to  be  used  against  us.  From  this  time,  during  the 
week  we  spent  here,  the  ship  was  besieged  from  dawn 
to  sunset  by  hundreds  of  canoes,  containing  many 


CIIAP.  xvi.  BARTER  WITH  NATIVES.  249 

hundreds  of  natives  from  far  and  near,  eager  to  barter 
all  they  possessed  for  iron  hoop — stone  hatchets,  orna- 
ments, yams,  fruit,  and  fish,  which  latter  made  an 
agreeable  variety  of  food  for  the  men. 

These  natives  are  similar  to  the  New  Guinea  men, 
but  seem  more  liable  to  loathsome  skin  diseases. 
Their  weapons  differ  slightly,  the  spears  here  being 
made  without  barbs,  and  they  use  slings  for  stones 
made  of  hair  or  fibre. 

Our  seamen  made  themselves  popular  with  their 
dusky  friends  by  getting  them  on  board  and  painting 
them  with  quaint  devices  in  tar  and  red  paint ;  and 
those  thus  ornamented  became  objects  of  an  envy  on 
shore  that  produced  only  too  many  candidates  for  the 
paint-brush.  Our  men  gave  these  people  an  alarm 
unintentionally  on  one  occasion,  by  running  up  sud- 
denly to  loose  sails.  In  a  moment  their  canoes  began 
to  fly,  crushing  against  each  other,  the  large  over- 
whelming the  small,  till,  when  about  100  yards  off, 
they  turned,  and  seeing  that  no  harm  was  intended, 
regained  their  confidence,  and  seemed  immoderately 
amused  at  their  fears.  After  a  time  we  began  to 
observe  that  none  of  the  natives  who  wore  cane  brace- 
lets on  their  arms  would  allow  themselves  to  be 
painted,  and  by  their  signs  we  understood  that  they 
were  in  mourning  for  the  dead.  Some  of  the  officers 
visited  the  village  belonging  to  these  people,  which 
stood  about  1500  feet  above  the  sea,  on  the  brow  of  a 
hill,  and  was  surrounded  by  cultivation,  but  they  were 
not  received  with  cordiality.  The  women  were  kept 


250  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xvi. 

out  of  sight,  and  the  men  were  evidently  relieved  when 
their  visitors  took  their  departure.  The  young  officers 
became,  whilst  here,  the  possessors  of  native  canoes,  in 
which,  in  spite  of  many  capsizes,  they  used  to  cruise 
about,  miles  away  from  the  'ship.  Wild  duck  were 
seen  here,  perched  on  the  branches  of  lofty  trees,  and 
spiders  were  found  with  bodies  5^  inches  in  length. 

Lieutenant  Dawson  now  began  to  plot  his  work, 
Lieutenant  Smith  to  wood  and  water  the  ship,  and 
Navigating-Lieutenant  Mourilyan,  Mr.  Watts,  engineer, 
and  I,  started  in  the  steam-pinnance  to  lay  down  the 
unknown  coast-line  of  these  D'Entrecasteaux  Islands, 
having  six  men  with  us.  We  had  a  whale-boat  in  tow 
which  carried  coals  and  provisions  for  a  week,  and 
would  be  a  means  of  escape  in  case  of  accident  to  the 
pinnace. 

Steaming  out  of  the  new  strait  to  which  we  had 
given  the  name  of  Dawson  Strait,  to  the  west,  we 
passed  close  under  the  high  mountains  that  form  its 
northern  boundary,  the  native  villages  built  high  up 
on  the  hills,  with  their  patches  of  cultivated  ground, 
contrasting  well  with  the  mass  of  sombre  forest  which, 
except  where  broken  by  ravines,  overspread  all.  Our 
course  lay  for  a  projecting  cape  off  Fergusson,  the 
middle  island  of  the  group,  about  twenty  miles  distant, 
and  as  we  passed  on  within  a  few  yards  of  the  shore, 
the  excited  natives  who  watched  us,  and  who  must 
have  thought  us  gods  moving  rapidly  on  the  water 
without  the  exertion  of  apparent  power,  raced  along 
the  beach  after  us,  shouting  their  exclamation  of  sur- 


CHAP.  xvi.  GOODENO UGH  ISLAND.  251 

prise,  "  Hoo-ee,  Hoo-ee ! "     We  had  not  time  to  land, 
but  pressing  on  found  ourselves  at  the  entrance  of  another 
broad  noble  strait,  which  proved  to  separate  Fergusson 
from  the  northmost  and  loftiest  island  of  the  D'Entre- 
casteaux  group,  to  which  we  have  given  the  name  of 
Goodenough.     This — Moresby  Strait — is  from  eight  to 
ten  miles  wide  and  fifteen  in  length,  and  both  its  island 
shores  are   grandly  picturesque,  Mount   Goodenough 
rising  to  a  height  of  nearly  8000  feet.     The  sides  of 
this  great  mountain  are  cultivated  to  a  height  of  about 
2000  feet ;  gradually  its  woods  give  place  to  barren- 
ness, and   its   summits   stand   bare  and  knife-edged 
against  the  sky.     Mountain  torrents  dash  down  its 
ravines,  and  flash  out  at  times  from  their  dark  green 
setting  like  molten   silver.     Night   now  closing,  we 
sought  to  anchor  between  a  small  islet  and  the  shore ; 
our  draught  of  water  was  but  twelve  or  fourteen  inches, 
and  yet  we  could  obtain  no  anchorage,  for  the  channel 
was  full  of  mushroom  coral,  which  rose  like  great  pil- 
lars from  a  depth  of  twenty  and  thirty  fathoms  to 
within  three  or  four  inches  of  the  surface,  so  close  to- 
•  gether,  that  after  many  a  wearying  trial  off  the  en- 
trance of  lovely  coves  and  delicious  looking  bays,  we 
had  to  seek  a  precarious  anchorage  in  twenty  fathoms 
water,  outside  these  coral  pillars,  on  which  a  dangerous 
surf  was  breaking.     The  natives  then  crowded  along- 
side us,  but  we  were  weary,  and  wanted  to  have  our 
evening  meal  in  peace,  so  blew  the  steam  whistle,  and 
they  seized  their  paddles  and  glided  off  into  the  dark- 
ness ;  but  all  night  long  the  village  clamoured  like  a 


252  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xvi. 

frightened  rookery,  and  our  look-out  men  were  fre- 
quently startled  by  natives  stealing  out  to  within  a 
few  feet  of  us  on  the  reef.  At  last,  some  sleep  being 
needful,  I  caused  a  rifle  to  be  fired  to  seaward,  and 
this  secured  us  some  quiet.  Next  day  we  attempted 
to  pass  round  the  north-west  side  of  Goodenough 
Island.  Its  south-western  shores  are  low,  and  rise 
very  gradually  for  a  mile,  till  they  meet  the  first 
swellings  of  Mount  Goodenough.  Villages  are  scat- 
tered all  over  this  ample  plain,  and  the  dark  sandy 
beach  is  cut  through  by  many  mountain  streams.  We 
failed  to  circumnavigate  the  island  for  want  of  fuel, 
and  the  labour  of  constantly  filling  the  boiler  with 
fresh  water  was  very  retarding.  Our  first  stopping 
place  was  at  a  little  creek,  named  by  us  Breakfast 
Cove,  at  the  head  of  which  was  a  brackish  lagoon,  and 
beyond  that,  in  thick  forest,  a  rock-strewn  watercourse, 
with  delicious  pools  of  cool  water,  in  which  we  bathed, 
to  our  great  refreshment.  Here  we  breakfasted,  and 
enjoyed  the  shade  and  space,  after  our  much  cramping 
up,  in  the  boat.  A  naturalist  would  have  envied  our 
position,  surrounded  as  we  were  by  strange  trees  and 
shrubs  and  beautiful  birds,  to  which  we  unfortunately 
could  give  no  name.  We  knew  the  Megapode,  a  bush 
turkey,  and  recognised  it  here — a  bird  like  a  small 
barndoor  fowl,  with  long  yellow  legs.  The  nests  each 
consisted  of  about  thirty  cartloads  of  dry  leaves, 
sticks,  and  shells,  formed  into  a  great  heap,  the  heat 
of  which  would  hatch  the  eggs  deposited.  Leaving 
Breakfast  Cove  we  continued  our  course  along  the 


CHAP.  xvi.  FERGUSSON  ISLAND.  253 

south-west  of  the  island  for  about  fifteen  miles,  coast- 
ing along  a  fine  belt  of  alluvial  land,  full  of  villages, 
and  well  cultivated,  the  cultivation  running  from  the 
plain  high  up  the  precipitous  sides  of  magnificent 
Mount  Goodenough,  which  are  broken  into  an  endless 
variety  of  ravines  and  valleys  overshadowed  by  the 
lofty  peaks  that  pierce  the  clear  blue  air.  As  day 
closed  in  I  found  that  the  island  extended  too  far  to 
the  north-west,  and  that  our  coal  was  too  short  for  us 
to  get  round  it,  and  we  turned  back,  much  regretting  the 
necessity,  and  anchored  for  the  night  in  Breakfast  Cove, 
where  we  had  some  work  as  usual  in  filling  the  boiler 
before  turning  in.  We  were  awakened  in  the  morning 
by  the  discordant  screams  of  many  birds,  and  after  a 
plunge  into  one  of  the  clear  pools,  shaded  over  by 
great  trees,  we  steered  for  Fergusson  Island,  and  came 
opposite  a  large  village  at  noon.  Here  a  very  plea- 
sant-looking old  lady  paddled  off  to  us  in  a  catamaran; 
we  gave  her  some  strips  of  red  cloth,  and  she  became 
quite  friendly.  On  our  landing,  strange  to  say  the 
women  were  the  first  to  come  forward,  the  men  ap- 
pearing, but  keeping  back  in  a  state  of  evident  timi- 
dity. The  presents  we  gave  the  women,  however,  soon 
brought  the  men  round  us,  and  so  entire  was  my  confi- 
dence in  their  peaceable  disposition  that  I  visited  their 
inland  plantations,  accompanied  only  by  a  seaman.  I 
found  large  enclosures,  well  fenced  in  with  bamboo,  pro- 
ducing tropical  fruits,  yams,  sweet  potatoes,  Indian  corn, 
and  sugar-cane,  and  saw  the  sago-palm  growing  in  rich 
abundance  here.  The  natives  mash  the  sago  in  im- 


254  NEW  GUINEA. 


CHAP.  XVI. 


mense  troughs,  which  I  at  first  thought  to  be  worn-out 
canoes.  We  all  enjoyed  this  food,  and  used  it  largely. 
The  good  feeling  of  these  natives  deserves  mention. 
They  had  never  seen  the  "  Basilisk,"  and  knew  nothing 
of  our  possessing  superior  arms.  We  were  but  ten 
men  amongst  hundreds,  and  they  knew  that  we  carried 
iron  hoop  on  our  persons ;  but  not  only  did  they  re- 
frain from  the  least  attempt  to  molest  us,  but  they 
helped  us  over  obstacles,  showed  us  the  best  paths,  and 
took  care  of  our  clothes  whilst  we  bathed.  Here,  a 
mile  from  the  beach,  I  saw  large  masses  of  coral  rock 
cropping  up  at  perhaps  a  hundred  feet  above  the  sea 
level,  close  to  volcanic  cliffs.  Taking  leave  of  our 
friends,  we  passed  to  the  north  between  Fergusson  and 
Goodenough  Islands,  and  found  ourselves  on  the  north 
shore  of  Fergusson  Island.  Steering  then  to  the  east, 
we  hoped  to  go  down  round  this  island  to  the  "  Basi- 
lisk "  in  Dawson  Strait.  There  was  a  singular  absence 
of  coral  formation  on  this  north  shore ;  and  the  beach 
and  bottom  of  the  sea,  formed  of  black  volcanic  sand, 
offered  many  valuable  anchorages,  as  they  sloped 
gradually  into  deep  water.  No  natives  lived  on  this 
part  of  the  island,  and  we  could  not  find  any  fish  in 
the  bays.  We  anchored  for  the  night  in  a  snug  bay 
on  the  north  side  of  the  island  ;  and  on  landing  shot 
a  wallaby. 

We  discovered  here  some  boiling  mineral  springs, 
strongly  alkaline,  which  united  themselves  in  a  rivulet 
that  offered  any  degree  of  temperature  to  our  bathers. 
Other  hot  springs  may  exist  here  at  the  bottom  of  the 


CHAP.  xvi.          FERGUSSON  ISLAND  HOT  SPRINGS.  255 

sea,  which  would  account  for  the  absence  of  fish  in  the 
bays.  In  the  sand  and  mud  thrown  out  by  these 
springs  we  found  very  small  specimens  of  rubies  and 
amethysts,  evidently  chippings  from  larger  stones. 
We  enjoyed  our  bathing  here  under  the  shade  of  huge 
overhanging  trees,  with  the  comfortable  faith  that 
snakes  and  alligators  were  unlikely  to  tolerate  such  a 
temperature,  and  that  we  should  have  our  bath  to 
ourselves,  and  the  steam  kept  the  mosquitoes  at  a 
distance,  so  that  our  comfort  was  perfect.  On  getting 
outside,  on  the  15th,  we  were  met  by  a  strong  south- 
east breeze,  and  had  to  take  shelter  in  a  large  bay, 
named  by  us  Hughes  Bay,  after  our  stoker,  sheltered 
to  the  north  by  eight  or  ten  lofty  islets,  which  we 
named  Amphlett  Group.  After  filling  our  boiler  with 
fresh  water,  and  trading  with  the  friendly  natives,  who 
regarded  our  colour  and  clothes  with  wonder,  we  made 
a  second  attempt  to  round  the  east  end  of  the  island ; 
but  the  wind  had  now  increased  to  a  gale,  accompanied 
by  a  heavy  ocean  sea,  which  placed  us  in  considerable 
danger,  and  finding  from  the  unexpected  trend  of  the 
land  that  we  were  still  thirty  or  forty  miles  from  the 
ship,  we  bore  up,  and  determined  to  make  a  fair  wind 
of  the  gale  by  returning  the  way  we  came.  We  spent 
the  night  in  a  sheltering  bay,  abounding  with  turtle,  on 
the  north-east  of  the  island ;  and  next  morning  rose 
early,  and  our  coal  being  now  expended,  cut  wood,  by 
the  aid  of  which,  and  greased  coal  bags,  we  managed 
to  make  about  twenty  miles  progress,  and  reach  the 
village  we  had  previously  visited  in  Moresby  Straits, 
where  we  anchored  for  the  night. 


256  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xvi. 

On  March  18th  we  made  another  attempt  to  reach 
the  ship,  and  when  just  at  the  entrance  of  Dawson 
Straits  we  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  her  come  steam- 
ing towards  us,  Lieutenant  Smith,  according  to  orders, 
being  on  his  way  to  look  for  us  on  account  of  our  pro- 
longed absence.  The  cleanliness,  free  space,  and  com- 
fort of  the  ship  was  very  welcome  after  our  hardships, 
and  we  were  able  to  feel  with  pleasure  that  we  had 
done  a  good  piece  of  work  in  laying  down  the  princi- 
pal part  of  the  before  unknown  coast-line  of  these 
islands,  which  lie  directly  in  the  track  of  the  new 
route,  extending  ninety  miles  in  a  N.W.  and  S.E. 
direction,  with  an  average  width  of  about  fifteen  miles. 

Lieutenant  Dawson  had  finished  his  plotting  by 
our  return,  so  we  sailed  at  once  for  our  old  surveying- 
ground,  resolving  to  strain  every  nerve  in  searching 
for  a  better  passage  from  the  south  round  the  East 
Cape  of  New  Guinea.  I  had  found  by  experience  that 
boats  were  too  low  in  the  water  to  be  of  much  use  in 
such  work,  and  were  only  fit  to  verify  the  clearness  of 
a  channel  for  a  few  yards  at  either  side.  I  have  fre- 
quently passed  within  twenty  yards  of  dangerous  reefs 
in  boats  without  observing  them,  whereas,  from  aloft 
in  the  ship,  in  fine  weather,  and  in  the  absence  of  too 
strong  a  sun-glare  on  the  water,  a  reef  could  be  seen 
two  or  three  miles  off.  Our  plan  was  for  the  ship  to 
start  in  the  early  morning  and  take  a  zig-zag  course  to 
avoid  the  level  sun -rays,  sounding  as  she  went,  whilst 
we  despatched  boats  at  intervals  to  carry  out  lines  of 
soundings  between  two  fixed  points,  and  to  fix  the 


CHAP.  xvr.  A  TROPICAL  TORNADO.  257 

position  of  any  dangers  that  might  exist.  During 
such  work  Lieutenant  Dawson  would  be  absent  for  a 
day  or  two,  engaged  in  the  more  scientific  work  of 
fixing  positions  trigonometrically.  We  almost  lived 
aloft  those  days ;  but  the  weather  was  generally 
fine,  and  our  work  went  on  well.  The  anxious  mo- 
ments came  when  a  cloud  no  bigger  than  a  man's 
hand  appeared  on  the  horizon,  and  growing  and  near- 
ing  us  rapidly,  enveloped  us  in  a  tropical  tornado, 
which  sometimes  lasted  two  hours.  Anxious  hours 
they  were  indeed,  as  we  drove  across  the  rain-pitted 
sea,  now  over  the  safe  blue  of  the  deep  water,  now 
over  the  treacherous  shoaling  green  of  the  reefs ;  the 
leadsmen,  like  messengers  of  fate  in  the  chains,  calling 
their  soundings ;  shut  in  all  round  by  a  gloom  which 
no  eye  could  pierce;  seeing  nothing  but  the  coral 
below,  which  seemed  to  lift  itself  up  to  meet  us ;  for- 
bearing to  anchor  till  there  was  no  other  alternative, 
and  drifting  on  we  knew  not  whither.  It  was  diffi- 
cult as  the  man  at  the  bowsprit  end  reported  "  water 
appears  to  be  shoaling !  "  to  answer  with  a  sufficiently 
cheery  "  very  well ! "  The  men  cowered  in  their  light 
clothing  from  the  pitiless  rain,  which  was  cold  and 
sharp  as  hail ;  our  ears  were  full  of  the  confusion  of  the 
elements  and  the  roar  of  the  escaping  steam — all  in 
strange  contrast  with  the  sunny  calm  which  had  just 
preceded. 

At  other  times,  when  wooding  or  making  plans,  we 
anchored  the  ship  and  were  away  in  the  boats  for  days, 
Lieutenants  Sydney  Smith  and  Deedes,  Navigating- 


258  NEW  GUINEA.   '  CHAP.  xvi. 

Lieutenant  Mourilyan,  Mr.  Mudge,  and  I,  working  in 
different  directions ;  and  on  all  occasions  the  tact  of  the 
officers  and  good  behaviour  of  the  men  prevented 
trouble  arising  with  the  natives.  Once  Lieutenant 
Smith  thought  that  the  cupidity  of  the  natives  of  Teste 
Island  was  excited  by  the  sight  of  the  fire-bars  of  the 
steam  pinnace,  and  he  prudently  changed  his  position. 
Lieutenant  I)eeds  was  fortunate  in  witnessing  a  fight 
between  the  natives  of  Slade  and  those  of  East  Cape 
and  Moresby  Island.  The  combined  warriors  ap- 
proached Slade  Island  in  about  twenty  canoes,  con- 
taining some  thirty  men  each,  but  remained  thirty 
yards  off  shore,  throwing  spears  and  slinging  stones 
at  the  Slade  Islanders,  who  waded  out  and  returned 
the  discharge.  They  kept  this  safe  distance  for 
two  hours,  dodging  each  other's  missiles  so  skilfully 
that  nobody  seemed  seriously  hurt.  We  rarely  saw  a 
wounded  man  amongst  these  people,  and  but  few 
enemies'  skulls  adorned  the  outside  of  their  houses. 

On  March  26th  we  were  joined  by  H.M.S. 
"  Sandfly,"  but,  as  she  had  unfortunately  grounded  on 
a  reef  and  injured  her  rudder,  her  sendees  were  lost  to 
us,  and  she  returned  to  Possession  Bay  for  repairs. 

On  April  1st  it  was  necessary  to  cut  a  supply  of 
wood,  and  we  found  an  anchorage  off  Blackney  Island, 
a  low  uninhabited  coral  islet,  about  fifteen  miles  to  the 
north-east  of  Moresby  Island,  where  there  was  an  abund- 
ance of  wood,  and  which  seemed  to  be  an  ancient  home 
of  the  megapodes,  as  they  had  nested  here  in  great  num- 
bers. The  poor  birds  were  delicious  food,  and  were 


CHAP.  xvi.  THE  DESIRED  PASSAGE  FOUND.  259 

sacrificed  accordingly.  When  we  had  got  our  wood  off, 
the  "  Basilisk  "  looked  more  like  an  Irish  turf-boat  than 
a  man-of-war,  her  entire  upper-deck  being  covered 
with  great  wood-stacks ;  but  we  were  only  too  happy 
to  see  it  there,  fuel  being  everything  towards  the  suc- 
cess of  our  work. 

Our  surveying,  which  was  monotonous  work 
enough,  was  sometimes  diversified  by  little  incidents; 
for  instance,  in  surveying  Fools  Cap,  an  isolated  rock, 
Lieutenant  Smith  espied  a  cave  with  some  rare  shells 
shining  within,  and  working  his  way  in  to  get  at  them, 
had  just  put  his  hand  on  one,  when  a  large  land- 
snake  upreared  itself  and  disputed  possession ;  taken 
by  surprise,  he  tumbled  back  with  more  haste  than 
dignity,  and  summoned  some  of  the  boat's  crew,  when 
he  returned  to  the  attack  and  killed  the  snake,  a 
dangerous-looking  brute,  about  four  feet  long,  with 
claws  or  teeth  in  its  tail. 

On  April  8th  we  resumed  our  old  position  at  Pos- 
session Bay  to  await  the  arrival  of  a  vessel  with  coal 
and  stores  expected  by  us.  The  result  of  our  work 
was  that  we  had  found  a  passage,  the  least  width  of 
which  was  two  miles,  leading  from  Teste  Island  to  the 
north  of  New  Guinea ;  but  there  was  still  much  to  be 
done,  and  our  boats  were  kept  detached  on  work 
which,  when  all  summed  up,  resulted  in  the  laying 
down  of  more  than  2000  miles  of  fixed  soundings  in 
this  survey  off  the  East  Cape  and  D'Entrecasteaux 
Islands. 

The  "  Sandfly"  was  lying  here  on  our  arrival,  and 


260  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xvi. 

we  found  that  the  natives  had  committed  the  bold  act 
of  stealing  the  barricoes  and  boat's  crutches  from  one 
of  her  boats.  I  had  always  been  ready  to  overlook 
the  smaller  delinquencies  of  the  natives,  but  this  was 
going  a  step  too  far,  and  I  directed  Lieutenant 
Nowell,  her  commander,  to  lay  an  ambush,  and  seize 
some  natives,  near  the  spot  where  the  robbery  had 
been  committed.  Two  were  accordingly  secured  after  a 
long  struggle,  in  which  their  smooth  skin  and  supple 
limbs  eluded  the  attempts  of  our  strong  seamen,  and 
were  taken  on  board  the  "  Sandfly,"  where  they  seemed 
to  expect  instant  death.  Their  wives  and  friends 
came  off  weeping  and  offering  presents  to  buy  them 
off,  and  the  natives  deserted  the  ship  and  kept  close 
to  the  shore  in  their  canoes,  ready  for  instant  flight 
into  the  bush.  I  went  amongst  them  in  a  dingey, 
thinking  that  many  of  them  would  recognise  me  and 
be  assured,  and  at  last  succeeded  in  making  them 
understand  that  the  prisoners  should  be  set  free  when 
the  property  was  brought  back.  On  the  second  day 
they  restored  the  articles  and  we  released  the  men,  to 
the  intense  joy  of  their  friends,  which  it  was  quite 
affecting  to  witness,  and  presently  a  large  hog  was 
sent  on  board  the  "  Sandfly  "  to  show  their  gratitude. 
A  few  days  afterwards  our  carpenters,  working  on  a 
stage  over  the  side,  missed  a  saw,  but  before  we  could 
take  any  steps,  we  saw  a  large  canoe  coming  off,  in 
which  an  old  man  stood  holding  up  the  saw,  and  on 
reaching  us  he  returned  it  and  expressed  his  anger  at 
the  theft. 


CHAP.  xvi.         NEW  ROUTE  ACCUEATELY  SURVEYED.         261 

The  coal  barque  arriving,  we  were  gladdened  by 
the  receipt  of  news  from  home,  five  months  old  it  is 
true,  but  still  how  welcome !  On  April  1 5th,  having 
got  our  coal  on  board,  and  having  found  that  the 
"  Sandfly's  "  defects  unfortunately  rendered  it  neces- 
sary to  send  her  to  Sydney,  we  towed  the  two  vessels 
out  of  Possession  Bay,  gave  them  a  good  offing,  and 
after  seeing  them  stand  south  for  Sydney,  anchored  in 
Hoop-Iron  Bay  to  rate  our  chronometers.  The  follow- 
ing ten  days  were  devoted  to  perfecting  our  know- 
ledge of  the  route  we  had  discovered,  which  passed 
between  the  east  end  of  Moresby  Island  and  Engineer 
Group,  with  a  depth  of  water  varying  from  30  to 
500  fathoms.  A  still  more  roomy  but  longer  route 
had  also  been  found  by  us  from  Teste  Island  to  the 
north  side  of  New  Guinea,  running  eastward  of  the 
whole  Archipelago  Islands  lying  off  East  Cape. 

We  felt  that  all  our  desires  of  last  year  in  this 
respect  had  now  been  fulfilled,  and  that  the  "  Basilisk  " 
had  opened  a  new  and  accurately  surveyed  highway 
for  commerce  between  Australia,  New  Guinea,  and 
China. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

PREPARE  TO  SURVEY  THE  UNKNOWN  NORTH-EAST  COAST  OF  NEW  GUINEA — 
LOW  FEVER  —  DISTINCTIVE  CHARACTERISTICS  OF  THIS  COAST  —  GOOD- 
ENOUGH  BAY — WARD-HUNT  STRAITS — COAST  FROM  EAST  CAPE  TO  CAPE 
VOGEL — RICH  LAND  ABOUT  BENTLEY  BAY — MUTINY  AMONGST  THE  PIGS 
— SHARP  GRASSY  HILLS — CAPE  FRERE — PLATEAUX  AND  RIVER  AT  BARTLE 
BAY — COLLINGWOOD  BAY  —  MOUNTS  VICTORY  AND  TRAFALGAR  —  SUP- 
POSED TRACES  OF  THE  RHINOSCEROS — NATIVES  BECOME  VERY  SHY — 
STEAM  PINNACE  CHASED — NEW  KIND  OF  CANOE — DYKE  ACLAND  BAY — 
TUMULTUOUS  GATHERING  OF  NATIVES — WAR  CHANT — REFRAIN  FROM 
LANDING  —  NARROW  ESCAPE  OF  A  PARTY  OF  OFFICERS  FROM  THE 
NATIVES — RIVER  CLYDE. 

I  WISHED  to  remain  longer  and  carry  our  survey  far- 
ther to  the  eastward ;  but  I  had  already  exceeded  the 
time  allowed  me  by  a  fortnight ;  and  there  remained 
a  running  survey  of  the  unknown  north-east  coast 
for  about  300  miles  as  the  crow  Hies,  to  be  ac- 
complished, a  length  which  was  certain  to  be  much 
extended  by  the  irregularities  of  the  coast-line.  We 
therefore  turned  the  "  Basilisk's  "  head  westward  on 
April  27th,  amidst  great  rejoicings,  for  every  mile  was 
now  a  mile  nearer  home.  At  this  time  we  were  at- 
tacked by  a  low  fever  of  a  mild  type,  which  completely 
prostrated  those  it  seized  for  the  time,  and  rendered  our 
subsequent  work  more  arduous,  the  more  so  as  we  were 
already  forty  men  short  of  complement. 

The  first  striking  differences  between  these  north- 
ern and  the  southern  shores  of  New  Guinea  are,  that 
here  there  is  no  outlying  Barrier  Reef,  and  that  the 


CHAP.  xvii.     COAST  BETWEEN  EAST  CAPE  AND  VOGEL.       263 

shores,  instead  of  shelving  outwards,  are  steep-to. 
The  mountains  here  generally  run  down  to  the  sea ; 
then  follows  a  shore  reef,  from  which  the  plumb  line 
may  be  thrown  into  fifty  fathom  water.  The  coast- 
line is,  as  a  rule,  but  little  broken  up,  and  affords  few 
harbours,  but  offers  several  anchorages.  Speaking 
generally,  the  coast-line  from  East  Cape  to  Cape  Cretin, 
a  distance  of  300  miles,  may  be  spoken  of  as  a  series 
of  bold  headlands,  running  out  twenty  to  forty  miles 
seaward,  with  deep  bays  between — a  configuration 
which  increased  our  work  twofold. 

It  has  already  been  said  that  the  passage  between 
East  Cape  and  the  D'Eatrecasteaux  islands  was  named 
by  us  "  Goschen  Straits."  Passing  East  Cape  to  the 
westward,  the  islands  and  the  mainland  of  New  Guinea 
recede  from  each  other,  forming  an  extensive  bay, 
which  we  named  after  our  commodore,  "  Goodenough." 
At  the  western  end  of  this  bay  New  Guinea  stretches 
out,  a  far  projecting  promontory,  to  within  fifteen  miles 
of  Goodenough  Island ;  the  passage  between  we  named 
after  the  first  Lord  of  the  Admiralty,  "Ward-Hunt 
Straits ;"  and  named  the  promontory  Cape  Vogel,  after 
the  Prime  Minister  of  New  Zealand. 

Between  East  Cape  and  Cape  Vogel  there  is  a 
coast-line  of  about  100  miles,  along  with  a  depth  of 
from  500  to  600  fathoms;  and  a  muddy  bottom 
prevails  at  about  two  miles  from  the  shore.  Vil- 
lages abound  here,  and  the  valleys,  not  seen  from  the 
sea,  on  account  of  the  lie  of  the  hills,  are  well  culti- 
vated. 


264  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xvn. 

Our  course  now  lay  round  the  southern  shores  of 
Goodenough  Bay;  and  twenty  miles  west  of  East 
Cape  the  "  Basilisk  "  found  a  good  anchorage  in  Bent- 
ley  Bay,  and  remained  there  for  a  day  to  survey  and 
explore  the  surrounding  country.  The  natives  had 
evidently  heard  of  us  from  their  fellow-countrymen  to 
the  eastward,  for  they  received  us  joyfully,  and 
brought  us  off  numbers  of  pigs,  one  of  which  was 
large  enough  to  give  all  the  ship's  company  a  dinner. 
Landing  with  a  small  party  I  climbed  the  precipi- 
tous hills,  2000  feet  high,  and  looked  across  to 
Milne  Bay,  which  lay  at  their  southern  base.  The 
land  between  was  fairly  cultivated,  and  watered  by 
many  streams ;  and  to  the  west  we  could  see  great 
mountains  rising  in  the  clear  air  perhaps  a  hundred 
miles  distant. 

After  a  long  tiresome  scramble  through  the  thick 
forest,  where  we  were  indebted  to  the  natives  who  met 
us  for  guidance,  we  got  back  to  the  village  off  which 
the  ship  was  anchored,  suffering  a  good  deal  from  the 
severe  stings  of  the  tree  ants  that  had  attacked  us  in 
the  trees  we  were  compelled  to  climb  in  order  to  take 
observations. 

That  night  on  board  was  marked  by  a  mutiny 
amongst  our  numerous  pigs;  they  were  securely 
penned  amidships,  and  remained  quiet  enough  till  the 
middle  watch,  when  they  suddenly  seemed  to  become 
as  possessed  as  their  Jewish  brethren  of  old,  leapt  out 
of  the  pens,  and  rushed  squealing  and  grunting  to  the 
gangways  to  jump  overboard.  The  men,  who  were  all 


CHAP.  xvii.  BENTLEY  BAY — CAPE  FRERE.  265 

sleeping  on  deck,  were  quickly  on  the  alert  to  save 
their  future  dinners.  The  pigs  rushed  wildly  between 
their  legs,  capsizing  them  in  all  directions  at  first,  but 
numbers  prevailed  in  the  end,  and  the  poor  piggies 
were  secured  all  but  one,  which  had  successfully  charged 
the  guardians  of  the  gangways  and  plunged  overboard. 

On  April  29th  we  left  Bentley  Bay  and  went 
westward.  From  this  point  commenced  our  running 
survey,  during  which  the  positions  of  every  prominent 
point  on  the  coast,  at  distances  of  from  twenty  to  forty 
miles  from  each  other,  was  exactly  fixed,  the  coast-line 
between  carefully  sketched  in,  and  soundings  laid 
down.  I  also  kept  steadily  to  my  custom  of  com- 
municating with  the  natives  whenever  possible. 

Beyond  Cape  Ducie  and  Chads  Bay  the  forest 
ceases,  and  is  succeeded  by  an  openly- wooded  plateau, 
full  of  villages,  which  is  backed  two  miles  inwards  by 
a  range  of  sharp  grassy  hills,  bare  of  wood,  each  de- 
fined by  a  belt  of  dark  brushwood  at  its  base,  and 
coming  crowding  down,  hill  upon  hill,  with  such  a 
curious  effect,  as  to  remind  us  strongly  of  the  plate  in 
Black's  "  Atlas "  of  all  the  mountains  of  the  world. 
Above  the  height  of  2000  feet  the  forest,  singularly 
enough,  springs  up  again,  on  higher  peaks,  and  covers 
them  to  the  very  top,  at  a  height  of  six  or  seven 
thousand  feet.  Cape  Frere  is  a  noble  headland,  drop- 
ping, in  a  huge  buffalo-headed  mass,  almost  perpendi- 
cularly to  the  deep  blue  sea ;  and  the  "  Basilisk " 
looked  like  a  mere  cock-boat  in  its  shadow,  as,  almost 
scraping  her  sides  against  the  beetling  mass,  she  stood 


266  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xvn. 

in  to  seek  for  an  anchorage  in  Bartle  Bay.  This  bay 
has  an  extensive  tract  of  comparatively  low  land, 
marked  by  terraced  plateaus  at  its  head,  from  which 
a  stream  debouches  through  a  dark  sandy  beach,  and 
this  seemed  to  afford  a  certainty  of  a  good  anchorage 
being  found  for  the  night ;  but  we  were  doomed  to 
disappointment,  nowhere  within  a  cable's  length  of 
the  beach  would  an  eighty  fathom  line  touch  ground. 
At  last,  after  much  seeking,  we  anchored  in  forty-nine 
fathoms — a  depth  greater  than  that  of  the  English 
Channel  midway' — with  our  stern  just  swinging  clear 
of  the  beach.  The  soil  about  Bartle  Bay  is  very  rich ; 
and  the  land  runs  back  in  a  series  of  terraced  eleva- 
tions to  a  lofty  inland  range  of  mountains.  The  river 
which  issues  at  the  head  of  the  bay  has  ploughed 
deeply  through  these  terraces,  so  that  its  banks  are 
exposed  in  sections  from  ten  to  thirty  feet  high ;  they 
are  composed  of  smooth  water-worn  stones,  embedded 
in  a  light  gravelly  soil.  "We  searched,  but  could  find 
no  trace  of  gold  here ;  nor  was  any  seen  by  us  on  the 
north  coast  of  New  Guinea.  Wild  duck  abounded. 

About  120  unarmed  natives  streamed  along  the 
beach  to  meet  us  on  our  landing,  the  foremost  carrying 
the  sacrificial  dog,  and  others  a  pig  slung  on  bamboo 
poles;  but  they  were  very  timid,  and  it  was  some 
time  before  we  could  succeed  in  inducing  them  to 
approach  us.  When  they  gained  confidence  they  took 
the  dog  by  the  hind  legs  in  the  usual  way,  and 
dashed  its  brains  out  against  the  gunwale  of  our  boat, 
and  hailing  a  passing  canoe,  they  sent  the  body  on  board 


CHAP.  xvn.  CAPE  BARTLE.  267 

the  "  Basilisk/'  where,  by  my  orders,  it  was  received 
with  all  respect.  They  then  presented  me  with  the 
pig,  and  I  made  a  return  present  of  a  hatchet,  which 
was  received  in  a  way  that  showed  they  had  but  little 
idea  of  its  use. 

Next  day  we  fixed  the  position  of  Cape  Bartle, 
and  explored  the  country,  but  only  to  a  small  extent, 
as  the  tall  coarse  grass  was  a  serious  hindrance.  We 
followed  the  trend  of  the  river,  taking  advantage  of 
occasional  native  tracks,  which  led  to  yam  and  sugar- 
cane plantations,  and  visited  the  villages,  which  stand 
in  groves  of  trees,  and  are  not  visible  from  the  beach. 
We  were  surprised  to  find  that  the  houses  here  were 
not  built  on  poles  nor  saddle-roofed,  but  thatched 
close  down  to  the  ground,  and  of  an  oval  form.  The 
canoes  were  somewhat  differently  constructed,  and 
the  language  was  wholly  different.  It  seemed  to  us 
then  that  Cape  Frere  was  the  dividing  point  between 
the  two  languages  and  styles  of  house-building,  but 
farther  to  the  westward  we  observed  that  the  Malay 
building  on  poles  recurred. 

On  the  morning  of  May  1st  we  lifted  our  anchor 
with  some  difficulty,  so  reduced  was  the  effective 
ship's  company,  and  sailed  for  the  bight  of  Good- 
enough  Bay,  some  thirty  miles  off,  over  a  tranquil 
sea,  for  the  monsoon  blowing  on  the  south  side  of 
New  Guinea  was  arrested  by  the  lofty  Owen  Stanley 
range,  the  summits  of  which  were  now  always  ob- 
scured with  heavy  clouds,  that  told  of  troubled  waters 
at  the  south  side  of  the  peninsula. 


268  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xvn. 

Our  track  lay  about  two  miles  from  shore,  and  our 
faithful  little  ally,  the  steam  pinnace,  kept  abreast  of 
us  within  half-a-mile  of  the  beach — a  plan  followed 
through  this  whole  remaining  survey,  as  enabling  us 
to  lay  down  a  double  line  of  soundings  simultane- 
ously. 

The  villages  are  scattered  along  this  part  of  the 
coast  on  a  plateau  of  park-like  land,  which  intervenes 
between  the  shore  and  the  mountains  within,  which, 
rising  by  gradually  higher  undulations,  terminate  at  a 
height  of  many  thousand  feet  above  the  sea.  There 
can  be  no  doubt  as  to  the  capabilities  of  this  land  if 
cultivated.  On  the  hills  herds  of  cattle,  and  sheep 
innumerable,  might  find  pasture,  whilst  from  the  cold 
summits  to  the  hot  plains  all  the  products  of  wide 
extents  of  climate  might  be  grown.  At  two  miles 
from  shore  we  found  the  depth  of  water  to  be  620 
fathoms.  The  coast  trends  W.N.W.  from  Cape  Frere 
for  some  thirty  miles  to  the  bight  of  Goodenough  Bay, 
which  is  marked  by  some  fine  waterfalls,  which  flash 
down  its  dark  green  mountain  sides.  So  much  river 
water  is  here  discharged  that  the  surface  of  the  bay. 
near  the  shore  is  quite  fresh.  A  mud  flat  offered  us  a 
good  anchorage  here ;  and  on  some  small  islets  off  the 
coast,  we  obtained  an  abundant  supply  of  pigeons. 
The  natives  made  every  effort  to  be  friendly,  but,  as  it 
was  nearly  dark  when  we  anchored,  we  did  not  see 
much  of  them ;  they  are  of  a  dark  copper-colour,  and 
look  intelligent. 

The  bold  promontory,  named  by  us  Cape  Vogel, 


CHAP.  xvii.      JABBERING  ISLETS CAPE  NELSON.  269 

which  terminates  Goodenough  Bay  to  the  north-west, 
and  is  separated  from  the  D'Entrecasteaux  Islands  by 
Ward-Hunt  Straits,  being  passed,  we  found  anchorage 
on  the  night  of  May  2d  amidst  a  small  group  of  islets, 
ten  miles  west  of  it.  These  were  named  by  us  Jab- 
bering Islets,  because  their  natives  surrounded  the 
ship  with  their  canoes  at  night,  and  kept  up  such  a 
noise  that  we  could  get  no  rest,  though  we  tried  every 
persuasion  to  induce  them  to  move  off.  At  last,  sleep 
being  absolutely  necessary,  we  fired  a  rifle  over  their 
heads,  and  they  vanished  away  into  the  gloom. 

From  Cape  Vogel  the  land  trends  again  W.N.W. 
for  nearly  fifty  miles,  and  shows  the  usual  aspects  of 
the  low  wooded  plain,  with  great  mountains  running 
behind,  when  another  lofty  promontory  runs  out  for 
forty  miles  to  the  north-east,  and  forms  the  southern 
enclosure  of  another  great  bay.  A  double  peaked 
mountain  rises  4000  feet  high  from  this  promontory, 
and  shows  to  its  full  height  above  the  plain  of  the  sea, 
and  the  low  land  from  which  it  springs.  Altogether 
the  features  were  so  striking  that  I  resolved  to  honour 
them  with  great  names.  The  Cape  is  therefore  Cape 
Nelson ;  the  two  summits  of  the  mountain  are  Mounts 
Victory  and  Trafalgar,  and  the  great  bay  thus  formed, 
is  now  Collingwood  Bay.  At  the  head  of  Collingwood 
Bay  we  found  a  good  anchorage,  and  remained  two 
days  cutting  wood.  Here  Lieutenant  Smith  observed 
the  droppings  of  some  large  grass-eating  animal  in 
a  spot  where  the  bushes  had  been  heavily  trampled 
and  broken.  Our  opinion  was  decided  that  a  rhin- 


270  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xvn. 

osceros  had  haunted  there ;  and  we  were  much  sur- 
prised, as  this  animal  has  -never  been  believed  to 
exist  in  New  Guinea.  It  would  have  been  very  satis- 
factory to  have  set  the  question  thus  started  at  rest, 
but  time  failed  us.  The  natives  here,  a  dark,  dirty- 
looking  people,  wholly  destitute  of  clothing,  were 
very  shy  and  difficult  of  approach,  and  threatened 
us  with  their  spears ;  but  by  dint  of  laying  presents 
on  the  ground,  and  making  friendly  gestures,  we  suc- 
ceeded in  winning  them  to  trade  a  little.  All  along 
this  coast  we  noticed  that  the  inhabitants  of  the  large 
and  populous  villages  were  more  civilised  and  com- 
fortable-looking than  those  of  the  small,  doubtless 
because  the  most  desirable  sites  had  been  chosen  by 
the  many,  and  they  had  prospered  accordingly.  These 
Collingwood  Bay  people  gazed  at  us  with  such  a  blank 
astonishment,  and  held  such  consultation  about  us 
amongst  themselves,  that  we  were  persuaded  that  they, 
in  common  with  their  neighbours  on  this  coast,  had 
never  seen  white  men  before.  The  steam  pinnace,  whilst 
surveying  at  the  head  of  the  bay,  was  chased  by  a 
large  number  of  canoes  holding  thirty  or  forty  men 
each  ;  but  the  officer  in  command  did  not  think  it 
prudent  to  allow  them  to  come  at  all  near,  and  may 
therefore  have  been  mistaken  in  supposing  their  inten- 
tions to  be  hostile. 

We  left  Collingwood  Bay  on  April  5th,   having 
found   its   western   waters    studded   with   dangerous 

o 

reefs,  through  which  we  had  to  pick  our  way  with 
great  caution,  and  rounded  Cape  Nelson  before  night- 


CHAP.  xvii.      MOUNTS  VICTORY  AND  TRAFALGAR.  271 

fall,  when  we  were  much  impressed  by  the  fine  pic- 
turesque appearance  of  Mounts  Victory  and  Trafalgar. 
These  mountains,  which  are  joined  by  a  saddle-shaped 
ridge,  descend  to  the  sea  in  open  grassy  and  wooded 
slopes,  which  have  all  the  appearance  of  English  park- 
land.    Thence  the  land  trended  westward,  a  pretty 
undulating  country,  with  a  shore  broken  up  by  bays 
and  still  lagoons,  protected  by  reefs.     We  anchored 
for  the  night  about  six  miles  west  of  Cape  Nelson, 
near  some  small  islets,   and  were   disturbed  by  the 
natives  singing  and  shouting  round  the  ship ;  but  they 
kept  at  a  distance.     We   made  every  effort  in  the 
morning  to  get  them  to  come  alongside,  but  they  would 
not.     They  were  quite  unclad,  repulsive-looking,  and 
of  a  darkish  colour,  and  wore  their  hair  in  long  ugly 
ringlets  like  pipe-stems.     Their  canoes  were  of  a  kind 
new  to  us,  being  forty  or  fifty  feet  long,  but  so  ex- 
ceedingly narrow  that  a  man  could  barely  squeeze  into 
them  ;  besides  the  usual  out-rigger,  they  had  balancing 
spars  on  the  opposite  side,  supporting  a  fighting  stage 
to  hold  five  or  six  men.     In  hope  of  making  friends  I 
coaxed  some  natives  to  bring  their  canoes  alongside 
my  gig,  and  though  they  were  much  alarmed,  should 
have  succeeded,  but  that  my  coxswain  unfortunately 
stood  up  and  began  to  coil  the  lead-line,  when  they, 
thinking  they  were  about  to  be  made  fast,  paddled  off 
in  an  instant.     Having  failed  on  the  water,  a  party  of 
us  went  on  shore  and  visited   the  village,  but  the 
natives  had  fled.     The  houses,  which  stood  in  planta- 
tions, were  built  of  light  cane,  with  a  fireplace  in  the 


272  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xvn. 

centre,  and  appeared  clean ;  but  every  article  had  been 
removed  from  them. 

Keturning  to  the  ship  we  found  that  some  canoes 
had  ventured  near  enough  to  barter ;  that  no  idea  had 
been  shown  as  to  the  value  of  our  axes  and  hoop-iron, 
but  that  strips  of  cloth  had  been  highly  valued. 
Lieutenant  Dawson,  whilst  engaged  in  fixing  the  posi- 
tion of  these  islets  had  a  spear  thrown  at  him,  hence 
we  called  them  Spear  Islets.  These  natives  had  no 
human  bone  ornaments  like  those  of  Milne  Bay. 

West  of  Cape  Nelson  lies  another  large  bay, 
fringed  by  a  low  densely-wooded  coast,  backed  by  the 
usual  lofty  inland  range,  and  in  this  bay,  which  I 
named  Dyke  Acland,  after  my  revered  friend  the 
late  Sir  Thomas  Dyke  Acland,  Bart.,  we  anchored  in- 
thirty-three  fathoms,  at  eight  miles'  distance  from 
shore. 

The  morning  of  May  7th  rose  thick  and  gloomy, 
with  heavy  rain ;  but  having  had  a  good  view  of  the 
trend  of  the  land  the  evening  before,  we  proceeded 
cautiously  on,  with  the  steam  pinnace  leading.  The 
western  extremity  of  this  bay,  which  is  fifty  miles 
from  Cape  Nelson,  is  about  twenty  miles  to  the  east- 
ward of  a  point  indistinctly  seen  at  a  distance  by 
D'Entrecasteaux  and  named  by  him  Cape  Sud  Est ; 
but  as  this  part  of  the  coast  is  low,  and  no  distinctly 
defined  cape  exists  here,  it  is  evident  that  he  had  mis- 
taken the  high  inland  range  of  mountains,  on  which 
the  position  called  by  him  a  cape  actually  falls,  for  the 
coast-line. 


CHAP.  xvii.      WARLIKE  DISPOSITION  OF  NATIVES.  273 

The  weather  now  cleared,  and  we  were  able  to 
send  our  steam  pinnace  to  coast  along  the  shore  as 
usual,  whilst  we  kept  on  abreast  two  miles  outside. 
The  trend  of  the  land  was  now  about  N.W.,  and  the 
average  depth  of  water  about  twenty-five  fathoms. 
The  shore  here  is  low  and  wooded,  but  the  numerous 
villages  we  passed  seemed  to  indicate  that  it  was  not 
swampy  land.  Huge  wooded  mountains  were  seen  in 
the  background,  and  were  considered  by  us  to  be  part 
of  the  Owen  Stanley  range.  Towards  sunset  we  had 
reached  a  point  of  land  which  projected  about  fifteen 
miles  to  sea,  crowned  with  hills  about  400  feet  high  on 
the  southern  part,  in  lat.  8°  10'  S.,  and  long.  148°  12  E., 
and  named  it  Caution  Point,  on  account  of  the  uncertain 
soundings  we  obtained.  We  found  an  anchorage  about 
half-a-mile  from  the  shore,  opposite  a  considerable  vil- 
lage, in  which  the  wildest  excitement  began  immediately 
to  prevail.  Conches  were  blown,  and  a  tumultuous 
gathering  of  armed  savages  took  place  on  the  beach  op- 
posite the  ship.  It  happened  to  be  one  of  our  penny - 
reading  nights,  and  they  evidently  took  the  singing  and 
loud  chorus,  borne  to  them  across  the  water,  for  our  de- 
fiance, for  they  chanted  back  a  war  song  in  return. 
All  night  this  excitement  continued  amongst  the 
natives,  but  they  did  not  venture  off.  In  the  morning, 
I  took  a  boat  with  five  men,  and  made  an  attempt  to  be 
friendly;  but,  unfortunately,  such  a  surf  was  running  on 
the  beach  as  made  it  imprudent  to  land,  uncertain  as  we 
were  of  the  dispositions  of  the  natives,  whose  excitement 
became  intense  as  we  neared  the  beach.  About  1 00  men 

T 


274  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xvn. 

awaited  us  there,  armed  with  spears,  stone  clubs,  and 
shields,  ornamented  with  bird  of  paradise  plumes  on 
their  shoulders,  and  with  shell  necklets,  and  bedaubed 
with  white  and  red  pigments  on  their  bodies,  which 
were  quite  naked.  Many  of  them  were  springing  into 
the  air  and  brandishing  their  weapons ;  some  waded 
out  waist-deep  shaking  their  spears  at  us,  totally  un- 
aware of  our  power  to  hurt  them.  Selecting  one  of 
these  bold  fellows,  we  let  the  boat  drift  towards  him, 
and  stood  with  our  arms  wide  open  to  show  that  we 
had  no  weapons,  one  of  the  men  holding  out  a  piece  of 
red  cloth  on  the  end  of  a  boat-hook  as  a  present.  In 
this  way  we  succeeded  in  getting  four  or  five  to  come 
close  and  take  our  presents,  but  they  would  give  us 
nothing  in  return.  Suddenly  they  seized  the  boat  and 
tried  to  drag  us  on  shore.  Observing  no  friendly 
signs,  however,  and  seeing  that  no  women  or  children 
were  present,  I  decided  on  not  landing.  The  fellows 
holding  the  boat  were  very  muscular,  and  we  shook 
them  off  with  some  difficulty,  on  which  they  caught 
the  yoke-lines,  which  we  had  to  cut  to  get  off,  so  re- 
solved were  they  to  detain  us.  It  was  evident  that  as 
we  went  westward  our  dealings  would  have  to  be  held 
with  a  fiercer  race  of  savages ;  but  of  this  I  had  been 
forewarned  by  the  foresight  of  the  then  hydrographer, 
Admiral  Richards. 

Leaving  Caution  Point,  we  kept  a  sharp  look-out 
for  a  large  island  shown  on  the  chart  as  Richie  Island, 
so  named  by  D'Entrecasteaux,  after  the  naturalist  of 
his  expedition.  The  position  assigned  it  on  the 


CHAP.  xvn.  RICHIE  ISLAND — WOODING.  275 

chart  was  long.  147°  50'  E.,  lat.  8°  10'  S.,  but  round- 
ing a  cape  less  striking  than  the  preceding  capes,  we 
found  that  no  such  island  existed,  and  that  the  posi- 
tion given  it  was  twenty  miles  inland.  I  therefore 
wished  to  name  the  cape  Ward-Hunt,  but  it  still  re- 
mains on  the  chart  as  Richie  Island,  out  of  compliment 
to  D'Entrecasteaux.  Rounding  this  cape  the  land  trends 
again  westward,  and  we  saw  before  us  a  large  river 
discharging  itself  over  a  dangerous  bar ;  immediately 
to  the  west  was  a  beautiful  bay  running  up  to  a  sandy 
beach,  fringed  with  groves  of  a  kind  of  fir  tree,  admir- 
ably adapted  for  firewood,  of  which  we  were  now  much 
in  need.  Choosing  a  position  off  the  best-looking 
trees,  we  anchored  about  100  yards  from  the  beach, 
in  thirteen  fathoms  water,  and  were  rather  glad  that 
no  villages  were  at  hand.  In  the  evening  some  large 
canoes  came  round  a  point  and  neared  the  ship,  but 
refused  to  communicate.  They  slowly  paddled  round, 
the  savages  chanting  a  monotonous  tune,  and  beat- 
ing time  with  their  paddles  on  the  sides  of  their 
canoes.  Our  men,  then  enjoying  their  singing  and 
smoking  hour,  replied  by  copying  the  chaunt,  and  the 
savages  listened  with  a  dignified  silence  that  provoked 
roars  of  laughter  from  the  "  Basilisk."  "We  found  that 
they  had  no  intention  of  retiring  for  the  night,  so  fired 
a  signal-rocket  over  their  heads,  on  which  they  beat  a 
hasty  retreat. 

The  following  morning  the  men  were  employed  in 
wooding,  and  I  was  writing  in  my  cabin,  when  it  was 
reported  to  me  that  three  of  our  officers  had  strayed 


276  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xvn. 

away  from  the  wooding  party  about  a  mile  along  the 

beach,  and  that  a  large  number  of  armed  natives  had 

landed  from  canoes,  and  were  stealing  through  the  bush 

with  the  evident  intention  of  attacking  them.     We, 

from  the  ship,  could  see  the  natives  gliding  through  the 

underwood,  but  the  imperilled  officers  could  not,  and 

were  quite  unaware  of  their  approach.    Sub-Lieutenant 

Shortland  and  I  jumped  into  the  dingey  with  some 

spare  rifles,  and  gained  the  beach  just  in  time  to  give 

our  shipmates  the  rifles,  and  put  them  on  their  guard. 

Hoping  to  maintain  friendly  relations,  I  advanced  for 

about  twenty  yards  alone,   armed  with   a   rifle,  but 

holding  my  arms  over  my  head  towards  the  bush  where 

the  natives  were  now  lurking,  quite  concealed  from 

view.     Suddenly  they  sprang  from  the  bush  to  the 

open  beach,  and  formed  in  two  regular  lines  ten  yards 

in  my  front— the  first  line  of  men  armed  with  spears, 

which  they  held,  quivering  to  throw,  whilst  they  moved 

with  a  short  quick  step  from  side  to  side,  as  if  to 

distract  an  enemy's   aim,  guarding  themselves   with 

shields.     The  second  line  was  armed  with  clubs.     For 

some  seconds  I  forbore  to  fire,  hoping  still  to  win  them 

round,  but  finding  this  hopeless,  and  that  in  another 

second  I  should  be  a  target  for  fifty  spears,  I  fired 

with  a  snap-shot  at  the  leading  savage.     The  bullet 

pierced  his  shield  and  spun  him  round  on  his  heel,  but 

did  not  wound  him ;  there  was  no  need  to  fire  again 

and  take  life,  for  the  whole  body  of  warriors  turned 

instantly  in  consternation,  and  ran  for  the  canoes,  and 

we  followed  till  we  drove  them  on  board. 


CHAP.  xvii.     DEATH  OF  COMMODOEE  GOODENOUGH.  277 

The  river  which  lay  beyond  was  named  by  us  the 
Clyde.  Unfortunately  the  dangerous  bar  at  its  mouth 
prevented  our  entering  to  explore  it,  and  the  jungle 
on  its  banks  was  too  thick  to  enable  us  to  do  so  on 
foot.  Its  breadth  was  about  sixty  yards,  and  the 
current  clear  and  steady ;  and  it  will  probably  be 
found  by  the  explorer  to  lead  into  the  interior,  for  the 
low  and  undulating  land  it  cleaves  stretches  back  fully 
twenty  miles  to  the  mountain  ranges.  The  river  banks 
abounded  in  pigeons.  Having  got  about  forty  tons  of 
wood  on  board,  we  left  the  bay  on  May  10th.  This 
bay,  which  will  prove  to  be  one  of  the  best  anchorages 
on  this  coast,  we  named  Traitors'  Bay,  on  account  of 
the  attempt  made  by  the  natives  to  cut  off  the 
officers. 

As  I  write  these  lines  a  telegram  has  arrived  an- 
nouncing the  death  of  Commodore  Goodenough,  C.B., 
C.M.G.,  commanding  on  the  Australian  station,  by  the 
poisoned  arrows  of  the  natives  of  Santa  Cruz  Island. 
I  desire  to  pay  my  humble  tribute  of  sorrow  and  ad- 
miration to  the  memory  of  this  man,  with  whom  I  am 
happy  in  having  held  a  private  friendship  for  twenty- 
five  years.  I  do  not  speak  of  the  loss  his  friends  sus- 
tain in  him,  of  the  generous  nature,  full  of  large  kind- 
ness and  the  power  of  sympathy,  of  the  sound  helpful 
judgment  that  was  ever  ready  for  any  call  that  could 
be  made  on  it,  for  this  is  sacred  ground ;  I  speak  of 
him  only  as  a  public  man,  and  would  say  that  though 
I  have  warmly  appreciated  him  all  through,  as  he  rose  in 
our  service,  I  never  knew  his  full  professional  worth  till  I 


278  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP,  xvn.- 

had  the  honour  of  serving  under  him  in  Australia. 
There,  his  grasp  of  mind  in  dealing  with  a  subject,  his 
self-reliance  and  readiness  to  take  responsibility,  his 
happy  way  of  taking  his  captains  into  his  confidence, 
whilst  always  holding  the  reins  himself,  of  giving  praise 
liberally  where  praise  was  due,  and  cordial  support  or 
advice  where  either  was  needed,  produced  an  impression 
on  my  mind  of  greatness  in  store  for  him  in  the  future, 
which  can  now  never,  alas !  be  made  good.  His  fine 
scientific  and  sailor-like  qualities,  his  promptitude,  his 
iron  nerve,  combine  with  his  other  gifts  to  make  his 
loss  a  national  one,  and  as  such  it  will  doubtless  be 
regarded,  and  this  will  be  some  consolation  to  his 
friends ;  but  their  best  will  lie  in  the  knowledge  that 
his  pure  and  devout  spirit  was  ever  ready  to  enter  the 
presence  of  its  Maker. 


JAMES  GKAHAM  GOODENOUGH, 
COMMODORE. 

THE  sad  ship  hastened ;  but  as  "  three  bells  "  struck, 
Its  high  recall  the  sailor's  spirit  heard, 

He  smiled,  and  from  our  hands  that  would  have  held, 
He  passed  at  once  obedient  to  the  word. 

The  sea  soft-leaping  at  his  vessel's  side, 
Its  pulses  beating  boundless  sympathy 

With  his  that  sank  ;  its  farewell  in  his  ear, 
Where  should  a  seaman  die  but  on  the  sea ! 

He  failed  of  home  ;  those  dear  last  words  that  fall 
Before  the  immortal  silence  as  we  part ; 

But  home  came  round  his  pillow,  fondly  drawn 
By  strong  compulsion  of  that  faithful  heart. 


CHAP.  xvii.     THE  LATE  COMMODORE  GOODENOUGH.  279 

The  spirit  swift  to  plan,  the  manly  will 

To  follow  on  and  do,  the  voice  to  lead 
In  war,  or  council ;  we  must  mourn  for  these  : 

They  had  been  ready  at  his  country's  need. 

But  most  for  him  the  man  of  childlike  heart, 

Who  rang  so  true  to  every  test  of  good, 
Whose  nature  held  a  rare  heroic  fire, 

With  the  soft  mood  of  gentle  Collingwood. 

It  was  not  his  to  tread  a  glorious  deck, 

To  stay  its  thunders  ere  his  spirit  passed, 
And  through  the  lifting  murk  of  battle  see 

The  alien  flag  come  slowly  down  the  mast. 

It  was  not  his,  the  calm  of  ended  toils, 
Thus  called  at  noon,  ere  half  his  task  was  done, 

The  voice  of  children's  children  in  the  warmth, — 
The  ripening  warmth  of  life's  low  evening  sun. 

But  fate  was  kind.     He  died  upon  his  post, 

Holding  the  olive  in  his  hand  to  draw 
An  unwon  race,  stubborn,  unpurposed,  blind, 

To  the  fair  brotherhood  of  light  and  law. 

Nor  saint  nor  sailor  died  in  vain,  who  strove 

This  citadel  of  heathen  hearts  to  reach, 
Fresh  hands  shall  lift  the  olive  from  the  dust 

Where  they  have  left  their  bodies  in  the  breach. 

Nay,  not  in  vain  ;  but  they  shall  have  a  joy 

For  every  link  they  laid  in  the  great  plan 
That  seeks  to  draw  the  scattered  nations  home, 

And  shape  the  perfect  family  of  man. 

JANE  MORESBY. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THICKLY  WOODED,  ALLUVIAL,  LEVEL  SHORE  —  HERCULES  BAT  AND  LUARD 
ISLETS— REACH  LONGUERUE  ISLAND,  WHENCE  THE  FURTHER  COAST-LINE 
HAS  BEEN  PRETTY  ACCURATELY  TRACED  BY  THE  OLD  NAVIGATORS  — 
LAST  WOOD-CUTTING — NEW  GUINEA  ANTS — PARSEE  POINT — MARKHAM 
RIVER — MOUNTAIN  SLOPES  CLOTHED  WITH  PALM  AND  TREE-FERNS  — 
MOUNTS  GLADSTONE  AND  DISRAELI — ASTROLOBE  GULF — SNAGS  BORNE 
SEAWARD  ON  A  VAST  BODY  OF  FRESH  WATER— DEEP-SEA  SOUNDINGS — 
STRONG  CURRENT  SWEEPS  US  FROM  THRESHOLD  BAY — VISIT  OF  RAJAH 
OF  SALWATTI — MEET  MR.  MIKLUCHO  MAKLAY  AT  AMBOYNA — PENNANT 
COMES  DOWN  AT  SHEERNESS. 

LEAVING  Traitors'  .  Bay,  May  10th,  we  stood  west, 
Navigating -Lieutenant  Mourilyan  in  the  steam  pin- 
nace doing  good  service  as  usual  by  examinitig  the 
coast  in-shore.  Passing  the  mouths  of  several  small 
rivers,  where  alligators  were  seen  basking,  we  coasted 
the  thickly-wooded  level  shore  for  twenty  miles,  and 
opened  a  bay,  where  we  anchored  in  five  fathom 
water,  at  two  miles  from  shore,  near  a  group  of  islets. 
The  former  we  named  Hercules  Bay,  after  Sir 
Hercules  Robinson,  S.C.M.Gr.,  and  the  latter  after 
the  captain  of  Sheerness  dockyard,  Luard  Islets. 
Picking  our  way  through  this  group  in  the  morning, 
we  found  that  the  coast-line  on  the  west  side  of  Her- 
cules Bay  altered  its  character  entirely,  the  low 
alluvial  land  giving  place  to  volcanic  hills,  that  came 
precipitously  down  to  the  water's  edge.  Numerous 
volcanic  islands  were  scattered  off  the  coast,  and  had 


CHAP.  XTIII.  LAST  WOOD-CUTTING.  281 

a  singular  appearance,  looking  as  though  great  mor- 
sels had  been  broken  from  the  hills  and  thrown  into 
the  sea.  Between  them  and  the  mainland  a  depth  of 
fifty  fathoms  prevailed.  We  saw  no  sign  of  inhabit- 
ants here.  Twenty  miles  farther  to  the  north-west 
we  reached  the  Longuerue  Island  of  D'Entrecasteaux, 
at  the  southern  entrance  to  Huon  Gulf,  from  which 
point  the  coast-line  has  been  more  or  less  accurately 
traced  by  the  old  navigators.  Our  work  now  was 
virtually  done,  my  great  desire  had  been  attained,  and 
England  had  won  the  honour  of  exploring  out  the  last 
extensive  unknown  coast-line  in  the  habitable  world, 
and  completing  the  work  begun  by  Dampier  about  1699, 
and  continued  by  D'Entrecasteaux  a  century  later. 

Our  object  now  was  to  find  a  good  place  for  fire- 
wood, and  lay  in  such  a  stock  as  would  supply  us  with 
fuel  till  we  should  reach  Amboyna ;  so  keeping  close 
to  the  shore  inside  Longuerue  Island,  till  we  opened  a 
bay  where  we  saw  a  fine  clump  of  tall  mangrove  trees, 
free  from  jungle,  and  growing  on  a  point  of  land  easy 
of  access,  we  anchored  in  twenty-five  fathoms,  off  the 
edge  of  a  shore  reef,  in  a  well -sheltered  position. 
Here  we  remained  three  days,  engaged  in  our  last 
wood-cutting  service.  The  men  divided  as  usual  into 
axe-men,  sawyers,  and  carriers ;  attacked  the  timber 
with  their  old  spirit,  trees  fell  in  all  directions,  and 
our  carriers,  the  marines,  were  kept  briskly  going, 
taking  the  wood  on  bearers  to  be  measured  into 
fathoms,  and  down  to  the  boats,  which  lay  moored  off 
the  white  beach.  The  labour  of  wood-cutting,  in  it- 


282  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  XTIII. 

self  arduous,  was  so  exhausting  under  a  tropical  sun 
that  everything  was  done  on  such  occasions  to  excite 
a  healthy  emulation  amongst  the  men ;   they  were 
divided  into  parties  according  to  the  part  of  the  ship 
to  which  they  belonged,  and  always  worked  together, 
aided  frequently  by  most   of  the  officers,   and  my- 
self, who  felled  and  sawed  with  the  rest.     Many  of 
the  men  received  ugly  wounds  in  our  first  wood-cut- 
ting expeditions,  before  becoming  accustomed  to  the 
use   of  the   tools,   but    our   greatest    annoyance    all 
through   was  from   the   ants,  with  which   the   New 
Guinea  trees  swarmed.      They  are  of  various  kinds 
and   habits,   some   are   yellow,    and   burrow   tunnels 
through  the  branches ;   a  green  species   glues  large 
bunches  of  leaves  and  twigs  together,  and  forms  a 
nest  as  large  as  a  bee-hive ;    and  there  are  several 
brown  sorts ;  but  one  and  all  attacked  us  so  fiercely, 
that  at  times  we  had  to  leave  the  victory  with  them, 
and  choose  some  other   spot  for  wood.      At  times, 
where  the   trees  were  particularly  suitable,  and  we 
could  not  afford  to  leave  them,  we  had  to  screw  up  all 
our  powers  of  endurance ;  the  officers  led  the  assault, 
as  if  it  had  been  a  boarding-party,  and  we  came  off 
triumphantly  with  our  wood,  but  bleeding,  and  with 
skin  full  of  the  forceps  of  these  creatures  which  had 
remained  in  the  wound  when  we  brushed  them  off. 
During  the  survey  we  cut  about  700  tons  of  hard 
tropical  wood  to  save  our  coal ;  this  fact,  when  our 
small  numbers  are  considered,  as  well  the  ceaseless 
boat   work,   and   surveying,   and   deep-sea   sounding 


CHAP.  xvm.  PARSEE  POINT.  283 

work,  in  which  they  were  engaged,  will  give  some 

idea   of    the   zeal   shown   by   the    "  Basilisk's "    fine 
crew. 

To  this  bay,  which  our  observations  placed  in  lat. 
7°  29'  S.  and  long.  147°  25'  E.,  we  gave  the  name  of 
Death  Adder  Bay ;  our  men  having  met  some  death 
adders  in  cutting  wood.  We  saw  a  few  deserted 
native  huts  here,  but  no  inhabitants.  Ten  miles  to 
the  west  villages  were  seen  by  our  exploring  boats, 
but  not  communicated  with. 

A  study  of  the  chart  having  shown  that  the 
coast-line  for  250  miles  to  the  west,  as  far  as 
Astrolobe  Gulf,  was  but  slightly  known.  I  re- 
solved to  continue  our  coasting  survey  to  that 
point.  May  14th  we  left  Death  Adder  Bay,  and 
steered  north-west  along  the  southern  shores  of  Huon 
Gulf,  past  undulating  and  alluvial  land,  which  suc- 
ceeded the  mountain  spurs,  and  was  dotted  with  vil- 
lages, and,  thirty-five  miles  north-west  of  Death  Adder 
Bay,  passed  a  projecting  point  of  land,  which  had  been 
mistaken  by  D'Entrecasteaux  for  an  island.  It  was 
almost  covered  with  large  villages,  whose  inhabitants 
crowded  to  the  shore  to  see  us,  and  paddled  after  us 
in  canoes,  making  every  sign  of  friendship,  but  we 
could  not  delay  to  visit  them.  We  called  this  point 
Parsee  Point,  from  the  circumstance  of  the  natives 
wearing  singular  conical  caps,  made  of  tappa.  Next 
morning,  May  15th,  I  went  to  examine  a  river  which 
discharges  a  large  body  of  water  into  the  head  of  Huon 
Gulf,  but  a  bar  at  the  entrance  prevented  our  boats 


284  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xvm. 

passing  up,  and  the  banks  were  too  swampy  and  thickly 
wooded  to  permit  of  our  exploring  them  on  foot  in  the 
time  at  our  disposal.  We  named  it  Markham  River, 
after  the  able  secretary  of  the  Royal  Geographical 
Society.  Half  a  cable's  length  from  the  bar  we  found 
twenty-six  fathoms  water,  and  at  a  cable's  length  no 
bottom  with  a  sixty  fathom  line.  A  vessel  seeking  to 
anchor  here  should  first  send  a  boat  in  to  pick  up  a 
berth.  The  land  now  trended  for  fifty  miles  due  east, 
forming  the  north  side  of  Huon  Gulf,  and  making  an- 
other of  those  far  projecting  promontories  which  we 
have  found  so  characteristic  of  north-eastern  New 
Guinea.  The  land  is  bold,  mountainous,  and  rises 
to  a  height  of  9000  feet.  It  was  named  by  me 
Rawlinson  Range,  after  the  president  of  the  Royal 
Geographical  Society.  The  valleys  here,  and  the 
mountain  slopes  clothed  with  palms  and  tree  ferns  are 
especially  beautiful  and  well  inhabited  ;  and  every 
valley  appeared  to  be  watered  by  a  clear  mountain 
stream.  Many  canoes  came  off,  and  boldly  ventured 
alongside  to  barter  tortoise  shell,  yams,  and  cocoa-nuts. 
They  brought  dogs  also,  but  they  were  not  sacrificed. 
These  people,  who  were  of  a  dark  brown  colour,  with 
flat  noses,  and  somewhat  woolly  hair — more  approach- 
ing the  negro  type  than  any  we  had  seen  before, 
seemed  to  us  to  have  a  knowledge  of  white  men,  and 
did  not  hesitate  to  come  on  board  freely.  Their  canoes 
were  differently  constructed  from  any  we  had  seen 
before — the  outrigger,  instead  of  being  a  heavy  spar  as 
long  as  the  canoe,  running  close  to  the  side,  and  sup- 


CHAP.  xvin.      MOUNTS  GLADSTONE  AND  DISRAELI.  285 

ported  at  each  end,  was  here  a  light  spar  supported 
only  at  the  centre,  at  such  an  increased  distance  from 
the  canoe,  as  made  up  for  the  decreased  weight  by 
greater  leverage.  This  15th  of  May  was  marked  as 
an  unfortunate  day,  for  our  steam  pinnace  broke  down, 
and  was  afterwards  useless  to  us.  We  found  a  preca- 
rious anchorage  for  the  night  in  forty-five  fathoms, 
about  a  cable's  length  from  shore. 

Bounding  Cape  Cretin  on  May  16th,  we  stood 
north-west,  having  the  high  mountainous  islands  of 
New  Britain  in  sight  to  the  north,  and  from  the  tiny 
low  islets  off  Cape  Cretin,  as  well  as  from  the  moun- 
tainous mainland,  we  were  chased  by  many  canoes, 
whose  rowers  anxiously  vociferated  entreaties  to  us  to 
stop  and  barter,  but  the  wind  was  fresh  and  fair,  and 
I  was  too  anxious  to  economise  fuel  to  be  able  to 
gratify  them.  From  Cape  Cretin  to  Dampier's  Cape 
King  William,  a  distance  of  forty  miles,  the  coast  line 
presents  new  features,  for  along  the  rear  of  the  beach 
runs  a  narrow  terrace  of  good  soil,  on  which  a  few 
solitary  huts  are  scattered,  and  behind  this  the  land 
rises  in  rocky  plateaux,  as  regular  as  the  lines  of  a 
fortification,  divided  by  ravines,  and  looming  one 
above  the  other  till  they  reach  the  inland  Finisterre 
Mountains.  The  air  being  beautifully  clear  we  were 
able  to  measure  the  altitude  of  the  highest  peaks  of 
this  range,  which,  facing  each  other  boldly,  lift  their 
heads  far  above  all  compeers  11,400  feet  above  the  sea. 
Their  relative  position  and  their  greatness  suggested 
irresistibly  the  names  I  gave  them — Mounts  Gladstone 


286  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xvm. 

and  Disraeli,  and  the  wish  that  one  of  their  great 
antitypes  may  emerge  ere  long  from  the  clouds  in 
which  he  has  veiled  his  lofty  brows,  and  front  his  rival 
as  of  old. 

From  Cape  King  William  to  Astrolobe  Gulf,  a 
distance  of  100  miles,  the  coast  runs  in  aW.N.W.  line, 
and  the  shores  are  "  steep-to,"  with  a  depth  of  350 
fathoms  a  mile  from  shore.  The  mountains  are 
wooded  to  the  beach,  and  are  studded  with  many 
villages.  We  reached  Astrolobe  Gulf  on  May  18th, 
the  western  limit  of  our  work,  having  successfully 
surveyed  all  the  previously  unknown  coast  of  New 
Guinea,  and  proved  that  a  clear  passage  exists  to  its 
northern  shores  and  along  them.  A  belt  of  volcanic 
islands  extends  off  this  part  of  New  Guinea,  at  dis- 
tances varying  from  twenty  to  fifty  miles  from  the 
mainland.  One  of  these — Lesson  Island — passed  by 
us  May  20th,  in  lat.  3°  35'  S.,  and  long.  144°  47'  K, 
was  then  belching  out  volumes  of  smoke  from  the 
crater  at  its  summit.  It  appeared  perfectly  cone- 
shaped  from  a  distance ;  but  on  near  approach  we 
found  the  western  side  flattened,  crowded  with  cocoa- 
nut  trees,  and  the  home  of  a  large  population.  The 
mountain  is  about  2200  feet  high,  by  three  miles  and 
a  half  in  circumference.  Vegetation  climbs  for  800  or 
1000  feet  up  its  sides;  above  which  arid  rocks,  and 
precipices  riven  by  deep  fissures,  form  a  strange  crown 
to  the  slopes  of  feathery  palm  and  tropical  trees  be- 
neath. From  the  parched  lips  of  the  crater  a  silver 
stream  came  leaping ;  and  surely  never  water  looked 


CHAP.  xvin.  DEEP  SEA  SOUNDINGS.  287 

brighter  than  this,  now  spreading  itself  out  in  tiny 
threads  of  silver  against  the  dark  background,  now 
gathering  itself  into  white  cascades,  and  plunging  into 
fissure  after  fissure  till  it  reached  the  world  of  green 
below,  and  leaped  from  a  ledge  of  dark  rock  into  the 
sea.  Large  numbers  of  the  natives  came  off  to  us, 
and  showed  the  utmost  anxiety  for  iron  hoop.  Their 
hair  was  dressed  in  the  most  preposterous  fashion — it 
had  been  suffered  to  grow  long  as  a  woman's,  and  was 
drawn  through  a  conical  cane  case,  over  the  end  of 
which  it  curled.  This  case,  which  was  about  a  foot 
long,  and  highly  ornamented  with  feathers  and  shells, 
was  worn  at  the  back  of  the  head,  at  right  angles  to  it, 
and  looked  like  a  horn.  These  people,  who  were  of  a 
dark  copper  colour  and  very  intelligent  in  manner, 
seemed  cheerful  and  friendly,  and  I  regretted  much 
that  time  did  not  permit  us  to  improve  our  acquaint- 
ance with  them. 

Nine  miles  north-west  of  Lesson  Island  we  found 
bottom  at  820  fathoms,  and  shortly  afterwards  got 
entangled  in  a  vast  crowd  of  snags,  huge  uprooted 
trunks  of  trees,  borne  on  a  great  body  of  fresh  water 
which  forced  its  way  seaward.  We  had  to  get  steam 
up  to  clear  ourselves  of  these  obstructions,  which  gave 
us  some  heavy  blows,  spite  of  care.  This  water,  doubt- 
less, is  the  outcome  of  a  large  river  somewhere  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Cape  Delia  Torre,  and  is  worth  the 
attention  of  explorers.  On  May  22d,  in  latitude  2°  37' 
S.,  and  longitude  142°  7'  E.,  we  found  bottom  at 
2000  fathoms.  Our  deep-sea  soundings  were  very 


288  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xvm. 

laborious  to  the  men,  as  we  had  no  fittings,  and  all 
the  work  had  to  be  done  by  hand.  It  took  our  re- 
duced company  three  hours  to  haul  in  these  2000 
fathoms  of  line.  We  tried  for  deep-sea  soundings 
every  day — no  small  trial  to  the  patience  of  as  willing 
a  ship's  company  as  ever  sailed. 

We  anchored  in  Humboldt  Bay,  May  23d,  wishing 
to  learn  if  the  Dutch  had  made  a  settlement  here,  a 
report  to  which  effect  had  reached  Sydney  before  we 
left.  The  bay  is  very  large,  and  contains  deep  capa- 
cious bights,  up  one  of  which  we  steered,  and  anchored 
over  a  coral  reef  in  eight  fathoms,  where  we  were  pre- 
sently surrounded  by  scores  of  canoes  full  of  wild 
vociferating  savages,  armed  with  formidable  bows  and 
arrows,  here  first  seen  by  us  in  East  New  Guinea. 
They  showed  no  sign  of  fear  nor  reverence ;  and 
knowing  their  reputation  for  making  sudden  attacks, 
we  kept  our  rifles  ready.  It  seems  singular  that  the 
nearer  we  came  to  the  seat  of  the  Malay  race  proper, 
in  New  Guinea,  the  more  unlike  the  coast  native  be- 
came to  the  Malay  type,  the  Humboldt  Bay  people 
being  almost  black,  with  hair  inclining  to  be  woolly, 
and  nose  and  lips  verging  towards  the  negro  formation. 
The  women  were  but  little  ornamented,  and  wore  the 
ti-ti,  or  grass  petticoat;  the  men,  who  were  unclad, 
were  profusely  decorated  with  barbaric  finery,  some  of 
which,  particularly  a  breast-plate  of  boar's  tusks  laid 
flat,  and  sewn  on  to  plaited  cane-work,  on  which  a 
ground-work  of  brilliant  red  seeds  was  gummed,  had 
quite  a  fine  effect.  Once  or  twice  there  was  every 


CHAP.  xvni.  THRESHOLD  BAY.  289 

prospect  of  a  free  fight  amongst  the  men  in  the  canoes, 
bows  were  bent,  spears  brandished,  amidst  furious 
shouting  in  some  dispute  over  their  trading ;  and  all 
our  skill  as  peace-makers  was  tasked.  On  one  occa- 
sion a  man  parted  with  some  sago  for  a  smaller 
quantity  of  iron  hoop  than  his  better  half  thought  due ; 
and  without  more  ado  she  seized  her  paddle  and  be- 
laboured him  heartily  over  the  head  and  shoulders ; 
his  friends,  instead  of  pitying  his  plight,  shouted  with 
merriment ;  he  did  not  retaliate,  but  slunk  away,  look- 
ing foolish. 

The  houses  here  are  of  a  conical  form,  and  thatched 
close  down  to  the  ground,  or  to  the  platform  on  which 
they  stand,  if  built  on  a  reef.  There  was  no  trace  of 
a  Dutch  settlement ;  and  we  stood  west  again  after  a 
narrow  escape  over  a  coral  reef  off  Providence  Isle,  on 
which  the  Dutch  flag  is  flying,  finding  no  greater 
depth  than  2000  fathoms  in  our  deep-sea  sound- 
ings. 

On  May  27th  we  had  reached  the  western  extreme 
of  New  Guinea,  about  a  week's  sail  from  Amboyna, 
with  our  old  ship  in  a  very  rusty  condition  from  her 
long  sea  work,  and  her  decks  dyed  a  dark  mahogany 
colour  from  the  stacks  of  wood  they  had  continuously 
borne ;  so  it  was  needful  to  take  a  little  time  and  put 
her  so  to  rights  as  to  do  herself  credit  beside  the 
Dutch  men-of-war  she  might  meet  at  Amboyna. 
Threshold  Bay,  46  miles  south  of  the  equator, 
in  131°  25'  east  longitude,  seemed  a  likely  place  for 

our  .purpose,  so   taking  up  a  convenient  position  at 

u 


290  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xvin. 

nightfall,  we  waited  for  daylight  to  find  the  anchor- 
age. 

During  the  night,  however,  we  were  swept  55  miles 
to  the  north-west,  at  the  rate  of  five  knots  an  hour,  by 
the  strongest  ocean  current  we  had  any  of  us  ever  met. 
It  was  therefore  the  evening  of  May  28th  when  we  an- 
chored off  a  delicious  little  cove  of  this  large  open  bay, 
before  a  large  village,  through  which  a  mountain  stream 
was  running ;  and  here  we  saw  the  Dutch  flag  flying. 

The  inhabitants  are  pure  Malays,  descendants  of 
those  who  have  driven  the  aboriginal  inhabitants  back 
into  the  interior,  and  now  hold  their  own  by  the  use 
of  firearms.  The  Rajah  of  Salwatti,  who  is  supreme 
ruler  at  this  extreme  of  New  Guinea,  came  off  to 
visit  us  on  the  following  day  in  a  large  prahu,  rowed 
by  about  twenty  men,  and  ornamented  with  various 
banners,  and  an  enormous  Dutch  ensign.  A  huge 
gong,  slung  in  the  bow,  was  beaten  continually  as  he 
approached,  seated  under  a  large  blue  silk  umbrella 
spread  in  the  stern,  and  we  received  him  in  conformity 
with  such  pomp.  We  found  him  a  well-informed 
gentlemanly  man,  able  to  speak  a  few  words  of  Eng- 
lish ;  in  which  he  told  us  that  we  were  the  first  English 
man-of-war  he  had  seen  on  this  coast,  and  expressed 
a  hope  that  many  English  ships  would  follow.  We 
went  to  quarters  and  showed  him  the  power  and  range 
of  our  great  guns,  which  seemed  to  astonish  him  not  a 
little  :  and  he  then  exchanged  gifts  with  me,  present- 
ing me  with  some  live  cassowaries,*  a  tree  kangaroo, 
*  One  of  these  is  now  in  the  Zoological  Gardens,  London. 


CHAP.  xvm.  RAJAH  OF  SALWATTI.  291 

and  some  beautiful  bird  of  paradise  skins,  which  I  re- 
turned with  a  regulation  sword,  giving  him  also  a 
quantity  of  tea  and  sugar,  which  he  said  was  the 
greatest  luxury  he  could  have.  He  then  took  his 
leave  with  much  ceremony,  and  landed  at  the  village, 
where  the  prahu  was  hauled  above  high-water  mark, 
and  we  thought  we  had  done  with  him ;  but  no,  the 
Kajah  doffed  his  robe  of  state,  and  launching  in  a 
small  canoe,  with  two  men  to  paddle,  came  off  to  the 
ship  as  a  trader  of  bird  skins.  Very  keen  bargains  he 
drove,  coaxing  fowling-pieces,  powder,  shot,  and  pistols 
from  the  officers  for  his  skins,  over  which  we  repented 
afterwards  at  our  leisure.  The  Dutch,  or  Hollanders, 
as  the  Malays  termed  them,  seemed  to  be  in  small 
repute  here. 

Having  completed  our  painting  and  smartening- 
up  on  May  30th,  we  bade  our  last  adieu  to  New  Guinea, 
and  passing  through  Pitt  Straits  between  the  islands 
of  Battanta  and  Salwatti,  where  the  scenery  is  very 
beautiful,  found  the  tide  so  fierce  against  us  that, 
steaming  seven  knots,  we  barely  held  our  own.  "We 
arrived  at  Amboyna  on  June  2d,  where  we  experienced 
every  attention  from  the  governor  and  from  Lieu- 
tenant-Commander Doorman,  H.N.M.S.  "Bali,"  and 
greatly  enjoyed  our  return  to  the  comforts  of  civilised 
life.  Here  we  met  the  zealous  Eussian  traveller  Mr. 
Miklucko  Macklay,  who  had  spent  eighteen  months 
amongst  the  New  Guinea  people  at  Astrolobe  Gulf,  and 
concerning  whose  fate  I  had  been  instructed  to  make 
inquiries.  He  was  able  to  clear  up  some  of  our  per- 


292  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xvm. 

plexities,  amongst  others,  our  ignorance  as  to  the 
natives'  manner  of  disposing  of  their  dead,  we  having 
seen  no  graves  but  those  at  Discovery  Bay  and  Skel- 
ton  Island.  He  told  us  that  they  bury  their  dead  in 
the  houses  they  have  lived  in,  and  disinter  the  re- 
mains at  the  expiration  of  six  months,  when  they  hang 
the  skull  up,  destitute  of  the  lower  jaw,  which  is  kept 
as  an  ornament.  But  at  the  eastern  end  of  New 
Guinea  the  skulls  we  saw  hung  up  were  all  perfect, 
and  the  jaw-bones  worn  as  bracelets  by  the  men  were, 
by  unmistakable  signs,  described  to  us  as  those  of 
enemies  whom  they  had  killed  and  eaten. 

Mr.  Macklay's  experiences  generally  corroborated 
ours,  and  went  to  prove  that  the  Papuans  lead  a  quiet 
sort  of  life — the  men  fishing,  hunting,  and  making 
canoes  and  weapons,  and  the  women  tilling  the  ground, 
carrying  burthens,  and  doing  the  housework.  He  did 
not  speak  of  any  wars  or  fightings,  and  the  solitary 
bloodless  engagement  seen  by  us  seems  to  show  that 
they  know  the  value  of  their  lives.  Mr.  Macklay  had 
been  brought  off  from  Astrolobe  Gulf  by  the  Kussian 
corvette  "  Izumrud."  The  "  Izumrud,"  after  five  days' 
stay  on  the  coast  of  New  Guinea,  had  130  sick  on 
arrival  at  Amboyna.  The  "  Basilisk,"  during  her  many 
months  there,  spent  in  ceaseless  labour,  had  almost  an 
immunity  from  sickness;  a  difference  consequent,  in  my 
opinion,  on  the  superior  cleanliness  of  our  English 
seamen,  who,  besides  bathing  in  the  sea  nearly  every 
day,  enjoyed  after  each  day's  work  a  freshwater  tub 
in  the  forecastle. 


CHAP.  xvin.  MR.  MACKLAY— AMBOYNA.  293 

The  traveller  was  in  a  deplorable  state  of  health, 
and  not  expected  to  survive  when  we  left ;  but  I  have 
since  heard  welcome  news  of  his  recovery. 

It  will  easily  be  supposed  that  our  men  greatly 
enjoyed  their  run  on  shore  at  Amboyna ;  the  morals 
of  the  place  were,  however,  in  a  very  low  state,  and 
we  left  it  with  anything  but  favourable  ideas  of  the 
Dutch  as  colonists.  The  absence  of  energy,  the  num- 
ber of  government  monopolies,  and  the  dislike  with 
which  their  rulers  are  regarded  by  the  native  popula- 
tion, forced  themselves  on  the  attention. 

Fanned  by  a  gentle  monsoon,  we  sailed  through 
the  Molucca  Sea — every  sail  set — not  a  cloud  in  the  sky 
— not  the  sign  of  a  squall  in  the  horizon — as  if  over 
charmed  waters.  We  postponed  all  drills,  and  gave 
the  men  perfect  rest ;  pleasant  indeed  to  them  after 
their  unusually  trying  work.  The  thought  of  "  home  " 
filled,  I  think,  every  heart.  These  days  were  full 
of  the  feeling  that  most  of  us  would  wish  the  last  days 
of  life  to  bring  with  them — that  of  labour  done — 
done  to  the  full  of  all  our  powers — of  rest  in  the 
present — of  hope  of  speedy  reunion  with  friends  long 
unseen. 

Beautiful  islands  succeeded  each  other,  rising  like 
faint  blue  clouds  on  the  horizon,  gradually  filling  out 
and  wanning  in  form  and  colour,  and  sinking  behind 
us  again,  to  be  forgotten  soon,  for  our  thoughts  flew 
all  before  us  now. 

We  arrived  at  Singapore  on  June  29th,  and  here 
our  able  surveyor,  Lieutenant  Dawson,  left  us  for 


294  NEW  GUINEA.  CHAP.  xvni. 

Sydney,  taking  with  him  our  faithful  little  steam  cut- 
ter, now  put  in  good  repair,  to  be  returned  to  the  New 
South  "Wales  Government. 

Our  pennant  was  hauled  down  at  Sheerness  after 
an  eventful  commission,  thirty -nine  days  short  of  four 
years,  on  December  15,  1874. 


SUPPLEMENTARY  CHAPTER. 

OUR  DUTY  TO  NEW  GUINEA  AND  POLYNESIA. 

MOST  men  who  have  pondered  on  the  future  of  the  islands 
lying  on  the  north  and  east  Australian  shores,  and  our  con- 
cern in  it,  have  felt  that  sooner  or  later  we  shall  find  our- 
selves called  on  to  decide  on  a  plan  of  action  with  regard 
to  the  races  that  inhabit  them,  which,  working  perhaps  from 
small  beginnings  at  a  few  points,  will  by  force  of  natural 
expansion  eventually  cover  the  whole  ground.  How  shall  we 
treat  the  South  Sea  Islands  and  that  part  of  New  Guinea  which 
is  not  Dutch  ?  The  question  is  not  a  new  one — it  sleeps  at 
times,  as  other  affairs  of  the  Empire  press,  and  again  awakens  ; 
it  has  just  received  an  answer  at  Fiji ;  it  asks  for  one  at 
present  in  New  Guinea — it  sleeps,  but  never  dies ;  for  the 
causes  that  prompt  it,  the  issues  depending,  give  it  a  sure 
vitality.  It  may  be  asked  hastily  by  some  "  Why  is  this 
question  ours  ? "  but  a  little  thought  will  bring  it  home. 
England,  as  represented  by  Australia  and  New  Zealand, 
being  the  great  power  lying  nearest  to  these  islands,  holds 
the  primary  advantage  of  easy  access  and  proximity ;  English 
subjects  have  settled  themselves  on  many  of  these  islands, 
and  on  some  have  established  thriving  industries,  which  are 
increasing  in  importance.  Lawless  Englishmen  have  made 
themselves  a  curse  in  some,  and  to  an  extent  which  has 
obliged  us  to  establish  a  sort  of  undeclared  protectorate, 
by  turning  our  cruisers  into  a  sea-police,  charged  with  the 
repression  of  the  more  overt  acts  of  violence.  These  islands, 
which  lay  hidden  for  centuries,  visited  alone  by  a  chance 
Spaniard  or  English  navigator,  are  emerging  fast  from  their 
seclusion.  We  want  labour,  cotton,  sugar,  tobacco,  coffee, 
sago,  spices,  cocoa-nut  oil,  jute,  shell,  beche-de-mer,  sandal- 


296  NEW  GUINEA. 


SUP.  CHAP. 


wood — a  hundred  commodities  which  we  find  they  can  give 
us,  and  we  are  determined  to  have  these  things;  we  demand 
them  with  a  yearly  increasing  avidity.     Surely  then  we  are 
called  on  to  protect  these  people  to  the  uttermost  in  the 
discharge  of  their  good  offices  to  us,  and  to  do  them  what 
good  we  can  in  return.     They  have   seen  so   much  of  our 
heathenism  that  we  are  bound  in  fairness  to  show  them  some- 
thing of  our  Christianity.     We  are  the  best  colonists  in  the 
world ;  we  do  not  claim  the  merit  of  perfection  for  our  laws 
and  system  of  government,  but  we   believe  them  to   be  the 
best  extant.     Our   residence   amongst  these  races,  and  the 
prevalence  of  our  laws,  are  therefore  rather  to  be  desired  for 
them  according  to  our  own  belief,  than  the  like  connection 
with  any  other  nation.     Lastly,  if  examination  proves  that 
strategic  weakness — that  political  complications  with  other 
powers  may  follow  our  neglect  to  move — that  alien  hands 
may  reap  a  rich  harvest   that  might  have  been   ours,  we 
shall,  I  think,  be  ready  to  confess  that  this  question  has  some 
affinity  to   us.     Suppose,  however,  that  we  could  draw  an 
arbitrary  line  round  these  islands,  and  determine  that  across 
a  certain  space  of  sea  no  European  flag  should  ever  float — 
that  there  should  be  a  break  here  in  the  circulation  of  the 
world's  commerce,  a  non-conducting  link  in   the   chain  of 
human  thought,   would  not   such  an  enactment  be  a  sin 
against  the  economy  of  nature — be  inevitably  self-punished  ? 
There  are  of  course  two  ways  of  dealing  with  this  question, 
we  can  either  annex   Polynesia  and  East  New  Guinea,  or 
we  can    leave  the  matter  to  the  mercy  of  chance.     The 
argument  against  annexation  may  be  stated  briefly  thus  : 
We  have  ground  enough  for  our  emigrants   to  appropriate 
now,  and  for  a  long  time  to  come.     The  climate  of  a  large 
part  of  New  Guinea,  and  some  of  the  islands,  is  such  that 
Europeans  could  not  hope  to  be  manual  workers  there.    The 
English  character  is  found   too  often  to  deteriorate  when 
Englishmen  are  brought  into  contact  with  aboriginal  races, 
and  it  is  therefore  undesirable  to  increase  the  extent  of  con- 
tact.    The    empire    is   already    so  large   that    the    central 


SUP.  CHAP.  OUR  DUTY.  297 

governing  body  is  sometimes  unable  to  find  leisure  to 
acquaint  itself  with  the  nature  and  gravity  of  important 
questions  at  the  proper  time.  These  island  races  are  now 
happy  in  their  own  way,  and  should  be  left  so.  Why  should 
we  seek  to  force  our  "fire-water"  on  them,  along  with  our 
Manchester  calicoes — perhaps  our  opium,  as  we  did  on  the 
Chinese  ?  May  not  our  occupation  of  these  islands  lead  to 
the  very  extinction  of  these  races  ?  Have  we  money  over 
and  above  our  present  engagements  to  spend?  Does  not 
Australia  need  all  her  public  funds  for  her  internal  develop- 
ment? Is  not  England  saddled  with  the  largest  national 
debt  in  the  world  ?  Do  not  fresh  responsibilities  bring  with 
them  fresh  possibilities  of  danger  and  difficulty  ? 

The  argument  against  annexation  is  strong,  but  before 
measuring  it  with  the  counter-plea,  we  should  remind  our- 
selves of  the  precept  that  "  the  right,"  not  "  the  expedient," 
should  be  the  guide  of  national  as  well  as  of  individual  con- 
duct. All  Christian  philosophy  teaches  us  that  "  the  right " 
will  be  found  to  have  been  "the  expedient,"  in  the  end. 
Woe  to  the  nation  that  palters  with  its  conscience !  its 
punishment  is  prepared;  the  blunted  susceptibilities,  the 
lower  standard  of  honour,  the  cruel  all-slaying  lust  of 
wealth,  the  coward  cringing  to  any  power  that  may  hurt  its 
lower  interests,  which  follow  national  faithlessness  to  duty, 
are  the  causes  and  signs  of  decadence,  and  prelude  national 
death. 

It  is  advanced  that  there  is  room  for  the  present  and 
future  requirements  of  our  out-goers  in  existing  colonies, 
and  to  spare,  but  is  a  sufficiency  of  this  space  available  for 
their  purposes  ?  Sugar-cane,  cotton,  and  tobacco,  require  con- 
ditions for  their  growth,  which  are  only  to  be  found  in  a 
small  part  of  Australia.  The  great  Australian  industry 
of  sheep-farming  is  largely  crippled  at  times  for  want  of 
watered  land,  and  suffers  certain  restrictions.  The  interior 
of  that  great  island  is  an  arid  territory,  presenting  difficulties 
in  the  way  of  habitation  which  it  will  task  the  future  energies 
of  a  more  matured  Australia  to  overcome.  Our  possession 


298  NEW  GUINEA.  SUP.  CHAP. 

of  vast  tracts  of  country  in  North  Canada  all  but  unpeopled 
— of  waste  lands  in  Ireland  and  Scotland,  has  not  been 
allowed  to  stand  in  the  way  of  our  appropriation  of  territory 
that  has  seemed  desirable.  The  arid  Australian  centre,  nay 
the  steppes  of  Eussia,  the  very  desert  of  Sahara  itself,  will 
doubtless  be  subdued  and  peopled,  should  the  world  last  long 
enough  ;  but  whilst  fruitful  well- watered  tracts  of  territory 
await  us,  it  is  surely  impolitic  to  throw  ourselves  upon  a 
stern  grapple  with  nature  when  all  the  odds  are  against  us. 
All  waste  of  time  and  strength  is  surely  a  mistake,  nay  a  sin, 
against  political  economy,  which  desires  to  apply  every  atom 
of  useful  force  at  its  due  time  and  place. 

But  it  is  as  vain  as  it  is  impolitic  to  attempt  to  prescribe 
a  field  for  emigration,  for  it  will  be  guided  not  only  by  ex- 
pediency, but  by  natural  instinct.  As  truly  as  Goth  and 
Hun,  coming  forth  from  their  birthplaces  and  swarming 
southward,  were  led  by  an  instinct  which  obeyed  a  hidden 
law,  so  truly  do  these  solitary  forerunners  of  the  dominant 
race  in  the  South  Seas,  these  expeditionary  bodies  to  New 
Guinea,  obey  a  law  they  wot  not  of, — a  law  stronger  in  action 
then  the  greed  of  gain,  the  love  of  adventure,  the  impatience 
of  restraint,  which  they  recognise  in  themselves. 

Let  it  be  granted  that  we  have  room  for  ourselves  and 
our  children,  but  we  have  our  grand-children  to  think  for — 
the  time  when  Australia  and  New  Zealand  as  well  as  England 
will  be  constrained  to  throw  off  their  thousands  to  find  fresh 
homes.  It  would  be  selfish  to  resolve  that  we  will  only  take 
thought  for  the  needs  of  our  own  generations.  It  would  be 
Quixotic  to  forego  present  interests  in  favour  of  a  possible 
future — it  is  but  justice  to  remember  that  we  are  as  truly 
curators  of  the  inheritance  of  coming  generations  as  we  are 
heirs  of  the  past,  bound  not  only  to  transmit  what  we  have 
received  but  to  develope  it  by  faithful  fosterage,  and  to  leave 
it  as  free  of  danger  and  encumbrance  looming  in  the  future, 
as  we  can  make  it. 

The  climate  of  a  great  part  of  New  Guinea  would  not 
be  prejudicial  to  Europeans.     High  land,  possessing  every 


STTP.  CHAP.  OUR  DUTY.  299 

degree  of  temperature,  abounds  there ;  and  the  Europeans 
who  already  inhabit  islands  in  Polynesia  appear  to  enjoy 
perfect  health.  The  malarias  that  prevail  in  unhealthy 
spots  would  probably  depart  with  the  too  dense  growth  of 
tropic  vegetation,  as  ague  has  vanished  under  the  hand  of 
the  drainer  in  many  parts  of  our  Lincolnshire  fen-country. 
But  unhealthy  spots  might  surely  be  avoided.  The  inhabit- 
ants of  Queensland,  who  will  doubtless  be  among  the  first 
settlers  in  New  Guinea,  are  already  accustomed  to  a  range 
of  temperature  that  will  have  prepared  them  for  a  warmer 
climate.  White  men  may  certainly  find  themselves  unable 
to  undertake  much  manual  labour  on  the  lower  levels  in 
New  Guinea  and  the  islands,  but  they  should  be  able  to 
find  abundant  employment  as  directors  of  coloured  toilers, 
till  such  time  as  their  descendants  shall  have  grown  acclima- 
tised, as  the  Portuguese  and  Spaniard  in  the  Brazils  and 
Mexico,  and  the  Englishman  at  New  Orleans.  Such  a  rela- 
tive position  involves  no  more  injury  or  degradation  to  the 
coloured  operative  than  it  does  to  the  English,  who  puts  his 
hand  to  work  to  which  other  men  have  applied  brain  and  gold. 
We  may  admit  that  it  is  an  unfortunate  fact  that  the  character 
of  the  Englishman  often  deteriorates  when  he  lives  among 
savages,  but  this  is  not  inevitable.  The  Englishman,  however, 
is  determined  to  pitch  his  tent  amongst  them,  and  it  is  our 
business  to  prevent  this  deterioration,  and  to  protect  his 
savage  neighbour,  by  applying  early  safe-guards  of  law  and 
supervision.  We  have  been  tardy  in  doing  this  in  various 
parts  of  the  world.  We  have  too  often  held  aloof  till  matters 
have  grown  so  bad  as  to  force  our  attention,  and  have  then 
learned  that  lawlessness  is  a  costly  evil — costly  in  money, 
blood,  and  honour,  to  those  who  are  forced  to  charge  them- 
selves with  its  extinction.  But  if  many  of  our  countrymen 
have  brought  a  stigma  on  the  national  honour  by  their  evil 
deeds,  others  are  already  living  and  dying  for  these  people, 
and  a  flood  of  philanthropy  lies  ready  in  England  and  Aus- 
tralia to  te  poured  out  on  these  islands  when  opportunity 
is  given. 


300  NEW  GUINEA.  stn>.  CHAP. 

From  the  suggested  difficulty  of  governing  an  empire 
greater  than  our  present  no  argument  rises,  for  the  burden 
of  governing  the  islands  would  doubtless  be  arranged  to  fall 
on  the  parliament  of  a  great  Australian  dominion,  privileged 
to  deal  with  all  questions  not  strictly  imperial. 

It  is  argued  that  the  islanders  appear  sufficiently  happy 
without  our  intervention,  but  perhaps  their  happiness  is  not 
so  real  as  is  supposed.  Some  of  them  suffer  from  famines, 
which  a  little  knowledge,  forethought,  or  communication 
with  mankind  would  have  prevented.  They  have  no  ease 
in  old  age,  no  comfort  in  sickness,  no  skill  in  dealing  with 
any  sort  of  physical  evil.  Violence,  fraud,  and  bloodshed, 
prevail  in  many  places ;  the  women  are  everywhere  more  or 
less  slaves ;  cruel  customs,  some  too  dreadful  for  mention — 
infanticide,  self-mutilation,  human  sacrifices,  cannibalism, 
are  the  customs  of  some  islands ;  and,  from  an  intelligence 
dwarfed  to  the  narrow  range  of  its  surroundings,  from  ani- 
mal instincts  and  childish  fears,  hideous  religions  are 
evolved,  which  keep  these  human  souls  in  a  most  wretched 
bondage.  Suppose,  however,  these  people  to  be  content 
with  such  things  as  they  have  for  want  of  knowledge  of 
better,  is  their  ignorance  to  be  the  boundary  of  our  duty  ? 
Are  these  countless  lives  to  drop  away  like  leaves  from 
autumnal  forests,  to  come  new  again  with  a  perpetual  spring 
of  life,  and  drop,  and  leave  no  sign  ?  Are  these  men  to  rise 
so  far,  and  no  further,  above  the  level  of  the  brute  ?  to  build 
their  rude  huts,  and  bask  in  the  sun,  as  they  did  in  the  days 
of  Quiros  and  Captain  Cook,  to  the  end  ?  never  to  have 
part  and  lot  with  the  rest  of  the  human  race,  to  share  its 
toils,  its  victories,  its  rewards  ?  If  Christianity  is  a  good 
thing,  have  we  not  a  right  to  go  out  into  the  highways  and 
hedges  and  bring  in  these  people  who  are  lying  in  the  very 
shadow  of  the  empire,  how  and  when  we  can  ?  Our  task 
in  leading  them  into  membership  with  the  human  family 
would  not  be  a  difficult  one.  They  have  not  been  degraded 
by  generations  of  slavery,  as  in  Jamaica  or  St.  J3omingo ; 
they  are  not  possessed  by  a  satisfying  faith  in  the  traditions 


SUP.  CHAP.  OUR  DUTY.  301 

of  Brahminical  lore,  biassed  by  prejudices  of  caste,  saturated 
with  the  antipathies  of  Mohammedanism,  nor  imbued  with 
the  polite  scepticism  that  follows  on  the  surrender  of  these. 
We  should  have  little  to  undo.  These  races  offer  an  almost 
virgin  page  on  which  we  are  free  to  write  the  whole  moral 
code.  Our  acts  of  colonisation,  the  necessities  of  our  com- 
merce, are  bringing  us  into  a  yearly-increasing  relationship 
with  them,  and  it  is  much  within  our  power  at  present  to 
decide  the  character  of  this  relationship — nay,  to  decide  on 
their  fate ;  on  the  question  of  their  very  existence.  An  issue 
how  momentous  !  No  single  aboriginal  inhabitant  of  Van 
Diemen's  Land  is  alive  to-day;  the  natives  of  Australia 
are  perishing  fast,  and  will  soon  be  extinct.  We  would  save 
the  poor  remnant  if  we  could,  but  it  is  to  be  feared  that  its 
doom  cannot  now  be  averted.  The  type  was  low,  and  all 
experience  proves  that  the  lower  the  type  the  more  antagon- 
istic is  the  approach  of  civilisation  to  the  immediate  inter- 
ests of  the  savage.  The  hunter  who  requires  to  possess  a 
tract  of  land  on  which  a  city  might  stand  that  he  may  fill 
a  few  mouths,  will  probably  starve  before  there  is  time  to 
absorb  him  into  the  body  politic,  by  teaching  him  the  ways 
and  uses  of  our  civilisation. 

Have  we  no  atonement  to  make  for  all  the  innocent 
blood  that  has  lain  at  our  door  from  the  time  that  we  began 
to  drive  the  red  man  from  his  hunting-grounds  till  now  ? 
And  what  other  form  of  atonement  can  we  find  than  this  of 
making  ourselves  tutors  of  the  childhood  of  these  races 
that  lie  directly  within  our  influence,  and  leading  them 
up  to  moral  and  intellectual  manhood.  It  is  no  law  of 
nature  that  the  aboriginal  shall  melt  away  before  the  civil- 
ised race.  Nature  has  not  committed  the  gigantic  folly  of 
creating  millions  of  creatures  in  the  form  and  with  all  the 
powers  of  man,  who  are  yet  needless  to  her  purposes,  and 
for  whom  there  is  no  room  in  her  economy.  Yet  some  will 
tell  us  that  the  extinction  of  the  less  noble  races  has  been 
contemplated.  The  very  suitability  of  a  race  to  labour  in 
the  climate  in  which  it  is  found  proves  the  intention  to 


302  NEW  GUINEA.  STJP.  CHAP, 

perpetuate  it  and  to  use  it,  whilst  attaining  its  own  highest 
elevation,  to  contribute  its  quota  to  the  general  good  of  the 
world.  Aboriginal  races  have  not  perished  by  Nature's 
decree,  but  because  of  our  weakness,  ignorance,  and  sin. 
Our  first  colonists  in  Australia  were  few,  weak,  and  isolated 
by  special  difficulties  of  inter-communication;  they  led  a 
hard-working  and  precarious  life,  and  were  so  absorbed  in 
their  own  concerns  as  to  be  unable  to  take  due  steps  to 
reconcile  the  natives  to  their  intrusion.  They  consequently 
met  violence  by  violence,  till  the  breach  between  the  old 
and  new  dwellers  of  the  soil  had  grown  too  vast  to  be 
bridged  across,  and  the  extinction  of  the  weaker  began 
almost  to  assume  the  form  of  a  seeming  necessity.  Again, 
almost  within  the  memory  of  living  men,  we  were  ignorant 
of  much  of  our  duty,  and  our  moral  standard  was  very  low. 
We  not  only  tolerated  slavery ;  we  legislated  for  it ;  we  hung 
for  petty  theft ;  and  these  things  seemed  right  in  our  eyes. 
Men  who  prided  themselves  on  being  models  of  honour 
at  home,  too  often  forgot  all  the  ten  commandments  when 
they  had  to  deal  with  credulous  and  passionate  aborigines, 
and  thought  no  more  shame  of  wringing  rupees  from  a 
Hindoo,  or  shooting  a  thieving  black,  than  our  early  kings 
did  of  fleecing  the  Jews.  Our  century  is  characterised  by 
an  increase  of  moral  light  co-equal  with  its  advance  in 
physical  power,  as  a  glance  will  show.  It  demands  the 
mercy  of  reformatory  treatment  for  the  criminal,  and  educa- 
tion for  the  masses,  as  zealously  as  it  plies  the  steam-engine 
and  the  telegraph  wire.  We  know  our  duty  in  a  broad 
way,  and  are  daily  working  out  its  minutiae.  We  are  strong 
enough  to  perform  much  of  it,  and  are  growing  stronger; 
are  we  wanting  alone  in  the  possession  of  an  honest  will  to 
make  our  simple  neighbours  friends  to  us  and  a  blessing  to 
themselves  ?  They  are  capable  of  receiving  good  at  our 
hands ;  they  take  kindly  to  Christianity,  as  all  who  have 
visited  the  Christianised  islands  can  testify.  Many  of  these 
men  are  leading  noble  lives  at  this  moment ;  some  have  died 
martyrs  to  their  convictions  as  truly  as  Stephen  or  Paul. 


SUP.  CHAP.  OUR  DUTY.  303 

It  is  easy  to  say  that  they  are  incapable  of  benefiting  much 
by  us.  It  would  be  just  as  easy  to  say  that  a  great  future 
awaits  these  undeveloped  races,  that  they  are  destined  to 
take  up  the  torch  of  progress  after  we  have  laid  it  down. 
But  our  commission  is  not  to  speculate ;  it  is  to  do  our  duty 
to  people  whose  acquaintance  we  have  made,  and  intend  to 
prosecute,  without  their  will  or  against  it,  for  our  own  pur- 
poses. It  seems  to  me  that  the  broad  containing  lines  of 
our  duty  are  evident,  whilst  the  filling  in  must  be,  and  may 
be,  left  to  time.  Perhaps  I  have  no  right  to  any  opinion ; 
be  it  so.  I  am  conscious  of  my  own  ignorance  and  short- 
sightedness ;  conscious  that  these  native  races  have  so 
touched  my  heart  that  I  have  become  their  partizan,  and 
perhaps  a  partial  reasoner.  I  will  express  no  opinion.  I 
will  but  say  that  I  hope  to  see  my  country  take  up  what  I 
conceive  to  be  her  duty,  and  annex  New  Guinea  and  the 
islands,  and  thus  have  it  in  her  power  to  start  right  with 
the  aborigines  from  the  first ;  to  prevent  the  first  occasions 
of  mistrust,  disgust,  and  anger,  which  would  at  once  and  for 
ever  stamp  an  image  of  greed,  perfidy,  and  cruelty,  as  our 
likeness  on  the  native  heart.  It  would  seem  that  no  great 
money  expense  is  involved  at  the  outset  in  recognising  our 
legitimate  position,  and  that  islands  rich  by  nature  would 
soon  become  self-supporting  with  respect  to  religion  and 
government.  The  act  of  annexation  would  cost  nothing, 
and  would  but.  need  to  be  followed  up  gradually,  as  circum- 
stances should  indicate  and  enable,  beginning  of  course  with 
the  islands  on  which  Europeans  have  established  them- 
selves. 

Missionaries  have  done  much  in  many  of  these  islands, 
and  are  doing  more.  Would  it  not  be  possible  to  acknow- 
ledge and  assist  them  publicly,  in  view  of  the  fact  that  both 
politically  and  commercially  we  reap  a  material  benefit  from 
their  efforts,  and  so  accelerate  their  success  ?  Would  it  not 
be  possible,  for  example,  to  give  a  grant  to  the  Milanesian 
College  on  Norfolk  Island,  the  most  powerful  instrument 
for  good  in  the  South  Seas,  and  thus  enable  it  to  extend 


304  NEW  GUINEA.  STTP.  CHAP. 

itself,  and  send  out  ten  instructed  native  teachers  for  every 
one  that  it  now  elaborates? 

On  any  island  where  a  small  white  community  has 
begun  to  form  itself,  might  not  a  man  of  good  repute  be 
selected,  and  endued  with  some  degree  of  magisterial  power, 
for  the  due  exercise  of  which  he  might  be  made  answerable 
to  the  captain  of  the  next  visiting  man-of-war  ?  The  very 
routine  and  form  of  order  has  a  most  beneficial  influence, 
and  men  often  acquire  a  higher  tone  and  steadiness  of  pur- 
pose from  a  sense  of  responsibility.  A  small  reward  would 
probably  go  a  long  way  in  securing  the  services  of  such 
men,  and  they  might  easily  by  degrees  become  recognised 
by  the  natives  as  holding  the  balance  between  English  and 
native  interests.  There  may  be  nothing  in  this  proposition ; 
it  is  only  prompted  by  the  feeling  that  it  may  be  wise  to 
use  the  material  that  lies  to  hand  at  first,  as  far  as  it  will 
reach.  The  possession  of  the  islands  once  accepted,  a  power 
of  statesmanship  would  be  directed  towards  them  sufficient 
to  meet  all  necessities — suggestions  are  therefore  idle. 

The  responsibilities  that  we  should  have  to  undertake 
with  regard  to  New  Guinea  and  the  islands  would  be  small 
at  first,  and  would  only  increase  with  our  ability  to  meet 
them.  We  should,  doubtless,  be  bound  by  a  new  obligation 
to  labour  in  the  direction  of  Christianising,  and  making 
them  law-abiding ;  but  this  is  a  responsibility  which  it  is 
not  only  our  direct  self-interest  to  assume,  but  one  which 
would  deliver  us  from  the  greater,  of  perpetually  putting 
down  lawless  English  ruffianism  and  unmeasured  native 
reprisals,  with  a  strong  hand.  I  need,  I  think,  add  nothing 
to  what  I  have  said  in  the  body  of  the  book  as  to  the  value 
of  the  commodities  that  await  us  in  New  Guinea  and  some 
of  the  islands,  and  the  capabilities  of  soil  for  growing  various 
crops.  I  have  spoken  of  what  I  have  seen  simply  and 
briefly,  and  not  ventured  to  express  much  opinion  as  to 
future  possibilities,  feeling  that  my  opinion  is  of  no  account, 
whilst  my  testimony  as  an  eye-witness  may  be  of  some  little 
value  to  intending  settlers.  On  the  political  aspects  of  the 


SUP.  CHAP.  OUR  DUTY.  305 

annexation  question  I  have  no  right  or  inclination  to  say  a 
word.  I  know  that  the  fact  of  Australia's  strength  and 
peace,  lying  in  the  circumstance  of  her  isolation  and  the 
absence  of  near  contending  interests,  is  as  patent  to  all  as  it 
is  to  me,  as  also  the  knowledge  that  a  foreign  power  estab- 
lished in  New  Guinea  might  easily  prove  a  troublesome 
neighbour,  especially  in  the  event  of  its  home  government 
being  at  war  with  the  mother  country.  But  I  also  know 
that  the  attention  of  our  statesmen  has  been  turned  to  this 
question  of  annexation,  and  I  have  the  happy  faith  of  an 
Englishman  in  their  judgment.  Another  view  of  the  sub- 
ject has  more  attraction  for  me.  Of  the  three  great  islands 
that  lie  in  a  line,  Van  Diemen's  Land,  Australia,  and  New 
Guinea,  we  have  long  known  that  the  geological  formation 
is  continuous  from  Victoria  to  Van  Diemen's  Land;  we 
now  know  that  it  is  equally  continuous  in  Queensland  and 
New  Guinea.  Can  any  one  think  without  emotion  of  the 
possibilities  which  such  a  range  of  latitude  presents  ?  Is  it 
not  as  though  Nature  herself  has  striven  to  show  us  that 
she  has  here  laid  down  the  noble  proportions  of  an  empire, 
and  bids  us  not  curtail  it  for  our  children. 


APPENDIX. 


MY  attention  having  been  called  of  late  to  several 
schemes  for  colonising  New  Guinea,  and  to  a  very  natural 
want  of  knowledge  on  the  part  of  the  public  press  as  to 
what  localities  are  fit  or  unfit  for  white  settlement,  I  was 
induced  to  write  the  following  letter  to  the  Times,  with  the 
hope  that  the  information  it  contains  might  be  useful.  I  now 
reprint  it,  with  the  intention  of  making  such  slight  additions 
as  the  simultaneous  appearance  of  a  letter  from  the  Eev.  S. 
MTarlane,  containing  debateable  matter,  seems  to  have  ren- 
dered necessary. 

NEW  GUINEA. 
To  THE  EDITOR  OF  THE  "  TIMES." 

Sir — I  did  not  expect  to  have  to  request  you  to  grant  the  favour  of 
,  inserting  a  first  and  last  letter  from  me  on  the  New  Guinea  question,  as 
I  have  no  direct  or  indirect  personal  interest  in  any  attempt  to  colonise 
New  Guinea,  my  sole  connection  with  the  subject  lying  in  the  accident 
of  my  having  been  the  volunteer  explorer  whose  work  has  opened  out 
an  unknown  coast  to  enterprise  ;  but  I  find  myself  compelled  to  write, 
because  such  constant  applications  for  information  are  made  to  me  as 
render  me  anxious  to  deliver  myself  by  answering,  according  to  the  best 
of  my  knowledge,  once  for  all.  Since  sending  you  some  remarks  on 
Mr.  Stone's  letter,  too,  I  have  been  addressed  by  some  of  the  promoters 
of  a  new  Association  for  colonising  New  Guinea  with  respect  to  the  re- 
flections thrown  on  Her  Majesty's  ship  "  Basilisk's  "  charts,  and  requested 
to  make  some  statement  which  may  restore  a  confidence  to  their  public, 
which  they  declare  to  have  been  appreciably  shaken.  Lastly,  being 
conscious  that  I  have  spoken  in  strong  terms  before  the  Royal  Geogra- 
phical Society  and  Colonial  Institute  of  the  richness  of  portions  of  the 
country  in  question,  and  seeing  that  some  confusion  exist?  in  the  minds 
of  intending  settlers  as  to  which  are  the  desirable  paits,  I  think  a  few 
words  of  explanation  and  warning  are  perhaps  due. 

As  to  the  character  of  this  country,  I  can  only  speak  generally 
within  the  limits  of  a  letter.     The  New  Guinea  coast  north  of  Torres 


308  NEW  GUINEA.  APPENDIX. 

Straits,  as  far  east  as  Yule  Island,  appears  to  be  an  almost  unbroken 
level,  of  swampy,  mangrove-covered,  and  probably  malarious  country,  on 
the  low  dreary  shores  of  which  the  surf  breaks  unchecked  by  any 
barrier  reef ;  a  home  of  the  black  Papuan  race,  and  wholly  unsuited 
for  white  occupation. 

Reaching  Yule  Island,  some  thirty  miles  west  of  Redscar  Bay,  we 
find  a  change.  The  Owen  Stanley  range  approaches  the  coast  to  within 
twenty  or  twenty-five  miles  ;  but  the  high  and  healthy  land  of  their 
slopes  is  cut  off  from  the  sea-board  by  a  belt  of  this  same  low,  mangrove- 
covered  swain p,  through  which  the  rivers  discovered  by  Her  Majesty's 
ship  "  Basilisk  "  will  in  time  afford  steam-water  ways,  for  their  currents 
are  too  rapid  for  sail  or  oar,  to  the  high  lands  within.  At  Redscar 
Head,  thirty-five  miles  east  of  Yule  Island,  an  entire  change  is  found 
to  have  obtained  ;  the  shore  is  sheltered  by  a  great  barrier  reef,  which 
uprears  itself  from  bottomless  depths,  at  a  distance  of  from  four  to 
ten  miles  from  the  shore,  inside  which  lies  calm  navigable  water,  which 
ripples  up  to  a  coral  beach,  backed  by  round-topped  swelling  hills, 
openly  timbered  with  rich  tropical  valleys  between.  From  this  point 
to  the  extreme  east  of  New  Guinea,  the  coast,  as  far  as  my  knowledge 
and  judgment  go,  is  suitable  for  white  settlement,  and  it  is  peopled  by 
a  mild  Malayan  race,  with  which  it  seems  possible  to  live  on  terms  of 
easy  friendship. 

The  three  considerable  islands,  Hayter,  Basilisk,  and  Moresby, 
which  lie  off  the  east  end  of  New  Guinea,  and  command  the  new  route, 
are,  I  think,  suitable  for  white  habitation,  especially  the  last,  which 
attains  an  elevation  of  1500  feet,  and  is  larger  and  more  fertile  than  the 
others.  The  sago  palm  is  particularly  prolific  on  this  island,  and  its 
harbours  are  numerous.  The  north-eastern  shores  of  New  Guinea  are 
apparently  more  tropically  luxuriant  than  the  south-eastern,  and  their 
lofty  mountains,  where  a  cool  temperature  is  obtainable,  appear  more 
accessible.  There  is  no  barrier  reef  to  create  a  succession  of  secure 
harbours,  but  the  anchorages  are  sufficiently  good  and  numerous.  It 
must,  however,  be  remembered  that  the  natives,  after  passing  Cape 
Vogel,  appear  to  be  a  treacherous  and  savage  race. 

With  regard  to  the  natural  wealth  of  this  country,  some  certainties, 
probabilities,  and  possibilities,  exist,  which  should  not  be  confounded, 
but  disentangled  and  rated  according  to  their  value.  First,  then,  as  to 
the  certainties  : — 

New  Guinea  is  rich  in  timber,  which  ought  to  form  an  immediate 
article  of  export — and  here  I  would  speak  a  word  of  warning  against 
indiscriminate  and  wasteful  felling,  by  pointing  attention  to  the  New 
Hebrides  group,  where  the  supply  of  sandal  wood,  once  bountiful,  has 
been  all  but  exhausted  by  wasteful  treatment. 

New  Guinea  is  fruitful  in  the  sago  palm,  and  the  yield  might  be 
increased  so  as  to  form  a  permanent  and  paying  export.  Yams  and 
roots  are  abundant,  and  might  be  cultivated  to  any  extent  for  food  or 


APPENDIX.  COLONISATION.  309 

export  ;  but  the  main  source  of  wealth  in  New  Guinea  at  present  is  the 
cocoa-nut,  of  which  the  supply  appeared  to  me  to  be  practically  unlimited. 
I  can  scarcely  give  a  better  idea  of  the  value  of  the  cocoa-nut  harvest 
than  by  quoting  from  a  late  Report  of  Consul  Miller,  of  Tahiti,  who 
says  that  the  value  of  the  coprah  (dried  cocoa-nut  kernels)  exported  from 
Tahiti  in  1874  was  £2 0,191,  and  that  of  the  cocoa-nut  oil  (311  tons) 
£11,190.  These  products,  actually  in  existence,  would  doubtless  be 
the  first  support  of  an  infant  colony,  and  to  them  I  think  its  immediate 
attention  should  be  directed. 

The  probabilities  are  as  follows  : — Pearl-shell,  be'che-de-mer,  and 
tortoise-shell  fisheries  would  doubtless  offer  a  paying  return,  but  would 
need  time  and  material  for  their  development. 

Tens  of  thousands  of  acres  of  low  land  could  probably  be  cultivated 
for  rice,  cotton,  and  sugar-cane  with  profit.  On  my  late  visit  to  the 
New  Hebrides  group  I  was  struck  by  the  excellence  of  its  increasing 
cotton  plantations,  and  felt  the  importance  of  English  industry  in  this 
direction  as  tending  to  make  us  sufficiently  independent  of  the  American 
supply.  The  cultivation  of  such  crops  is  not,  however,  a  task  for 
European  labour,  and  would  doubtless  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  Chinese  in 
New  Guinea,  whose  importation  would  be  a  matter  of  time.  Jute  and 
other  fibres  are  also  among  the  products  existent  in  New  Guinea.  We 
found  steel  sand  in  Hall  Sound  and  Milne  Bay.  The  high  grass  lands, 
which,  as  far  as  my  observation  went,  seemed  to  be  better  watered  than 
the  generality  of  Australian  pastures,  would  doubtless  afford  runs  to 
millions  of  sheep  and  cattle,  and  much  of  the  high  land  appears  suitable 
for  coffee  culture. 

On  the  possible  sources  of  wealth  in  New  Guinea,  by  which  I  in- 
tend the  mineral,  too  much  stress  has  in  my  opinion  been  laid,  and  this 
with  the  risk  of  attracting  the  least  valuable,  because  the  least  plodding, 
class  of  colonists.  The  only  sign  of  mineral  wealth  seen  by  the  "  Basi- 
lisk's "  company  were  the  fragments  of  gold  quartz  picked  up  by  us  at 
Fairfax  Harbour,  Port  Moresby.  It  is  probable,  for  several  reasons,  that  a 
mountainous  country  like  New  Guinea  has  not  been  forgotten  by  Nature 
in  respect  of  minerals ;  but  we  must  await  the  verdict  of  a  geological 
survey  as  to  the  accessibility  and  amount  of  such  deposits  before  we 
allow  a  consideration  of  them  to  enter  into  any  calculation.  The  post- 
ponement of  the  discovery  of  gold  in  New  Guinea  is  doubtless  to  be  de- 
sired, for  the  restraint  and  assuredness  of  established  law,  the  existence  of 
easy  inter-communication,  the  creation  of  a  sufficient  food  supply,  and 
the  presence  of  a  large  balance  of  population  engaged  in  the  regular  in- 
dustry of  civilised  life  are  needed  to  mitigate  the  evils  attending  a  gold 
rush,  and  to  turn  the  new  wealth  with  least  delay  into  its  true  channels. 
The  wish  that  no  gold  may  be  found  in  New  Guinea  can  be  indulged 
in  only  by  those  who  do  not  travel  beyond  first  aspects,  who  fail  to 
perceive  that  solvent  and  purifying  forces  exist  in  a  healthy  body 
politic,  which,  working  by  natural  laws,  transmute  such  evils  as  may 


310  NEW  GUINEA.  APPENDIX. 

be  dreaded  here  into  final  good,  and  who  fail  to  consider  the  impetus 
that  such  an  accidental  force  must  give  to  the  development  of  a  country. 
I  heartily  wish  the  expedition  success,  but  do  not  feel  myself  in  a 
position  to  speak  with  any  authority  as  to  its  prospects.  Success  or 
disaster  will  wait  on  the  venture,  as  the  conditions  for  prosperity  are 
complied  with  or  despised.  It  will  suggest  itself  that  a  thorough  under- 
standing with  the  natives  is  the  first  essential.  The  colony  should 
have  good  staying  power  in  the  shape  of  adequate  support  from  its 
English  and  Australian  founders  for  the  first  two  years  of  its  existence  ; 
after  which,  supposing  the  organisation  to  be  good  and  a  system  of 
mercantile  connection  with  the  required  markets  to  have  been  esta- 
blished, the  colony  ought  to  be  able  to  stand  alone. 

As  to  the  surveying  work  done  by  Her  Majesty's  ship  "Basilisk"  I 
need  say  nothing  to  sailors,  but  if  it  be  in  any  way  necessary  that  I 
should  come  forward  for  the  satisfaction  of  the  special  public  interested, 
I  am  willing  to  specify  what  the  "  Basilisk"  has  done  and  not  done. 

It  must  be  understood  that  no  chart  is  ever  implicitly  relied  on  by 
navigators  unless  it  is  shown  to  be  in  all  its  parts  the  results  of  a 
triangulated  survey,  and  not  even  then  in  any  part  which  is  left  destitute 
of  soundings.  A  running  survey  of  a  coast  professes  only  to  delineate 
the  coast-line,  and  mark  such  dangers  as  the  surveyors  may  have  been 
able  to  discover,  and  does  not  claim  to  be  an  exhaustive  survey.  A 
chart  is  only  incorrect  when  the  coast-line  is  inaccurately  drawn,  when 
soundings  are  given  and  clear  water  indicated  where  reefs  or  other 
obstructions  are  afterwards  found  to  exist,  or  where  dangers  are  shown 
but  not  accurately  fixed. 

The  triangulated,  sounded-out  surveys  of  the  "  Basilisk "  embrace 
about  50  miles  of  the  south  coast  of  New  Guinea  in  Torres  Straits,  in- 
cluding the  islands  of  Saibai,  Talbot,  and  Cornwallis,  and  the  Great 
Warrior  reef ;  also  a  space  at  the  east  end  of  New  Guinea,  containing 
about  50  miles  of  latitude  and  75  of  longitude,  which  includes  the 
gateway  of  the  new  Australian-Chinese  route  round  the  east  end  of  New 
Guinea,  together  with  the  archipelago  of  islands  and  reefs  there  brought 
to  light,  and  a  portion  of  the  south  and  western  shores  of  the  D'Entre- 
casteaux  islands.  The  "  Basilisk's  "  running  survey  of  the  previously 
unknown  coast  of  New  Guinea  extends  from  East  Cape  to  Huon  Gulf,  a 
distance  of  278  miles  as  the  crow  flies,  and  further  runs  on  from  Huon 
Gulf  to  Astrolobe  Bay,  between  which  two  latter  points  the  coast-line 
was  partially  known,  making  here  a  total  of  480  miles  as  the  crow  flies, 
or  a  real  coast-line  (in  consequence  of  its  irregularities)  of  about  700 
miles.  These  are  the  "  Basilisk's"  surveys  proper,  the  other  work  consist- 
ing merely  in  the  making  of  some  additions  to  the  existing  New  Guinea 
charts,  of  which  the  work  done  at  Yule  Island,  lately  alluded  to,  was 
an  instance. — I  am,  Sir,  yours  faithfully, 

J.  MORESBY,  Captain,  R.N. 
The  Glen,  Queenstown. 


APPENDIX.  COLONISATION.  311 

Mr.  MTarlane's  letter  is  as  follows : — 
To  THE  EDITOR  OP  THE  "  TIMES." 

Sir — I  have  just  read  the  report,  in  the  Sydney  Morning  Herald,  of 
a  large  and  influential  meeting  held  in  that  town  with  reference  to  a 
contemplated  expedition  to  New  Guinea,  consisting  of  a  number  of 
persons  who  are  emigrating  thither  with  their  families,  intending  to 
settle  on  Yule  Island,  "  with  a  view  to  opening  up  a  trade  with  the 
Australian  ports  in  the  products  of  the  island."  These  products  are, 
according  to  their  statement,  "  Cocoa-nut  oil,  palm  oil,  sandal  wood, 
mahogany,  cedar,  ebony,  cinnamon,  cloves,  nutmegs,  mace,  arrowroot, 
sago,  and  sugar-cane."  The  marine  products  are  also  stated  to  be 
"  beche-de-mer,  pearl-shell,  turtle-shell,  and  trepang." 

Now,  Sir,  let  it  be  distinctly  understood  that  I  very  heartily  sym- 
pathise with  all  attempts  to  open  up  New  Guinea  and  develope  its 
resources,  whether  those  efforts  be  of  a  missionary,  scientific,  or  com- 
mercial character.  Although  a  missionary,  and  convinced  that  mission- 
aries make  the  best  pioneers  among  savages,  and  that  there  can  be  little 
real  civilisation  or  improvement  of  the  natives  without  the  religious 
element,  still  I  do  not  desire  to  see  the  civilisation  of  numerous  tribes 
left  to  missionaries  alone,  although  the  improved  social  condition  of  the 
South  Sea  Islanders  abundantly  proves  that  the  missionary  pioneer  does 
not  confine  himself  to  teaching  the  natives  to  say  prayers  and  sing 
psalms. 

I  rejoice  in  the  efforts  of  such  enterprising  men  as  M.  D' Alberts, 
the  Italian  naturalist,  and  such  expeditions  as  that  fitted  out  by  the  distin- 
guished colonist  who  has  just  arrived  among  us  from  Sydney.  These  gentle- 
men have  the  means  of  supplying  themselves  with  provisions,  etc.,  and 
of  moving  from  one  part  of  the  island  to  another,  or  leaving  it  altogether, 
when  they  please  ;  and,  moreover,  every  part  of  the  island  is  attractive 
to  the  naturalist,  as  every  little  village  is  to  the  missionary.  My  object 
in  writing  is  to  offer  a  little  information,  advice,  and  warning  to  those 
who  contemplate  emigrating  to  New  Guinea,  for  I  consider  that  silence 
would  be  as  culpable  and  cruel  on  the  part  of  those  who,  like  myself 
are  acquainted  with  the  facts  of  the  case,  as  the  statements  are  out- 
rageously misleading  contained  in  the  "  programme "  from  which  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Lang  quoted  the  above  extracts.  It  is  evident  that  the 
emigrants  expect  to  find  on  their  arrival  at  Yule  Island  the  products 
mentioned  in  that  "  prospectus  or  programme."  I  pity  them  if  they 
come  relying  upon  anything  of  the  kind,  for  they  will  not  be  able  to 
obtain  any  one  of  them.  Even  cocoa-nuts  and  sugar-cane  are  very  scarce 
on  the  island,  and  both  are  dear.  The  natives  wanted  from  us  an  axe 
for  two  cocoa-nuts.  All  may  be  had  on  the  mainland,  I  have  no  doubt  ; 
but  will  it  pay  to  collect  them  ?  For  cocoa-nuts  they  must  go  to  the 
west  ;  for  sago,  to  the  head  of  the  gulf  ;  for  spices,  round  to  the  west 


312  NEW  GUINEA.  APPENDIX. 

and  north  ;  for  ebony,  round  to  the  eastern  side  of  the  peninsula,  whence 
I  got  some  curiosities  carved  in  that  wood  ;  for  sandal  wood  and  maho- 
gany I  don't  know  where  they  must  go  ;  we  have  not  yet  seen  any  on 
the  island.  Fancy  a  few  persons  settling  in  Cornwall  to  trade  in  articles 
which  are  only  to  be  had  in  Hull,  Aberdeen,  and  more  distant  places, 
the  only  way  of  getting  at  these  ports  being  by  sea,  round  a  dangerous 
and  unsurveyed  coast ! 

The  emigrants  further  state  in  their  prospectus  that  "  It  is  their 
intention  on  landing  to  at  once  place  themselves  on  friendly  terms 
with  the  natives,"  which  I  think  may  be  easily  done.  We  have  not  yet 
found  any  difficulty  in  accomplishing  this  desirable  end.  They  must, 
of  course,  be  prepared  to  submit  to  a  good  deal  of  annoyance  and  pilfer- 
ing, or  choose  the  much  worse  alternative  of  coming  to  open  hostility 
with  the  natives.  Those  at  and  about  Yule  Island,  however,  are  much 
more  honest  and  friendly  than  the  people  of  Port  Moresby. 

They  also  state  that  it  is  their  intention  "  to  keep  up  a  direct  and 
constant  communication,  via  Somerset,  to  Sydney  by  the  Torres  Straits 
mail.  It  is  understood  that  no  difficulty  will  arise  in  accomplishing  the 
same."  Certainly  not  between  Somerset  and  Sydney,  but  how  about 
the  communication  between  Yule  Island  and  Somerset  ?  Dr.  Lang 
says  "  that  the  plan  of  going  by  the  Torres  Straits  mail  steamer  as  far  as 
Somerset  is  a  very  good  one  ;  and  if  a  small  steam  launch  were  carried 
on  the  deck  of  the  steamer,  the  little  party  could  get  over  to  New  Guinea 
with  great  facility,  and  at  small  expense."  It  is  evident  that  the  good 
old  doctor  has  not  crossed  the  Gulf  during  the  S.-E.  season  ;  had  he 
been  with  us  last  week  he  would  have  found  that  it  is  dangerous  cross- 
ing in  ordinary  S.-E.  weather,  even  in  the  steamship  "  Ellengowan,"  the 
mission  steamer  of  the  London  Missionary  Society,  which  is  80  feet  long, 
and  has  proved  her  sea-going  qualities  by  steaming  out  from  England. 
When  we  first  came  here,  four  years  ago,  we  found  it  impossible  to  beat 
to  windward  in  the  gulf,  although  the  vessel  we  had  chartered  was  a 
smart  schooner  of  100  tons.  After  "hammering  at  it"  for  four  days 
without  gaining  a  mile,  we  were  obliged  to  enter  and  beat  up  inside  the 
Great  Barrier  Reef  of  Australia.  During  the  N.-W.  season  there  are 
times  when  "  a  small  steam  launch  "  might  cross  the  gulf. 

There  is  one  product  of  the  country  not  mentioned  by  the  emigrants, 
but  which  they  are  likely  to  get  before  any  of  the  others — viz.  fever. 
We  have  not  yet  found  any  part  of  the  coast,  or  any  island  in  Torres 
Straits  free  from  the  dangerous  malady,  Cape  York  and  Port  Moresby  not 
excepted.  Our  Polynesian  teachers  and  their  families  have  been  sadly 
reduced ;  they  cannot  stand  the  climate  as  well  as  Europeans.  Although 
our  mission  is  still  young,  we  have  lost  no  less  than  2 1  of  our  number 
— 17  by  the  diseases  of  the  climate,  and  four  by  the  clubs  of  the  savages. 
These  are  facts  which  it  may  be  well  for  those  proposing  to  emigrate  to 
New  Guinea  to  consider.  It  is  true  that  a  few  of  the  1 7  had  diseases 
in  their  system  which  this  climate  rapidly  developed  and  brought  to  a 


APPENDIX.  COLONISATION.  313 

fatal  termination  ;  humanly  speaking  they  would  have  lived  long  in 
their  own  country. 

There  is  positively  nothing  to  be  had  on  the  south-east  peninsula, 
so  far  as  we  know,  which  is  of  any  commercial  value.  Pearl-shell  and 
beche-de-mer  may  be  found  on  the  coast,  and  gold  in  the  interior,  as  in 
Australia. 

Cotton,  coffee,  etc.,  may  be  cultivated,  but  labour  would  have  to  be 
imported.  Missionaries,  scientific,  and  prospecting  expeditions,  are  the 
only  persons  who  should  visit  New  Guinea  for  some  time  to  come. 
None  should  come  here  who  are  not  well  supplied  with  provisions,  and 
with  the  means  of  leaving  the  island  if  necessary.  I  know  that  many 
will  not  be  disposed  to  give  this  letter  the  consideration  to  which  it  is 
entitled,  because  it  proceeds  from  a  missionary,  supposing  that  we  are 
anxious  to  prevent  traders  from  settling  in  New  Guinea.  It  will  cer- 
tainly be  very  unfortunate  for  the  future  of  New  Guinea  if  a  number  of 
reckless  fellows  come  here,  determined  to  make  their  way  with  the 
"  almighty  revolver,"  and  so  frustrate  their  own  ends  and  endanger  our 
lives.  The  natives  are  quiet  and  friendly  all  along  the  coast ;  they 
know  very  little  of  foreigners,  and  are  disposed  to  regard  us  as  their 
friends  ;  it  would  be  a  pity  to  alter  that  impression  and  create  one  of 
hostility. 

When  I  arrived  in  Sydney  from  our  first  visit  to  Redscar  Bay  I 
found  the  unfortunate  "  Maria  "  preparing  to  leave  for  that  place,  and 
learnt  something  of  the  party  from  a  gentleman  who  contemplated  form- 
ing one  of  their  number.  I  was  requested  to  visit  the  "  Maria,"  and 
meet  some  of  the  leading  members  of  the  expedition,  which  I  did,  giving 
them  what  information  I  could  about  the  place  and  people.  Knowing 
that  the  captain  was  ignorant  of  the  locality,  and  that  it  was  the  worst 
season  which  they  could  have  selected,  I  advised  them  not  to  go.  I  am 
now  offering  the  same  advice  to  those  contemplating  emigrating  to  Yule 
Island,  who  are  more  likely  to  find  their  graves  than  the  treasures  they 
anticipate.  The  time  for  emigration  has  not  yet  arrived.  Wait  at  least 
till  the  result  of  the  Macleay  expedition  is  known.  I  can  only  advise 
such  to  emigrate  as  are  in  a  position  which  the  natives  declare  us  to 
be  in — viz.  obliged  to  leave  our  own  country. — Yours  very  truly, 

S.  M'FARLANE. 
On  board  the  "  Ellengowan,"  Yule  Island,  July  11. 


Mr.  MTarlane's  letter,  evidently  written  with  the  best 
intentions,  is  to  be  respected  accordingly;  but  whilst  sym- 
pathising with  the  spirit  in  which  he  writes,  and  agreeing 
with  some  of  his  statements,  I  cannot  but  see  that  he  falls 
into  some  mistakes  that  call  for  notice. 


314  NEW  GUINEA.  APPENDIX. 

He  commences  in  a  way  calculated  to  produce  an 
erroneous  impression,  when  he  states  "  that  he  had  just  read 
the  report,  in  the  Sydney  Morning  Herald,  of  a  large  and 
influential  meeting  held  in  that  town,  with  reference  to  a 
contemplated  expedition  to  New  Guinea,  consisting  of  a 
number  of  persons  who  are  emigrating  thither  with  their 
families,  intending  to  settle  on  Yule  Island"  Now  the 
meeting  at  Sydney  was  fully  aware  that  Yule  Island  is  but 
a  tiny  islet  about  two  miles  long  by  three-quarters  of  a  mile 
broad,  situated  off  a  low  malarious  part  of  the  coast;  it  could 
not  and  did  not  therefore  confine  its  attention  to  Yule 
Island,  but  dealt  with  a  series  of  resolutions  in  favour  of  the 
annexation  of  New  Guinea,  and  the  colonisation  of  that  vast 
island.  Mr.  MTarlane  having  thus  placed  the  colonists  in 
a  locality  where  they  will  certainly  never  settle  as  a  body, 
goes  on  to  say  that  these  emigrants  are  prepared  to  find  on 
their  arrival  at  Yule  Island  "  Cocoa-nut  oil,  palm  oil,  sandal 
wood,  mahogany,  cedar,  ebony,  cinnamons,  cloves,  nutmegs, 
mace,  arrowroot,  sago,  sugar-cane,"  ready  for  their  enrich- 
ment. It  is  scarcely  likely  that  any  assemblage  of  com- 
monly informed  people  would  have  expected  this  islet  to 
prove  such  a  garden  of  the  Hesperides,  but  if  any  man  in 
England  has  been  bitten  by  such  a  wild  idea,  Mr.  M'Far- 
lane's  letter  may  help  to  cure  him. 

He  proceeds  to  state  that  sugar-cane  and  cocoa-nuts  are 
so  dear  on  Yule  Island  that  an  axe  was  asked  by  the  natives 
in  payment  for  two  cocoa-nuts.  We  in  the  "  Basilisk  "  found 
them  fairly  plentiful  there,  though  Yule  Island  is  not  a  seat 
of  the  cocoa-nut,  but  we  observed  that  whilst  the  natives 
refused  to  take  our  axes  as  barter,  being  then  totally  ignorant 
of  the  value  of  iron,  they  were  willing  to  part  with  anything 
they  had  in  exchange  for  polished  pearl-shell  ornaments. 

Mr.  M'Farlane  must  surely  see  that  the  poverty, — the 
very  extinction  of  this  little  island,  would  have  no  effect  on 
a  scheme  for  the  colonisation  of  New  Guinea.  Why,  there- 
fore, should  he  give  his  ideas  of  its  poverty  such  promi- 
nence ? 


APPENDIX.  COLONISATION.  315 

He  continues — "  All  "  (i.e.  the  produce  specified)  "  may 
be  had  on  the  mainland,  no  doubt,  but  will  it  pay  to  collect 
them  ?  For  cocoa-nuts  they  must  go  to  the  west "  (where 
does  the  vague  "  west  "  lie  ?) ;  "  for  sago  to  the  head  of 
the  gulf"  (Papua) ;  "  for  spices  round  to  the  west  and  north ; 
for  ebony  round  to  the  eastern  side  of  the  peninsula." 

Here  Mr.  MTarlane  commits  himself  to  certain  authori- 
tative statements,  leaving  his  readers  to  take  for  granted 
that  he  is  fully  competent  to  make  them. 

But  do  Mr.  MTarlane's  experiences  in  New  Guinea 
warrant  this  ?  Does  he  possess  any  acquaintance  at  all 
with  the  great  island,  beyond  that  acquired  in  visiting  the 
mission-stations  of  Katow  in  Torres  Straits,  and  those  at 
Yule  Island,  Eedscar  Bay,  and  Port  Moresby,  which  latter 
lie  within  sixty  miles  of  each  other  ?  Has  he  ever  visited 
the  eastern  shores  of  New  Guinea,  which  stretch  about  260 
miles  to  the  east  from  Port  Moresby,  or  the  northern  shores 
of  the  island  ?  Had  he  done  this,  or  even  conversed  with 
any  one  who  has,  he  would  have  written — "  For  cocoa-nuts 
they  must  go  to  the  EAST  ;  for  sago,  also  to  the  East ;  for 
spices,  as  yet  nowhere  in  New  Guinea ;  for  ebony,  probably 
to  all  the  great  tropical  forests."  The  cocoa-nut  and  sago 
palm  were  found  by  us  to  be  more  plentiful  at  the  extreme 
East  Cape  of  New  Guinea  than  anywhere  else. 

The  difficulties  Mr.  M'Farlane  speaks  of  in  crossing 
from  Somerset  to  Eastern  New  Guinea  do  not  appear  to  me 
to  be  such  as  are  inevitable.  We  found  that  the  meteor- 
ology of  the  east  coast  during  the  months  of  February, 
March,  April,  and  May  1873,  differed  materially  from  that 
of  Torres  Straits. 

Leaving  Torres  Straits  in  the  first  week  in  February, 
when  heavy  rains  and  strong  north-west  gales  prevailed,  the 
"  Basilisk  "  remained  in  the  vicinity  of  Kedscar  Bay  till  the 
first  week  in  March,  and  experienced  calm  clear  weather, 
with  the  exception  of  one  strong  breeze  from  the  N.W.,  with 
rain.  On  our  return  to  Torres  Straits  in  March,  constant 
winds  from  the  N.W.  and  rain  prevailed,  which  were  left 


316  NEW  GUINEA. 


APPENDIX. 


behind  as  we  retraced  our  way  to  Eastern  New  Guinea, 
where,  from  March  20th  to  May  8th,  we  again  experienced 
continuous  fine  weather.  It  seems  therefore  early  to  ex- 
press a  decided  opinion  on  the  meteorology  of  New  Guinea. 
I  agree  with  Mr.  MTarlane  that  some  risk  would  be  run  in 
attempting  to  cross  the  Gulf  of  Papua  in  a  small  steam 
launch  during  the  south-east  monsoon ;  but  the  distance  is 
only  250  miles,  and  taking  the  opportunity  of  fine  weather, 
I  should  not  hesitate  to  undertake  the  crossing  during  the 
monsoon,  whilst  I  should  at  all  times  feel  perfectly  safe  in 
attempting  it  in  a  good  seaworthy  decked  boat.  The  pass- 
age between  Somerset  and  East  New  Guinea  is  not  in  fact 
so  much  to  be  dreaded  as  much  of  the  navigation  of  the 
English  Channel. 

Mr.  M'Farlane  descants  on  the  unhealthiness  of  New 
Guinea,  and  supports  his  opinion  by  making  a  statement  as 
to  the  mortality  of  the  native  Polynesian  Christian  teachers 
employed  by  the  London  Missionary  Society  in  New 
Guinea,  but  he  instances  no  case  of  a  white  man  suffering 
from  climatic  causes. 

It  has  already  been  seen  that  Mr.  MTarlane,  except  at  Port 
Moresby  (which  the  missionaries  have  publicly  announced 
to  be  a  healthy  locality),  has  no  knowledge  of  the  high  and 
presumably  healthy  parts  of  New  Guinea,  which  are  alone 
fitted  for  the  white  man's  occupation ;  but  his  facts  are  so 
striking,  that  I  would  fain  direct  his  attention  to  some  of 
their  causes.  I  am  satisfied,  from  the  evidence  which  came 
under  my  own  eyes,  as  I  think  he  will  be  on  consideration, 
that  influences  other  than  climatic  arrayed  themselves 
against  the  lives  of  these  poor  creatures. 

During  the  first  four  years  which  passed  after  the  native 
teachers  were  established  in  New  Guinea,  they  were  unwisely 
scattered  at  stations  in  Torres  Straits  and  at  Eedscar  Bay, 
whilst  the  agent  of  the  London  Missionary  Society  residing 
at  Cape  York  (Somerset),  had  no  adequate  means  of  visiting 
and  supplying  them  with  necessary  food.  The  teachers  and 
their  families  were  left  unguided  and  unprovided  amongst 


APPENDIX.  COLONISATION.  317 

savages,  who  refused  to  supply  them  with  food  gratis,  and  in 
a  country  whose  produce  was  different  from  that  of  their 
native  islands.  The  result  was  that  when,  in  1872-3,  the 
"  Basilisk "  visited  these  poor  creatures,  she  found  them  in 
such  a  deplorable  state  from  want  of  sufficient  food  and 
medicines  that  several  had  died,  and  others  were  only  saved 
by  being  brought  on  board,  and  given  nourishing  food  and 
proper  medicines.  These  facts,  together  with  the  opinion  of 
the  surgeon  of  the  "  Basilisk,"  were  officially  reported  by  me 
to  the  agent  of  the  London  Missionary  Society  at  the  time. 
By  the  possession  of  the  "  Ellengowan  "  missionary  steamer, 
the  mission  is  now  placed  on  a  more  satisfactory  footing, 
and  it  is  probable  that  we  shall  henceforth  cease  to  hear  of 
so  heavy  a  death-rate  amongst  the  native  teachers,  even  in 
the  unhealthy  parts,  where  they  have,  in  my  opinion,  been 
unwisely  settled.  It  should  also  be  remembered  that  these 
native  teachers  came  from  various  South  Sea  Islands,  more 
than  a  thousand  miles  distant,  where  all  the  conditions  of 
their  lives  were  different. 

The  general  health  of  the  men  of  the  "  Basilisk "  ship's 
company  during  the  eight  months  spent  in  New  Guinea, 
when  they  were  exposed  to  all  the  vicissitudes  of  climate,  in 
open  boats,  on  detached  service  up  rivers,  on  shore-work, 
surveying,  visiting  natives,  and  cutting  700  tons  of  wood 
for  steaming  purposes,  was  exceptionally  good.  The  men 
occasionally  suffered  from  boils,  caused  by  a  scarcity  of  fresh 
provisions ;  and  whilst  on  the  North  coast  of  New  Guinea 
a  low  fever  prevailed  amongst  us  for  a  time,  but  it  was  of  a 
mild  type,  soon  passing  over,  and  leaving  no  bad  effects. 

The  allusion  made  by  Mr.  M'Farlane  to  the  loss  of  the 
"  Maria  "  is  not  fortunate,  as  that  vessel  was  wrecked  about 
800  miles  from  New  Guinea.  Nor  can  the  results  of  the 
Macleay  Expedition  affect  the  question  of  the  colonisation 
of  East  New  Guinea,  as  Mr.  Macleay  has  only  attempted  to 
explore  the  shores  and  rivers  of  the  malarious  coast  north 
of  Torres  Straits,  inhabited  by  the  black,  naked,  hostile 
Papuan. 


318  NEW  GUINEA.  APPENDIX. 

The  following  information  was  supplied  to  me  by  Mr. 
Edwin  Eedlich,  master  of  the  schooner  "  Franz,"  who  went 
to  search  for  pearl-shell  on  the  extreme  west  of  New  Guinea, 
where  the  Dutch  have  so  long  held  nominal  sway. 

It  has  since  been  published,  for  the  information  of  sea- 
men, by  the  Admiralty,  and  I  introduce  it  here  in  order 
that  the  reader  may  contrast  what  it  tells  of  the  fierce 
bloody  nature  of  the  black  Papuans  of  West  New  Guinea, 
with  the  mild,  comparatively  inoffensive,  manners  of  the 
races  inhabiting  the  eastern  end  of  the  great  island. 

Galewo  Strait  separates  the  considerable  island  of  Sal- 
watti  from  the  west  end  of  New  Guinea.  The  Eajah  of 
Salwatti,  afterwards,  in  conversation  with  me,  confirmed  the 
truth  of  Captain  Redlich's  statement : — 

GALEWO  STRAIT  AND  SALWATTI  ISLANDS. 

On  the  1  Oth  November  came  to  an  anchor  off  a  small  island,  which 
the  natives  called  "  Soron."  There  is  a  large  settlement  of  Malayas  and 
Papuans,  who  fly  the  Dutch  colours,  and  are  the  immediate  subjects  of 
the  Rajah  of  Salwatti.  On  the  12th  November  sent  the  two  large 
boats,  with  eighteen  men  all  told,  for  a  three  weeks'  cruize,  fitted  out 
with  all  necessaries.  My  chief  mate,  Mr.  H.  Schluetor,  a  native  of 
Hamburg,  had  the  command.  I  could  not  send  more  men,  as  eleven 
were  laid  up  with  the  climatic  fever. 

Friday,  6th  December. — Boats  not  back,  which  made  me  very 
uneasy,  all  the  more  as  I  had  received  tidings  that  the  two  boats  had 
been  seen  three  days  ago  not  far  from  Soron ;  which  information, 
however,  proved  to  be  erroneous  afterwards. 

Saturday,  7th  December. — Boats  not  back.  To-day  a  Soron  native 
told  me  that  a  canoe  had  come  from  the  southward  with  the  news  that 
the  boats  had  been  seen  steering  towards  a  place  on  the  mainland  of 
New  Guinea,  where  the  natives  are  very  treacherous,  and  known  to  be 
very  dangerous.  The  same  Soron  man  told  me  that  a  man-of-war  was 
lying  at  Gillolo.  I  concluded  at  once  to  man  a  boat  and  send  it  in 
search  of  the  two  missing  ones.  I  engaged  two  natives  from  Soron 
island  to  act  as  pilots. 

Thursday,  12th  December. — Late  in  the  evening  the  whaleboat 
returned  ;  they  had  not  seen  anything  of  the  boats.  I  had  given  the 
man  in  charge  of  this  boat  a  letter,  in  which  all  the  particulars  are 
stated  to  the  captain  of  the  man-of-war,  but  the  ship  had  left  when  my 


APPENDIX.  •    COLONISATION.  319 

messenger  arrived  at  Gillolo.  Found  out  afterwards  that  it  was  an 
Italian  man-of-war.  Friendly  natives  had  told  the  men  that  the  two 
boats  had  been  seen  steering  towards  the  land,  and  that  they  had  not 
returned.  They  all  expressed  their  opinion  that  the  men  must  have 
been  murdered.  I  could  not  leave  this  place  without  having  tried  all 
and  every  means  to  ascertain  the  fate  of  my  men,  and  I  concluded  to 
ask  the  Rajah  of  Salwatti  for  his  aid.  Weighed  on  the  13th  December, 
and  arrived  at  Salwatti  on  the  same  day,  but  found  that  the  rajah  was 
away  on  a  cruize. 

Sunday,  15th  December. — The  rajah  returned,  and  from  the  account 
he  gave  me  respecting  the  ferociousness  of  the  Papuans,  I  lost  the  last 
hope  for  the  safety  of  my  unfortunate  men.  The  rajah  granted  me 
every  assistance,  and  I  supplied  him  with  fire-arms,  but  he  declined  my 
company,  as  he  thought  it  would  place  his  weak  party  in  danger. 

Saturday,  21st  December. — The  rajah  returned  and  brought  back 
six  guns,  a  double-barrelled  breech-loader,  one  revolver,  the  mate's 
watch,  totally  broken,  his  jacket,  a  compass,  and  a  cartridge-pouch. 
He  had  recovered  them  in  the  bush,  and  expressed  an  opinion  that  the 
men  had  been  cooked  and  eaten.  I  could  not  make  up  my  mind  to 
leave  this  place  without  having  been  on  the  spot  myself,  and  tried  to 
persuade  the  rajah  to  render  me  his  assistance.  At  last  I  succeeded, 
and  the  day  for  starting  was  fixed  for  that  day  week.  In  the  meantime 
we  prepared  for  the  expedition,  made  cartridges,  and  practised  our 
blacks  with  firearms. 

Monday,  30th  December. — The  rajah  came  on  board  with  three  proas 
containing  forty-five  natives,  and  all  their  war  implements.  I  went  in 
the  chief's  proa,  my  steward,  a  Singapore  Malaya,  and  a  Fiji  boy. 
The  second  mate  with  two  men  went  in  another  proa  ;  and  another 
Fiji  man  in  a  third  proa.  All  had  joined  the  expedition  voluntarily, 
and  the  firearms  were  equally  distributed.  In  the  evening  we  anchored 
at  English  or  Saili  point. 

Tuesday,  31st  December. — Went  from  Saili  point  about  twelve  miles 
farther  down  the  coast.  In  going  down  several  proas  belonging  to 
different  places  under  the  rajah's  authority  had  joined  our  party,  which 
now  amounted  to  nine  proas  and  about  120  men. 

Wednesday,  1st  January  1873. — Went  along  the  coast  for  at  least 
twenty  miles  to  small  islands  about  eight  miles  distant  from  the  main- 
land. The  native  name  for  these  islands  is  "  Efmatal."  This  part  of  New- 
Guinea  is  greatly  obstructed  by  shoals  and  reefs.  At  about  midnight 
got  under  weigh  from  there,  and  steered  eastward  towards  the  main- 
land. 

Thursday,  2d  January  1873. — We  have  made  now  at  least  two 
degrees  from  Salwatti,  and  we  are  now  steering  into  a  large  and 
beautiful  river  named  "  Crabara,"  pulling  very  fast  till  1 1  o'clock  at 


320  NEW  GUINEA.  APPENDIX. 

night,  when  we  anchored,  and  I  presume  we  were  then  at  least 
thirty  miles  up  the  river  ;  which  must  go  a  long  way  inland.  It 
is  here  half-a-mile  wide  ;  the  banks  are  adorned  with  luxuriant  vege- 
tation. 

Here  the  whole  party  divided,  some  remained  at  anchor,  and  some 
went  farther  up  the  river. 

Friday,  3d  January. — This  morning  two  of  the  proas,  with  three 
bush  natives  whom  they  had  caught,  returned.  One  of  them,  according 
to  his  own  confession,  had  been  actually  engaged  in  the  murder  of  my 
men,  and  boasted  of  having  killed  the  "  white  man."  He  said  that  the 
two  boats  had  been  seen  lying  at  anchor  at  Efmatal  island.  Three  canoes 
from  the  mainland,  in  each  canoe  fifteen  men,  had  gone  off  with  bananas, 
pine-apples,  etc.,  which  they  gave  to  my  men  in  the  boats,  and  then 
quietly  paddled  off  to  the  coast.  They  had  behaved  quite  friendly,  and 
put  the  mate  and  men  off  their  guard.  The  New  Guinea  men  had 
counted  the  number  of  men  in  the  boats,  the  arms,  etc. 

The  next  night  the  savages  returned  and  landed  at  the  back  of 
Efmatal  island.  They  found  the  men,  with  the  exception  of  two  boys 
who  had  been  left  in  the  boats,  camped  on  shore  by  their  fires.  They 
had  divided  into  two  parties,  a  little  apart.  The  New  Guinea  men 
crawled  upon  them  and  killed  them  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  without 
even  a  cry  being  raised  by  the  victims  ;  after  that,  they  killed  the  two 
boys  in  the  boats,  and  then  brought  the  latter  to  a  place  which  nearly 
dries  at  low  water,  and  here  they  burnt  the  boats.  The  savages  took 
all  the  bodies  up  the  river  Crabara.  There  they  cut  off  their  heads, 
kept  them  for  trophies,  and  sold  the  bodies  to  a  neighbouring  tribe,  who 
had  cooked  and  eaten  them. 

The  three  prisoners  were  horrible-looking  fellows,  especially  the 
one  who  had  helped  to  murder  my  men.  They  are  a  different  race  to 
that  inhabiting  the  more  civilised  parts  of  New  Guinea,  and  easily  dis- 
tinguished, and  if  I  ever  go  there  again  I  will  not  give  them  a  chance 
of  coming  near  me  if  I  can  help  it.  After  the  prisoners  were  well 
secured,  all  the  proas  went  farther  up  the  river,  and  I  hoped  that  we 
should  go  to  the  village  "  Crabara,"  which  is  about  twelve  miles  farther 
up.  After  having  gone  up  for  about  six  miles,  we  heard  the  shells  and 
drums  right  and  left  in  the  bushes.  The  rajah  then  commanded  a  retreat, 
for  he  said  they  might  come  down  on  us  by  the  thousands,  and  we 
made  the  best  of  our  way  down  the  river. 

Saturday,  4th  January  1873. — In  the  morning  we  anchored  at 
Efmatal  island.  The  cannibal  was  brought  on  shore  to  the  exact  spot 
where  he  had  killed  the  mate,  and  in  front  of  where  the  boats  had  been 
lying  at  anchor.  He  was  lashed  to  the  very  tree  under  which  he  had 
killed  the  mate,  and  was  shot  there  and  then.  I  fired  the  first  shot 
and  the  second  mate  the  second,  with  which  he  dropped  down  dead. 
As  soon  as  he  was  dead  the  natives  cut  his  head  off,  and  strapped  the 
body  to  the  branch  of  a  tree  as  a  warning  example  to  other  cannibals 


APPENDIX.  COLONISATION.  321 

who  will  certainly  visit  here  now  and  then.    All  the  men  had  witnessed 
the  execution,  and  the  rajah  had  given  his  sanction  to  it. 

The  two  other  savages  remained  in  the  rajah's  hands,  and  both  died 
a  most  horrible  death.  I  witnessed  the  execution  of  one  of  them.  He 
was  in  the  true  sense  of  the  word  cut  to  pieces  by  women  and  children, 
the  widows  and  orphans  of  those  who  were  killed  in  the  first  expedition 
when  the  rajah  went  out  and  recovered  my  guns,  etc. 

Monday,  6th  January  1873. — Arrived  at  Salwatti.  Stated  the 
whole  affair  in  several  letters,  and  left  them  in  the  rajah's  hands.  One 
letter  directed  to  the  captain  of  the  first  man-of-war  calling  there  ;  the 
second  to  the  Prussian  Consul-General  in  Hamburg ;  the  third  to  the 
Sultan  of  Ternate ;  and  the  fourth  to  my  present  owners,  Messrs.  Barren 
and  Austin,  of  Sydney. 

When  Captain  Lawson's  book  on  New  Guinea  appeared, 
I  was  requested  to  criticise  it.  This  I  refused  to  do  from 
delicacy,  as  I  was  then  engaged  in  the  preparation  of  my 
own  book,  and  my  feeling  was  to  wait  and  simply  state  in 
that  what  I  had  myself  seen  in  New  Guinea.  Finding, 
however,  that  Captain  Lawson's  book  was  beginning  to  be 
accepted  in  some  quarters  as  an  authority ;  and  being 
further  appealed  to  for  information,  I  sent  the  following 
letter  to  the  Athenceum,  of  May  29th,  1875  :— 

THE  INTERIOR  OF  NEW  GUINEA. 

My  attention  has  just  been  directed  to  Captain  Lawson's  book  on 
New  Guinea,  and  I  have  been  called  on  by  my  geographical  friends  to 
express  my  opinion  as  to  the  credibility  of  the  narration.  This  I  can 
scarcely  do  becomingly,  lest  I  should  be  for  a  moment  misconceived  as 
claiming  the  status  of  an  explorer,  whose  assent  or  dissent  must  be 
final  for  the  time.  I  am,  however,  ready  to  state  the  principal  points 
on  which  my  experience  is  opposed  to  that  of  Captain  Lawson,  and  to 
indicate  instances  where  I  meet  with  difficulties  in  his  book,  and  should 
require  explanation  or  parallel  proof  for  my  own  satisfaction. 

Captain  Lawson  tells  us  that,  between  November  1871  and  May 
1872,  he  formed  an  intention  of  exploring  New  Guinea,  and  organised 
a  small  expedition  for  that  purpose,  which  sailed  in  the  brig  "  Nautilus," 
from  Sydney,  on  May  24th.  H.M.S.  "  Basilisk,"  under  my  command, 
arrived  at  Sydney  on  December  14th,  1871,  sailed  for  Torres  Straits, 
January  15th,  1872,  returned  from  thence  to  Sydney  April  5th,  1872, 
and  left  it  on  May  14th.  I  feel  a  surprise  that,  between  these  dates, 
no  word  of  Captain  Lawson's  expedition  should  have  reached  me  ;  nay, 
that  he  did  not  come  to  me  for  information,  as  public  attention  was 

Y 


322  NEW  GUINEA.  APPENDIX. 

largely  attracted  to  the  New  Guinea  coast  at  the  time,  in  consequence 
of  the  "  Basilisk's  "  new  discoveries  in  that  quarter,  and  of  the  disastrous 
fate  attending  the  brig  "Maria"  expedition,  which  left  Sydney  in 
January"  1872,  for  New  Guinea. 

Captain  Lawson  says  (page  2), "  I  accidentally  met  (at  Sydney)  with 
a  merchant  captain  who  was  in  the  habit  of  making  trading  voyages  to 
New  Guinea."  Then  (page  3)  "  He  had  himself  been  engaged  in  a 
bartering  trade  with  them  for  several  years,  and  could  speak  their 
language  fluently." — I  must  unhesitatingly  state  that  no  vessel  from 
Sydney  was  in  the  habit  of  trading  to  the  mainland  of  New  Guinea. 
Some  black  Papuans,  inhabiting  islands  in  Torres  Straits,  are  engaged  in 
diving  for  pearl-shell,  and  paid  in  kind  and  money,  but  with  these' 
islanders  only  has  any  commercial  communication  been  had. 

Page  12.  "Houtree  is  situated  on  Torres  Straits,  in  long.  143°  17' 
8"  E.,  lat.  9°  8'  18"  S." — This  position  is  in  the  sea,  about  one  mile 
from  the  west  end  of  Bristow  Island,  and  six  miles  from  the  low  wooded 
coast  of  New  Guinea,  touching  a  locality  marked  in  the  Admiralty 
charts  "  shallow  flats "  and  "  heavy  rollers,"  surveyed  by  the  late 
Captain  Blackwood,  R.N.,  and  the  present  hydrographer  of  the  navy. 
Of  those  dangers  Captain  Lawson  takes  no  notice.  The  boats  of 
H.M.S.  "  Basilisk,"  by  my  direction,  surveyed  this  part  of  the  coast  of 
New  Guinea  within  ten  miles  of  the  alleged  position  of  "  Houtree," 
but  they  never  heard  of  such  a  place,  or  of  any  "  bay  "  or  "  harbour  " 
near  there. 

Page  4.  "  Fifteen  or  sixteen  native  proas  put  off  from  the  shore." 
— Proas  do  not  exist  in  Torres  Straits.  The  ordinary  canoe  is  used, 
hollowed  out  of  the  trunk  of  trees. 

Page  4.  "The  joint  property  of  half-a-dozen  Chinese  adventurers, 
who  had  settled  in  the  village." — Chinamen  have  no  communication 
whatever  with  this  part  of  New  Guinea ;  neither  have  they  ever 
settled  or  owned  property  of  any  kind  within  600  miles  of  the  position 
assigned  to  Houtree. 

Page  5.  "  Papuans,  very  repulsive  looking.  .  .  .  exceedingly  short, 
squat  bodies,  black,  matted,  and  dirty  hair,  and  a  lithe,  monkeyish 
manner." — The  Papuans  of  this  part  of  New  Guinea  are  jet  black, 
remarkably  tall  muscular  men,  their  hair  is  frizzled,  and  the  men 
usually  shave  their  heads,  and  wear  wigs  so  artistically  constructed  that 
we  were  days  amongst  them  without  discovering  the  deception. 

Page  5.  "  Curious  looking  fowls." — No  tame  fowl  were  seen  by  us 
in  New  Guinea. 

Page  5.  "Twelve  dollars  a  month"  (for  Papuan  guides). — The 
mainland  Papuans  have  no  knowledge  of  the  value  of  money  ;  and  why 
"  dollars,"  when  the  current  coin  of  all  Australian  vessels  engaged  in 
Polynesian  trade  is  pounds,  shillings,  and  pence  ?  No  currency  but 
English  is  used  by  the  pearl-shellers  in  Torres  Straits. 

Page  5.  "  I  selected  two  who  had  a  knowledge  of  the  English 


APPENDIX.  COLONISATION.  323 

language,  and  who  were  further  recommended  to  me  as  having  spent 
the  greatest  part  of  their  lives  in  the  interior  of  the  island.  They  were 
sailors,  and  had  been  in  the  habit  of  making  voyages  to  the  islands  of 
the  Indian  Archipelago,  in  the  course  of  which  they  had  picked  up 
information  ;  besides  English,  they  spoke  a  smattering  of  French,  Dutch, 
and  Portuguese,  as  well  us  several  dialects  of  Malays." — I  can  but  say 
that  this  part  of  New  Guinea  has  been  till  now  unknown  to  white 
races,  and  that  its  inhabitants  had  certainly  not  seen  a  white  face  be- 
tween the  time  of  the  surveying  voyage  by  H.M.S.  "  Fly,"  in  1845,  and 
the  advent  of  the  pearl-shellers  in  Torres  Straits  in  1865,  or  there- 
abouts. To  speak  of  native  Papuans  being  "  sailors,"  "  making  voyages 
to  the  Indian  Archipelago,"  and  speaking  several  languages,  is  the 
wildest  flight  of  imagination  possible,  according  to  my  experience. 

Page  8.  "  Criminals  who  had  become  slaves." — We  saw  no  trace  of 
slavery  amongst  them. 

Page  8.  "  They  (at  Houtree)  were  mostly  engaged  in  fishing,  and 
trading  with  Dutch  and  Chinese  merchants  who  frequented  them,  and 
they  also  made  voyages  to  the  neighbouring  islands,  which  are  colonised 
principally  by  the  Dutch." — As  senior  naval  officer  on  two  occasions  in 
Torres  Straits,  it  was  my  duty  to  acquaint  myself  with  all  particulars 
relating  to  the  various  islands  ;  I  must  therefore  state  the  fact  that  the 
Dutch  have  not  colonised  one  single  island,  or  any  ground  within  600 
miles  of  the  position  given  to  Houtree. 

Page  8.  "  The  articles  they  have  to  dispose  of  are  spices,  drugs, 
gums,  several  kinds  of  wood  and  bark,  the  well-known  birds  of  paradise, 
some  inferior  pearls,  cocoa-nuts,  and  monkey  skins,  and  many  other 
articles  of  a  like  nature.  .  .  From  what  I  heard  and  saw,  I  should  say 
that  they  (the  exports  and  imports),  are  very  considerable." — I  have 
already  said  that  no  traffic  has  been  had  with  the  southern  mainland  of 
New  Guinea,  nor  do  any  of  the  above-named  commodities  exist  as 
articles  of  commerce  in  the  Torres  Straits  Islands.  Cocoa-nuts  grow 
there,  of  course,  and  a  few  soiled  bird  of  paradise  plumes  can  be  had 
as  curiosities  ;  we  obtained  a  few  pearls  from  the  divers,  but  they  were 
found  in  very  small  quantity.  Beche-de-mer,  pearl-shell,  and  tortoise- 
shell  are  raised  to  a  large  amount  by  the  natives  of  the  Torres  Straits 
Islands,  employed  by  Europeans. 

Page  9.  "  I  ascertained  that  three  or  four  small  Dutch  vessels  gene- 
rally called  at  Houtree  in  the  course  of  the  year,  but  that  some  hun- 
dreds of  Malay  and  Chinese  boats  visited  the  place  in  the  same  period." 
During  my  command  in  these  waters  not  one  Dutch,  Malay,  or 
Chinese  vessel  visited  Torres  Straits  for  the  purpose  of  commerce.  A 
Chinese  boat  to  reach  Houtree  would  have  to  sail  about  3000  miles, 
and  circumnavigate  New  Guinea.  The  idea  of  a  voyage  of  such  extent 
and  audacity  shocks  the  sense  of  probability.  The  Malay  proas  are 
unknown  in  Torres  Straits,  but  visit  the  Arrow  Islands,  about  600 
miles  west  of  the  supposed  Houtree. 


324  NEW  GUINEA. 


APPENDIX. 


Page  10.  "Fields  enclosed  with  railings." — Their  cultivation  is  of 
the  rudest  kind.  Fields  cannot  be  said  to  exist ;  there  are  rough  en- 
closures kept  from  the  attacks  of  pigs  by  close  set  stakes. 

Page  1 0.  "  Principal  crops  ....  nutmegs  ....  occupied  and 
cultivated  by  the  Chinamen." — Nutmegs  are  not  cultivated  in  this  part 
of  New  Guinea  ;  but  the  tree  doubtless  grows  wild,  as  we  shot  pigeons 
with  the  wild  nutmeg  in  their  crops. 

Page  11.  "  And  the  skin  of  a  tanned  yellowish  hue." — The  colour 
of  the  natives  is  pure  ebony  black. 

Page  1 2.  "  They  were  well  acquainted  with  the  value  of  money, 
and  Dutch  coins  were  in  circulation  amongst  them." — I  have  already 
said  that  the  Dutch  and  Dutch  coin  are  utterly  unknown  to  the  Papuans 
in  this  part  of  New  Guinea. 

Page  1 6.  "  The  natives  from  the  villages  from  great  distances 
round  frequented  the  marsh  to  procure  salt." — We  frequently  tried, 
and  always  found  the  New  Guinea  natives  most  adverse  to  the  taste  of 
salt. 

Page  19.  "He  said  a  goat." — We  never  saw  traces  of  such  an 
animal  in  New  Guinea,  and  the  frightened  astonishment  of  the  natives, 
on  seeing  a  sheep  on  board  the  "  Basilisk,"  indicated  that  to  the  coast 
natives,  at  all  events,  an  animal  of  such  a  size  was  a  novelty. 

Page  19.  "Boiled  rice  was  set  before  us,  followed  by  roast  monkey." 
— Rice  is  unknown  amongst  the  Papuans,  and  no  trace  of  monkeys  was 
ever  seen  by  us. 

Page  20.  "  The  property  .  .  ,  .  pots,  kettles  of  European  manu- 
facture, tools,  knives  ....  skins  cured  for  trading  purposes,  fancy 
buttons,  china  ornaments  ....  some  hundreds  of  marbles,"  etc. — We 
never  saw  any  such  articles  in  Papuan  huts  ;  indeed,  there  must  be  a 
touch  of  sarcasm  here.  "Fancy  buttons"  for  naked  Papuans!  The 
Papuan  household  effects  seen  by  us  were  bows  and  arrows,  spears, 
stone  clubs,  fishing-spears,  cocoa-nut  bowls,  mats,  shell  ornaments,  bird 
of  paradise  feathers  of  a  worthless  sort,  and  never  prepared  for  trading 
purposes,  stone  adzes  for  agriculture,  dogs,  and  cassowaries  occasionally, 
as  house  pets. 

Page  21.  "  Huts  divided  into  two  apartments  ....  the  inner  one 
devoted  to  the  use  of  the  ladies." — We  never  saw  such  an  arrangement ; 
the  Papuan  huts  are  large  and  often  of  two  floors,  the  upper  one  being 
principally  used  for  sleeping  purposes,  but  we  never  saw  any  sign  of 
the  women  possessing  any  privacy  ;  in  fact  the  habits  of  these  people 
are  against  the  idea. 

Page  21.  "Toddy  prepared  from  the  sap  of  the  cocoa-nut  tree." — 
We  never  saw  any  intoxicating  drink  amongst  the  Papuans,  and  were 
struck  by  the  peculiarity,  as  the  making  of  ava  is  general  amongst  the 
South  Sea  Islanders. 

Page  25.  Captain  Lawson  speaks  of  grass  growing  five  or  six  feet 
over  his  head  as  bending  easily  to  the  weight  of  the  body  and  yielding 


APPENDIX.  COLONISATION.  325 

passage.  We  found  it  exhausting  work  to  get  through  this  grass,  and 
only  succeeded  in  doing  a  mile  by  about  three  hours'  effort. 

Pages  31,  32.  Extraordinary  quietude  between  the  hours  of  ten 
and  four  in  the  forest  is  spoken  of,  but  at  daybreak  a  humming  of 
insects,  screaming  of  parrots,  chattering  of  monkeys,  with  a  thousand 
other  sounds  from  birds  and  beasts,  was  heard,  insomuch  that  Captain 
Lawson  "had  to  shout  when  talking."  We  ascended  New  Guinea 
rivers  for  about  twenty  miles,  running  through  the  heart  of  dense 
forests,  and  were  impressed  with  the  solemn,  almost  painful,  silence 
which  prevailed  at  all  hours,  unbroken  save  by  the  scream  of  a  parrot 
or  other  wild-bird  note. 

Page  32.  "  Heard  the  report  of  fire-arms." — Strange,  at  some  eighteen 
days'  journey  from  the  coast,  where  we  had  never  beheld  a  Papuan 
with  fire-arms. 

Page  39.  "Deer  and  Moolah." — The  "Basilisk,"  though  on  the 
look-out  for  traces  of  sport,  never,  saw  a  sign  of  such  animals,  nor  of 
some  others  mentioned  through  the  book. 

Page  53.  "  Mount  Misty  rises  to  a  height  of  10,672  feet,"  and  two 
other  peaks  near  it  respectively  to  "  12,580  feet,"  and  "12,945." — 
These  mountains,  by  Captain  Lawson's  map,  appear  to  be  but  ninety 
miles  from  the  coast,  and  it  is  difficult  to  understand  how  they  could 
have  remained  unseen  by  the  officers  of  H.M.S.  "Basilisk,"  or  those  of 
H.M.S.  "Fly,"  in  1845,  who  were  within  100  miles  of  them,  with  a 
flat,  low  country,  and  (in  our  case)  a  clear  atmosphere  between. 

Page  61.  "  An  old  man  .  .  .  smoking  a  long  Dutch  pipe." — The 
people  of  our  acquaintance  used  the  large  bamboo  pipe  only,  from 
which  each  man  of  a  party  takes  a  whiff  and  passes  it  on. 

Page  62.  "  Fights  and  murders  were  frequent  .  .  .  traders  landed 
and  burnt  the  Papuan  villages." — The  only  murder  that  has  ever  taken 
place  here  within  my  knowledge  was  that  of  three  native  teachers,  placed 
by  the  London  Missionary  Society  on  Bampton  Island,  about  fifteen 
miles  from  the  position  Captain  Lawson  assigns  to  Houtree. 

Page  63.  A  native  (Taa)  is  said  to  possess  "a  hundred  head  of 
cattle." — If  cattle  had  been  known  by  Australian  traders  to  exist  so 
near  Cape  York,  the  Jardine  Brothers  would  have  been  aware,  and  not 
have  undertaken  the  expense  and  risk  of  driving  a  herd  of  cattle  from 
Brisbane  to  Cape  York,  a  distance  of  1000  miles,  through  an  unknown 
country,  full  of  hostile  natives. 

Page  70.  "  Natives  sold  into  slavery  to  the  Dutch,  who  transport 
them  to  their  settlement." — I  have  visited  the  Dutch  settlements  in  the 
east,  but  have  failed  to  observe  any  form  of  slavery. 

Page  72.  "  The  women  and  children  take  their  meals  after  the  men 
have  finished." — In  our  experience  they  always  ate  together,  and  we 
regarded  it  as  one  sign  of  their  good  treatment  of  the  women. 

Page  78.  "  It  (a  scorpion)  had  stung  him  through  the  linen  breeches 
he  wore." — I  know  not  how  to  conceive  of  a  Papuan  wearing  "  linen 


326  NEW  GUINEA.  APPENDIX. 

breeches,"  and  again,  the  sting  of  the  scorpion  is  here  spoken  of  as  pro- 
ducing certain  death,  a  statement  opposed  to  all  experience. 

Pages  101  and  102.  The  trap-door  spider  is  here  mentioned  as  seen, 
enormous  in  size  and  poisonous  in  bite.  This  kind  of  spider  is  common 
enough  in  Jamaica,  but  was  never  seen  by  us  here.  Now  we  were  fre- 
quently engaged  in  cutting  wood  for  fuel  to  a  gross  amount  of  600  or 
700  tons,  and  were  brought  into  the  closest  and,  at  times,  most  distress- 
ing contact  with  insect  life.  We  recognised  several  varieties  of  spider, 
and  it  seems  singular  that  this  remarkable  one  should  have  escaped 
our  notice. 

Page  205.  Natives  on  the  river  are  here  stated  to  possess  "  daggers 
.  .  .  curved  swords,  pikes,  and  flint  muskets  .  .  .  horse  pistols  100 
years  old." — How  came  such  arms  to  be  amongst  savages  200  miles 
inland,  when  none  are  to  be  seen  on  the  coast. 

Page  209.  "The  sea,  he  (a  chief)  said,  could  easily  be  reached  by 
water  in  a  day  and  a  half  or  two  days  ...  he  had  never  seen  a  Euro- 
pean before,  nor  a  black  man,  biit  had  heard  of  both.  Malay  and 
Chinese  vessels  frequented  the  northern  coast  to  trade." — From  this 
statement,  coupled  with  Captain  Lawson's  map  and  account,  he  must  have 
been  somewhere  near  Astrolobe  Gulf.  In  this  part  of  the  country 
the  eminent  Russian  traveller,  Mr.  Macklay,  spent  eighteen  months, 
and  on  my  meeting  him  at  Amboyna,  in  June  1874,  he  gave  me  an 
account  of  the  natives,  which,  more  or  less,  has  since  been  published  in 
Europe,  showing  that  the  natives  of  north-east  New  Guinea  are  wholly 
savage  and  destitute  of  fire-arms,  and  have  no  communication  whatever 
with  Chinese,  Dutch,  or  Malay  races,  and  this  account  accords  with  our 
observations  in  the  "  Basilisk." 

Page  236.  "  There  are  no  distinct  tribes  in  New  Guinea." — All  our 
experience  goes  to  prove  that  distinct  tribes  do  exist. 

Page  273.  "  Nine  Malay  and  two  Chinese  vessels  in  the  Bay  of 
Houtree." — Captain  Lawson  says  he  reached  Houtree,  on  his  return 
from  the  interior,  February  1873,  at  which  time  the  boats  of  the 
"  Basilisk  "  were  from  ten  to  twenty  miles  from  the  given  position  of 
Houtree,  and  the  "  Basilisk  "  herself  was  at  Warrior  Island,  not  forty 
miles  distant.  Certainly  then  no  Malay  or  Chinese  vessel  was  near 
Houtree. 

Page  278.  "  There  are  certain  parts  of  the  coast,  especially  the  east 
coast,  which  have  no  villages  or  fixed  inhabitants,  and  these  places  are 
the  favourite  harbours  of  refuge  for  the  pirates  and  robbers  who  infest 
the  eastern  seas." — We  found  villages  and  fixed  inhabitants  everywhere 
on  the  east  coast,  and  we  are  at  a  loss  to  know  what  pirates  or  robbers 
Captain  Lawson  refers  to. 

Page  280.  "  Gold  and  silver,  the  latter  common  .  .  .  copper,  lead, 
iron,  tin,  abundant." — Not  a  sign  of  any  of  these  metals,  excepting  gold, 
was  ever  seen  by  the  "  Basilisk." 

Captain  Lawson  states  that  he  left  Houtree  on  the  24th  of  February, 


APPENDIX.  COLONISATION.  327 

in  a  Chinese  junk  of  forty  or  fifty  tons,  and  reached  Banda  on  the  1st 
of  March,  making  thus  a  distance  of  about  1000  miles  in  five  days,  and 
this  during  the  prevalence  of  the  north-west  monsoon.  This,  to  my 
mind,  is  almost  the  most  surprising  statement  in  the  book. 

Page  282.  "Granted  permission  to  reside  in  Banda  until  I  could 
obtain  a  passage  in  a  Dutch  vessel." — Why  wait  for  a  Dutch  vessel 
when  a  regular  line  of  mail  steamers  runs  monthly  between  Banda, 
Batavia,  and  Singapore  ?  Neither  is  it  now  necessary  for  an  English- 
man to  "  ask  permission  "  to  reside  in  Banda,  so  long  as  he  conducts 
himself  within  the  laws. 

J.  MORESBY,  Captain,  RN. 


Printed  by  R.  &  R.  CLARK,  Edinburgh. 


10° 


•to       '"r    *         » 

Apti*>U$£l  '•** 

0**    V'V 


I'"1 


X 


CHART  OF 

EAST  MEW  GUIN 


The  Coast  line  and  some  of  the  principal 
Islands  previously  unknown  f  discovered 
and  named  by  Capt?  Moresby  of  H.M.S 
Basilisk.)  are  coloured  Red. 

The  Blue  line  shows  the  imaginary  Coast 
line, laid  down  in  the  previous  Admiralty 
Charts. 


146C 


147° 


ALBEM.VULK  STREET,  LONDON, 
January.  1875. 


MR.  HURRAY'S 
GENERAL    LIST    OF    WORKS. 


ALBERT  (THE)  MEMORIAL.  A  Descriptive  and  Illustrated 
Account  of  the  National  Monument  erected  to  the  PRINCE  CONSORT 
at  Kensington.  Illustrated  by  Engravings  of  its  Architecture,  Decora- 
tions, Sculptured  Groups,  Statues,  Mosaics,  Metal  work,  &c.  With 
Descriptive  Text.  By  DOYNE  C.  BELL.  With  2i  Plates.  Folio.  12Z.  12*. 

% (PRINCE)  SPEECHES  AND  ADDRESSES  with  an  In- 
troduction, giving  some  outline  of  his  Character.  With  Portrait.  8vo. 
10*.  6d. ;  or  Popular  Edition,  feap.  8vo.  Is. 

ABBOTT'S  (REV.  J.)  Memoirs  of  a  Church  of  England  Missionary 
in  the  North  American  Colonies.  Post  8vo.  2s. 

ABERCROMBIE'S  (Joes)  Enquiries  concerning  the  Intellectual 
Powers  aud  the  Investigation  of  Truth.  19th  Edition.  Fcap.  8vo.  3>.  6d. 

-    Philosophy    of  the   Moral    Feelings,      lith 

Edition.    Fcap.     8vo.    2*.  6d. 

ACLAND'S  (REV.  CHARLES)  Popular  Account  of  the  Manners  and 
Customs  of  India.  Post  8vo.  2s. 

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Italy,  from  the  2nd  to  the  16th  Century.  With  Illustrations.  5  Vols. 
8vo.  21*.  each. 

-    Early  Flemish  Painters,  their  Lives  and 
Works.    Illustrations.    Post  8vo.    10«.  6<i. ;  or  Large  Paper,  8vo.    15*. 

CHILD'S  (G.  CHAPLIN,  M.D.)   Benedicite ;  or,  Song  of  the  Three 

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manifested  by  the  Creator  in  his  works,  lath  Thousand.  Post  8vo.  6*. 

CHISHOLM'S  (Mrs.)  Perils  of  the  Polar  Seas;  True  Stories  of 

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CHURTON'S  (ARCHDEACOH)  Gongora.  An  Historical  Essay  on  the 
Age  of  Philip  III.  and  IV.  ot  Spain.  With  Translations.  Portrait. 
2  Vols.  Small  Svo.  12«. 

—  New  Testament.      Edited  with  a  Plain  Practical 

Commentary  for  the  use  of  Families  and  General  Readers.  With  100 
Panoramic  and  other  Views,  from  Sketches  and  Photographs  made  on 
the  Spot.  2  volt.  Svo.  21*. 

CICERO'S  LIFE  AND  TIMES.  His  Character  as  a  Statesman, 
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tions. By  WILLIAM  FOBSYTH.  M.P.  Third  Edition.  With  Illustra- 
tions. Svo.  1U».  6d. 

CLARK'S  (SiR  JAKES)  Memoir  of  Dr.  John  Conolly.  Comprising 
a  Sketch  of  the  Treatment  of  the  lusane  in  Europe  and  America.  With 
Portrait.  Post  Svo.  10s.  6d. 

OLIVE'S  (LORD)  Life.    By  RKT.  G.  R.  GLEIO.     Post  Svo.    8*.  6<£ 

CLODE'S  (C.  M.)  Military  Forces  of  the  Crown ;  their  Administra- 
tion and  Government.    2  Vols.    8vo.    21*.  each. 
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2nd  Edition.     Svo.     1-' «. 

COLCHESTER  (THE)  PAPERS.  The  Diary  and  Correspondence 
of  Charles  Abbott,  Lord  Colchester,  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Common* 
1802-1817.  Portrait.  3  Vols.  Svo.  42». 


LIST  OF  WORK8 


CHURCH  (THE)  &  THE  AGE. 

Present  Position  of  the  Anglican 

VOL.  I. 

Anglican  Principles.— Dean  Hook, 
Modern  Religious  Thought. — Bishop 

Ellicott. 
State,  Church,  and  Synods.— Rev.  Dr. 

Irons. 
Religious  Use  of  Taste.— Rev.  R.  St. 

John  Tyrwhitt. 

Place  of  theLaity.— Professor  Burrows 
Parish  Priest. — Rev.  Walsham  How. 
Divines  of  16th  and  17tli  Centuries. 

—Rev.  A.  W.  Haddan. 
Liturgies    and    Ritual,    Rev.    M.    F. 

Sadler. 

Church  &  Education.— Canon  Barry. 
Indian  Missions.—  Sir  Bartle  Fr«-.re. 
Church  and  the  People.— Rev.  W.  D. 

Maelagan. 
Conciliation    and    Comprehension. — 

Rev.  Dr.  Weir. 


Essays  on  the  Principles  and 
Church.  2  void.  8vo.  26*.  Contents  :— 

VOL.  II. 

Church  and  Pauperism. — Earl  Nelson. 
American  Church. — Bishop  of  Western 

New  Yoik. 
Church    and    Science.  —  Prebendary 

Clark. 

Ecclesiastical  Law. — IsambardBrunel. 
Church     &     National    Education. — 

Canon  Norris. 
Church   and  Universities.— John  G. 

Talbot. 

Toleration. — Dean  Cowie. 
Eastern  Church  and  Anglican   Com- 
munion.— Rev.  Geo.  Williams. 
A   Disestablished   Church. — Dean   of 

Casbel. 

Christian  Tradition. — Rev.  Dr.  Irons. 
Dogma. — Rev.  Dr.  Weir. 
Parochial      Councils.  —  Archdeacon 

Chapman. 


COLERIDGE'S  (SAMUEL  TAYLOR)  Table-Talk.  Portrait.  12mo.  3s.  6d. 
COLLINGWOOD'S  (CUTHBERT)   Rambles  of  a  Naturalist  on  the 

Shores  and  Waters  of  the  China  Sea.    Being  Observations  in  Natural 
History  during  a  Voyage  to  China,  &c.    With  Illustrations.    8vo.    16s. 

COLONIAL  LIBRARY.     [See  Home  and  Colonial  Library.] 
COOK'S  (Canon)  Sermons  Preached  at  Lincoln's  Inn.   8vo.    9«. 

COOKERY  (MODERN  DOMESTIC).  Founded  on  Principles  of  Economy 
and  Practical  Knowledge,  and  adapted  for  Private  Families.  By  a 
Lady.  Woodcuts.  Fcap.  8vo.  5s. 

COOPER'S   (T.  T.)  Travels  of  a  Pioneer  of  Commerce  on    an 

Overland  Journey  from  China  towards  India.    Illustrations.  8vo.  16s. 

CORNWALLIS  (THE)  Papers  and  Correspondence  during  the 
American  War, — Administrations  in  India, — Union  with  Ireland,  and 
Peace  of  Amiens.  Second  Edition.  8  Vols.  8vo.  63s. 

COWPER'S    (COUNTESS)    Diary    while  Lady  of  the  Bedchamber 

to  Caroline  Princess  of  Wales,  1714—20.     Edited  by  Hon.  SPENCBB 
COWPEB.    Second  Edition.   Portrait.    8vo.    10*.  6d. 

CRABBE'S  (REV.  GEORGE)  Life  and  Poetical  Works.  With  Illus- 
trations. Royal  8vo.  It. 

CROKER'S     (J.    W.)      Progressive     Geography     for    Children. 

Fifth  Edition.    18mo.    Is.  6d. 

Stories   for    Children,   Selected   from   the  History    of 

England.    Fifteenth  Edition.    Woodcuts.     16mo.    2*.  6d. 

-  Boswell's   Life   of   Johnson.      Including  the  Tour  to 
the  Hebrides.  Xew  and  revised  Library  Edition.  Portraits.  4  vols.  8vo. 

[/n  Preparation. 

Essays  on  the  Early  Period  of  the  French  Revolution. 

8vo.    15s. 

-  Historical  Essay  on  the  Guillotine.    Fcap.  8vo.    Is. 


PUBLISHED  BY  MR.  MURRAY. 


CUMMING'S  (R.  GORDON)  Five  Years  of  a  Hunter's  Life  in  the 
Far  Interior  of  South  Africa.  Sixth  Edition.  Woodcuts.  Post  8vo.  63. 

CROWE'S  AND  CAVALCASELLE'S  Lives  of  the  Early  Flemish 
Painters.  Woodcuts.  Post  8vo,  10».  6J. ;  or  Large  Paper,  8vo,  15s. 

•  History  of  Painting  in  Italy,  from  2nd  to  16 ih 

Century.  Derived  from  Researches  into  the  Works  of  Art  in  that 
Country.  With  100  Illustrations.  5  Vols.  8vo.  21*.  each. 

CUNYNGHAME'S  (SiB  ARTHUR)  Travels  in  the  Eastern  Caucasus, 

on  the  Caspian,  and  Black  Seas,  in  Daghestan  and  the  Frontiers  of 
Persia  and  Turkey.  With  Map  and  Illustrations.  Svo.  18*. 

CURTIUS'  (PROFESSOR)  Student's  Greek  Grammar,  for  the  Tipper 
Forms.  Edited  by  DE.  WM.  SMITH.  Post  Svo.  6*. 

. —  Elucidations  of  the  above  Grammar.      Translated  by 

EVELYN  ABBOT.    Post  Svo.    7*.  6d. 
—  Smaller  Greek  Grammar  for  the  Middle  and  Lower 

Forms.    Abridged  from  the  larger  work.    12mo.    3e.  Gd. 

_ Accidence  of  the  Greek   Language.    Extracted  from 

the  above  work.    12mo.     2*.  6J. 

Principles  of  Greek  Etymology.    Translated  by  A.  S. 


WILKINS,  M.A.,  and  E.  B.  ENGLAND,  B,A.    Svo.     Nearly  Ready. 

CURZON'S  (How.  ROBERT)  ARMENIA  AND  ERZEROUM.  A  Year  on 
the  Frontiers  of  Russia,  Turkey,  and  Persia.  Third  Edition.  Wood- 
cuts. Post  Svo.  7*.  6d. 

-  Visits  to  the  Monasteries  of  the  Levant.    Fifth  Edition. 
Illustrations.     Post  Svo.    7«.  6d. 

CUST'S  (GENERAL)  Lives  of  the  Warriors  of  the  17th  Century— The 
Thirty  Years'  War.  2  Vols.  16*.  Civil  Wars  of  France  and 
England.  2  Vols.  IBs.  Commanders  of  Fleets  and  Armies  before  the 
Enemy.  2  Vols.  18s. 

Annals  of  the  Wars— 18th  &  19th  Century,  1700— 1815. 

With  Maps.    9  Vols.   Post  Svo.   6*.  each. 

DAVIS'S    (NATHAN)   Ruined  Cities  of  Numidia  and  Carthaginia. 

Illustrations.    Svo.     16s. 

DAVY'S  (SiR  HUMPHRY)  Consolations  in  Travel;  er,  Last  Days 

of  a  Philosopher.    Seventh  Edition.    Woodcuts.    Fcap.  Svo.    3*  6tf. 

—  Salmonia;   or,  Days  of  Fly  Fishing.     Fifth  Edition. 
Woodcuts.    Fcap.  Svo.    33. 6d. 

DARWIN'S  (CHARLES)  Journal   of  Researches  into  the  Natural 

History  of  the  Countries  visited  during  a  Voyage  round  the  World. 
Eleventh  Thousand.     Post  Svo.    9*. 

-  Origin  of  Species  by  Means  of  Natural  Selection  ; 
or,  the  Preservation  of  Favoured  Races  in  the  Struggle  for  Life.  SLcth 
Edition.  Post  Svo.  It.  M. 

Variation  of  Animals  and  Plants  under  Domestication. 

With  Illustrations.    2  Vols.    8vo.    28*. 

Descent  of  Man,  and  Selection  in  Relation  to  Sex. 


With  Illustrations.    Crown  Svo.    9s. 

—  Expressions  of  the  Emotions  in  Man  and  Animals. 
With  Illustrations.  Crown  Svo.  12*. 

-  Fertilization  of  Orchids  through  Insect  Agency,  and 
as  to  the  good  of  Intercrossing.  Woodcuts.  1'ost  Svo.  9». 

—  Fact  and  Argument  for  Darwin.  By  FRITZ  MULLKR. 
With  numerous  Illustrations  and  Additions  by  the  Author.  Translated 
from  the  German  by  W.  S.  DALLAS.  Woodcuts.  Post  Svo.  6s. 


10  LIST  OF  WORKS 


DELEPIERRE'S  (OCTAVE)  History  of  Flemish  Literature.  8vo.  9s. 

—  Historic  Difficulties  &  Contested  Events.  Post  8vo.  6.?. 

DENISON'S  (E.  B.)  Life  of  Bishop  Lonsdale.     With  Selections 

from  his  Writings.    With  Portrait.    Crown  8vo.    10».  6rf. 

DERBY'S  (EAKL  OP)    Iliad    of  Homer    rendered   into    English 

Blank  Verse.    1th  Edition.    2  Vols.    Post  8vo.     10*. 

DE  ROS'S  (LORD)  Young  Officer's  Companion;  or,  Essays  on 
Military  Duties  and  Qualities :  with  Examples  and  Illustrations  from 
History.  Post  Svo.  9*. 

DEUTSCH'S  (EMANUEL)  Talmud,  Islam,  The  Targums  and  other 

Literary  Remains.    8vo.     12s. 

DOG-BREAKING ;  the    Most    Expeditious,  Certain,  and    Easy 

Method,  whether  great  excellence  or  only  mediocrity  be  required.  With 
a  Few  Hints  for  those  who  Love  the  Dog  and  the  Guu.  By  LIEUT.- 
GKK.  HUTCHINSON.  fifth  Edition.  With  40  Woodcuts.  Crown  8vo.  9*. 

DOMESTIC  MODERN  COOKERY.  Founded  on  Principles  of 
Economy  and  Practical  Knowledge,  and  adapted  for  Private  Families. 
Woodcuts.  Fcap.  8vo  5«. 

DOUGLAS'S(SiR  HOWARD)  Life  and  Adventures.  Portrait.  8vo.  15*. 

Theory  and  Practice  of  Gunnery.      Plates.     8vo.    21s. 

-  Construction  of  Bridges   and  the  Passage  of  Rivers, 
in  Military  Operations.    Plates.    Svo.    21». 

(Wit.)  Horse-Shoeing;  As  it  Is,  and  As  it  Should  be. 


Illustrations.    Post  Svo.    7s.  6d. 

DRAKE'S    (SiR  FRANCIS)  Life,  Voyages,  and  Exploits,  by  Sea  and 

Land.    By  JOHN  BABBOW.    Third  Edition.    Post  Svo.    2». 

DRINKWATER'S  (JOHN)  History  of  the  Siege  of  Gibraltar, 
1779-1783.  With  a  Description  and  Account  of  that  Garrison  from  the 
Earliest  Periods.  Post  Svo.  2s. 

DTJCANGE'S  MEDIEVAL  LATIN-ENGLISH  DICTIONARY. 

Translated  hy  Rev.  E.  A.  DAYMAN,  M.A.    Stuall  4to.      [In  preparation. 

DU    CHAILLU'S    (PAUL    B.)    EQUATORIAL    AFRICA,    with 

Accounts  of  the  Gorilla,  the  Nest-building  Ape,  Chimpanzee,   Croco- 
dile, &c.    Illustrations.    Svo.    21*. 

—  Journey  to  Ashango  Land;  and  Further  Pene- 
tration into  Equatorial  Africa.    Illustrations.    Svo.    21s. 

DUFFERIN'S  (LORD)  Letters  from  High  Latitudes;  an  Account 

of  a  Yacht  Voyage  to  Iceland,  Jan  Mayen,  and  Spitzbergen.    fifth 
Edition.    Woodcuts.     Post  Svo.    7s.  6d. 

DUNCAN'S  (MAJOR)  History  of  the  Royal  Artillery.  Com- 
piled from  the  Origiual  Records.  Second  Edition.  With  Portraits. 
2  Vols.  Svo.  80s. 

DYER'S  (THOS.  H.)  History  of  Modern  Europe,  from  the  taking 
of  Constantinople  by  the  Turks  to  the  close  of  the  War  in  tue 
Crimea.  With  Index.  4  Vols.  Svo.  42*. 

EASTLAKE'S  (SiR  CHARLES)  Contributions  to  the  Literature  of 

the  Fine  Arts.    With  Memoir  of  the  Author,  and  Selections  from  his 
Correspondence.     By  LADY  EASTI.AKE.    2  Vols.    Svo.    24». 

EDWARDS'  (W.  H.)  Voyage  up  the  River  Amazons,  including  a 
Visit  to  Para.  Post  Svo.  2s. 


PUBLISHED  BY  MR.  MURRAY.  11 


ELDON'S  (LORD)  Public  and  Private  Life,  with  Selections  from 

his  Correspondence  and  Diaries.    By  HORACE  Twiss.    Third  Edition. 
Portrait.    2  Vols.    PostSvo.    21s. 

ELGIN'S  (LORD)    Letters  and  Journals.      Edited  by  THEODORE 

WALBOXD.    With  Preface  by  Dean  Stanley.  Second  Edition.    8vo.  14*. 

ELLESMERE'S  (LORD)  Two  Sieges  of  Vienna  by  the  Turks. 
Translated  from  the  German.  Post  Svo.  2s. 

ELLIS'S  (W.)  Madagascar,  including  a  Journey  to  the  Capital, 
with  notices  of  Natural  History  and  the  People.  Woodcuts.  Svo.  16s. 

—  Madagascar  Revisited.     Setting  forth  the  Perse- 
cutions and  Heroic  Sufferings  of  the  Native  Christians.    Illustrations. 

8vo.    16s. 

—  Memoir.    By  His  Son.     With  his  Character  and 
Work.    By  REV.  HEXBT  ALLON,  D.D.    Portrait.    Svo.    10s.  6d. 

—  (ROBINSON)  Poems  and  Fragments  of  Catullus.    16mo.  5s. 
ELPHINSTONE'S    (Hon.   MOUNTSTUART)   History  of  India— the 

Hindoo  and  Mahomedan  Periods.    Sixth  Edition.    Map.    Svo.    18*. 

—  (H.  W.)  Patterns  for  Turning;  Comprising 
Elliptical  and  other  Figures  cut  on  the  Lathe  without  the  use  of  any 
Ornamental  Chuck.  With  70  Illustrations.  Small  4to.  15*. 

ENGEL'S  (CARL)  Music  of  the  Most  Ancient  Nations ;  particularly 
of  the  Assyrians,  Egyptians,  and  Hebrews ;  with  Special  Reference  to 
the  Discoveries  in  Western  Asia  and  in  Egypt.  Second  Edition.  With 
100  Illustrations.  Svo.  10s.  M. 

ENGLAND.  See  CALLCOTT,  CHOKER,  HUME,  MARKHAM,  SMITH, 
and  STANHOPE. 

ENGLISHWOMAN   IN   AMERICA.    PostSvo.    10*.  6d. 

ESSAYS  ON  CATHEDRALS.  With  an  Introduction.  By 
DEAN  Howsox.  Svo.  12*. 

CONTEXTS. 

Recollections  of  a  Dean.— Bishop  of      Cathedral  Churches  of  the  Old  Foun- 
Carlisle.  (Ution. — Edward  A.  Freeman. 


Cathedral  Canons  and  their  Work.— 
Canon  Norris. 

Cathedrals  in  Ireland,  Past  and  Fu- 
ture.— Dean  of  Caxhel. 

Cathedrals  in  their  Missionary  Aspect. 
—A.  J.  B.  Beresford  Hope. 

Cathedral  Foundations  in  Relation  to 
Religious  Thought —Canon  Vt'est- 
cott. 


Welsh  Cathedrals. — Canon  Perowne. 
Education  of  Choristers.— Sir  F.  Gore 

Ouseley. 

Cathedral  Schools. — Canon  Durham. 
Cathedral  Reform. — Chancellor  Mas- 

singberd. 
Relation  of  the  Chapter  to  the  Bishop. 

Chancellor  Benson. 
Architecture      of      the      Cathedral 


Churches. — Canon  Veuables. 

ETHNOLOGICAL    SOCIETY'S  TRANSACTIONS.    Vols.  I.  to 

VI.    8vo. 
ELZE'S  (KARL)  Life  of  Lord  Byron.    With  a  Critical  Essay  on 

his  Place  in  Literature.    Translated  from  the  German,  and  Edited  with 
Notes.    With  Original  Portrait  and  Facsimile.    Svo.     16s. 

FAMILY  RECEIPT-BOOK.    A  Collection  of  a  Thousand  Valuable 

and  Useful  Receipts.    Fcap.  Svo.    5s.  6d. 

PARRAR'S     (A.  S.)     Critical    History    of   Free    Thought    in 
reference  to  the  Christian  Religion.    Svo.     16*. 

-  (F.  W.)    Origin    of   Language,    based     on    Modera 
Researches.    Fcap.  Svo.    6*. 


12  LIST  OF  WORKS 


FERGUSSON'S  (JAMES)  History  of  Architecture  in  all  Countries 
from  the  Earliest  Times.  Vols.  I.  and  II.  Ancient  and  Medieval. 
With  1 000  Illustrations.  Medium  8vo.  63». 

-  Vol.  III.  Indian  and  Eastern.    With  30C  Illustra- 
tions.   Medium  8vo.  [In  the  Press. 
Vol.    1"V.     Modern.      With      330     Illustrations. 


Medium  8vo.    31s.  6rf. 

Rude  Stone  Monuments  in  all  Countries;  their  Age 


and  Uses.     With  230  Illustrations.     Medium  8vo.  24*. 

Holy  Sepulchre  and  the  Temple  at  Jerusalem. 


Woodcuts.    8vo.    7s.  6d. 

FLEMING'S  (PROFESSOR)  Student's  Manual  of  Moral  Philosophy. 

With  Quotations  and  Eeferences.    Post  8vo.    Is.  6d. 

FLOWER  GARDEN.    By  REV.  THOS.  JAMBS.    Fcap.  8vo.    1«. 
FORD'S  (RICHARD)  Gatherings  from  Spain.     Post  8vo.     3s.  6d. 

FORSYTE'S  (WILLIAM)  Life  and  Times  of  Cicero.  With  Selections 
from  his  Correspondence  and  Orations.  Third  Edition.  Illustrations.  8vo. 
10*.  6d. 

-  Hortensius;   an    Historical    Essay    on  the  Office 

and  Duties  of  an  Advocate.    Second  Edition.    Illustrations.   8vo.    12s. 

-  History  of  Ancient  Manuscripts.   PostSvo.     2s.  6d. 
Novels    and   Novelists    of   the  18th  Century,  in 


Illustration  of  the  Manners  and  Morals  of  the  Age.    PostSvo.    10s.  6d. 

FORTUNE'S  (ROBERT)  Narrative  of  Two  Visit*  to  the  Tea  Countries 
of  China,  1843-52.  Third  Edition.  Woodcuts.  2  Tola.  Post  8vo.  18s. 

FOSS'  (Edward)  Biographia  Juridica,  or  Biographical  Dictionary 
of  the  Judges  of  England,  from  the  Conquest  to  the  Present  Time, 
1066-1870.  Medium  8vo.  21s. 

—  Tabulee  Curiales;  or,  Tables  of  the  Superior  Courts 
of  Westminster  Hall.  Showing  the  Judges  who  sat  in  them  from  1066 
to  1864.  8vo.  10s.  6d. 

FRANCE.     %*  See  MAEKHAM,  SMITH,  Student's. 

FRENCH  (THE)  in  Algiers ;  The  Soldier  of  the  Foreign  Legion— 
and  the  Prisoners  of  Abd-el-K.adir.  Translated  by  Lady  DUFF  GORDON. 
Post  8vo.  2s. 

FRERE'S  (SiR  BARTLE)  Indian  Missions.  Third  Edition. 
Small  8vo.  2s.  6d. 

-  Eastern  Africa  as  a  field  for  Missionary  Labour.     With 
Map.    Crown  8vo.   5s. 

—  Bengal  Famine.  How  it  will  be  Met  and  How  to  Prevent 
Future  Famines  in  IiuH.i.    With  Maps.    Crown  bvo.      5s. 

(M.)  Old  Deccan  Days;  or  Fairy  Legends  Current  in 
Southern  India.  With  Notes,  by  SIB  BABTLE  FBEBB.  With  Illustra- 
tions. Fcap.  8vo.  6*. 

GALTON'S  (FRANCIS)  Art  of  Travel ;  or,  Hints  on  the  Shifts  and 
Contrivances  available  in  Wild  Countries,  fifth  Edition.  Wood- 
cuts. Post  8vo.  7s.  6d. 

GEOGRAPHICAL  SOCIETY'S  JOURNAL.    (Published  Yearly.) 

GEORGE'S  (ERNEST)  Mosel ;  a  Series  of  Twenty  Etchings,  with 
Descriptive  Letterpress.  Imperial  4to.  42s. 

Loire  and    South  of  France ;    a    Series  of   Twenty 
Etchings,  with  Descriptive  Text.    Folio.    42*. 

GERMANY  (HISTORY  OF).    See  MARKHAM. 


PUBLISHED  BY  MR.  MURRAY.  13 

GIBBON'S  (EDWARD)  History  of  the  Decline  and  Fall  of  the 
Roman  Empire.  Edited  by  MILMAN  and  GUIZOT.  A  Nsw  Edition. 
Edited,  with  Notes,  by  Dr.  WM.  SMITH.  Maps.  8  Vols.  Svo.  60s. 

(The  Student's  Gibbon) ;   Being   an  Epitome  of  the 

above  work,  incorporating  the  Researches  of  Recant  Commentators.    By 
Dr.  WM.  SMITH.    Woodcuts.    Post  8vo.    It.  6d. 

GIFFARD'S  (EDWARD)  Deeds  of  Naval  Daring;   or,  Anecdotes^ of 

the  British  Navy.    Fcap.  8vo.    3s.  6d. 

GLADSTONE'S  (W.  E.)  Financial  Statements  of  1853, 1860,  63-65. 

Svo.     12*. 

GLEIG'S  (G.  R.)  Campaigns  of  the  British  Army  at  Washington 
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MARCO  POLO.  The  Book  of  Ser  Marco  Polo,  the  Venetian. 
Concerning  the  Kingdoms  and  Marvels  of  the  East.  A  new  English 
Version.  Illustrated  hy  the  light  of  Oriental  Writers  and  Modern 
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MUSTERS'  (CAPT.)  Patagonians;  a  Year's  Wanderings  over 
Untrodden  Ground  from  the  Straits  of  Magellan  to  the  Rio  Negro. 
2nd  Edition.  Illustrations.  Post  8vo.  7*.  6d. 

NAPIER'S    (SiR  CHAS.)    Life,    Journals,  and    Letters.      Second 

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(SiR  WM.)  Life  and    Letters.     Portraits.    2   Vola. 

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HEAD'*  EMICBAKT.    i«.M. 

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THE  FLOWBB  GAEDBM.    If. 
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24  LIST  OP  WORKS 


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C.B.  With  a  Memoir.  By  REV.  A.  N.  C.  MACLACHLAN,  M.A.  Portrait. 
8vo.  15s. 

NASMYTH  AND  CARPENTER.    The   Moon.     Considered  as  a 

Planet,  a  World,  and  a  Satellite.  With  Illustrations  from  Drawing* 
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Edition.  4to.  30s. 

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. Elements  of  Mechanics,  including  Hydrostatics, 

with  numerous  Examples.    Fifth  Edition.     Small  8vo.    8s.  6d.  Cloth. 
Mathematical    Examinations.       A    Graduated 


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Trigonometry,  and  Mechanics.   Third  Edition.   Small  8vo.    8s.  6d.  each. 

NICHOLLS'  (SiB  GEORGE)  History  of  the  English,  Irish  and 
Scotch  Poor  Laws.  4  Vols.  8vo. 

NICOLAS'  (SiR  HARRIS)  Historic  Peerage  of  England.  Exhi- 
biting the  Origin,  Descent,  and  Present  State  of  every  Title  of  Peer- 
age which  has  existed  in  this  Country  since  the  Conquest.  By 
WILLIAM  COURTHOPK.  8vo.  30s. 

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OXENHAM'S  (REV.  W.)  English  Notes  for  Latin  Elegiacs  ;  designed 
for  early  Proficients  in  the  Art  of  Latin  Versification,  with  Prefatory 
Rules  of  Composition  in  Elegiac-Metre.  Fifth  Edition.  12mo.  3s.  fid. 

PALGRAVE'S  (R.  H.  I.)  Local  Taxation  of  Great  Britain  and 
Ireland.  8vo.  5s. 

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and  Antiquities.  With  Illustrations.  Post  8vo.  12s. 

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Language.    Svo.    It.  6d. 

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Map  and  Woodcuts.  Post  Svo.  It.  M. 

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Cliurch    in    South    Africa.  —  Arthur 


Sha 
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Wells. 

The  Priesthood. — Dean  of  Canterbury. 
National  Education. — Rev.  Alexander 

R.  Grant. 
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H.  Stunner. 


Mills. 
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—  Rev.  Dr.  Salmon. 
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Humphry. 
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Chester. 


26  LIST  OF  WORKS 


PRIVY   COUNCIL  JUDGMENTS   in   Ecclesiastical    Cases   re- 

lating  to  Doctrine   and    Discipline.       With  Historical    Introduction, 
by  G.  C.  BBODBICK  and  W.  H.  FBBMAXTLB.    8vo.     10*.  6d. 
QUARTERLY  REVIEW  (Tun).    8vo.    6s. 

RAMBLES  in  the  Syrian  Deserts.    Post  Svo.    10«.  6d. 
RANKE'S  (LEOPOLD)  History  of  the  Popes  of  Rome  during  the 

16th  and  17th  Centuries.     Translated  from  the  German  by  SABAH 
AUSTIN.    Third  Edition.    3  Vols.    8vo.    30*. 

RASSAM'S  (HOKMUZD)  Narrative  of  the  British  Mission  to  Abys- 
sinia. With  Notices  of  the  Countries  Traversed  from  Massowah  to 
Magdala.  Illustrations.  2  Vol.-:.  Svo.  28*. 

RAWLINSON'S  (CANON)  Herodotus.  A  New  English  Ver- 
sion. Edited  with  Motes  and  Essays.  Third  Edition.  Maps  and 
Woodcut.  4  Vols.  8vo. 

Five    Great    Monarchies    of   Chaldsea,    Assyria, 

Media,  Babylonia,  and  Persia.    Tldrd  Edition.    With  Maps  and  Illus- 
trations.   3  Vols.    Svo.    42*. 

(SiK  HENRY)  England  and  Russia  in  the  East ;  a 


Series  of  Papers  on  the  Political  and  Geographical  Condition  of  Central 
Asia.  Map.  8vo. 

REED'S  (E.  J.)  Shipbuilding  in  Iron  and  Steel;  a  Practical 
Treatise,  giving  full  details  of  Construction,  Processes  of  Manufacture, 
and  Building  Arrangements.  With  5  Plans  and  250  Woodcuts.  8vo.  30*. 

•  Iron  -  Clad    Ships ;    their    Qualities,    Performances,    and 
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Illustrations.    8vo.    12s. 

REJECTED  ADDRESSES  (THE).    By  JAMES  AND  HORACE  SMITH. 

New  Edition.  Woodcuts.  Post  8vo.  3s.  6d. ;  or  Popular  Edition,  Fcap. 
8vo.  1*. 

RENNIE'S  (D.  F.)  British  Arms  in  Peking,  1860.  Post  8vo.    12s. 
Narrative  of  the  British  Embassy  in  China.    Illus- 
trations. 2  Vols.    Post  8vo.    24*. 

—  Story  of  Bhotan  and  the  Dooar  War.    Map  and 

Woodcut.    PostSvo.     12*. 

RESIDENCE  IN  BULGARIA  ;  or,  Notes  on  the  Resources  and 
Administration  of  Turkey,  &c.  By  S.  G.  B.  ST.CLAIB  and  CHARLES  A. 
BROPHY.  8vo.  12«. 

REYNOLDS'  (SiR  JOSHUA)  Life  and  Times.  By  C.  R.  LESLIE, 
R.A.  and  TOM  TASLOR.  Portraits.  2  Vols.  8vo. 

RICARDO'S  (DAVID)    Political  Works.    With  a  Notice  of  his 

Life  and  Writings.    By  J.  R.  M'CuLLOCH.    2?ev>  Edition.    8vo.    16*. 

RIPA'S  (FATHER)  Thirteen  Years'  Residence  at  the  Court  of  Peking. 

PostSvo.    2*. 

ROBERTSON'S  (CANON)  History  of  the  Christian  Church,  from 

the  Apostolic  Age  to  the  Reformation,  1517.  Library  Edition.  4  Vols. 
8vo.  Cabinet  Edition.  8  Vols.  PostSvo.  6*.  each. 

—  How  shall  we  Conform  to  the  Liturgy.  1 2mo.  9*. 
ROME.    See  LIDDELL  and  SMITH. 

ROWLAND'S  (DAVID)  Manual  of  the  English  Constitution. 
Its  Rise,  Growth,  and  Present  State.  Post  8vo.  10*.  6d. 

Laws  of  Nature  the  Foundation  of  Morals.  Post  8  TO.  6*. 

ROBSON'S  (E.  R.)  SCHOOL  ARCHITECTURE.    Being  Prac- 

tical  Remarks  on  the  Planning,  Designing,  Building,  and  Furnishing 
of  School-houses.  With  300  Illustrations  of  School-buildings  in  aU 
Parts  of  the  World,  drawn  to  scale.  Medium  Svo.  31s.  64 

RUNDELL'S  (MRS.)  Modern  Domestic  Cookery.  Fcap.  Svo.    55. 


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RUXTON'S  (GEOBGB  P.)  Travels  in  Mexico;  with  Adventures 
among  the  Wild  Tribes  and  Animals  of  the  Prairies  and  Rocky  Moun- 
tains. Post  Svo.  3s.  6d. 

ROBINSON'S  (REV.  Da.)  Biblical  Researches  in  Palestine  and  the 

Adjacent  Regions,  1838— 52.     Third  Edition.    Maps.   SVols.   Svo.  42«. 
—  Physical  Geography  of  the  Holy  Land.     Post  Svo. 
Klc.CC 

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Edition.    With  70  Illustrations.     Crown  Svo.  [Kcarly  ready. 

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the  Trojan  Plain.  Edited  by  PHILIP  SMITH,  B.A.  With  Maps,  Plans, 
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SCROPE'S  (G.  P.)   Geology  and  Extinct  Volcanoes  of  Central 

France.    Illustrations.    Medium  Svo.  30*. 
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SHIRLEY'S  (EVELYN  P.)  Deer  and  Deer  Parks ;  or  some  Account 
of  English  Parks,  with  Notes  on  the  Management  of  Deer.  Illus- 
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28  LIST  OF  WORKS 


SMITH'S  (Dp.  WM.)  Dictionary  of  the  Bible;  its  Antiquities, 
Biography,  Geography,  and  Natural  History.  Illustrations.  3  Vols. 
8vo.  105*. 

Christian  Antiquities.  Comprising 

the  History,  Institutions,  and  Antiquities  of  the  Christian   Church.     J 
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Biography  and  Doctrines; 

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(In  Preparation. 

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/    4       j.   4 


UNIVERSITY  of  CALIFORNIA 

AT 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA,  LOS  ANGELES 

THE  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below 


AUG13194* 
MAY  2  7  1950 

DEC  2  7  19501 
APR  10  1951 
JAN  1  7 1958 


• 


A     000  978  033     9 


•