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THROUGH NEW GUINEA AND
THE GANNIBAL GOUNTRIES
Through New Guinea
and the Cannibal Countries
By H. Cayley-'^ebster + •!■
WITH iuA:srRA'no,\>^ and map
LONDON : T. FISHER UNWIN
PATERNOSTER SQUARE. 1898
{All rights refiervrd .)
ro
The Hosbi.e, WALTER ROTHSCII/LP.
PREFACE.
Within the pa^es of the following book I have endea-
voured to describe, from my own personal obsei*vations,
the manners and customs of inhabitants of the various
countries I visited and passed through, who are almost
entirely unknown to the European. In the interior of
German New Guinea I traversed a greater distance on foot
than any white man has done before or since, and on that
expedition I discovered the non-existence of a range of
mountains previously marked on the chart.
In a paper read before the lioyal Geographical Society
I explained some of the great difficulties and dangers one
has to overcome and pass through before such material
work can be accomplished. But in this book I have
written a fuller account of that journey, as well as that
of a later cruise extending over a period of three years.
The Appendix has been very kindly added by my
friends, the Honourable Walter Rothschild, Dr. Hartert,
and Dr. Jordan, of Tring, whom I have also to thank
for so much other assistance rendered to me during
my travels.
The majority of illustrations are from photographs
taken by myself, but for the few which were not I am
indebted to Richard Parkinson, of Ralum, and other
gentlemen with whom I met, and who kindly presented
vii ' ♦
viii PREFACE,
them at a time when I was either without plates, or those
I had were useless owing to the severity of the climate.
It now only remains to be said that if my patient
reader will bear with me to the end, I shall indeed be
grateful, and shall consider that my shortcomings have
been indulgently overlooked, and that my task has been
thoroughly successful. For the rest, allow me to thank
all those who so kindly assisted me daring my expeditions,
but whose names I have not been able to individually
mention here, and I hope the day may come when I shall
be permitted to return, hi some way, the many kindnesses
I received at the hands of those whom it was my good
fortune to meet during my travels in the Eastern
Hemisphere.
OsTEND, August 11, 1898.
CONTENTS.
PART I.
CHAPTER I.
PAOP.
THK FIRST EXPEDITION — TITE START — ARRIVAL AT SINGAPORE- THE
PALACE OF H.H. SULTAN OF JOHORE — THE TOWN OF JOHORE . 1
CHAPTER TI.
WEDDING OF THE CROWN PRINCE, THE PRESENT REIONING SULTAN 7
CHAPTER III.
ON BOARD THE NORTH GERMAN LLOYD STEAMER *' LUBECK " —
JAVANESE LABOUR COOLIES- GAMBLINCJ ON BOARD - ARRIVAL
IN NEW GUINEA — HEAD-QUARTERS OF THE ASTROLABE BAY
COMPANY — SIMBANG MISSION STATION — A NATIVK VILLAGE —
NATIVES — A JOURNEY UP THE SADDLEBER(» .... 19
CHAPTER IV.
DEATH OF AN OFFICIAL — NATIVES CARRY HIS- EXCELLENCY'S PIANO
— THE START FOR THE INTERIOR 33
CHAPTER V.
WE BID GOODBYE TO HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR — ASTONISHED
NATIVES — ANGRY NATIVES — WE SHOOT SOME PARADISE BIRDS —
ONE OF OUR MEN CATCHES A STRANGE MAMMAL —AM ATTACKED
WITH RHEUMATIC FEVER 86
ix
X CONTENTS.
CHAPTER VI.
PAOE
WE FELL A TREE TO CROSS THE RH'ER — ARE MET BY A FEW
NATn'ES : THEY SPEAK THE BOKAJIM DULECT — SOURCE OF
THE Rn'ER MINJEM — A LABORIOUS ASCENT — ARE OBLIGED TO
CUT OUR WAY — THE SUMMIT — NO BISMARCK MOUNTAINS —
CANNOT FIND NATIVES — BAD WATER — WE START ON THE
RETURN JOURNEY 48
CHAPTER VII.
THE DESCENT — ONE MAN DIES— PHOTOORAPH OF THE SOURCE OF
THE RIVER — A (H)OD DAY's MARCH — WE SEND TO DUMBU FOR
FOOD — HARDLY ANY OBTAINABLE — HOSTILE NATIVES — THE
LOVE OF RED PAINT — DUMBU VILLAGE -A NARROW ESCAPE
WE SHOOT A WILD BOAR — DISSATISFIED NATIVES — ATTACKED
BY NATIVES — WE KILL ONE MAN IN THE ACT OF DRAWING
HIS BOW — ARRIVE BACK ON THE C(»AST — SEVERE ATTACK
OF FEVER — RETURN TO FREDERICUWILHELMSHAFEN — WITNESS
A CHRISTENING — A NATIVE DANCE — NATIVE FEAST — TASTY
MORSELS — WE BID FAREWELL 49
CHAPTER VIII.
NEW BRITAIN — THE IMPERIAL JUDGE TAKEN FOR A PUBLICAN —
HERBERTSOH — RALUM — THE PLANT.\TIONS OF MRS. KOLBE —
CANNIBALISM — THRILLING ESCAPE — NATIVE DANCE — ARRFV^AL
OF THE MAN-OF-WAR — DESTRUCTION OF NATIVE VILLAGES — A
CLEVER NATIVE — A BULLET-PROOF OINTMENT — MORE DEVICES
FOR RAISING THE WIND — NATIVE MARKET . . . .68
CHAPTER IX.
BISHOP COUPE — ROMAN CATHOLIC MISSION — FAREWELL TO NEW
BRITAIN — AN ILL-FATED EXPEDITION — ON THE WAY TO THE
SOLOMON ISLANDS — ARRIVE AT RUBIANA — SUICIDE OF A NATIVE
GIRL — MURDER OF A TRADER — THE TRADERS — A VISIT FROM
INGOVA, THE GREATEST CHIEF IN NEW GEORGIA — A TRIP UP
THE RUBIANA LAGOON — MEET WITH UNFRIENDLY NATIVES —
PHOTOGRAPHY UNDER DIFFICULTIES 97
CHAPTER X.
THE FATE OF THE "ESPERANZA" — PREPARING FOR A DEATH FEAST
— SOLOMON ISLAND WAR CANOES — A HOUSE OF SKULLS — WE
VISIT THE ISLAND OF Y8ABEL — HOSPITABLE NATIVES — NATIVES
WHO BUILD THEIR HOUSES ON TREE-TOPS . . . .119
CONTENTS. xi
CHAPTER XI.
PAGE
DISCOVERY OF THK SOLOMON ISLANDS — NAXrVE TYPES — MURDERS —
MANY ENGLISHMEN KILLED 134
CHAPTER XII.
VOYAGE TO SHORTLAND — I BREED THE ORNITHOPTERA — NARROW
ESCAPE FROM THE NATIVES — VOYAGE TO SYDNEY — HOME . 141
PART II.
CHAPTER I.
ARRIVAL IN JAVA — BATAVIA — THK VICTORY OF THE DUTCH AT
WATERLOO — BEAUTIFUL BUITENZORG — THE BOTANICAL GAR-
DENS — PALACE OF THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL — A TEA ESTATE —
A ZO()LO(JICAL COLLECTION — MY VISIT TO A HEALTH RESORT
— A NATrV'E THEATRE 144
CHAPTER II.
NATIVES ARE UNWILLIN<i TO ACCOMPANY MK - WK TAKE ON BOARD
DYNAMITE — JAVA A TROPICAL (lAKDKN — THK BEAUTIFUL WOMEN
OF BALI — RUINS OF HINDOO TKMPLKS — LOMBOK — PALACE OF
THE LATE SULTAN — THE LOMBOK WAR — DKFKAT OF THE
DUTCH — THE SUTTEE: SELF-SACRIFICING WOMEN — MACASSAR
— EXCITABLE NATIVES — STORY OF TWO MEN WITH ONE
WIFE 156
CHAPTER III.
I ARRIVE AT AMBOYNA — COSTUMES OF THE NATIVES — GREAT
DESTRUCTION BY EARTHQUAKE — THE RESIDENCY - I ENGAGE
SOME HUNTERS — NATIVE FONDNESS FOR L-\W — BANDA — THE
GARDEN OF MOLUCCAS — NUTME(J PLANTATIONS — AN ANCIENT
PORTUGUESE FORT — ARRIVAL IN NEW GUINEA — MURDER OF A .
MISSIONARY — I DEPART FOR THE KEI ISLANDS . . . 167
CHAPTER IV.
ARRIVE AT TOEAL, KEI ISLANDS — I OCCUPY THE PRISON — INTERVIEW
THE RESIDENT — LAZY NATIVES — I BREED QUANTITIES OF THE
ORNITHOPTERA PEGASUS — AN ABUNDANCE OF USH . . . 176
xii COXTIiXTS.
CHAPTER V.
PAOE
DEPART FOR ARU — ARRIVAL AT DOBBO- CHKAP STORKS- I SHOOT
SOME DKER — I KXGAGK SOME HUNTERS- A SCURVY TRICK —
I MOVE ON TO MAYKROR — WE RUN ON TO A REEF — THE
MURDER OF A CHINESE TRADER — MY HUNTERS DESERT ME —
THE CHIEF STEALS MY CKIARS — I PURCHASE A LIVE PARADISE
BIRD 195
CHAPTER VI.
RETURN TO DOBBO — A (JAY SEASON — THE ARRIVAL OF THE
STEAMER — COCK FIGHTING — A NATIVE BURIAL GROUND
NATn'E LEGENDS — A DEAD CHIEF — A LOATHSOME CEREMONY
— MY STEWARD MUTINIES — ARRIVAL AT AIDOEMA — I VISIT
A WOMAN CHIEF — TRITON BAY — I DISCOVER THE ANCIENT
REMAINS OF FORMER ENGLISH HABITATIONS — TERRIBLE MAN
TRAPS — DEPART FOR ETNA BAY 205
CHAPTER VII.
A NATIVE PILOT — HE DESERTS ME— CONTRARY WINDS AND CURRENTS
— TRAVEL THREE HUNDRED MILES FOR NOTUINi* — ARRIVE IN
KYAMAKA BAY — ETNA BAY — ARRIVAL OF NATIVES — POINTED
TEETH — TERRIBLE FIGHT WITH NATIVES — THREE OF MY MEN
MURDERED — CONTINUOUS FIGHTIN(4 — I CAPTURE THE CHIEF —
LEAVE ETNA BAY — RETURN TO TOEAL— DUTCH GOVERNMENT
— THE DRY SEASON — SCARCITY OF LIVING CREATURES — THE
QUEEN OF Holland's birthday — arrival of mail steamer
— I depart for port DARWIN 216
CHAPTER VIII.
THE HARBOUR AT PORT DARWIN — THE CABLE COMPANY'S HEAD-
QUARTERS — THE TERMINUS OF THE TRANS - CONTINENTAL
RAILWAY — CHINATOWN — I TAKE UP MY QUARTERS AT THE
RESIDENCY — A CORROBORBE — .\N ABORIGINAL'S CAMP — PORT
DARWIN AS AN IMPORTANT SEAPORT — ARRIVAL AT THURSDAY
ISLAND — THE PEARL FISHERY — NUMBERS OF JAPANESE — THE
ARRIVAL OF THE YACHT — I DEPART FOR NEW GUINEA — YULE
ISLAND — OPPOSITION MISSIONS — PORT MORESBY — I WATCH A
WOMAN BEIN(i TATOOED- THE *' MERRIE ENGLAND" — VOYAGE
TO SAMARAI — MISSION STATION AT KWATO— THE ONLY STONE
CHURCH IN NEW GUINEA — THE NATIVES — I LOSE MY FAVOURITE
DOG — DEPARTURE FOR NEW BRITAIN 240
CONTENTS. xiii
CHAPTER IX.
CHAPTER X.
PAGE
THE CHINA STRAITS— THE TROBRIAND ISLANDS — BEAUTIFUL NATIVE
CARVINGS — EBONY — A NATIVE PEARL FISHERY — THE NATIVES
OFFER ME TOMAHAWKS FOR SALE — THE DISCOVERY OF NEW
IRELAND- ST. GEORGE*S CHANNEL — I ARRIVE IN BLANCHE BAY
— I (JIVE A CONJURING ENTERTAINMENT — THE DE^^L-DEVIL —
DUKE OF YORK ISLANDS — MIOKO— THE GRAVES OF MURDERED
EUROPEANS — NATIVE FESTIVITIES — THE DUK - DUK — I AM
POISONED BY A FISH — A NARROW ESCAPE FROM DEATH — I
AM LAID UP WITH FEVER — METHOD OF RECRUITING LABOUR -
WOMEN MANUFACTURIN(» NAVIVE MONEY — LOCAL BUTTERFLIES
— ABUNDANCE OF FISH — THE MIOKO TREE AS A LANDMARK . 258
A BAD GALE — I AM OBLIGED TO RETURN TO MiOKO — A FRESH START
— NEW IRELAND NATIVES — STEFFAN STRAITS — NATIVES BRIN(i
CANOE LOADS OF PINEAPPLES — I MEET A FRENCH TRADER IN
AN OPEN BOAT — I AM PRESENT AT A NATIVE DANCE WHICH
TOOK TEN YEARS TO PREPARE -WE ARRIVE AT KUNG — A THIEF
— THE DESTRUCTION OF A VILLAGE- STRAN(JE NATIVE HEAD-
DRESS — THE NATIVES COLLECT BEETLES CURIOUS NATIVE
IDEAS — PALMISTRY — ONE OF MY SAILORS RUNS AWAY —
PROBABLY EATEN BY NATIVES — MEN AND WOMEN QUITE NAKED
— I START FOR THE ADMIRALTY ISLANDS .... 279
CHAPTER XI.
THE ADMIRALTY ISLANDS — EXCITEMENT OF THE NATIVES — ST.
GABRIEL ISLAND — I RECEIVE A VISIT FROM THE CHIEF —
PECULIAR STYLE OF DRESSINCi THE HAIR — NATIVE COSTUME —
A VISIT FROM A WOMAN — THE NATIVES ARE TOO DANGEROUS
TO PERMIT OF OUR LANDING —THE MURDERERS OF A WHITE
M.\N — THE CHIEF STEALS MY HAMMER — I DISCOVER AN
UNCHARTED PATCH OF ROCK — I DEPART FOR ADMIRALTY
ISLANDS 801
CHAPTER XII.
SMART NATrVES -FRIENDLY SALUTATIONS — EXTRAORDINARY 3IEMORY
— ARRANT THIEVES— NO WOMEN — THE NATIVES CONTEMPLATE
KILLING ME — SPEAR WOUNDS ON NATIVES -- COWARDICE — MY
OWN MEN ARE VERY FRIGHTENED — VERY RICH ISLANDS -
NATIVE VOCABULARY 814
t;
xiv COXTEXrS.
i, CHAPTER XIII.
\
I
■ (
I
'I
I.
J I
f
,«
PAOB
LEAVE THE ADMIRALTY ISLANDS -WE ARE WRECKED ON A
REEF OFF NEW IRELAND — RETURN TO NEW BRITAIN— CHINESE
CARPENTERS REPAIR THE YACHT — THE HOT SPRINGS IN BLANCHE
BAY — THE BOILING RIVER — THE BEEHIVES — EXPERT FEMALE
DIVERS— I LEAVE FOR THE SOLOMON ISLANDS — CALL AT SIR
CHARLES HARDY ISLANDS — I DISCOVER THE MURDER OF AN
ENGLISHMAN — I PHOTOGRAPH THE ASSASSINS — STORY OF A
WHITE MAN SWEI»T AWAY IN A BOAT AND KILLED AND EATEN
BY NATIVES — AN ACTIVE VOLCANO — BOUGANVILLE — DANGEROUS
NATIVES — THE CANNIBAL WHO WANTS A SOVEREIGN — H.M.S.
"rapid" PUTS ME IN QUARANTINE — IVORY NUTS — I START FOR
AUSTRALIA — ANOTHER ACCIDENT — RETURN TO THE SOLOMONS
— H.M.S. *' wallaroo" — THE YACHT CONDEMNED — I LEAVE FOR
AUSTRALIA IN THE MAN-OF-WAR 820
CHAPTER XIV.
.| STRANGE NATIVE CUSTOMS — METHOD OF COOKING FOOD — SALT
■} WATER SOLD FOR THE INTERIOR — NATIVE I-ISH - HOOKS -
? DISEASE — NATIVES WITH MANY WIVES — YOUNG GIRLS WITH
LARGE FAMILIES — TREACHEROUS PEOPLE — REUGION — TOTAL
EXTINCTION OF THE RACK — FINIS 852
APPENDICES 859
INDEX 888
t (
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
ISTANA
I8TAXA ZAHKAU ....
TOWN OF JOHORK BAKHA
THK ROYAL BATH
BAMBOO ARl'H, .lOHORE .
A (JKOL'P AT THK ROYAL MARRLV(iK
A I'KKF IN THK PALACK (iROUNDS
FRKDKRKHWILHKLMSHAFKN .
CO.VSTAL VILLA(iK, NKW Ol'INKA .
A TOBACCO PLANTATION. NKW (ICINKA
NKW OUINKA NATIVKS .
NKW <iriNKA WOMKN .
LANI>IN(i SOL'TH-KAST NKW (H'lNKA
VILLAOK, NKW OUIXKA
AN UNFRIKNDLY VILLAOK
A (IROUP OF NATIVKS .
SOURCK OF THK RIVKR MINJKM
DUMBU VILLAGK ....
OURSKLVKS AT DUMBU
MAN .\ND WOMAN
THK visitors' HOUSK, NKW (tUINKA VILLA(J
A WKALTHY CHIEF FROM THK INTKRIOR WITH UPP
KACH HALF SKWN UP INTO HIS NOSTRILS AS
RALUM, NKW BRITAIN .
TYPK OF NKW BRITAIN NATIVK
TYPK OF NKW BRITAIN NATIVK
THK VOLCANO, BLANCHE BAY
BLANCHK B.VY, NKW BRITAIN
NATH'E CHIEF, NEW BRITAIN
THE CRATER ....
R LI
ORNJ
P SLIT
KNT
\M
AND
VTION
PA(iK
2
3
T)
9
11
18
17
21
24
25
28
29
31
37
38
44
47
r,i
63
ar,
(57
68
69
71
73
76
XVI
IJST OF fLLrSTRATIOXS.
N.VTH'K 3f.VRKF.T. RALUM
NATHE MODK OF CARRYINCt ....
A NKW BRITAIN CHIKF . : . . .
RICH CHIEF IN THE INTERIOR WITH His WIVES AND C
A NATIVE DANCE, NEW BRITAIN ....
GATHERING OF NEW BRITAIN NATIVE^ .
BISHOP <'OUFK AND HIS CHILDREN — THE BOYS
BISHOP COUPES CHILDREN — THE GIRLS
SISTERS OF THE MISSION
X.\TIVE DANCE ON MRS. PARKINSON'S BIRTHDAY .
IN(ti)« A ........
VIEW IN THE RUBIANA LA(tOON ....
PAN<JA PANGA VILLAGE IN Rl'BIANA LAGOON
NATIVE GIRLS OF LILLIO
SOLOMON ISLAND WAR CANOK ....
RUBIANA NATIVE SHOWING DISTENDED EARS
A TREE HOUSE, YSABEL ISLAND ....
RUBIANA LA(M)ON NATIVE WITH DISTENDED EARS
VIEW FROM THE HEKJHTS OF PO-PO. YSABEL ISLAND
PO-PO VILLAGE, YSABEL ISLAND ....
MYSELF WITH MY NATIVE HUNTERS
THE CONCORDIA MILITARY CLUB, BATAVIA
KIN<rs PLAIN, BATAVIA
GOVERNOR-CiENEKAL's PALACE, BUITENZOHG
THE V<>LCANO. BUITENZOKG ....
A BANTlN(i WILD COW AND CALF OF JAVA CROSSING
THE .lUNiJLK
AMBOYNA ........
M-UN STREET OF AMBOYNA
THE OKNITHOITERA BREEDING ....
A NATIVE FORiJE, KEI ISLANDS ....
ETNA BAY, THE SCENE OF OUR FIGHT
THE SCENE OF THE MURDERS OF ,TOHNSTON AND S.\M
THE HOME OF MY WOULD-BE MURDERERS
A MALAY DANCE .......
A DANi E IN WHICH NONE BUT THOSE OF THE HIGHER
PERMITTED TO TAKE PART ....
THE NATIVES BRING ME VEGETABLES, ETC., T(» BUY
PORT MORESBY .......
A NATIVE (iIRL .......
A VILLACiE BELLE ......
THREE SISTERS .......
A <tRoUP OF NATIVES ......
PAGE
77
79
83
CHILDREN .
85
89
91
96
99
. 103
. 105
. 109
111
. 115
. 117
121
123
. 1*26
. 127
. 129
. 131
. 137
146
. 147
. 149
. 151
\ RIVER IN
154
168
171
179
183
222
226
229
235
CASTE ARE
287
245
246
247
248
'249
. 251
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
xvn
KWATO MISSION HOUSK
NATIVKS ........
A TYPICAL NKW GUINEA RKSIDKNCK
TYPK OF NATIVE
A NATIVE GIRL
A CONJURING ENTERTAINMENT ....
THE GRAVEYARD AT MIOKO
A GROUP OF THE DUK DUK ....
THE DUK DUK
NATIVE DANCE
A NATIVE MARKET
A NEW IRELAND GIRL ;
N.\TIVE GIRL
A TRIBAL FIGHT, NEW HANOVER ....
A VILLACiE ON THE ISLAND OF KUNG, NKW HANOVER
NEW HANOVER NATIVES ON BOARD . :
TWO NEW HANOVER MEN WITH THKIU WIVES
A FEMALE DANCE
KANAU, A CHIEF OF ST. (iABRIEL
ADMIRALTY ISLANDERS
A TYPICAL VILLAGE IN THE INTERIOR OF NEW BRITAIN
A NEW BRITAIN GIANT 6 FEET J) INCHES IN HEIGHT
THE HOT SPRIN(J, BLANCHE BAY ....
THE TWO CHIEF'S AT NO ROUP ....
NISSAM, A TRADINCi STATION ....
NATIVES OF NISSAM WHERE OLIVER BEAVIS WAS MURDERED
GROUP OF WOMEN, SIR CHARLES HARDY ISLAND .
MEN AND WOMEN, SIR CHARLES HARDY ISLAND
A NATIVE OF BUKA, SOLOMON ISLAND .
.ATTACKED
PAOK
2.14
2r>tt
260
261
263
265
268
269
271
275
280
281
285
287
291
295
299
'm\
807
«23
3-25
829
831
335
337
341
843
846
•I ."• "
THROUGH NEW (irTNEA.
PART I.
CHAITKIC I.
THK FiKST KxrHDiriox Tin: staim" vkhival at sin(;a-
POHK — TIIK PALACK OF H.H. Sl'I/IAN ol' .loHOHK —
THH TOWN OF .lolIOIJF.
On Au<,aist 4, ls<):^. 1 hjt London on the \\ S: (). stcjuncr
BaJJarnt, JU-conipMnicd 1>\ (';i|>t;iin Cotton, Ji friend wlio
WHS witli nic tln-ou«,diout my first cxiu'dition, to New
(riiincji, trjinslii|)|)in<^' at ('olond)o into the lioliilhi,
tmotluT W sk (). stcjinier, which took us as far as
Sinijjiipore. Th(T(* we found wc should he ohli^^cd to
wait seven weeks hefore ])rocee(hn^^ to our destination,
as the mail service hetween New Guinea and Sin^^apore
was onlv hi-monthlv. We therefore made u]) our minds
to avail ourselves of the hospitality held out hy liis
Hi<jjlniess the Sultan of Johore, whom I had previously
met and paid a visit to in the Isle of Wi^dit. So after
a few days spent in Sin^^apore we went on to the Istana,
the Sultan's beautiful residence in Johore. On our
arrival W'o wen^ most kindlv received hv the Crown I'rince
and tlie Prime Minister, the Dato Metri.
2 THROVGH NEW Gi'IXEA.
The state of Johore, wliicli la situated at the extreme
Boutli end r)f the Malay Peninsula, in indei>en(lent, and is
t^oveniod by tlie Sultan, a faithful ally to Great Britain,
ami whi). until his ileath, which lias occurred since my
visit there, was a well-known fifjure in English and
continental society.
Tlie majority of his officials who administrate his little
kinttdom are Uritish, and althouKl' ''^ i** under a treaty to
accept a reprcstuitative of our (iovernnicnt at his court,
it is most unlikely that such an occurrence will ever t^ke
place so louf,' as affairs are carried out as they ai'e to-day.
The palace, or Istana as it is called, is built in the
usual style of eastern palaces, containing a great number
of reception rooms, the finest perhaps being the dining,
drawing, and ball rooms, each about eighty feet in length.
THE PALACE AT J OH ORE. 3
One entire wing of the palace '\v, set apart lor baclielors,
the whole being luoHt luxuiioiisly fiinuslied throughout,
although perhaps to our European tastes a little too
gorgeously. The grounds are very extensi\c and ex-
quisitely laid out, and dotted alx)ut here and there
aniongfit rare palms of the east, may be seen picturesque
and beautifully built edifices, the residences of court
officials. About a hundred and fifty yards distant from
the palace is another edifice lately erccti'd for the Tiinku
Makota, Crown Prince and his hridc. i'or the son of the
Sultan was about to be married.
A channing little bungalow on the left, and higher
up a slope, catches the eye fui' its picturcsqueness,
and one does not need to he tuld tliat it is the
4 THROl'GII XEW CriXEA,
alxxle of an Ent^lishnian. Here resides the Marine
Superintendent, Mr. Ker. Farther down the avenue
throuf^h the trees can be seen the Istana Zahrah ; Hke
the pahice itself it is ^niardod by the Sultan's sentries.
As a huildin*^ it is even larjjjer than the Istana proper,
and is inhabited by the feminine ix)rtion of the royal
family. Yet another buildinj^ still further on, called the
Bali Besar, was especially built for the solemnisation of
the marria^^e ceremony of the Crown Prince. It is built
in the sha])e of a cross, is floored with white marble, and
has massive stone pillars from end to end within ; and in
the centre of the buil(lin<( is erected a raised dais on
which the bnde<^n'oom has to under»j:o the nuptial cere-
mony. The whole interior was dra]>ed with yellow silk
han<^nn^'s, and when at ni^dit the structure was lighted
by means (»f candles set in ma^^mificent cut-glass
chandeliers, it imi)arted a very gorgeous and dazzling
effect.
The roval stables contained some thirty horses, and
all sorts and conditions of carnages, from the gilded state
conveyance, with its orange satin upholstery, to the
lowly 'rickshaw — tlie whole presided over by an English-
man.
The town of Johore lies at the foot of the palace
grounds, containing about nine thousand inhabitants, of
whom the ubiquitous Chinese pred(miinate. The principal
landing place is named the Edinburgh Pier, and was built
in connnemoration of the visit of his Royal Highness the
Duke of Edinburgh to Johore some years ago. The town
contains a gaol, hospital, club, and many other minor
buildings of less importance. Overlooking the town can
be seen the Fort, the quarters of the Johore forces.
CHAPTER II.
WEDDING OF THE CROWN PRINCE, THE PRESENT REIGNING
SULTAN.
I WAS fortunate enough to be here at the time when the
Crown Prince who, since liis father's death, has been
crowned Sultan, was married to his cousin. The ceremony,
whicli of course, being Kastern, was of a most gorgeous
nature, took about tliree weeks to accompHsli. The
preUminary ceremony, performed on the '21st of September,
was principally noteworthy for the absence of the bride.
Various passages from the Koran were read oyer by the
high priest to the bridegroom, who stood upon the dais
in the Bali Besar, surrounded by an enormous retinue
and numerous guests.
A few minutes sufiiced for this portion of the proceed-
ings, and after prostrating himself and a great deal of
handshaking he returned to the Istana, where he
remained in his own apartments guarded by sixteen
women, and from then, until the following Thursday,
according to the Mahometan rite, he was not allowed
outside. On that day a second and far more imposing
ceremony took place, the Crown Prince appearing in
most gorgeous apparel of cloth of gold — with the palms
of his hands, his nails, and his feet, which were bare,
dyed a brilHant red, according to the Malay custom. A
procession was fonned in the following order : —
1. The Royal Ensign.
S TflROl'GH XliW CCIXEA.
2. The niilitary bniss hand of the Johore forces.
:i The Cahiilis (hiard.
4. The Ciiiides, consistin^jf of four Princes in a state
coac'li.
5. A state coacli containin;^ two Royal Kris Panjang
Bearers. The Hearer of the State Sword, and the Bearer
of the Koval Betel ]^ox.
«
<). The hride^^Tooni in a t^ilded state carria<^e drawn
hv a beautiful team of horses, and accompanied by two
princes as groomsmen.
7. Twelve of the Hoval l^odvtruard who marched at
equal distances apart on either side of the state carriage.
S. Four roval carria<(es containin<' the sixteen woni3ii
who had been in attendance during the past week, each
carryinjj: the roval candlestick.
U. I'he Koval Malav Militarv (luard.
* • « '
10. Connnandant of the Johore Forces.
11. Koyal cai'iiages and guests.
TIk.' wholes rorthjc ])i'oceeded at a foot's pace through
the principal streets of the town, and eventually readied
the Tstana Zahrah. where the bridegroom held a reception.
On the followin*^' Tui'sday evening the bride made her
hrst ap[)earance to the pubh'c, accompanied by the
brid(*groom ; for on this occasion they were to partake of
the pubHc bath, a custom never omitted, and the most
essential ])art of a ]\lalay lioyal wedding. This bath
]'es(nnl)Ies somewhat a monument, the sunnnit of which is
reached by short, steep steps, upon which the Koyal retinue
of women were seated. At the top, and sunnounted by a
gilded dome, a fountain is in such a way manipulated
as to throw water over the whole structure from top to
bottom, consequently, when the Prince and his bride
arrived beneath the dome, water whi(.'h had been laid on
from a reservoir, some two niih's distant, was suddenly
started and the whole assembly drenched to the skin.
THE ROYAL BATH. 9
The beauty of tliis function, wliicli took place at night,
was greatly enhanced by tlie fact that the whole scene
was lit up by thousands of fairy lights and Japanese
lanterns in all colours. After a gorgeous display of
fireworks and the Sultan's national anthem per-
fonned by the bands in attendance, the lioyal couple
descended, and the nuptials were complete, and the
Crown Prince and his l)ride were considered man and
wife.
if^
'a.'w ^
*iiT
TilK KOYAL BATH.
On the following week another royal wedding took ])lace,
the bridegroom on this occasion being " Unku Salaman,"
a nephew of the Sultan. Although not so much gorgeous
dis])lav was exhibited, this ceremony was exceedinfrlv
interesting. The bridegroom was an hour and three
quarters late, and consetjuently we were all ke[)t
waiting. On his arrival he told us his bri<le's brother,
whose consent as her gunnlian was indispensable, was
missing, and he was eventually discovered in the middle
lo THROUGH XEW GlIXEA,
of a ^aiiie of billiards in a house some half a mile away.
I aftorwanls learned from another member of the Royal
family, that the real reason of the bridegroom's absence
was accomited for from the fact that he had fallen asleep
on the verandah of his own house.
The long delay was in a way a greater punishment to
me. inasnnich as I was obliged to sit in Eastern fa«hion
until my legs became very numbed and painful.
When he did, however, arrive, he was accompanied by
the judge of his district, sword-bearers, and eight female
attendants, who chanted Malay melodies throughout the
whole proceedings.
This wedding niatta'ially diflfered from the more
imposing ceremony of the Crown Prince, inasmuch as it
was completed in three days.
After the High Priest had pronounced his Benediction,
the bridegroom was Ic'd behind a screen at the end of the
room, and tliere, before twenty girls, whom I perceived
squatting on the floor, changed his dress, to one literally
ablaze with gold and diamonds, from the wonderful
ornament on his head to the bejewelled slippers on his
feet. After having n^ceived our individual congratula-
tions, he repaired to the Istana Zahrah, where we followed
him and found all the doors barred and zealously guarded
by the ladies of the harem, as according to Malay custom
a tax is levied before the bridegroom can gain admission
to his bride. We were all, therefore, invited to help pay
the tax, and many were the dollars, gold pieces, and notes
thrown over the door to tluj eager sirens within. By
this means door after door was opened to us ; one door
only remained, but alas ! the funds of the whole company
had l)ecome entirely exhausted, the only remaining coin
that could be found l)eing a bad dollar, which had been
palmed oif on me by a wily Chinaman the day before ;
however, it answered well enough, and the remaining door
I
I
M Y SER VA NTS TA S TE FOR CHA MP A ONE. 1 5
was passed, but we found that a more exciting part of the
performance was yet to come.
At the top of the stairs stood the bride, but between
her and the attacking male party were at least a hundred
ladies. Tiirough these we had to force our way, and
eventually, very hot and exhausted, we reached the bride
and handed her over to the l)ridegro()m, who was placed
upon a magnificently gilded couch to again receive the
congratulations of his guests. After being presented with
a marriage favour I retired, accompanied by the Crown
Prince, and adjourned to the Johore Club, where the rest
of the evening was passed.
One evening, when dining alone with the admiral of
the Sultan's Heet, otherwise the Marine Superintendent,
in the palace, I was surprised to hear the butler opening
so many bottles of champagne. After three corks had
flown I said —
*' Surely the man's off his head ; what on earth is he
opening so many for? "
On being interrogated, he said he was only doing it for
my sake as the Tuan Ingris (HngHsh gentleman) was
very fond of champagne. I asked him in Malay what he
meant by such a statement. "Well," said he, "all I
know is that vour native servant comes down at least ten
«
times a day for a bottle of champagne for his master."
I need hardly say I had never sent for nor received any at
all. This had been going on for days, and my scoundrel
of a boy must have made a good thing selling wliat he
could not drink. I had at least the consolation of know-
ing that he had a little real pain as well, and his head
must have been sore for a week.
The remainder of our visit in Johore was occupied in
elephant and tiger shooting, which the Crown Prince
inaugurated for our benefit. A few days before leaving,
however, at tlie invitation of the Sultan, I drove over to
i6 THRorcii xiiw giixea.
Tyersall, his Singapore jmlace, over which lie ven* kindly
personally conducted nie. This palace, situated on a hill
two miles from the tow^n of Singapore, may justly lay claim
to the title of an Oriental palace of ^n-eat artistic desi^i.
It is of most suhstantial structure, with a verandah
of not less than a quarter of a mile in circumference.
Its marble floors, stately halls, magnificent reception and
ball rooms and spacious suites of sleeping apartments,
furnished and decorated throughout in a most princely
and luxurious manner, make it an edifice of singular
beauty and elegance.
The drawing-room furniture struck me as being
exceptionally unique — it was of cut-glass upholstered in
vellow satin.
The palace contains a collection of curious pictures,
bronzes, and other articles of vertu, which constitute
this palace without doubt by far the most beautiful
Euro])ean edifice in the East, as its owner is distinctly
the most hospitable of all Eastern potentates. I cannot
close this chapter, however, without expressing my
sincerest gratitude for the very kind treatment I received
at the hands of the late Sultan and his son, who now
reigns, and of all his officials, and I shall always look back
upon my visit there as two very ])leasant months.
CHAPTER TIL
ON HOAHI) THK NORTH (rERMAN LLOYD STEAMER
** LURECK '* — JAVANESE LABOUR COOLIES — GAMBLING
ON boar;) — ARRIVAL IN NEW GUINEA — HEAD-
QUARTERS OF THE ASTROLABE JiAY COMPANY —
SIMBANC; MISSION STATION- -A NATIVE VILLAGE —
NATIVES — A JOURNEY UP rill-: SADDLEBERG.
The ss. Luheck. wliich runs hctwcM^n (jcniian New
Guinea and Sinj^apore, was crowded with Cliinese coolies,
some two hundred in nund)er, wlio liad l)een en^^a«^a'd by
the New (luinca Company to work on tlR^ir tohacco phm-
tations. Our nine fellow-])ass(;n<{ers were on their way to
New Guinea to take u]) ditferent govermiient appoint-
ments there.
After two days we arrived at Batavia, the chief port
of Java, where we took on ])oard about a hundred
and tiftv Javanese coolies of both sexes, bound for the
same destination. The Dutch Government agent, who
shipped these unfortunate creatures, was, without ex-
ception, the most tyrannical bully it has ever been my
misfortune to come across, hitting and kicking the poor
people for no apparent reason, until I remonstrated and
censured him for his conduct.
Lnmediately the vessel left the port the Chinese
contractor who had come over from New Guiiu'a ex-
clusively to engage these labourers, proceeded t(^ open
19
I
:\-' 7.VA •■-,/.-• \F.ir iJVIXEA.
a i.'aiiil.iii;i: -^il .■:: i-.i«rt-n -irtrk- ■•n his own account,
ai-liii:: l.!m--r:f s- i':iTikrr Bv ihi> means the thirty
.J.illar- w]:!ih t-.i-i. ^-»:i-. i.:ii rtvrivt^l a* an advance
-if «:!-.-.. «..- -ivi \:.y irAn-.frrTt-.i !■■ his pockets. This
aj>iH;ir.-.I I.. \.- -.i ^^-;.i..::i;inr ]>r. xvedinj;. bnt I hope
I'<n:; |. f. tc \-::- •.;.-. a-.-.i-,T-.nt> haw l^vme cognisant of
tin- f:u-t. aii.l };livi- <ij>].rt~.^l the practice. I was toW
nil iiLi-t r.:::ii:i- :i:ii!;.-niv that the civilies on certain
I<l;miaii..n~ in X.ih^rlari.i- In.iia. on receinng their
iiiiiuial wai:.-. i;:\;iri;i1.iy nMuhV- H-ith the planter himself,
\\li....ii tli.-, .^v:i-i..!i> ;.;w^.y- acts a^ lianker. the pame
-'f |Kiu ..r faii-i:i WvAji !i.;ialiy piayeii. the result in these
iii>.{uiu-i-. li-.iii:: ilif ^:i:ii- \h:\i i-aiiiv to pass on board the
l.ithr,!;. ■|'|„- f!iiii..:i:iiv. i^ ni.-si iin.l.iuhte<lly an in-
v.-t.i-jil.' y;iiul.Ur : thaT aTii tin- hal.it .'f opiuiu smoking
fir.- l.is tw.. iii.ii^|Miisit.;,- h-.\-,in<--. I have been told by
an <itil i.Iiini.r iliai a m.-iivaui ..f ..piinu is most beneficial
tn iijiii. ami aft,r a m.-ii-nite use iif it thej- can be
illciTU-ril tn wnl'k iiitiiiiivly W-iu-r.
()ii th.- \\x\\ i.f N..v,iiii..r w, arrive*! at Frederichml-
li.liiisliar.ii. til,- ,lii. t i*..n an.l the headquarters of the
New (iiiiiitii (■nin(.any. 1 (.lii.ve since my visit this
l>laee has Ineii al.aii.lniu,] fm- a liarU.ur some twenty
itiitisili.wii the cnasi. ili.; Kxielleiiey the Governor, or
liiiinl.sliiiuptiiiiin. UN he is style.l. came on board, and
idvili'cl us at nine tn take lip c.ur :ih<Hle at the Kesidency.
aiul 1 may say lliat.iliuin;,' the whnle. .four \-isit in German
New Ciiin.iL. he did cviiythiiij; in his power to make US
ecKufnitnI.I,' iinii ici cany mit the instructions he had
ren-iverl licrii Heilin as to asMstiii<; us in the contemplated
cnllci'tinii^ iiiiii exj.lnralinns in the interinr.
AlliT ;i teiii|Hii-iUT Visit rif a few (lnys we Went to
StcpliausnrL. the ln'aili|uuftfrrt nf tlie .\stnilabe Bay Com-
]>iuiy, situated soiiio twenty-two miles south of Frederich-
wilhelmshafon. On arrival there we were much pressed
ARRIVAL IN NEW GUINEA. 23
by the Head Administrator to make his liome our head-
quarters whilst in the country, and as it seemed that from
here we sliould be better able to carry out our designs we
<(ladly accepted the invitation. This appeared to be an
admirable field for the collection of birds and lepi-
doptera, and we now commenced in real earnest to collect
birds, mammals and butterflies. Onj of my earliest
captures was a magnificent specimen of the Onithoptera
Paradisea, of which only one specimen had before reached
Europe, and I felt that it was worth the whole of my
journey to New Guinea to see this truly superb insect
lying glistening in my hand.
A morning or two Jifter we arrived, I was unfortunately
a witness to the public flogging of a Chinaman who had
incited six of his countrvmen to run awav, leading them
to believe that China itself would be found cm the other
side of the great Finisterre mountains looming up about
ten miles in the interior. Tliey wen? captured after a
very few hours and brought back, but it apj)eared to me
that the ofl:ence hardly merited the terrible punishment
inflicted by the authorities.
As the weather was so unpropitious, and we were told that
it would not improve for about a month, we took advan-
tage of the government steamer YsubrI going to Simbang
to migrate there, in the hope of an imi)rovement in the
weather further south, and we were not disappointed, for
during the whole of our visit to that part of the country
there were onlv two or three showers, and we were a])le to
add some thousands of sp(»cimens to our collection, in UwX
I look back upon our Simbang additions as being the finest
and rarest of anything captured during the whole of my
first expedition to New Guinea. The mission station at
which we staved is situated on a hill directlv above the
» ft
beach and at the mouth of a river; it was a long, one-
storied house, built on piles, very airy and most comfortable.
24
THROUGH SEW GlINEA.
The luissionarien, tliree in number, heartily welcomed us,
and during the month we stayed in their house did every-
thing they could to make our visit a pleasant one. On
the opposite bank of the river could be seen an old coffee
plantation, at one time %vorked by the New Guinea Com-
pany, but now abandoneil, the missionaries gathering what
littlo coffee remains for their own use.
About three-«iuarters of a mile up the river one comes
upon ji most lovely waterfall, overhung by exquisite tropical
foliage which is so dense that tlie sun hardly ever penetrates
through it. lioutowing, as it is called, is truly one of the
most licautiful spots in that great virgin forest of New
Guinea. T repaired here daily, wJicre some of our most
vahiable gleanings of onitlioptera, spapilios, Ac, were taken.
The natives were all most willing to heip, and came every
morning for liutterHy-nets and fresh supplies of papers,
which they invariably filled by night time.
The village, which is built at the mouth of the river below
the niissinn stjition. is considered for New Guinea a very
large one. the bouses being one and all built upon piles,
THE NATIVES. 27
with small openings at one end sufficiently large to allow a
human being to craw^l in and out. They were all more or less
carved, and in some instances this form of decoration was
exceedingly well done. The natives are true Papuans,
and I noticed here, as indeed I have seen throughout the
whole of the country, both in the British, Gennan, and
Dutch possessions, a strong Hebrew type running through
their features. The men were finely built, and in some
instances exceptionally so, their only clothing being a
small piece of stringy fibre wound round the loins and
passed up through the legs. The hair in most cases is
wound up and tied with a similar su])stance ; a small net-
work basket is invariably slung on the right shoulder, in
which is carried the lime-pot, betel-nut, and such usual
impedimenta of the South Sea islander. The betel-nut,
which is as indispensable to the native as tobacco is to the
white man, is the fruit of a certain palm and is excessively
hot and nasty ; after nnich use of it the teeth and gums
become very nuich discoloured, and long before the eater is
adult become perfectly black. The lime which is eaten
at the same time adds a little to the fierv taste of the
betel-nut, and the whole, when mixed up with a pepper
leaf which is also added, makes the mouthful a veritable
pate an diahle.
The women, who are shorter in stature and, if possible,
more hideous in appearance than the men, although on
some very few occasions I have observed young girls
with passable features, are all well nourished, and ap-
peared to me to be invariably either in a condition of
carrying infants or about to do so. Their clothing con-
sists of grass, about a foot in length, the ends of which are
strung together and tied round the waist. The hair is in
most instances caked up with some black, sticky substance,
which gives it the aj)pearance of a sheep skin draggled
in the mud for a considerable time and then allowed to
28 THROrCH XliW CVIMiA.
dry. Notwithstanding the use of betel-nut they all smoke
tobacco, wiiich has been intnxluced into the countrj- by
Europeans, and I have on moi^ than one occasion ob-
ser\'ed a mere infant reiuijve the pipe from liis inoutb to
refresli himself from the natural food produced by his
mother. I liave also eecn a woman nourishing her cliild
and a aniall pifj at the sjmie time, carriing one under
each ann, appeariiifj to he more anxious for the welfare
of the latter, in consequence of its greater market value.
The natives have a bc^lief that everything having life
can si>eak, the trees, fish, pbuits, Ac, and they are always
exijcctinj; them to talk in tbeir particular language.
Another curious native belief hero, as to tlic existence
of numerous small islamls wliicli are dotted about the
coast, is that unce upon a time tlime lived a wicked
woman who was the wife uf a <,'ri-at cliief ; she wasalways
THE HOY TOG I. 29
eatiiijj, and at last one ilay slic became very ili, and
thriiwinj^ up her food lirst in one place and tlien in
another, tlie different islands sprang,' np as we see them
now.
One boy, about seventeen years of aj^e, who had {?ot
himself into trouble hy figbtinji and killing; a chief of
another tribe, and who was born at this villajie, took a
jjreat fancy to me. I taught him ainnnfjst other things
to shoot, and when I left heaccumpariieil nie. His name
was Tofp, and be i-ost me some lew yards of red eloth,
a tomahawk, and some handfuls of beads. He turned out
to be a most valuable help, afterwanls assisting; me with
my photography and natural history collections generally.
He eventually accompanied mc to England, where I
exhibited him at the University Hall of London on the
30 THROUGH NEW GUINEA,
occasion of my reading a paper before the Royal Geo-
graphical Society, hut after a few months in this comitr}'
he succumbed to an attack of pneumonia.
Whilst at Simbang I met a Gennan gentleman named
Kembadi, who was recruiting labour for the New Guinea
Company, but at the time of my visit was not veiy successful.
He infonned me that the year previously he had recruited
13H natives from Berlinhafen, a harbour a few miles north
of the Government station, and brought them down to
Frederichwilhelmshafen. After remaining one night,
however, 180 of them ran away, and tried to get back
along the coast to their village, which was only a few^
miles distant. Not one of these unfortunate creatures
accomplished the distance, for they were all killed and
eaten by other tribes living along the coast.
During our stay at Simbang we paid a visit to the
Saddleberg, a mountain some twelve miles away in the
interior, in a north-westerly direction. The first part of
the journey, which was undertaken in a boat, occupied
about three hours. We were accompanied by two of the
missionaries. Landing at a small bay named Katigot, we
commenced the ascent, and when about half way up, we
were met by the missionarj^ wiio lived at the summit of
the mountain, whose house is the farthest inland and at
nmch the highest elevation of any white man's residence
in the whole of New Guinea ; it is at an altitude of 3,000
feet. After many hours of hard climbing we gained the
top, and received a hearty welcome from Mrs. Fleyel, the
wife of our host. I observed during the ascent many
native villages and plantations. At an altitude of 1,500
feet I discovered ripe raspberries, which, although small,
were almost identical in taste and appearance with the
European species. At 2,000 feet I came across acorns
and many P^uropcan shrubs. The climate at the
summit was most delightful, my thermometer registering
FINCHHAFEN. 31
at (5 P.M. only (iCP Fiilirenlieit. Tlie house was built by
the misMioiiiiiy himself, and coiisistecl of sticks tied to-
fjetlier with fibre, and althoiisb it was a very rougli-and-
tuiuble edifice I slept as comfortably that night as on a
down bed of state. The wlmk; building is siiiTotinded by
a liifjh bamboo fence, constructed to prevent any sudden
surprise from the natives ami also to guard against
theft.
From this house we obtained a most beautiful view of
the surix)undin'' countrj'; the sea, which was ten miles
distant, appeared at our feet, and the great island of New
Britain was also plainly disceniible. Immediately beneath
us lay Finchhafen, the original headquarters of the New
Guinea Company. This harbour was after two years
abandoned in consequence of its unhealthiness, very
many of the Gennan officials having died there, Not
a soiU is now to be seen, and even the graveyard, in
which lie the bodies tif many I'.unipeans, their wives
and children, is an uncared-for wilderness, and no sound
is hean] save the wauk-wank of the panidise bird ni the
day-time and the dismal boom of tlie native drum at
32 THROUGH NEW GUINEA.
night, Ro often the herahl of a midnight cannibal fe
and orgie. I collected here a great many specimens
the beautiful Paradisea Guilielmi, in my opinion k
of the most extjuisite of all the Paradisea ; also a gr
number of rare and new papilios. After spending a i
days here we returned to Simbang in time to catch
Ysahely which took us back to Stephansort.
CHAPTER IV.
DEATH OF AN OFFICIAL — NATIVES CAIIRY HIS EXCEL-
LENCY'S PIANO — THE STAKT FOR THE INTERIOR.
The day of our return was marked by the sad death of
Mr. liichter, one of the officials of the Astrohibe Bay
Company. This gentleman, who had only arrived from
Europe by the previous steamer, was attacked by fever
after breakfast and was buned at four o'clock on the
same day. Attending his funeral, I had the misfortune
to catch a chill, which brought on a severe attack of
rheumatic fever. The doctor was most attentive, and
remained with me for several days and nights, although
in a most delicate state of health himself.
This illness necessitated a still further delay, the more
annoying as the weather had become apparently more
settled, and I had received a letter from his Excellency
the Governor informing me that the bearers and military
police with whom he had promised to furnish us for the
expedition to the interior were at our disposal. At the
same time he requested me to come to Frederichwilhelms-
hafen to make final arrangements, and promised to send
on the following week his steam launch to fetch me for
that purpose. It required, nevertheless, a fortnight before
I was strong enough to make the journey.
Arrived at P'rederichwilhelmshafen I saw all our men
medically examined, and handed them over to Sergeant
A 33
34 THKOnJH \H\V GTIXEA.
Pearin^. a German t »dioiaI wh«.»m I t- n^ajied to accompany
us, and. takin^; the pn»ptrr «|aantitie> of rice, beef, and
other pn.ivisii.m^. and si^aiinjz an ajireement with tlie
Governor. I hr»ui:hi ihtrm all. firty in nmnber. back with
me to Stephen^i-irt. where Captain Cotton had remained,
and fR»m which place we intended >tartin<r for the
interior.
When at Fretlerichwilhelm>hafen a piano arrived for
his Excellenjv. and S4»mf natives were told oflf to carrv
the stranjje-I'Nikinj: case fr»»m the beach Uy the house.
After ^<»ini: a few yanl> i»n • stumbleil, thereby causing
tlie comer i>f the crate to strike thv ;^.»unti. and, ever on
the alert for strangle >«»ands and n^iises. their ears were
immediately pres?<Hl a;:ainst it. listening mitil the ting
of the wires had die«l away. Ajrain. after a yard or
two. a similar mi<h;ip occurred, aiiain many ears were
listening to the strauize s«»and s*.* foreijrn to them, until
one, a little moiv kn«»wini: tlian the rest, with a heave
raised the whole ca<t* s«»me inches from the ground and
let it go. The noi>t» which issued fn»m the inside hud
by this time worked them up to such a frenzy that they
one and all seized up»>n it and rolled it over and over,
dancing with joy at the >tranj:e sounds which came forth,
and it was not until this i>erformance had been repeated
manv times that the eve i>f an official was attracted bv
the shouts and veils of tlie natives, not before, however,
much damage had been done and many strings broken.
The natives who speak pidjin English call this instru-
ment a '' box belong cry."
Tiiey say. * Whitey man he tight him belong hand,
box he crv out tcx) much.**
«
The following is a list of the provisions, «!tc., I took
with me : Tobacco, matches, medicines, beads, looking-
glasses, axes, tomahawks, plane irons, red paint, knives,
forks, plates, cooking utensils, cocoa, brandy, biscuits,
FAREWELL TO THE COAST 35
candles, cornflour, flour, salt, meat extract, tea, soap,
sugar, tinned meats, natural history collecting apparatus,
tent, scientific instruments, five guns, ten rifles, ammuni-
tion, blankets, and rice.
Our provisions packed and everything ready, we at last
said goodbye to the coast, and it was not without a
certain amount of trepidation that I looked back upon
the sea-beach and wondered if I should ever see it again.
CHAPTER V.
WE BID (iOODBYK TO HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOK-
ASTONISHED NATIVES — ANGRY NATIVES — WE SHOOT
SOME PARADISE HIRDS — ONE OF OUR MEN CATCHES A
STRANGE MAMMAL — AM ATTACKED WITH RHEUMATIC
FEVER.
We left Bokajim, the villa^jje near Stephensort, in the
Astrolable Bay, on March 2*2, 1894, and after receiving
many good wishes for a successful journey and safe return
from his Excellency and all the oflBcials, w-ho gathered
to<T[cther to witness our departure, and amid the silent
wondcrin^s of the manv natives who crowded round us
we coiniuenccd the journt^y, accompanied by a German
missionary named Hoflinann and two natives, their object
being to introduce us to a chief of a native village some
ten miles inland, and to assure him that our expedition
was in ik^ way a hostile one, but solely for the purpose
of exploration and to collect specimens of natural history.
Taking a southerly course along the bank of the river
Minjeui, which was in flood, we were obliged to cross
and recross no less than eleven times. So strong was
the current that on many occasions our only possible
means of navigating it in safety was to lash the whole
cavalcadt^ together with iibre, and in this way reach the
opposite bank. Nevertheless, in spite of these precau-
tions, we had many narrow escapes, and on more than
36
THE VILLAGE OF W I ENGL
37
one occasion articles of value were swept away clown the
river at a pace which utterly precUided any possibility of
recovery.
At about midday the two coastal natives deserted us.
Finding the river winding a little to the westward we
kept our course, and struck out for the village of Wiengi,
and a camp was made about a mile therefrom at four
lb '"''' ' '■
kl^&b
;4
y\ _ (- , . .
^mHi
fe^'i
Bff^t'v'-.-'^.-,',
i '" ^
B^i
l^^^^T-- "
__-:-'"-9^i
o'clock in the afternoon, at a distance of seven miles
from the coast.
The next morning we moved into the village and de-
cided to remain the day there to rearrange the baggage.
Notwithstanding the presence of the missionary who, as
I have previously stated, jLccompanied us thus far to intro-
duce us, the natives seenie<l ill-disposed to trade with us,
and treated us altogether with scant courtesy.
At 6 P.M. the thermoiueter registered 75° Fahrenheit.
38
THROUGH NEW GVIXEA.
The natives in this village, who were very much decorated
mth feathers from tlie paradise bird, passed the whole of
the night beating their tom-toms, shouting, and dancing,
which prevented us from getting a moment's sleep.
Mr. Hoffmann liere left us and returned to Stephen-
sort. He had hardly gone before the natives requested
us to move on, and 1 could see by their demeanour that
they were not well disposed towards us. However, I had
found a papilio, which appeared to nie to be different
to the one of that species I had collected at Stephensort,
l\
and so I remained another day, which enabled me to
obtain several more specimens of it.
The next morning at 7 A.M. we struck camp, and
moving in a south-westerly direction passed through
much dense virgin forest, over mountains, and down
steep ravines, until at noon the village of Vittib was
reached, when after a short halt we proceeded in the
same south-westerly direction until at two o'clock we
passod tlu! village of Dibbori, a short distance further on,
and camped for the night.
It was astonishing, as soon as a halt was called and our
A STRANGE MAMMAL. 39
men were told that thev were to remain there for the
nicjht, how quickly and ingeniously they erected their
houses, which consisted solely of poles and sago palms
lashed together ; their resting places inside consisted of
poles raised ahout three feet from the ground laid along
a cross piece.
In a few minutes quite a large village seemed to spring
up, and the little huts, with their palm-leaf roofs,
dotted here and there among the trees, gave the scene
quite a picturescpie and homely appearance.
Some of our hearers being natives of one coimtry and
some of another — for 1 had not thought it wise to choose
all the men of (me race — thev invariahlv made different
styles of houses. Those natives from }^uka, in the Solo-
mon Islands, some twelve in number, alwavs destroved
their domiciles each morning before leaving, in order, as
they told me, U) prevent any one else from sleeping there
after thev had left.
«
This camp was made on a ridge above the valley of the
river Minjem, which river I could plainly see, running in
a south-westerlv din^ction. During the dav one of our
bearers was taken ill, and several had sores on their shoul-
ders from carrving such unaccustomed burdens. Before
dark two of the boys brought in six birds of paradise,
which kept me far into the night skinning. At (> p.m.
the thermometer registered 75", the aneroid showing
1,540 feet above sea-level.
Th(? next morning, after proceeding a short distance,
a mannnal, Kchidna, was captured, but much to my
regret it had been so nuich injured, and the young one in
the pouch killed, that I had with great reluctance to kill
and skin it. After marching about two hours we passed
through an old and deserted plantation, and shortly after-
wards descended into a very deep valley, at the bottom of
which was a beautiful stream comin<: from the south.
40 THROUGH NEW GUINEA,
Climbing a ver}' higli mountain on the other side we
began to see signs of natives, and a short distance fartlier
on entered a large village called Jillim, which consisted of
eighteen houses. The natives at first were very frightened
and hacked away from us shouting, **Ki-ki Ki-ki?" (What
do you want here?). After our having reassured them
they proved most hospitable and useful, and brought us
delicious water in long bamboos. Upper JilHm, situated
close by, stands at an altitude of 2,000 feet above the sea,
but the country we passed through was mountainous and
unfit for culture. By gestures we explained to the
natives that we desired to sleep there, and that we
required food for all our men. It was our object to save
our own provisions as much as possible, until the time
came, perhaps, when we should be unable to procure any
from the natives. We showed them red paint and beads,
when taros (a native root, resembling a turnip, ver\'
extensively cultivated throughout the South Seas) and
sugar cane were brought in great abundtince.
Our men, who by this time had recovered their health
and spirits, evidently enjoyed themselves, and the night
was far spent ere they ceased from singing their native
legends and settled dowTi to sleep. We were now at an
altitude of 1,450 feet above the sea-level. None of the
natives at this village had ever been to the coast, nor
had they ever seen the face of a white man before, never-
theless, they seemed to have absolute confidence in us
and were anxious to accompany us part of the way on our
journey. Six of them did ccmie a little way and proved
themselves very useful indeed in relieving some of the
weakest of our bearers. During the following morning
we passed through a native plantation, where the men
regaled tlieniselvt^s with sugar cane, and so on to
Dumbu, a very small village nearly 8,000 feet above
the s(^a. To got here we descended an extremely steep
BAD WEATHER. 41
ravine and had a lon^ climb afterwards. This was the
highest point we had yet attained. The country here-
abouts had rocky and stony soil. Here again w^e obtained
plenty of taros. Red paint seemed to be the favourite
mechum of trade, as a few spoonfuls obtained for us as
much as we required. We were glad to pitch our tent
and get the men into houses, placed at their disposal, as
the rain was descending in torrents.
Fn^n this date until we arrived back in Stephensort
we experienced the most terrible weather.
The natives here grow a species of tobacco round their
houses, the leaves of which they pluck, and after drj'-
ing them in the sun for a few hours, roll them up into
a very primitive kind of cigar which is at once smoked.
This was the last village we saw, although we heard of
others in the neiglibourliood. The thermometer here at
() P.M. registered GS*^ P'alirenheit. We were obliged to
remain another day in this village, as it poured without
ceasing for nearly t wen tv- four hours.
On the '2nd of April w(i waited until nearly mid-day
for the rain to cease and then started in a south-
westerly direction, skirting a mountain and the end of a
large valley afterwards, but as soon as was practicable
changed our course for a westerly one, and very soon came
on to the Minjeni running north. We were accompanied
thus far by a Dumbu native who had promised to guide
us to Imbli, a village a mile or two further on and
not much out of our true line. J3ut as after a few
hundred yards he ran away, we changed the direction to
due south, crossing several mountain streams until we
again came to the Minjem running north.
The bad weather we were experiencing, for it was in-
cessantly raining, very materially affected our collections,
and as our shot cartridges were feeling the effects of
the terrible damp, we were obtaining fewer paradise birds
every day.
N
42 THROrCH XFAV Gl'IXEA.
We pitched our camp towards sundown above the ri^ht
bank of the river, our altitude Ixnn^^ 880 feet above sea-
level and the tliermonieter at j».m. ref][isterin^^ Hl2o. We
were obliged to remain liere for two or three days as 1
had a shai*}) attack of fever with rheumatism. In the
meantime we sent some men back to Dumbu to
request the natives to brin^ us taros and yams, which
they did on two occasions. The few days we camped
here it rained without ceasing day and ni<i[ht. Conse-
quently the river became very hi^h and quite impassal)le.
On the 7th, the fever havin<( left me, we pushed on
ap[ain, but owinjif to the dense forest were obliged to cut
our wav, still in a south-westerlv direction, crossing manv
mountain streams, in one of which 1 discovered a dam,
evidently nuide by the natives to catch fish, but as we
coidd not discover any tracks at all presumed they luid
travelled down the stream for some distance.
BISMARCK MOUNTAINS — CANNOT TIND NATIVES — BAD
WATKR — WK START ON THK RETURN JOCRNEV.
43
I
CHAPTEK YI.
I
WE EELL A TREE TO CROSS THE RIVER — AliE MET BY A
FEW NATIVES I THEY SPEAK THE BOKAJIM DIALECT —
SOURCE OF THE RIVER MINJEM — A LABORIOUS ASCENT
— ARE OBLIOED TO CUT OUR WAY — THE SUMMIT — NO
The country wc passed throu^^li now was very swampy, *
and enormous ferns nearly twenty feet hi<^di towered on j
either side of us. On this morninjjf, Hth of April, we a^ain
struck tlie river, hut found it too much in flood to cross,
and so selectinj^ an enornums tree <^n*owin<if close to the
«
hank felled it as a means of transit. On reachin<^^ the j
opposite side we were ^nveted In' a dozen natives, who, i
havin^T lieard of us, hrou^^ht five or six inferior taros for |
sale, not enou^di for ;i meal for one man. Th(*se men, ••
who were mis(»rahly thin and poor, and without ornaments I
of any description, helon^^^ed to Oomlxili, and were the
last natives we saw.
Stran<^ely enou<(h they spoke the Bokajim dialect.
This was a matter of <,n-eat interest, as they did not even
know the name " Hokajim," had never seen the s(^a, and
it is extremelv improhahle that thev have ever had, at anv
rate for a <(reat numher of years, any connnunication one
with another. It seemed the more curious as all the }
other villages lu^tween there and the coast s[)oke ditierent j
dialects. We gave them a good sui)i)ly of red paint,
1
v
44
THROUGH NEW GUINEA.
beads, and other things to induce them to direct us to
the mountain we were makinf]; for, the peak of which
could be Keen looming in the distance. But immediately
after receiving them they all ran away.
The river went westerly that day tor a while, and we
left it several times as we found it better to cut a road
through the forest. But we were obliged again in the
afternoon to re-cross it, but not without experiencing the
greatest difficulty in doing so, the current being excep-
tionally strong and rapid.
On the 9th we made an early start, following the river.
We baited at midday for an hour or two to enable our
men to cook themselves a meal, for the rain liad been so
heavy on the previous evening, lasting up to ten o'clock in
the morning, tliey had been quite unable to light any fires
NO BISMARCK MOUNTAINS. 45
at all. About two o'clock we started again, and soon came
to where the river parted — one branch running to the
south-east for a short distance, when it began to fall in
cascades from a mountain, the other running to the south-
west, where, after about a mile, it fell in waterfalls from
the same mountain. This was evidently the source of the
river Minjem, where we camped for the night.
Early the following morning we commenced to ascend
the mountain on our side of the river, taking a westerly
direction. After cutting our way for many liours, towards
evening we arrived at the sunnuit, an altitude of 5,400
feet above the sea. This was the farthest inland point I
reached, and was forty-two geographical miles from the
coast. During the ascent of this mouittiiin we met with
many fruits, among wliich were raspberries and straw-
berries. One of our men was very ill the latter part of
the journey, and had to be carried the last few hours. It
was now neariy dark and the rain began to pour in
torrents, and this continued without intermission until
daylight on the following morning.
At 6 P.M. the tliermometer registered 61° Fahrenheit,
and it was with great difficulty we managed to keep
ourselves warm. The next day was beautifully fine, and
we were able for the fust time during the expedition to
get everything dried. Immediately after breakfast we
sent five men with rifles and ten others to try and discover
a village in the neighbourhood, and also to look for fresh
water, as that which we discovered the night before, a
short distance from the camp, proved to be very brackish.
I looked in vain for the range of Bismarck Mountains
marked on the chart, which should have been hereabouts,
but could see nothing resembling anything of the kind at
all, except that sixty miles in a south-south-easterly direc-
tion I observed a high range running east to west which I
knew to be in British New Guinea. The whole day was
46 THROUGH NEW GUINEA,
spent in clearing the top of the mountain to enable me
to take proper observations of the surrounding country.
At dusk our people returned without having seen
any natives, nor even signs of them, and the water
they had discovered was too far off to be of any use. I
sent them again the next day with the same ill success,
and, therefore, having ascertained the true position of the
Albert Victor range of mountains in British New Guinea,
which was from here plainly discernible, and also the
various landmarks on the coast of German New Guinea,
it was useless to prolong our stay. I unhesitatingly assert
that the range of mountains marked on the chart as in
latitude ()0 liy, longitude 145-80 E., is not to be seen in
that situation, and as we cannot change the configuration
of the earth, perhaps it may bti as well to alter the map,
which I believe is now being done. 1 presume the
mistake was caused by some who, ascending the
coastal range in German New Guinea, situate some few
miles from the coast, observing some high range in the
interior, returned with tluj news that such a range existed,
and proudly named it after the late ex-chancellor, when
in all ])robabiIity they were gazing at the Albert Victor
range in British New Cruinea.
CHAPTER VI r.
THE DESCENT — ONE MAN DIES — PHOTOdHAPII OF THE
SOURCE OF THE lUVER - A GOOD DAY'S MARCH — WE
SEND TO DUMRr FOR FOOD-- HARDLY ANY OBTAIN-
ABLE — HOSTILE NATIVES — THE LOVE OF RED PAINT
— DUMBr VILLAGE — A NARROW ESCAPE — WE SHOOT
A WILD BOAR — DISSATISFIED NATIVES — ATTACKED BY
NATIVES — WE KILL ONE MAN IN THE ACT OF DRAWING
HIS BOW — ARRIVE BACK ON THE COAST — SEVERE
ATTACK OF FEVER — RETl'RN TO FRHDERICHWILHELMS-
HAFEN — WITNESS A CIIHISTENINc; — A NATIVE DANCE
— NATIVE FEAST - TASTY MOJiSELS — WE BID FARE-
WELL.
On April the l^kli wo started on our return journey at
(} A.M., with the thernionieter re^nsteiin;^^ oO" Falireiilieit.
The sick man unl'ortuuatelv (hed when wti were ahout
lialf way down, and we buried him underneath some
leaves. On amving at tlie river \\v rested for an hour
or so and photoi^raphed its source.
To our great dcdight we found the river had fallen very
much during our absence on account of the iiiu; weather,
and we managed to pick our way for some; distance along
the rocks instead of through the fon^st. Later in the
day, however, and for some hours we were obliged to
wade waist-deep in the river. At 5 p.m. we camped,
drenched to the skin, for it had been raining heavily since
two o'clock.
5
so THROUGH XEW GUINEA.
This was the longest march we had as yet made, and
had covered in one day what on the way up took us
three to accomphsh. The next morning we struck our
old tracks and travelled in a north-easterly direction
towards the village of Dumbu, camping that night on
the bank of a stream about two miles from that village.
It was our intention to remain here for a few davs for
the purpose of collecting some specimens of natural
history.
I sent half a dozen men to Dumbu for food, and
they returned with a very few bad taros, having paid very
dearly for them.
Early on the following day we sent Piering with twelve
men to again solicit provisions, and the day being
tolerably fine we one and all dispersed in the forest to see
what we could find, but I am sorry to say the result was
anything but satisfactory', no particular novelties being
added to our collections. At 4 p.m. Piering returned
with not enough for a meal, as the natives were in-
disposed to part with anything more, the fact of the
matter being that they had verj' little else to sell, and
had it not been for the influence of the women who
still wanted more red paint and beads, he might have
received even a more unfavourable reception. At times
there is no difficulty in obtaining a stock of taros, yet,
let the suspicion or the fear of the native be aroused from
almost any cause, and he refuses to trade oflfliand.
In such cases he does not look to his own advantage in
the way of profit, nor does humanity prompt him to keep
the wolf from the door of his fellow creature. In such
cases he has a lofty scorn for the stranger's substitute for
gold or whatever may be the temporary means of ex-
change and barter. But once let him be inclined for a
deal and his greed for red paint knows no bounds. The
Papuan of New Guinea dearly loves red paint, it is more
SECOND VISIT TO DUMBU. 53
to liim than rouge to the actress or woad to our British
ancestors when Caesar first visited these sliores. For a
handful of red paint one may obtain sufficient bread stuff
and vegetables of the country to stock a Covent Garden
market. Nor should the traveller omit to cany a goodly
supply of salt. In the lack of that commodity the natives
resemble those Mexicans whom Cortes first met with in
the earlier days of the conquest of Mexico. I remember
on one occasion we were mixing some salt with flour
previous to breadmaking. J gave a small pinch to a native
standing close by ; he at once put it in his mouth and
made manifest signs of keenly appreciating the foreign
dainty, the first of its kind he had ever tasted, liushing
off to the far end of the village he quickly returned
accompanied by the entire population, who, like Oliver
Twist, did not scruple to ask for more.
It was with much reluctance that we decided to move
on, having only our own provisions to rely upon, which were
now getting rather low. During the day I c<ame across
stinging-nettles, rose briers, a species of quince, maiden-
hair ferns, and the laurustinus in the forest. The natives
of Dumbu, on our second visit, appeared anything but
friendlv, in fact thev were decidedlv hostile, both old
and young being armed with spears, bows, and arrows.
I had luckily obtained, however, a photograph of the
village and some of the inhabitants on our previous
visit, though not without considerable difficulty. Mani-
festly the natives held the camera in wholesome dread,
either as a fetish or as an implement of the white
man's annour}-, which might go off at any minute and
kill them (m the spot ; hence they scuttled oft* in all
directions, and we had no little trouble to induce the
bravest of them to return and submit to the ordeal by
lens. At length by persuasion and free gifts of tobacco,
and by my standing amongst them, we induced some few
54 THROUGH NEW GUINEA.
to come back, and were thus enabled to procure a photo-
graph, which was taken by my own native sei^vant.
On the 16th of April, therefore, at 6 a.m., although it
was raining heavily we struck camp and marched on
to Dmnbu. About half a mile before reaching the village
we discovered that the natives had obstructed the
track with trees, rocks, »lx., whereupon we formed an
advance and rearguard of military police. Arriving at the
village the natives were seen in all the paraphernalia for
fighting, and anned to the teeth with spears, bows and
arrow^s. We halted for a few minutes in the village, and
took no notice of them whatever, detennining not to fight
unless absolutely necessary. Luckily they did nothing,
and so after a short time spent for refreshment we pushed
on to the village of Jillim, where our reception was in
marked contrast to that of Dumbu. The natives here
were delighted to see us again, jumping, running, and
rolling on the ground. They immediately brought us
taros, sugar-cane, and native bananas. We pitched our
tent in the centre of the village, a large house being placed
at the disposal of the men.
The next morning, the 17th, we were forced to wade
again for many hours down a river, as the forest was
impenetrable. Captain Cotton had a most marvellous
escape from drowning, as suddenly missing his foothold
he was carried down by the torrent at terrific speed, and
only escaped certain death by becoming entangled in a
fallen tree, which lay partially across the river. That
evening we discovered the loss of two hundred pounds
of beef, which had been eaten surreptitiously by the
bearers, considerably (liminishing our supply. I found
the natives of Buka exercised a most demoralising efifect
on all our other men, and although they had been trained
as native police, wifh very few exceptions they were a
lazy, thieving, and disobedient lot ; one of them, never-
ATTACKED BY NATIVES. 57
theless, named ** Ranga," was a very good boy indeed ;
I used him principally to cut the track, and when given
a certain direction to travel seldom deviated from the
course, however dull the day or dense and dark the
forest.
During the afternoon one of the men shot a wild boar,
which, on our arriving at the village of Vittib some hours
later, was claimed by the natives as their property.
Having no brand or ear-mark of any sort I knew this
to be untrue, but still, not desiring to quarrel with
them, gave them what they asked in payment for it, viz.,
one axe and a little red paint. There was great rejoicing
that night, and much excitement among the men over the
cooking of it.
On the 18th we were up early, and soon ariived at
Wiengi, where we found the whole village in arms
against us. I at once demanded the reason, and was
told that we had killed and eaten a pig on the previous
day that belonged to them. This was, of course,
ridiculous ; but still wishing, if possible, to avoid hos-
tilities, T inquired what they wanted, and, strangely
enough, the same payment was asked that had already
been paid, of course proving that communication had
been made during the night between them and the
Vittib people. We gave them what they wanted
and recommenced our journey, but had not proceeded
more than two hundred yards when they made a most
desperate attack on us from the rear, a shower of spears
and aiTows falling thickly amongst us. I was then
obliged to order the miHtary police to fire, but to aim
high and only to frighten them, the result being the
retirement of the enemv without manv casualties. ]>ut
one man was shot whilst in the act of drawing his
bow, the bullet running up liis left ann, across his
chest, and half-way down his right arm.
58
THROVCH SEW GUINEA.
We tlieii struck off in a north-easterly direction to
a small river, about tliroe miles farther on, where we
camped for the night.
We remained in the same cam]! all the following day, as
it poured with rain, iind I wiis attacked with fever, which
lasted until late in the evening; but on the '20th, at (JJW,
we struck camp for the last time, and at twelve o'clock
reached Stephensort. We had hardly iiixived before
my companion and I were botli Hcized with malaria,
and for wime days were unable to move out of the
house, but on the "iotli we miinaged to take the steam
launcli to Frcderichwilhelmshafen, taking with us all
our men and all our luggage. Here again, as guests of
his I'^sci^llency, we awaited the arrival of tlie ss. Liihcc/i.
My companion again collapsed, and became so ill that he
IVE WITNESS A CHRISTENING. 59
decided to ^o into the excellent hospital, to be there
nursed by the kind sisters.
On the occasion of this visit his Excellency the
Governor rowed nu; across the harl^our to a villa<jje named
Sear, situated on the coast a mile or so from Frederich-
welhelmshafen, where the natives were holding a great
entertainment. It happened that a child had just been
])orn, and according to native custom, on the day of the
birth of an infant all women of the village assemble at
the house of the mother, where thev remain the whole
night through, dancing and singing dolefully. The next
morning the mother takes the child into the sea, if they
are coast natives, and if not into a water hole, and after
washing both herself and her offs[)ring she returns to the
village, where the oldest or most inHuential woman names
it, sometimes after a tree, an animal, or a fish, but
more generally a name is given of an indecent nature.
His ivxcellency the (lovernor had on more than one
occasion been requested to name a child, and in this
instance he named the babv after his own sister. There
was also a dance taking place, aiul the Crovernor himself was
desirous of witnessing this sing-sing, the more especially
as there were visitors from Dampier, an island nearly
twentv miles awav.
I?i the centre of the villag(N ranged in a long line, were
several heaps of large and beautifully constructed earthen
pots. On the top of each hea]) the chief laid various
articles, su(.*h as grass clothing for the women and
ornaments, spears, ^:c., for the men, having accom-
phshed which he then went down the line, and striking
the first hea[) with a rattan which he carried in his hand,
called out the names of the visitors for whom it was
intended as a present, at the same time saying a few
ap[)ropriate words. This was repeated at each heap
until the last, and by far the most valuable one, was
6o
THROUGH NEW GUINEA.
reached, when addressing himself to the visiting chief,
whose gift it was to be, he made a very elalwrate Bi^eecli,
lasting quite ten minutes. Of course, although it was
quite gibberish to me, I was fully satisfied that whatever the
subject of his discourse might be, he was at least a most
fluent si>eaker, and I was quite surprised at this wild and
cannibal savage speaking with all tlie pathos and apparent
learning of a ix»Htician. This ended, enonnous bowls were
filled with cooked pig, dog, and otlier mixtures, as well as
yams, taros, and sago, covered with scrai>ed cocoaiiut.
This savoury mixture was presented to the visitors, but
as they were so long picking and choosing their pieces, all
hands and feet being in the bowls at once wc did not wait
to witness the repast, but cuuic away. I may mention
that it is the visitors who, on these occasions, do all the
dancing and entertaining, some of their dances taking
many months to learn.
In tlie event of one man abducting the wife of another
lie is compelled to pay a certain smn in native money to
THE RESULTS OE OUR EXEEDiriON. 6i
the injured husband. This satisfactorily terminates the
proceedings. The woman may, or may not approve of
this arrangement, but as she is simply so nmch property
she has no voice in the nmtter.
I cannot close this chapter, which ends my visit
to German New Guinea, without sayin«[ that his
Excellency the Governor, who I am sorry to say
is since dead, proved himself a most hospitable friend.
Frederichwilhelmshafen which, as 1 have said before,
w<as then the seat of the Government and the head-
quarters of the New Guinea Company, has since been
abandoned, and there is nothin*):, I believe, to mark
the spot, which once was a fair-sized settlement, but
a few ruined remains of houses and many heaps of
empty tins and bottles, which l)y now I have no doubt
are entirely hidden by the lon<:(, rank ^rass and thick
jungle.
To sum up the result of my expedition to the
interior, here I saw many strange places and extra-
ordinary people, so far unknown to the white man's
experience. The country passed throut^h and seen for
many miles round is, in my opinion, far too mountainous
and difficult of access to ever prove useful for cultivating
purposes. The soil in the interior is in some parts rocky,
in some of clay, but altogether far more heavy than that
on the coast.* I made a number of barometrical and
thermometrical observations. We collected a great many
species of entomological and ornithological specimens,
and finally, the journey was not bv anv means barren, as
I have before stated in a previous chapter, from a
geographical standpoint.
'■-' It is not niv intention here to describe fully the customs and
manners of the Papuans of New Guinea, but if my readers will bear
^^ith me till the second part of this volume, T will endeavour to depict
the natives of this, the largest island in the world, as I fomid them.
CHAPTER VIII.
NEW KKITAIN — THE IMPEIUAL .irpriE TAKEN FOR A
Pr m.ICAN — HKHHEKTSOH — HALIM — THE PLANTA-
TIONS OF Mils. KOLHE— CANNIBALISM — THRILLING
ESCAPE NATIVE 1>AN( E — AHllIVAL OV THE MAN-OF-
WAH — PESTIUCTION OF NATIVE VILLAGES — A CLEVER
NATIVE — A lULLET-PlIOOF (UNTMENT — MORE DEVICES
KOH HAISINC, THE WINP- NATIVE MARKET.
On May 4tli tlit' I.uluch arrived, and l)iddint; farowell to
our friends and thankin*^^ the (lovernor for all his
kindness, we set sail for New I^ritain, arrivin*; there on
the 11 til instant. The first news we heard here was of
an outra^'eous attack just made on tlie New Guinea
Company's sehooner Scnta, when the mate, two white
and several ])lack men were surprised and massacred.
They were at the tinu* recruiting lahour for the tobacco
plantations, off the island of New Ireland, and whilst
in the ship's boat close to the beach they were suddenly
surrounded and tomahawked to death.
The imperial jud<i[e, Captain Brandeis, invited us to
stay with him, and that evening told us that just
before our arrival a Norwegian vessel had come there.
The captain came ashore, and seeing on his right an
open house with wide verandah and large round table
on it, mistook it for the hotel, and entering called for
an attendant. The judge's own Mahiy servant stepping
forward asked, " Apa ma, tuan?" bein;^ the Malay for
G3
^mmm^-mtM
K
7
m
1
i^H^
'^^ag
^^p .
-mI^^"^ 1
THE JUDGE AS A PUBLFCAy,
67
"What do you want, sir? ' The captain, who did not
understand a word, hit it off very nicely by shouting
"Beer," one of the only words of Enghsli the Malay
boy understood. Finding it nice and cool he very
soon called for a second bottle, and whilst in the act of
drinking it the judge returned home, and bowing politely
to the visitor said he was pleased to find that he made
himself at home. The old salt, taking him for the land-
lord, invited him to take a glass, which invitation was
courteously accepted. Aft^^r a pleasant chat, ami drink-
ing yet another bottle! on which occasion the judge
acted the part of host, the old Norwegian pulled out his
purse and asked how much he had to pay, when the
judge, with a merry twinkle in his eye, informed him that
it was his private imnse. and that although ho was the
imperial judge it gave him very great pleasure to enter-
tain him. The poor man was quite overcome, and after
many apologies retired covered with confusion.
Herbertsoh, which is the only port in New Britain, is
68
THROVGl! SEW C.VIKRA.
the hcadquartere of the German Now (iiiinea Company
in that country. Kituated at the entrance to Blanche
Bay, it comiuandH a )>i.'aiitiful view of the IJuke of York
IslanilK, New Ireland, and the viilcanocK on the north
coast of Now Bntain,
A mile or w) farther down tlic bay will be found
Kahun, by far the finest and most valuable plan-
tation in the Konth Seas. It is owned by a half-caste
Sanioan huly. Started many yeai-s apo by the present
owner's late huwhand, and also her brother-in-law, it
consists of many thousimd acres of rich, undulating land.
At present the staple pruducts ai-e cocoannts and cotton.
There sirf, however, still thousands of iicres to be cleared
and planted, and its value a few years hence will be at
least doubled, as every year thirty thousand yonufj cocoa-
nut trees are planted. It is Mrs. Kolhe's intention to
imp(jrt cattle from Australia, and fatten theiu for the
Sinf;aiKJre and Javanese markets. The climate, more-
over, is as nearly perfect as possihlc. and the fever, which
ruL'cs in New Ciuinea, is of rare oecuiTcnce hero.
;)
..i
rf
1 1
r
I i
I t
if
MRS, KOLRE AND THE CANNIBALS, 75
Mrs. Kolbe and her sister, Mrs. Parkinson, are, as I
have said before, half-caste Samoan ladies, their father,
an American gentleman, having settled some five and
forty years ago in Apia, Samoa. It would be impossible
to speak in terms too high of the kindness and hospitality
we met with at their hands, and Mr. Parkinson, who is
the manager of the estate, did everything in his power
to make our visit a pleasant one. Besides the plantation
itself, there are many large outlying trading stations,
managed by European traders, and are all owned by
Mrs. Kolbe. Some of these stations are many hundreds
of miles from Ralum, the most remote ones being in the
Mortlock group. The houses on the estate are beauti-
fullv situated above the shores of the bav, and are most
picturesque edifices, furnished throughout with beautiful
taste, and one can almost imagine oneself inside a
country residence of Western civilisation rather than in
the wilds of a cannibal country — for the natives here
may be classed as amongst the most ferocious cannibals
of the South Pacific. Within a mile or two of Ealum
one may find even to-day chiefs who keep slaves for the
purpose of food, and who are in the habit of killing them
every few days to satisfy their diabolical tastes. Not
only do they do this, but they boast of it, and I have had
these people come and tell me how they have enjoyed
their feast on the previous evening, which had been some
portion of a human being.
Some few years ago, these ladies with whom we stayed,
and whose houses are but a few minutes' distance from
one another, during the absence of the manager, were
approached by some three or four hundred natives from
the interior, half the number surrounding one house
and the rest the other. Thev swanned on to the
verandahs, anned with spears, bows and aiTows and
tomahawks, their intention being to carry each lady
76 THROl'GH XEW GVISEA.
off into the liush, for ^Ylmt puqiose I will leave to the
inia^nation of luy readers. Mrii. Parkinson managed to
send by a black lx)y a message to lier sister stating that
she intendetl to hold out to the last, and exhorting her to
do likewise. Fortunately each of those women was with-
out fear, hence their ultimate safety. Siq)iK)rted by three
or four luinse-hovs, Jlrs. ParkiiiKon boldly stepped for-
ward, and, speaking to the ringleaders, informed them
that she would shoot the first man who took one step
in her direction. On a movement being made she
fired, killing the two foreuiost "f the party. Thcre-
u])on the otherw tnrned and ignoiiiiniouwiy fled, and tlie
people of the otiier house, hearing the shots, did likewise.
Mrs. Parkinson ti)-d!iy could walk through the whole
comitry unarmed and unattended, for that occun-ence
apjmrently ins^iired such respect that the natives for
many utiles ruuiul worship the very ground she walks
upon.
One morning, uccom])Linied hy the niiinager of the
estate, I rowed across the hay to the volranic luoimtain
on the opposite side. After an hour's pull we arrived
S^8«i
SSI 9
liA?-/- .l^.i,.M^...
A REMARKABLE IMPOSTOR. 8i
at the foot, where we landed and began to ascend,
collecting many specimens of natural history on the way
up. About fifty minutes' hard climbing brought us to
the mouth of the crater, which on this occasion was
quiescent. I took a photograph of the crater and also
of the magnificent view lying at my feet.
Farther in towards the head of the bay is the island
of Matupi, on which is to be found the coaling-station
for steamers and men-of-war visiting this part of the
South Seas. There is also established on the island the
head trading-station of the Genuan firm of Messrs.
Hemsheim, who also collect copra. Copra is the dried
kernel of the cocoanut, from which oil is extracted.
The natives split the nut in half, and, taking out the
kernel, hang it under cover and smoke-dry it, afterwards
threading it on strings of rattan — ten on each. It is
then ready for the trader. "The ten on a strin^j'*
is the standard of all trade. My readers will doubtless
be aware that this product is valuable for its oil. Sun-
dried copra is better than that prepared in this manner ;
but the treacherous and inclement nature of the climate
in these latitudes prevents the natives from adopting
this mode of curing.
Whilst we were in New Britain the white people
were experiencing a considerable amount of trouble
from the natives, and it was not until after the arrival
of a man-of-war, and a company or two of blue-jackets
had marched into the interior and had killed several and
burned down their villages, that thev were left un-
molested. It appears that a native had induced them
to fight by offering for sale a substance, the virtue
of which rendered him whose body was be-smeared
with it bullet proof. He exhorted the natives to buy
it from him and go down and fight, saying, '* Let us kill
the white men and live in their houses." To prove his
7
82 THROrGII XFJV GCIXfiA.
stuff was genuine, he painted some one with his mixture,
and, holding up a bullet, he substituted for it a berry
not imlike it in appearance, and, inserting it into the
muzzle of an old gun fired at the man, of course
without injuring him. \^y this means he collected many
hundreds of pounds worth of ** dewarra " (native money),
and had it not been for the timelv arrival of the man-of-
war might still be doing a good trade.
The fjinie of this marvellous discovery spread far and
wide, and natives flocked from all the villages within
many miles to possess themselves of the ointment. The
fellow became enormously rich, but the war breaking out,
{ind several natives who had anointed themselves being
killed, his life was in imminent peril from his own
countrymen, and he repaired to lialum, where he sought
protection and where 1 met him. This fellow was far
too clever to be a cannibal savage, for on a previous
occasion he had devised a plan which to our ears is, if
possible, more ludicrous than his life-preserving oint-
ment — that of collecting unto himself the riches of this
W7)rld. This also was an ointment, a modicum of which
had to be swallowed, and if a receptacle was then hung
up in a tree and left there for one moon (one month) the
owner would find it filled with dewarra at the end of
the stated time. Of course at the end of the month no
money had arrived, when the victim would approach and
interrogate the owner of the marvellous drug.
*'Ah ! " he would say, **you nuist have eaten betel-
nut " (knowing the usual habit of his fellow creatures) ;
** that is the reason the *tabaran ' (evil spirit) has not sent
you any money. Now go and hang it again for six
moons and you will find it full, but first give me a fathom
more for this small quantity."
Tn this wav, and bv manv similar subterfu^^^es, the
natives were imposed upon, and the owner of the rubbish
.VEir BR ITALY XATIVBS. 87
became rich at the cxpc'iise of his fooHsh and unsophisti-
cated fellow-countrymen.
Every third day the natives were in the habit of
comin<^ down from the bush with manv articles of
produce for sale — taros, yams, bread-fruit, bananas,
eggs of the meyapodium (a species of jungle fowl), and
all alike found a readv market at Kalum. This traffic
is always carried on bv the women, and the loads they
carry slung over their backs in bags or baskets, which are
hung from their foreheads by a narrow band of fibre,
would in every instance surprise a strong man of civilisa-
tion, the more especially as the majority of them carry
these burdens in some cases as manv as ten or twelve
miles, returning the same distance on the same day.
They wear, for the most part, no clotliing whatever, are
one and all exceedingly dirty, tlie majority suirering from
a skin disease which is called the cus-cus, a disease very
prevalent throughout the South Seas. They are, with
very few excei)tions, very uncomely to look ui)on, differ-
ing very nmch from the women of better features from
X(^w Ireland, onlv a few miles distant.
Although some hundreds come down with their })ro-
duce, for which they are invaiiably paid in tobacco or
dewarra, they do not bring nearly enough food to provide
for all the labour coolies employed on the plantation, and
Mrs. Kolbe is obliged to send boats for many miles up
and down the coast daily for taros and yams wherewith
to feed her people, there being more than a thousand
hands employed.
We were obliged to remain here for some weeks, as the
date was not known when a ship would arrive to take us
cm to the Solomon Islands, our destination after leaving
New Britain. And a most enjoyable visit it was ; from
a naturalist's point of view also it was singularly success-
ful, amongst the many things new to science being a
88 THROUGH NEW GUINEA,
beautiful papilio, which has since been described and
named the Papilio Websteri.
Mrs. Parkinson took me for many excursions into the
interior, and on one occasion to the village of a ver\'
influential chief, a hoary-headed old scoundrel, who had
the deaths of many people on his conscience, if he had
such a thing, and one of the most ferocious cannibals in
that part of the country. This man was holding a great
festivity, and the village, as I approached it tlirough the
forest, resembled somewhat a large country fair. Huge
chains of various coloured crotons and flowers strung
together hung from tree to tree, the trunks of which
were encircled by garlands of beautiful creepers. Upwards
of three thousand natives were assembled from all parts,
and many hundreds of them were covered with leaves,
which, together with their paint and their enonnous
feather head-dresses, imparted to them a most imposing,
but at the same time wild, appearance. The whole scene
was quite the most unique I had witnessed in the
country.
The performers themselves were all assembled, as it
were, behind the scenes ; a large screen of ferns and
flowers had been erected for the purpose. At the sound
of the tom-tom each tribe in its turn came forward and
performed its dance, and with their fierce noises and many
extraordinary gyrations, one could not help but experience
a feeling of awe. The dance is the private property of
the chief of each village, who either designs it himself or
purchases it from some neighbouring warrior.
On the one side were the women and children of the
many different villages, squatting, as none but natives can
squat, on their hams — indulging probably in the latest
village gossip ; but not one of them, as far as T could
see, exhibiting the slightest interest in the performance
which was being enacted in front of them. On the other
^
P
B
1^^
^
J
TRIBAL DAXCnS. 93
side were the men ehewin<^^ their betel-niit and apphiuding |
the varicnis performances as they appeared on the scene.
In the centre was erected an enormous screen, about
forty feet in hei*:(ht, on which were hun^y countless coils
of dewarra, each coil heinj^' worth t*25 in English money.
This dewarra, which is the native money of New Britain,
is comprised of a particular kind of small shell, resembling
the cowrie. These are bored and strun<^' together on
narrow stri})s of cane. It is very much sought after by
the natives, as with it they ])urchase their wives, their
slaves, pigs, and in fact all articles of trade. A fathom of
this shell money is worth 'Js., and when *250 fathoms are
gathered together they are formed into a coil very skilfully
laced up with cane or rattan, giving it the appearance
of a huge lifebuoy. On this screen were also hung
innumerable ornaments and tro])hies, such as skulls of
vancpiished enemies, s})cais, \'c.
All this property, I was told, at the death of this chief,
as is invai'iably the custom, would be ecpially divided '
amongst his relations, but would not go to his own
chil(ln;n, who W(*re expected to look out for themselves
during his lifetime. It is the custom of the chief to
present any distinguished visitor with one or two fathoms
of dewarra, which are to signify his pleasure at their
presence ; but in the case of all ordinary people attending
the festivity he has the light of levying a small tax in
payment for the entertainment. I have been told that
certain native missionarv teachers, who were unable to
procure the attendance of the people in any other way,
have instituted such dances, styling them religious
festivals, and thereby obtaining large quantities of
dewarra, and by this means have procured as much
as £400 in one year. It was also said that this practice
was not confined to the native teachers alone, but as to
its truth I did not trouble to ascertain. Having received
94 THROUGH NEW GUINEA.
lay two fathoms, and thanking the cliief for the pleasure
I had experienced at so strange a gathering and heaping
many comphments upon liim, not a word, of course, of
which lie understood, and presenting him with a real
Havana, T took my leave well pleased with the day's
outing. 1 mav sav, nevertheless, that mv hand hardlv
ever left mv revolver, which was carefiillv hidden in mv
pocket, as I had been previously advised that the natives
in this district were not quite reconciled to the white man
for having burned down their villages only a week or two
previously.
CHAPTER IX.
BISHOP COUPE — ROMAN CATHOLIC MISSION — FAREWELL
TO NEW BRITAIN — AN ILL-FATED EXPEDITION — ON THE
W^\Y TO THE SOLOMON ISLANDS — ARRIVE AT RUBIANA
— SUICIDE OF A NATIVE GIRL — MURDER OF A TRADER
—THE TRADERS — A VISIT FROM INGOVA, THE
GREATEST CHIEF IN NEW GEORGIA — A TRIP UP THE
RUBIANA LAGOON — MEET WITH UNFRIENDLY NATIVES
— PHOTOGRAPHY UNDER DIFFICULTIES.
Whilst we were in New Britain we received an invita-
tion from Monsei<(neur C()ii})e, the Konuin Catholic bishop
and the head of the Sacred Heart Mission in New Britain,
to hinch with him, and we gladly availed om'selves of
the opportunity of goin<( over this excellent Mission. We
spent a most delightful day, and after luncheon listened
with much interest to an acctjunt of the formation and
development of this religious sect here, and took one or
two photographs of the children and also of the sisters
attached there.
It appears this mission was founded as far back as 1845,
when l^ishop Epal, with twelve missionaries, sailed from
Svdnev to the Solomon Islands, landing first at St.
Christoval. After a short visit, and not considering this
a serviceable site for the establishment of the Mission, they
sailed on to the island of Isobel, where they were at once
attacked, the natives wounding the bishop and two of
the missionaries. Unfortunately the former died three
8
98 THROUGH NEW GUINEA,
days afterwards on board the ship. The survivors then
returned to St. Christoval, where they at once foniied a
mission settlement. After a few months here one of tlie
fathers died, and a ferocious attack made upon tliem by
fhe natives resulted in the death of three more, who wercj
eaten by the savages. The remaining few were besieged
by the natives. This siege lasted for six months, but at
the expiration of this time a vessel arrived from Austraha
with another bishop on board. Under cover of the dark-
ness they managed to send a letter to the ship by a
friendly native, informing the new comers of the state of
siege in which they were, when a j)arty at once went
ashore and rescued them from their perilous situation.
They then made sail and departed for Woodlark Island,
and established themselves there. But discovering it to
be too small a field for the labours of so many they se])a-
rated, the bishop and some of the fathers going to Kcjok
Island, off the coast of New Guinea, where a Mission was
formed. Fever, however, raged to such an extent in both
of these islands that they migi-ated to Fiji, where they
remained for some time, the Italian Missionary Society
there rendering them every possible assistance. Here the
bishop died, and fever killing many more of them they
abandoned the Mission for the time being. During many
subsequent years the work of the Sacred Heart proceeded
irregularly in this part of the world. But in 1889 the
society sent out five missionaries to establish a distinct
vicariat in New l^ritain under a bishop. For nearly a
year and a half after their arrival they were forbidden by
the German New Guinea Company to prosecute their
ministrations or in any way to attempt to interfere with
the natives. But after a huge amount of coiTespondence
the permission was obtained from Berlin. In the mean-
time, however, it had been decided by the officials to
estabhsh distinct districts — one for the Protestant and
w%
^^Sk^^B^^H
i
(■■
i
1
. • ••
METHODS OF THE MISSION. loi
^ another for the Catholic missionaries. Permission to do
this had again to be obtained from the Foreign Office in
Beriin, pending which the members of tlie Sacred Heart
were obHged to refrain from all work and to remain inac-
tive. About this time Bishop Coupe was appointed with
the title of *' Vicariat Apostolique " of New Britain.
This comprised Xew^ Britain, Bismarck archipelago,
British and Gennan Solomons, and the Admiralty group.
In 1890 he visited Europe for the pur[)();se of being
consecrated, and went to Berlin to decide the question of
district for the labours of his Mission. Again, during the
whole time he was absent, the missionaries had to
preserve a policy of masterly inactivity. Immediately on
his return, however, the good work began, and has ever
since been pushed forwai'd with the greatest energy and
success. The plan the bishop has adopted, and which to
my mind is a most admirable one, is, firstly, to thoroughly
educate the children in order to totallv eradicate the old
native habits and customs, and to establish an entirely
new rajime. The first stage of this curriculum consists
in the adoption of as many small native chihh'en as
possible, and giving them a good moral and secular
education as far as their intelligence will permit.
Secondly, to teach them thoroughly useful industries,
trades, and agriculture, and thirdly, when they have
arrived at a marriageable ag(» they will be established in
villages on the land which the Mission has already
acquired from the natives. The Mission will endow each
young couple with a certain amount of land, stock it with
cattle, assist them in planting it with cocoanuts, and also
in the building of a house. At the present moment both
boys and girls are being well educated. IMiey are obliged
by law to be taught to read and write in German. Their
comforts as regards clothes and food are thoroughly
considered. Several brave ladies have left their friends
I02 THROUGH NEW GUINEA.
and homes and have come out to take char^^e of the little
girls.
A large stone church is contemplated. I^lans have
already been drawn up by the bishop himself, and it is
to be entirely built by the brothers of the Mission, who
have left their native country for ever to propagate this
good work. Mr. Parkinson, the manager of the Ralum
estate, during cmr visit presented the Mission with several
thousand acres of good land, lying within easy distance.
This munificent gift was most tliankfully received by the
bishop, whose whole heart and soul is in his work.
One June*21st we embarked on a small schooner, having
made aiTangements with the captain to take us down to
the Solomon Islands, and bidding farewell to all our kind
friends at lialum, set sail in the afternoon, anchoring
next morning at Cocoanut Island, which adjoins the coast
of New Ireland. Near here was the spot chosen by the
members of the ill-fated Marquis de Ke expedition as
their settlement. If my memory serves me rightly, this
expedition was propagated some twenty-five years ago by
a Frenchman, the Marquis de Ke, who collected an
enonnous smn of money in some French ])r()vinces, and
led the more uneducated people to believe that he had
discovered a countrv veritablv flowing with milk and
honey, where a new republic was to be formed and,
apparently, every one was to be the president. Many
thousands of poor deluded Frenchmen were canied away
by the outrageous promises held out to them, and handing
over the savings of their life-time, were put on board old
and unseaworthv crafts, which had been chartered or
ft '
bought for the ]mrpose, their destination being New
Ireland. Needless to say, a great number never reached
that countrv at all, whilst others onlv arrived to be
immediately killed by the natives. The prime mover in
the scheme was subsequently aiTested and suffered a term
JFE PROCEED TO RUBIANA. 107
of imprisonment, but I believe died before the expiration
of his sentence. I have seen mvself the remains of more
than one of these ill-fated vessels, and I have also taken
from the natives, who were wearing them as ornaments,
a great many small bronze religious tokens, which had
doubtless been stolen from the unfortunate victims of this
expedition.
We lay at anchor here all night, but did not think it
wise to go on shore, although a great many of the natives
pressed us to do so. The next morning we made all sail
for Alu, a small island otY Shortland in the Solomon
group ; and after many days of contraiy winds and calms,
we arrived there on July 2nd.
Here we found an Englishman trading.
It had been our intention to remain here for a short time
to collect specimens of natural history among the surround-
ing islands, viz., Bouganville, Choiseul, and Ysabel ; but we
found the trader was then in the act of building a new house,
and literally had no acconmiodation to otfei* us, and so we
decided to go on to Kubiana, where we wvw sure to find
a hearty welcome from the Knglishmen trading there.
During the passage down we passed an Austi'ian man-of-
war. Thev very kindly hailed us and asked us if we were
in need of any pi'ovisions. lic^plying in the negative we
kept on our course, but on acctount of the contrary winds
it was many davs ere we reached our destination.
•• •■
One evening, at about H.8(), we witnessed a very beautiful
sight: although quite dark the heav(*ns were suddenly lit
up by a perfect lunar rainbow stretching from horizon to
horizon.
On tlie following Sunday we arrived at Nusa Sanga,
a very small island Iving at the entiance of the Kubiana
lagoon and off the coast of New (reorgia.
The next morning we took up our abode on the ishand
under the hospitable roof of a young Australian who
was trading there.
io8 THROUGH NEW GUINEA.
This island is only two acres in extent, and is one
on which the British fla^ was hoisted when England
recently undertook the protection of the Solomon Islands.
We found the trader in great trouble, owing t(j tlie death
of his housekeeper, which liad occurred on the previous
evening. She had successfully hanged herself from a
beam in the house, it being the third attempt she had
made upon her life. On the two previous occasions she
had been cut down when in a dying ccmdition. We
heard, too, of the death of another young Englishman
named Guy, who had been assassinated a few days pre-
vious to our arrival by the natives a few miles further up
the lagoon, and his head was the only part of him our
friends had been able to recover. This was a most
diabolical murder, the more especially as Mr. Guy was
very popular amongst all the natives. Unfortunately for
him in this instance he allowed their canoes to come up
on either side of his boat for the j)ur[)ose of trading, and
while in the act of stooping to pick up some articles of
trade he was set upon from both sides and tomahawked
to death.
These natives are not only head-hunters and canni-
bals, but nuike no secret of it whatever. They are
the most treacherous of all the people of the South Seas,
and when apparently on the most friendly terms are only
awaiting a favourable opportunity to catch the stranger
unawares, and to add one more head to their already huge
collection. I may say that during the whole of my visit
I hardly ever had mv revolver out of my hand.
The morning after our ariival we received a visit from
Ingova, the greatest chief and at one time the most
successful head-hunter of liubiana. He was a pleasant,
intellectual man, and spoke pidjin English very well. He
invited mo to ])ay him a visit, when he said he would show
me his canoe houses, his wives, and all his belongings.
THE RVIUAXA LAGOOX. 113
H'j is on the most friendly terms with all the traders
in the neighl)ourliood. After considerable persuasion,
backed by some small presents, he allowed me to take liis
photograph.
The Rubiana lagoon, with its many thousands of cocoa-
nuts waving along the beach, and the many villages dotted
here and there along its shores at intervals of about half
a mile, presents a most picturesque appearance, and one
would scarcely believe that there was lurking amongst
tliose waving cocoanuts and within those rustic-looking
little houses a ferocious treachery entirely unknown to
men of the civilised world.
During one of my collecting expeditions which I took
daily to the mainland of New (Georgia, and when some
few miles from the coast, there suddenly sprang up before
me about a dozen natives who ap|)eared anything but
friendly, and as 1 knew they had been unfortunate lately
in their head-hunting excursions I considered discretion
to be the better part of valour, and so hurriedly returned
to the coast.
Our stay here was attended with much malaria, passing
more than half the time in our beds. Nevertheless, a very
fair collecti(m of natural history sj)ecimens was taken.
The first l^iglish trader to be regularly estal^lished in
this group, Fergusson by name, is l)uried on this island.
He fell a victim to the treachery of these natives whilst
«
trading amongst them, and I could mention a score of
others who sutTered a like fat(».
(Jne morning, when feeling free from feviM*, I made a
short cruise up the lagoon and called upon a Mr. Wick-
ham, who is one of the oldest traders in tlie group. After
lanching with him, I proceeded a few milc^s further to the
village of J^mga Panga, when' I managed to collect a
few rare specimens of lej)i<loi)tera, and also took a photo-
graph of the village, nc^t without v(?ry great difficulty, as
9
CHAPTER X.
TIIH FATE OF THE ** ESPEUAXZA " — PUEPARIXCi FOU A
DEATH FEAST — SOLOMON ISLAND WAR CANOES — A
HOUSE OF SKL'LLS — WE VISIT THE ISLAND OF
YSABEL— HOSPITABLE NATIVES — NATIVES WHO HUILD
THEIR HOUSES ON THEE-TOI'S.
A SHORT time ii<^^) a schooner niiiiied the K.^iperanza
anchored in Ariel Cove, Kulahan^'a, an island near here,
to trade witli the natives for copra. Tiiere were two
white men on l)oard with twi-lve l>lack sailors. The
natives told them thev had a lar<^e (luantitv that thev
would sell tliem in their c:)[)ra hous(\s, l)iit thev required
the helj) of some of tlie men to carry it down to tlie
l^each. The traders unsuspectin^dy sent some of their
men in the boat to fetch it. At a ^dven si<^mal from the
shore the natives who were on tluj schooner suddenly
seized the two En^dislimen and tomahawked them to
death, the crew sutTerin^^ a like death at the hands of the
j)e()ple in the villat^e. The ship was then looted and after-
wards l)urned.
I Indieve a man-of-war has since been then^ to punish
them, but as they invarialdy run into the Imsli on per-
ceivint( its smoke on the horizon little or no harm has
been done to them, and until some more strenuous efforts
are made to punish the natives for their wron^^ doings
murders like this will be carried on daily throughout the
South Sea Islands, and with impunity. The only punish-
119
i
I20 THROUGH NEW GUINEA.
ment inflicted upon them up till now is the burning down
of their houses, but as these arc built of bamboo and
palm-leaves tied together they are always re-erected in a
few hours.* A few days before leavin^^ I paid a visit to a
village in the Rubiana lagoon, for the purpose of wit-
nessing the ceremony of preparing for a feast, on account
of the girl who had hanged herself. I entered a low-
roofed house in the village, which, until my eyes became
accustomed to the uncertain light, apj)cared to be in total
darkness. After I had remained a few minutes within I
discovered that there were at least fifty people lying on
the ground, and i)icking my way amongst them 1 was
directed to the spot set apart for the mother of the
deceased girl. This woman, according to the custom of
her country, was not allowed outside her house, nor allowed
even to w\ash herself for a hundred and fifty days after
the death of her daughter. My visit was paid on the
thirtieth dav after the occurrence, but even then there was
so much dirt and tilth caked upon her face and body that
her features were entirely hidden, and the smell was
almost unbearable.
Not long after this I paid a visit to Ingova, and he very
kindly brought out and manned one of his war canoes, or
Tomakos as they are called, for me to photograph. These
canoes, of which he has seven or eight, are magnificently
constructed without the aid of one single nail, the planks
being laced together with rattan, and the whole covered
over w'ith a species of chinam. They are very much
decorated with carvings and are inlaid with quaint designs
in mother-of-pearl from stem to stern, and are capable of
holding from fifty to sixty warriors. Whilst gazing \vonder-
ingly upon these beautiful specimens of uncivilised art, 1
■-' Were tlie (iovcrniiient to send out such a man as Captain Davies,
K.X., late of H.M.S. Jini/alist, and fjive liini a free lianil for two
years, I thorouj^hly believe that head-huntinfj;, murders, and other
atrocities would eease to be enacted in this group.
i
/:
7
ir.
DISTENDED EARS—HEAD-HUXriXC. 125
observed a l)oy with very lar<^ely diRtended ear-lol)es, and
requested Inorova's permission to photo<jfrap]i him. This
was immediately f^iven, and the boy, who was tennbly
frightened throughout the ordeal, was rewarded with a
stick of tobacco. The lobes of his ears had been pierced
in infancy, and from time to time had had sticks thrust
through them, each succeeding stick being larger than
the last, until arriving at the age when I met him they
had been stretched to such a degree that they were hang-
ing on to his shoulders, and it was quite possible to pass
a small dinner plate through each of them. Although it
is the custom of all Solomon Islanders to practise this
habit T had never seen so remarkable a case as this
before.
T observed several large heaps of skulls under a dilapi-
dated thatched roof l)ehind the canoe house. This place
is the village temple. T could not induce the chief to
speak about it, nor would he for any remuneration what-
ever part with one of the skulls, which T presumed to be
the heads of victims captured during one of his head-
hunting expeditions.
On July 24th Mr. Wickham verv kindlv offered to take
us for a week's cruise to Praslin harbour, on the north
coast of the island of Ysabel.
After two days' sail through the Hawthorn Sound *
we arrived at Po-po, a village in Ysabel standing up(m
rocks which rise up perpendicularly from the water,
and look as inaccessible as the rock of Gibraltar.
These natives, who are of a peaceful nature, were
driven to build their village in this way owing to the
hostility of the more warlike tribes further down the
'■'• The name given to a harbour between Xew (leorf^ia and theishuid
of Wana-Wana. In most places in tliis sound no ancliorage can be
found, but vessels drawing any depth can tie up to the bank on either
side. Foniierly there was a store of coal kept here for her Majesty's
ships, but now discontinued.
126
THROVGH NFAV GUINEA.
coast. After some hours of hard chmbing we arrived at
the top, where we received a Iiearty welcome from the
people of the village. The view which presented itself
from this point was exceptionally fine, and I have seldom,
in my travels to all parts of the world, seen anytliiiif:;
so magnificent as the view I saw on this occasion, and of
which I took a photograph.
This island was a fine field for the collection of lepi-
doptera and coleoptera. The natives, too, vied with each
other as to who could bring the greatest numher of
specimens — beetles and insects of all kinds— but in almost
every instance they sjxiiled what tlioy caught by rough
handling, and we were obliged to throw them away.
The women, better looking than the generality of females
in these islands, were not at all shy, and were eimtinuully
k
HOUSES IN THE TREE-TOPS. 133
paddling out in their canoes from the shore to the schooner,
lying about on the decks the whole of the day and some-
times a great part of the night.
Occasionally the natives in Ysabel, besides building
their villages resembling forts, as in the case of the village
of Po-po, build their houses on the tops of trees. Some of
these houses arc 80 to 100 feet from the ground, and are
reached only by ladders made of bamboo and rattan. In
the distance they appear like enormous birds' nests some
twenty feet in circumference and surrounded by a small
platfonn with a hole in the middle, through which any
enemy ascending can be killed by having stones dropped
upon him.
CHAPTER XI.
DISCOVERY OF THK SOLOMON ISLANDS — NATIVE TYPES —
MURDERS — MANY ENGLISHMEN KILLED.
The Solomon Isles, of which we at home knew compara-
tively little or nothin;:^ until a few years ago, were
discovered by the Spanish explorer Mendana in 1507, and
extend for a distance of over ()0() miles, N.W. and S.E.
The natives were very friendlv to him, hut were dis-
gusted when he at once threw overboard the present
which the chief sent him, consisting of a quarter of a boy
with one hand and arm attached.
The rainfall is considerable, but the climate infinitelv
superior to that of New Cluinea. From the time when
Mendana first discovered these islands for upwards of
two hundred years we do not hear of their having been
visited, until in 17(37 a vessel was fitted out and sent on a
voyage of discovery to the South Pacific. This ship, The
SwalloWj conmianded by Captain Carteret, sighted theiiL
Subsequently many officers, among them being Lieutenant
Shortland, Mons. Bougainville, Admirals D'Entre, Castre-
anx, and I)'Ur\ille also visited the group. The islands
are volcanic, and on manv of them there are to be seen
mountains ranging fnmi five to ten thousand feet in height.
On the island of Bougainville and some few others in the
group, the volcanoes are still active, occasionally belching
foi'th tongues of Hame to the terror of the natives.
Earth(]uiikes iu\) of very frequent occurrence, and during
134
THE SOLOMON ISLANDS. 135
my visit to the j^roiip T experienced many micomfortable
sliakin^^s on account of tliem. The shores of most of the
ishmds are fringed witli man<(roves, and most of the
country is clothed with dense forest and prolific under-
t^rowth. Nevertheless, on Bou<(ainville, Choiseul, Ysabel,
and Guardalcanar there is much excellent land, the last-
named especially being very fertile. The inhabitants are
Papuans, although the ^lelanesian type as well as the
Polynesian can easily l)e distinguished in various parts of
the group. 1 also noted many natives bearing unmistak-
able Hebraic features, and their aptitude for trade and the
keenness with which they execute their various dealings
would lead one almost to believe that they comprise one
of the lost tribes of Israel. Tliev are one and all cannibals,
frightfully cruel and terribly treacherous, i lead-hunting
seems to be their only occupation, and the practice of
offering up human sacrifice on even tlie most trival
occasion prevails tlu'oughout the gioup.
It was not far from the island of Mandoliana that Jiiiuit.
l^owen of If.^I.S. ,SV///r/////. and also a nund)erof his boat's
crew, were killed in ISHO at the hands of a head-hunting
party close to where I was staying. And when I was at
Kubiana thei'e was head nionev offered for the heads of
certain natives who had displeased a certain chief. On
manv occasions the same reward has been offered for the
heads of white men ; 1 was tluM'efore cautioned never to
move without my revolver in hand, llead-bunting raids
are constantly being organised upon villages near at hand,
but never has it bei^i known that any one expedition has
been formed and sent out to any particular village without
first bein«' confident that thev were attacking a verv nuich
weaker party than their own. On these occasions every
available canoe is manned, some of the larger ones holding
as manv as sixtv warriors, who, armed to the teeth, set
out on their nmrderous journey. 1 have been an eye-
136 THROUGH XEW GllXEA.
witness tr) more than one such expedition, when a large haul
had been made and more tlian sixty trophies in the shape
of heads had been captured, which were immediately smoke-
dried and preser\ed by bein«( plastered over with cliinam.
They were then taken to the temple or tambu house, when
the chief made an oration mentionin*^ by name every
successful warrior who had added to the store. The whole
village then commenced a wild and frantic dance, brandish-
ing their weaix)ns until they all fell to the ground in a
state of absolute frenzv and exhaustion. On one occasion
the excitement increased to such a degree that I grew
rather apprehensive, and so slowly walking to the boat I
regained it and returned home, not, however, without
being the recipient of many scowling looks and yells from
the excited rovsterers.
Gratitude is, we know, rare enough even in the civilised
world, but it is a nomen incogftitum in the Solomon Islands.
The captain of the schooner wln) eventually took us to
Sydney told me that in one dehbenitely planned attempt
to murder him and his crew the ringleader had been a
man wliom he ha<l previously nui*sed back from sickness
to health and for whose welfare he had d<me all that lay
in his power.
The natives may be considered a finely proiX)rtioned
race although slightly under the average height of man ;
they are considerably darker than the natives of New
Britain. Eacli island has its own particular dialect, and the
people are for ever at war with one an<>ther.
The fact that these islands lie out of the track of all
steamers probably accounts for the neglected condition in
which thev have been allowed to remain. Thev are easily
accessible nevertheless, being at the extreme east of New
Guinea, and within the last few veai*s a considerable ti*ade
has \)vcn opened up and a ^aeat deal more would be done
were it not that the natives are such fierce head-hunters
i
J/ANV ENGLISIIMEX KILLED. 139
<an(l cannibals, "cooked man" hii\\\\i^\\\ki\x inhcc de resistufice
as the pate dr foie (jra.s is to the civilised <(ourniet.
Their weapons are spears, bows, and arrows. The
former, tipped with barbs of human bone cleverly
inserted and of most formidable appearance, are <(enerally
about ten feet in len<j^th ; they are occasionally poisoned,
but such instances are rare. The arrows, wiiich are made
not unlike the spears in appearance, are beautifully carved,
and many hours of laborious work are spent upon each.
The majority of natives wear no clothing whatever, and
even thosii who wear a narrow band of cloth use the
scantiest j)ossil)le quantity. A gieat many ornaments
are worn both by men and womcMi, ])earl shell and pig
teeth being mo';tlv used ; but ihev have a beautifully
linished arm-ring made from tiie clam shell, and rubbed
down on sandstone to an ex({uisite fineness. These
latter are greatly prizL'd, and it was with considerable
difficulty that I obtainiMl some ])e:fect specimens.
I believe som:^ vears ago, when iMiglishmen lirst took to
recruiting labour for tlie Queensland plantations in this
group, seveial instances of gieat cruelty were practised
towards the natives, and I am glad to say the offenders
were severely punished, as in the case of the Hopeful, and
manv others too numerous to mention. And dearlv have
• %,■
the Knglish traders wlio have settled there within the last
sixteen years suffenMl through it. The following is a list
of a few of the men who had been murdered for apparently
no reason vhatevei*: —
Captain Fergusson, Ca])tain Townsend, James Morrell,
I'homas Dobell, fjieutenant l^ower, K.X., an entire boat's
crew of H.M.S. Sundjiij, J. II. Cooper, Charles Ladden,
Willijim Dobell, W. Child, Captain Craig, Frederick
Howard, Captain Havie, Mi'ssrs. Nelson, Adams, Quim,
Martin, Donald Guy, a Government agent and liis boat's
crew, F. Nyburg, Jeffrey, Klsden and four saihn's, Arm-
strong, and scores of others.
HO THROUGH NFAV GUINEA,
Of the traders at present in the group I met nearly all,
and found them a very generous-hearted, hard-working,
and self-sacrificing body of men, but they all have one
common grievance. It appears that the Solomon Islands
under the British Protectorate are open for pur2)oses of
trading to all vessels of any nationality whatsoever
while that portion of the group annexed by the
Genuan Kmpire is open only to Germans, or to
foreigners on payment of an annual licence tl2 10s.
But, as in this case, the British subject, or whoever he may
be, is not allowed to employ a native to work ashore, it is
impossible to do any successful trade.
Max Miiller has affirmed the justice of the idea that, in
order to understand what the so-called civilised people
may have been before they reached their higher enlighten-
ment, w^e ought to study savage tribes such as we find
' them still at the present day ; it is a lesson w^hich has
been taught us, applied to the stratification of the human
race.
I found throughout the Solomon group, and also in
New Guinea, very many distinctly different languages,
but in the latter place the dialectal variety is very much
greater.
CHAPTEK XII.
VOYAGE TO SHORTLANI) — I hRKED THE OKNITHOPTERA —
NARROW ESCAPE FROM THE NATIVES — VOYACIE TO
SYDNEY — HOME.
The last few days reiiiaiiiin<j; to us — for the schooner had
arrived which was to take us to Sydney — I spent ahnost
entirely in New Geor^^ia collectin*^^ the fauna of that
country, and many pleasant hours were spent roaniinp;
near the sea-shore, for after my former experience I did
not deem it advisahle to ^^o very far inland.
On the 12th oi Au^uist we sailed in the schooner lAwk
for Sydney, she hein<; bound first for the Shortland Islands
with provisions for the trader livin^^ there. On our
arrival at Alu on the coast of Shortland, we found
that there was much copra to he taken on board, which
necessarily delayed our departure for a few days. T was
not sorry, however, because it ^iwe us an opportunity of
adding somethin*.^ more to our already large collections,
and the captain havin*^^ kindly lent us his boat we made
many excursions to the various islands in the nei^^hbour-
hood. Amon<^ other thinj^s, we obtained very many
specimens of the Ornithoptern D'Un'illicifia, both in the
buttei'fly state and in the puptp — many of the latter I
hatclied in my cabin on the way to Sydney. It may
be interesting to know that innnediately after this
ornithoptera is born it resembles very much the
Ornithoptera PriamiiSy and only assumes its blue colour
141
142 THROUGH NEW GUINEA,
an hour or two after coining to life. I also hatched one
specimen of the Ornithoptera Victoria , which was born
two days before our arrival in Australia.
The day before we left I took the boat and one or
two natives with nie to an island sonic few miles dis-
tant, in the hopes of obtaining particular species of
lepidoptera which I knew to exist there. On arriving
at the village, which was situated a few yards up from
the beach and densely surromided by cocoanut trees, I
looked in vain for the inhabitants, who had not put in
any appearance, as they usually do on the landing of a
stranger. This augured of evil, as the native is in the
habit of remaining inside his house on the arrival of anv
person he does not wish to see. I took very little notice
of this as I had a gun and revolver with me, but left
two boys with the boat with distinct instructions not to
leave it under any circumstances.
Betuming after an hour or two spent in the forest with
the object of my visit safely stowed away, I found all the
men of the village assembled together in the council
house — at least a hundred in number — apparently much
excited and gesticulating wildly. On perceiving me they
all pointed at me, and at the same time cast by no means
friendly glances in my direction. I sauntered directly up
to the chief, and, slapping him on the back, offered him
a cigar and at the same time intimated that I required
some cocoanuts to drink, and after some hesitation and
delay they were brought. Knowing quite well that
they w^ould not attack me from in front, I placed my
back against a tree before quenching my thirst and
appeared apparently quite unconcerned, although I was
quite aware of the dangerous position in w^hich I was.
Again walking up to the chief, I shook him by the hand,
and, turning away, slowly walked down to the beach
without turning my face from the people, and I was by
RXD OF OCR FIRST FXPEDITION. 143
no means sorry to find nivself safe in tlie boat once more,
r attributed my safety, and T can but little doubt that
• • • '
r owed my life, on this occasion, to the fact that I,
apparently inadvertently, displayed a lar^re revolver as
well as the shot ^nni which I had slun^ over my shoulder.
On tlie 2*2nd of Au^^ust we left for Sydney, where we
did not arrive until the iHth of September, after a month
of terrific weather, experiencin<^' very frij^ditful hurricanes,
and on more than one occasion we wen? compelled to
heave to. Durin<( such times I was ol)li<^'ed to keep
to my bunk as, still verv weak from the; effects of the
malaria contracted in New (iuinea, I did not seem to
possess enou<^di stren«(th to be clin<^nn<{ on outside.
Sydney harbour was at len«j;th entered, however, and
after a stay of two or thn;(; days we cau«dit the mail
steamer and arrived in JMi^land on the lUth of November,
1H<)4.
Our collections durinj^^ this ex])editi()n, of which a
partial list is <^iven in the A))))endix, comprised s(mie
Ki.OOO s))ecimens of le))idoi)tera, and a <,n'eat many orni-
thological s))ecimens, and coleoptera, besides numerous
snakes, mammals, and etlmolot^ncal specimens, and not a
few species of the different orders were, I am ^dad to
say, new to the scientific world.
PART n.
CHAPTER I
ARHIVAL IN JAVA- JATAVIA — THE A1^"Ti»JiY OF THE
I»I'T<H AT WATEKI.'H^— hKAT'TirTL P.riTENZoRO THE
h^»TAVI< AL *\1::*}:S lALA* r. ••>■ THE G<i\'ERNOR-
OENEJJAL — A TE\ ESTATE — A ZrN>L«>,KAL COLLEC-
TION — MY VI^IT T<' A HEALTH KE?-«.»RT — A NATTVE
THE\T};E.
In thf- autumn '.f l^jgri I Mart«-<^ f«»r iiiv >ct.N»nd and l>v
far ili«r uii*r*f l»-nLtl]y exiHr*iiii*.n. Travelling: overiand
by Tarii- t" Mar-^ ill^-. I iliin- t*»«'k a Mt-s>ai:erie Mari-
tiijjt' ^i^-iiiiif'T. all'] a iij^ntlj ^r >«• later I arrivetl at
Sin^rajMin . \v]i»-rt' I <.nly n'iijain».-.i **ue ninht. and, tran-
slii|»j»M::: ii;t*» "U*- «»f tin- c'«iii[»ain's <inalK-r steamers,
I r»'a«:l;«'«j I^atavia ..ji the Kt *»{ Xi»vemlH:*r. Hen? I
was oblij.'»-<] t*» rtrinaiii f«»r >'»mf **hort time as I was
d^r-irou- i.f ♦iiL'aLniiL' -"lur M:ilay> t<» take with me to
tlir- fartiit-r Ka-t. Tht-r^r lia- \h.'vu >*• much written
alr»'a«]y '»f Java an«i it- 'it'iH: ii«uncies that it is not my
irit»:riti"ii to dwt-11 luurli «.ii that iountrv, hut merelv to
<:iv»' a 'I--' riiitiMii ..f the phi.-t-- aiui plantations I per-
•^•iially vi-itt'i. ainl ..f tlu- -^•vial \ih- ..f the Dutch in
N<fth<Tlan«]- Iniiia.
On arrivin-j 'it Tanj'.ii_: I'li-.k. thr harl—ur fn»ui which
Bjjtiivi;j i- r* a'K» •]. I t''«ni:.] I wa- ohliLTt .i t.« leave all inv
ritl»- aii'i aiiiiiriiiiti.'ii m tlit- i.'U-t<'iii-. luui iliat I should
144
/?// TA VIA. 145
only be penuittecl to take them into the country on
obtaining a special permission from the Governor-General.
This tlie J^ritish Consul very kindly arranged for me, at
the same time obtaining a special permit to travel in
Netherlands India for a period of one year. The small
railway ninning to the harbour from the town passes
through a verA* pretty bit of troi)ical scenery and, for the
greater part of the distanci?, some five or six miles, side
by side with one of those canals for which the Dutch are
so noted. The town of Batavia itself has long since ceased
to liold the residences of the European population, but
is now set apart as the business portion. All the old
mansions, with their massivi* staircases and wonderful
carvings, are now turned into othces, or "go downs,"
as thev are called bv the merchants established there.
A mile or two further on and one comes to the upper
part of Batavia, called " WeJtt^vreden," which is un-
questionably the finest of all Indian towns. It is to
this part — the veritable Hyde Paik of Hatavia -that the
l^uropeans, one and all, return aftrr the heat and labour
of the day. And with one or two cxcc))tions, such as the
l^isser Senin and the Passer Bahroc, where mav be seen
Malay and Chinese shops, the wiiole of this part of
the town reminds one of some beautiful park with its
picturesque villas dotted here and there and built in rows
and ai)proached by most pretentious carriage sweeps,
and beneath the shade of truly superb tamarind trees
with all their exquisite beauty of tropical foliage. It is on
the verandahs and inside a great many of these very pretty
villas, with their overhanging Bougainvillia and tropical
creepers, that are exposed iov sale all European wares,
for be it known the.se are the shops of Weltevreden, and
1 nuist say that at night-time when they are all lit up —
for electricity has ev(?n found its wav to this citv in the
Far East — they remind one of so many fairy palaces
II
1+6 THROUGH NFAV GUINEA
amongst tlie trees. But one can fonu no idea of the
beauties of this wonderful city until a drive has been
taken past tlie palace of tlie Govenior-General to the
barracks of tlic cavalry, along by tlic Waterloo l*lain,
and finishing by making a complete detour of the King's
Plain, on tlie sides of whicli all the crenie de la crime
of Netherlands Indian society resides.
Of its buildings, the palace of the Governor-General, the
IS, the opera house, and the Harmonic and C'on-
conlia Chibs form the princi|»al. The Harmonic, which is
the civilians' club, is (situated on the banks of the canal and
near the palace, and on certain evenings during the week
one of the military bands discourses bi-autiful nuisic in its
griHinds. On these occiisions ladies arc admitted to tlie
club- Til,' CoiK-onha. \vhi<:li is tlu- Tiiilitary dub, was
limit by the English dining their occupaliim of Java
THE KIXG'S PLAIN.
1 4;
at th« c(Jiiiiiien<;<?nieiit of tlie preMent century — a truly
iiiatiriificeiit edifice witli its stately luills, and floored
tliroiiKltout with Itiiliiin iiuirblc, it holds rank with the
tineKt lmildin','H in the country. It stands amidst very
extensive (,'nninds in tlie centre of which is erected a
stand, and on Wednesdays and Katunlays, from 1) to I'i,
one of the finest bands I have ever heard out of f^urope
f^ves pleasure ti) the people.
The private residences of the more wealthy |M)pulation,
who, as I have already said, surround the Kind's I'lain, are
truly beautiful. They are approached from the road by
way of an avenue some fifty yards in length, the whole
compound heiny encliised by a low stone wall. The
houses tlieniselves are yenei-ally built on stone pillars
niised a few feet from the t,'round, for health's sake, and
are entered by ascending some marble steps, the whole
148 THROUGH NEW GUINEA.
house being surrounded by a very wide marble-floored
verandah, and in the front of which may be seen invari-
ably a large massive table, set round with innumerable
rocking chairs — for the Dutch always sit round a table
when talking to one another.
The small EngHsh population of course, being, as usual,
more energetic than the people amongst whom they are
living, have successfully established a very excellent
tennis club and golf links, and during the time I was
there the formation of a polo club was on the tapis.
In the centre of the Waterloo Plain and facing the
whole line of Cavalry Bairacks, not at all unlike those of
the Royal Artillery at Woolwich, towers a massive monu-
ment, on the top of which is an absurdly small figure
representing what I took to be a lion. Underneath is
an inscription which states that this monument was
** erected in memory of the battle of Waterloo, won by the
Dutch, June 18, 1815." l^rave Hollanders ! ! !
Kunning through the principal streets of the town is a
very well-constructed canal, by the aid of which all the
refuse of the town is carried to the sea ; notwithstanding
this native men, women, and children may be seen at
all hours of the day and night either bathing, or washing
their sarongs and their rice.
A very neglige costume is worn throughout the day by
the Dutch ladies. It consists of a sarong and kabaja,
the former a long strip of native-made material, with
very quaint designs printed upon it in many various
colours. The size of this garment is that of a large bath
towel, and it is deftly wound round the waist so as to con-
ceal the two ends, which overlap. Reaching down as far
as their ankles, it permits of the upper part of the foot
being exposed to view; tlieir toes are invariably encased in
the snijillost of velvet slippers embroidered with gold
tliread. The kabaja resem])les very much our idea of
nviriixzORC. 149
a lady's rtressiiifj jjicktt. except that it luis nii fastening
at all in the fn)nt, but is just held together by a small
brnoch <ir safety-pin This costume is chantied in the
evening for one more ccmventional.
After a week or two spent licre I took ti-jiin to
Buitenzorg, which is consiilereil the health resort of Java.
It is situated H(>'i feet above the sea, and enjoys a
r^es
distinctly difforeTit climate to the nnich damper heat of
Hatavia. Hero the (riivernor-Genenil makes his home.
The palace, whieb is iiuilt on a Hkc in the centre of a
mat;nitic(int park, is a most imposing building, and from
the; gates IcHiking up the heautiful avenue of tamarind
and canary trees, and with the many hundreds of deer
that one sees grazing in all directions, one would scarcely
re out of Europe. Here,
believe this to be
ISO THROUGH NEW GUINEA,
also, are the celebrated Botanical Gardens, which were
estabhshed in 1817 by Reinwardt, and have long since
become well known all over Europe. They contain a
collection of palms second to none in the world, besides
thousands of other rarities which are not to be seen else-
w^here. Connected with these gardens is a huge labora-
tory, intended for botanists visiting Java. Scientific men
have come from all parts of the world to see and study
here.
From the hotel at which I staved there is, I consider,
one of the grandest views the world contains. At one's
feet is the valley of Tjiliong, down the centre of which is
rushing a mountain torrent where the natives are daily
bathing, and on either bank can be seen their little pictur-
esque villages, peeping out from beneath the stately cocoa-
nut palms, and in the distance the wood-covered slopes of
the Salak mountain gradually ascending to a height mostly
hidden by the clouds, but in the early morning from the
summit of whose peak can be seen the wreaths of smoke of
an active volcano. Whilst here I received an invitation
from a Dutch gentleman, on whose tea plantation I had
spent a most enjoyable fortnight some few years ago
when on a visit to Java, big game shooting, and I
quickly availed myself of his kind hospitality. Mr. Kirk-
hoven, who is partly Scotch by descent, is one of the most
charming Dutchmen it were possible to meet. His
beautiful plantation, Sinagar by name, is well known
now in Europe for the excellence of its tea. The estate,
which is entirely lit by electricity, is some few miles
from Buitenzorg, and is reached either by carriage or by
train.
The house itself is a massive edifice of stone, of verv
large pr()))()rti()ns, and built throughout for comfort. On
the back verandah may ])e seen a teh^plione, by which
communication can not onlv be made over the entire
A BIG-GAME HUNTER, IS3
estate, to the residences of the diflferent managers and
overseers, but also over the whole of Java if the operator
so wishes.
jNIr. Kirkhoven owns a very valuable stud of thorough-
bred horses, and is also the president of the Racing
Club in Java, and the winner of inniunerable racing
cups. His partner, Baron von Heckeren, who also
resides at Sinagar, was pleased to show nie the many
hunting trophies he had gained, for he and Mr. Kirk-
hoven are without doubt the gi*eatest " shikarras " in
Netherlands India, passing some months in the autunm
of each year on a big game expedition. It was here
that a vear or two a<;o his Koval Highness the Arch-
duke of Austria came and was shown so much sport
by these two well-known hunters. Unfortimately my
visit was spent at the wrong time of year for such an
expedition, but I hope one day to be able to accept my
friend's kind hospitality again, and shoot some tiger.
Sinagar owns quite a large zoological collection, and at
five o'clock each afternoon every living beast and creature
on the estate is brought to the front of the house to
receive a caress, a kindly word, and a handful of paddy
(rice). A huge Sumatran elephant, showing magnificent
ivory, is always first and foremost, the horses, the cattle,
and sambwa deer, pigeons in all varieties from the
beautifully crested Victoria pigeon from New Guinea, to
the common fan-tail of Europe, all crowding round their
master for their share ; and last, but bv no means least, a
perfect specimen of the l^anting (wild bull) of Java, now
perfectly tame through the energ\' and persevering patience
of his worthy owner.
After a few days spent here, and finding that my time
was getting short, I was obliged, with many regrets, to bid
farewell to the keenest sportsman and the most genial
host it has ever been my good fortune to meet in the Kast.
'54
TUROVGH XEW GVIXEA.
From liere 1 took train to Hoekaboenii , ii name wliich
signifies the " desire of the world," another of Java's
liealth resorts. I was advised that I should probably be
able to en{»age the men required licre. With an avcrajio
temperature of 75° Fahrenheit, and with onlv a moderate
rainfall, SoekaiK)enii may be said to possess a most lovely
climate. Standing on a hill above the town is a con-
valescent establishment, where one can lodge upon veiy
reasonable terms.
Whilst liero I witnessed the iwrfonnance of the
Wajang, a Javanese theatre in which the natives i>er-
form n^presentations of ancient legends, wearing masks
varying in colour and design according to the nature
of person they represent. J*'or instance, should the
actor be represt^nting a god, tliey are painted bkie, for
a devil or evil spirit, red. I^^or giants or distinguished
people the colour used is white. 'I'beir i)lays liist for some
considerable time, and on some occasions I have witnessed
part uf a perroniiance that has been going on for days.
The actors tbrinsclvcs <1<. not speak their |)iirts. bul
listening t.> tlie peison wlici is earcfullv concealed from
A JAl'AXESE THEATRE. 155
tlie audience, gesticulate according to the words whicli he
gabbles off at some furious rate from an old book. The
majority of the spectators, on the occasion of which I
speak, consisted of persons of all classes, high and low
caste Javanese, Malays, and Chinamen — some asleep,
some engaged in earnest conversation, but not a single
one paying any attention to the ])erformance.
CHAPTEK II.
NATIVES ARE UNWILLTNCI TO ACCOMPANY ME — AVE TAKE
ON HOARD DYNAMITE — JAVA A TROPICAL GARDEN —
THE BEAUTIFUL WOMEN OF RALI — RUINS OF HINDOO
TEMPLES — LOMROK — PALACE OF THE LATE SULTAN —
THE LOMROK AVAR — DEFEAT OF THE DUTCH — THE
SI^TTEE : SELF-SACRIFICIN(^ WOMEN — MACASSAR— EX-
CITABLE NATIVES — STORY OF TWO MEN WITH ONE
WIFE.
From liere I paid a visit to another tea plantation hi^di
up in the mountains, some twenty miles distant. My
luggage was carried by coolies for ten solid miles to the
top, for the small sum of ten cents apiece, which equals
twopence.* This plantation is owned by an Englishman,
and is very prettily situated on the top of a range of
mountains, many thousand feet above the level of the sea.
I soon afterwards learned that the steamer would
start in a few days for Macassar, and so I was obliged to
hurry back to Batavia without any success as regards en-
gaging hunters, for it appears that on the very mention of
the name New Guinea the Javanese and Malays fly, and
whether it be on account of the cruelty many of them
'••' And as an instance of the many miles coolies are sent for little
payment, I may mention that on one occasion durinj^ my stay here
I received a letter bearing insnflicient jiostage, and two days later
received a notice from a post-master tliirty-tlnee miles distant, and
sent hy hand, tlie man lieing on foot, requesting the ])aym(.nt of i\\v
cents, being the amount di:e on the unpaid letter.
/ PURCHASE A YACHT. 157
have received at tlie liands of certain planters there, the
fear of sniall-pox, or whether it is hecause tliev have lieard
so many cannibal stories of tiie Papuans, I cannot say,
hut certain it was 1 (juite failed to en<(a<(e tlie services of
any for my forthconiin*^' expedition to tliat country.
Tlie native po])ulation of Java consists principally
of Javanese, Chinese, Malays, and Arahs, and I
believe there are over twentv millions of inhabitants
■
in the island. Thev all exhibit a healthv, strontr, and
well-fed appearance, for the most part excessively
clean ; and their reli<j:ion, which prohibits the use of
alcohol, assists them to be free from manv common
diseases of more civilised nations. Naturallv a lascivious
race, the continual (•i)ntact they have had with Kuropean
people has proi)a*{ate(l ratlun* than diminished their love
of vice.
Before leavin<j Java I wrote to Hn<dand for a vaclit
to be purchased foi* me, as I found the steam service
was so irre^'ular to tlic countries I intended to visit, and
to som.' there was no connnuuication whatever. \ there-
fore made arran^^'cmciits for tlic purcliasc of a vessel in
Austraha whirh should mci't nic in the Kei Islands, in
the coui'sc of a few niontliN' time.
P>iddin^' ^'oodbyc to Hatavia. I took passa^'e on
one of the steamers of tlie Koninklijke Paketvaart
Maatscha])])ij bound for Macassar, and two days later
anchored in the roads oil Sov'iabaja, where we only
remained a few hours to take in some (rases of
dynamite. The town of Soerabaja is the second largest
town in Java, and is situated on the eastern end of the
island. It possesses, if possible, a hotter climate than
that of Batavia, and altliou<;h a very large business centre,
ha-i very few places of interest in (n* around it. I cannot
leave Java, however, without savin<' how verv much
struck I was with the beautiful scenerv thniuirhout the
IS8 THROUGH NEW GUINEA.
whole of the countiv, and from its tiuv railway winding
over the numerous mountains and down into the depths
of the many valleys, I saw tlie most lovely tropical
scenery I had ever ^^azed upon. The prolific tropical
undergrowth with its intense gi'een, the paddy fields
fonning ridges up the slopes to the very summit of the
highest mountains, the myriads of cocoanut palms, the
picturesque villages, and the numerous rivers winding
here and there in all directions, all combine to enhance
the beauty of the scene, and to liken Java to one vast
tropical garden.
The next day, after lea\ang Soerabaja, we arrived
at Boeleleng, on the island of Bali, and as we had
some few hours to w-ait before the departure of the
steamer again, I went on shore for the purpose of visiting
some Hindoo temple a few miles in the interior.
Engaging a ** sadoe " (pony carriage), after much diffi-
culty, from a native, I drove to these temples, which
date from the eighth century, and are built entirely after
the Buddhistic style. In appearance they very much
resemble, though on a much smaller scale, the famous
temples of Boro Boedoer in Java. They contain innumer-
able Buddhist images sculptm*ed in stone, with many tiers
and ten'aces surrounding them, and although the temples
are partially in ruins the frescos are in a wonderful state
of preservation to-day. Spending a very pleasant hoiu-
in examining the many beautifully sculptured bas-reHefs,
and the many designs of the Buddhist sculptor, I then
returned to the poii and took a stroll through the market.
Bali is the only remaining Hindoo island in this group.
Of the natives, the women are exceptionally beautiful,
with erect carriage and with flowing black sarongs ; they
present a striking contrast to tlie undersized Javanese.
Passing along the coast and beneath the very shadow of
the beautiful peak of Bali towering up int(j the clouds,
••I ••,.••
• • t ! • • • •
LOMBOK. 159
we arrivcMl the next inornin*,' at Ainpeiiiuu in Lombok,
and some ofticers of a Dutch man-of-war accompanied me
on sliore. This place is the scene of the hite war vva^^ed
a<,'ainst the Dutch on account of their interference in the
native tribal troubles. The town, which is now strongly
fortified, is surrounded entirely by ramparts, consisting
of logs and fallen trends piled one on another. Many
cannons are to be seen in the streets and sentries of
])utch Indian troops are parading everywhere. The
natives were originally Sassachs, but they were conquered
1)V the 13iu'gis and have almost entirely disap})eared, but
the few wlio do remain hold the ])resent occupiers of the
countrv in undving hatred, willing and readv at anv
moment to rise up and make a terrible onslaught on
them. 1 paid a visit to llie ruins of the palace of the
late Sultan, and also to tlie small Hindoo temple where
the Dutch troops took refuge from tlie natives during^tlie
massacre two years ago. The remains of the j)alace itself
— for the Dutch (hu'ing the engagement almost entirely
razed it to tlie ground — must have been of huge
dimensions, covering many aci'es of ground, and must
have been one of the most icmai'kabje palaces of the l^ist,
for the Sultan himsrlf was one of the richest of all the
Indian potentates. In the grounds is built a swimming
bath some three-([uarters of a mile in circumference, and
in the centre, b(*neath a richly carved circular eanojn', is
a small resting lounge where the Sultan was in the habit
of n^clining to view the dailv ablutions of the many
hundred women wliich constituted his harem. This
monarch was the instigator of the terrible attack made
upon the Dutch in 181K^-U4, when a whole regiment of the
latter, who were encamped on a small [>iece of open
ground half a mile away from the palace, were suddenly
surprised in the night and massacred to a man.
This man taxed his people terribly, and the many
i6c THROUGH \'EW GUISE A
rfKe? be nc^:^c*i ;.. \*y ^ash^er i« wether the enor-
n>"*a> n-.'^h^e* .i wLzci Le wi:? ibe p:«5«5<e:«<>r. caused him
lo t«e n.'s^rL hfcScti. \\ ii nrpi-rtrti iLii *:»n his becoming
aoizLkinicti wiih ir>e :-rier :si»;^ed £•:<• his capture, after
itinf >r».*^oefiis fr.ci Jav^ hi»i srs-x-vsrfoily repulsed the
natiTcs in Licit* k. be .-;fc;2?«i«i :•> t^ tLp>wii no less than
twv* "ollIz^ c Kr-^iish -s* T^rfieL^ns ini* '-ce «»f his lakes,
ba; w'oeth^rr :Li> t^r trse I -A'-r. ;: siy. He was after-
wanis t^kkrc ».. JiTi. -Kber^ L-e ijcti vx-c after, the bonds
♦ •f o;ipdviiT 'v^ iT^-- hT-ATi-j .£1 LiiL.. an-i his a*.»n. finding
tha; he hAi liiil-e ,r "■; r» "^^er r^t,a:r>ini:. cv^mmitted
soicrie.
t>n ii-y walk iswk 5.. iL-e shir I |»S45<rti a native who
ha^i fas:«rn-ei ::: his ^;fcr ci: wba: apf^eaned to me to be
a ver>- r^r .^^ f>i^ y o;irvai kris nacve dagger*, and I
askeri ^-w :.:- 1-e!: ni-ie exACiicie :5. and with much
reiQctanot be ii. wL-ec I a; .-oo^ -iiso-Tened it to possess
a tr-a^ivt: ^ li Ljkn-il-c. initio wiih 'ri.anK'Ods and other
si.-C'es. A b'-^ rrxt: w^^s . 5rrv»i bin: : .-r it, bat he refused
t»> s«el- I: :> my dm: c^li-rf :bi: tbis : sm>ed pan of the
many :b :isAni pcints w nh i val-iii'jcs which were
I > ic^t r^nn^ ::.^ sackir.^ > : *br mlac-v.
I r>?*rrvtr»: ibais ^h^ lyiich weiv h-er^ er^^tini! very
larc^ l;irTsok>, :n:ci:r.r>^ iris riJiC*: :.> i»:d a large
rirr.^ n. : r ihrv >::!* trnienam i c^rsain amount of
i-^'-i^ \z.hr. :b: r-iiiv-^^ miY i^iir. r:<^, ar>i im^ck^ if they
'RrTr : * >. .:i a::% > r: f >v>:cii-a;:c way and with
-3.:>:r-rn-^: ^tr.tr-.l^ : l-ri-.: ih-tiii. ih-r 1^'ch w.»ald find
»^ 1— ^'i --tr-. I -^ .i.> : : :: in rXTrtrbnirv custom
•1::.-^: ^_ :_ :..r ":_-.:: : >c .>.:— i-::lir::n. and
- " - "-\ - _- :-i_t iJ:-.^-. ii-.f .1:: -• :•- w :: ihr hidian
• • I r-, ; : :.- rt r-L.v i ir-fcnm-Mi of
-' - ' -. :. : .--..: : !.:„:♦ * «:vesi-av suffer
A MODiriED SUTTEE. i6i
tliomselves to be burned Jifter tlie deatli of their husbands
— they are not compelled to do it. They iiave the choice
of allowing themselves to be burned or krised (disem-
bowelled by the native da^j^'er). The first is the most
rare. The wives of the liajahs, however, sutler them-
selves to be l)urned. Having' been present at one of
these horrible spectacles I will relate how it was c(m-
ducted. The ^uisti, who died at Ampenan, left three
wives. One of them would let herself be krised for his
honour, and that a^^ainst the will of all on both sides of
her family. The woman was still youn^ and beautiful ;
she had no children. Thev said to me that a woman
under such circumstances who sutl'ered herself to be killed
had indeed loved her husband. She inti*nded to accom-
pany him on his lon<,' journey to the ^'ods, and she hoped
to be his favourite in the other world. Tlu* dav after
the death of the <^aisti his wife took many baths; she was
clothed in the richest manner, she passc^d the day with
her friends in eatin<(, drinking', chewing' of sirrih, and
prayin*^^ About tlu? middle of tlie space before the house
thev had erected two scatlol(liii<^s of l);iml)o<), of the
len^ah of a man. and three feet al)ove tlie ^nound. Tnder
these they had ({\\\i a small pit, to receive the water and
the blood that should ilow. In a small house at one side,
and opposite these frameworks, were two others entirely
similar. At four o'clock in the afternoon men brought
out the body of the «^nisti wra])ped in linen, and placed
it on the left of the two central platforms. A ])riest of
Mataram removed the cloth from the bodv, while
youn^' persons hastened to screen it from the public t(aze.
They threw much water over the corpse, washed it, and
covered the whole body with Howers. Tlu'y then bn^ujL^lit
a whiti* net. Tht; priest took a cup tilled with water, on
which he strewed some tlowers. lie first sprinkled the
deceased with this water, and then jK^ured it throu^di the
12
i62 THROUGH NEW GUINEA.
net on the body, which he blessed, praying, singing, and
making various mystical and symbolical motions. He
afterwards powdered it with flour of coloured rice and
chopped flowers, and placed it on dry mats. Women
brought out the wife of the gusti with her arms crossed,
and she was clothed with a piece of white linen only.
Her hair was crowned with flowei-s. She was quiet, and
betrayed neither fear nor regret. She placed herself
standing before the body of her husband, raised her anns
on high, and made a prayer in silence. Women
approached her and presented to her small bouquets of
kembang, spatii, and other flowers. She took them (me
by one and placed them between the fingers of her hands
raised above her head. On this the women took them
away and dried them. On receiving and giving back
each bouquet the wife of the gusti turned a little to the
right, so that when she had received the whole she had
turned quite round. She prayed anew in silence, went
to the corpse of her husband, kissed it on the head, the
breast, below the navel, the knees, the feet, and returned
to her place. They took oflf her rings. She crossed her
anns on her breast. Two women took her by the arms.
Her brother (this time a brother by adoption) placed
himself before her, and asked her with a soft voice if she
was determined to die, and when she gave a sign of
assent with her head, he asked her forgiveness for being
obliged to kill lier. At once he seized his kris and
stabbed her on the left side of the breast, but not deeply,
so that she remained standing. He then threw his kris
down and ran off. A man of consideration approached
her and buried his kris to the hilt in the breast of the
unfortunate woman, who sank down at once without
utterin*^ a cry.
'* The women placed heron a mat, and sought by roHing
and pressure to cause the blood to flow as quickly as
JVE ARRIVE AT MACASSAR. 163
possible. The victim bein*; not yet dead she was
stabbed a^ain witli a kris between the shoulders. They
then laid her on the second platform near her liusband.
The same ceremony wliich had taken place for him
now began for the wife. Both bodies were covered
with resin and cosmetic stuffs, enveloped in white linen,
and placed in the small sick-house on the platforms.
There they remain until the time has come, when they
are burned together. It is always a near relation who
gives the first wound with the kris, but never father nor
scm. Sometimes dreadful spectacles occur ; such was (me
at which Mr. K. was present. The woman had received
eight kris stabs and was yet (juitc; sensible. At last she
screamed out, driven by the dreadful pain, ' Cruel
wretches, are you not al)le to give me a stab that will
kill me? ' A gusti, who stood bi'hind her, on this pierced
her through and through witli his kris. The native
spectators whom 1 had around me saw in this slaughter
which took place before our eyes nothing sliocking. They
laui^hed and talked as if it wen* an everv-dav occurnnice.
The man who had given the last three stabs wiped his
kris, restored it to its place in as cold-blooded a manner
as a butcher would hav(* done after slauglitering an
animal." And such a ceremonv is a modification of the
Hindoo suttee.
The next afternocm we set sail once more, and very
soon afterwards the cone of that gigantic mountain on
Lombok, and known as the (Toenoeng Kindjani, and the
highest peak in the whole archipelago, was lost to view.
On the morning of the 0th of l^ecinnijer we arrived at
Macassar, and 1 at once took up my residence at the
Macassar Hotel, kept by a half-caste Pa})uan woman, as
the ship in which I came went no further, and, much to
mv dismav, I found that I should be obliged to wait here
for about ten days before the arrival of another that would
take me fui'ther east.
i64 THROUGH NEW GUINEA.
Macassar is the chief town of Celebes, and is the
eiuporium of the whole of the Moluccas. Bein*jf a free
port, it carries on a very extensive trade with China,
Australia, and Singapore. The entrance to the harbour
is singularly picturesque, and entirely different from any-
thing I have as yet seen. For miles along the sea-beach,
from beneath the waving palms, can be seen the houses of
the natives built upon high poles, sometimes in the
water. There are hundreds of praus (native ships) to
be seen riding at anchor, w^ith their strange, turned-up
sterns. Many high, bamboo scaffoldings are everyw^here
rising out of the sea, and used by natives to watch the
position of the many shoals of fish as they enter into the
hai'bour ; and the weird sound of the drum is continually
heard, by which the native pi*au owners make known
their arrival or departure. On shore the white houses
of the Europeans enclosed by high, whitewashed stone
walls, all help to make this a quaint. Eastern market —
for as such the town of Macassar can be well described.
The principal roads are overhung by lofty and beautiful
trees, imparting to the town a very shady and cool appear-
ance. On either side of these tamarind avenues are the
residences of the European population. The first large
building I came upon was the club, and here I may say,
before going any further, that in every Dutch town I have
visited one of the first and principal buildings is the club,
on the verandahs of wliich are invariably to l)e seen the
residents, either playing cards or bilhards or chatting
together. In all these clubs I have never failed to find
all the leading English papers, which goes a long way to
prove that even the Dutchman holds the English Press in
grciat esteem. Farther on, and about the centre of the
town, is the residence of the Governor, a fine white
building, entered through two huge and massive gates
bearing the arms of Holland upon them ; the other
ONE WIFE BETWEEN TWO, 165
principal buildinpjs l)ein^ tlie hospital, the law courts,
and the theatre.
The town of Macassar is exceptionally clean. Alth<m<^h
it is under Dutch rule it is necessary to obtain pennission
from the Rajah of Goa before enterin<if his territory, which
lies within a mile of Macassar, and even whilst I was
here two Swiss ^i^entlemen, botanists and ^'eo<(raphers,
upon penetratintr to the interior, were arrested and con-
ducted back to the coast, as they were unable to show
the necessary permit. Like every other Dutch colonial
settlement I found here a verv first class militarv band,
which plays on certain evenin»(s outside the club-house
after dinner.
On more than one occasion I accepted the hospitality
of her Majesty's ship WilhcJminn, and the oihceis, who
all spoke Ent^hsh perfectly, did everthin<^^ that lay in their
power to make my enforccMl delay here a pleasant one.
The natives, for the most part of ^lalay ori^nn, are of a
much more excitable temperament than tin* inhabitants
of Java — evei- ready to en^'a^^e in a (juarrel. They are a
loud-speakinf(, dectntful race. The women, who differ also
very much from the Javanese, wear the saron^^ hant,nn<^
in wide folds around them, whilst another sarong' is
placed n^und their head and shoulders and is held up by
their left hand.
One mornin<( two native youn<; men, of about
the a<^e of twenty-five, and brothers, called upon me,
hearinf( that I was desirous of engaj^nng some hunters for
my expediticm to New Guinea and other islands. They
told me that either was willing' to <^'o, and I could choose
which one I liked best, but thev would not both be able
to do so. Bein<; willing to engage both, I asked them
their reason for only one wishing to accompany me.
Thev then said thev were verv sorrv, but as thev onlv had
• • • ft. ' ft. »
one wife between them, one, it did not at all matter
i66 THROUGH NEW GUINEA.
which, would have to stay behind to look after her. After
a good deal of conversation I deemed it advisable not to
engage either, fearing that after we had gone the pangs
of jealousy might enter into the soul of the one I had
with me, when he might desert me to return to the matri-
monial and fraternal couch.
CHAPTER III.
I ARRIVE AT AMBOYNA — COSTUMES OF THE NATIVES —
(JREAT DESTRUCTION BY EARTHQUAKE — THE
RESIDENCY — I ENGAGE SOME HUNTERS — NATIVE
FONDNESS FOR LAW — HANDA — THE GARDEN OF
MOLUCCAS — NUTMEG PLANTATIONS — AN ANCIENT
PORTIXtUESE fort — ARRIVAL IN NEW GUINEA —
MURDER OF A MISSIONARY — I DEPART FOR THE
KEI ISLANDS.
On the 15th of December I left bv one of the Roval Steam
Packet Company's steamers for Aml)ovna, and two days
later entered the beautiful Bay of Ambon. Here again
I was doomed to disappointment, for I discovered there
to be no connection to the Kei Islands until the '2Hth inst.
There was nothin^^ for it, therefore, l)ut to wait as
patiently as possible, which under the circumstances I
could hardly attempt with very g(;od grace.
The town of Amboyna, whicli is very prettily situated
between two high, precipitous tongues of land, with its
white-painted liouses and the long stone walls of the fort
which facetlie sea, presented a most pleasing picture from
the landing pier, on which were crowded a great many
gaily dressed natives, to welcome the arrival of the ship
and to while awav the time. The roads, which are con-
tinually being swept, cause a complete absence of dust, and
the prolific colourings from the various crotons and shrubs
167
i68
THROUGH NEW GUINEA.
which are to be seen ever>-where, make it altogether a
model settlement.
The natives, who are for the most part ChriKtians,
do not wear tlie head coverinf; of tlie JIalay. They have
a Btn)nfi mixture of PortiigucBe and Dutch blood in tlieir
veinn, and as their food consists entirely of fish and sago,
and is very easily obtained, the AmiMinesc are natniTilIy
very lazily inclined. Tlie women, a.s is generally the csise
when tinctured with the blood of Europeans, are much
finer featured than the women of Java, and all don the
sombre colour of blai'k. Everj' article is carried on their
heads, and it is amusing sometimes to see a woman with
(miy a glass bottle peivhed up in this jxtsition.
On Sunday I was pnifoundly interested in looking
at the iM'ople on their way ti) chuifh. The native
costumes had iK-en thnwn aside for those more
iip|iruachiiig civilisation — the men with black felt hats,
long frock-coats and trousci-^, in some instances
bo. .is. lint in every case white cotton gloves ; the
AMROYNA, 169
women with a lono^, wide dress of some black, shiny
material, white stockin<^^s, carrying a long, lace pocket-
handkerchief over the left arm, and with sharp-pointed
shoes turned up at the toes, after the style of the sixteenth
century, and one and all appearing most uncomfortable,
and longing for the morrow, when everything is put away
until the next Sabbath, and they can go about half nude
and barefooted again.
The Ambonese are a verv light-hearted and excitable
race. By no means total abstainers, they are exces-
sively fond of arrack and gin, making also a third
fermented beverage from the juice of the sugar palm,
which they have named " sageroe." They speak a
mixtures of Malay and Portuguese, many of their words
being of the latter language. This is excessively strange,
inasmuch as it is more than 'ioO years since the Portuguese
left the island, and there is not a single native living
to-day who has any idea that his language is partially
composed of a Kurojiean one.
The houses, which are mostly built of stone,
resemble the old stvle of early Dutch architecture,
with their balconies facing the street. One misses
very much the pretty little gardens always seen in
front of the houses in Java. A second house is always
built near at hand for the residents to take refuge in in case
of earthquakes, so connnon here ; and indeed, since my
visit, they have been visited with one of these subterranean
explosions, almost entirely demolishing the town and
carrying away the fort altogether.
The ]{esidencv, some half mile behind the town, stands
under the shadow of the precipitous volcjino, and is sur-
rounded by a very extensive, park-like garden. One
morning, soon after my arrival, the Governor himself
paid me a visit, and excused himself not offering to me the
hospitality of his house on the ground that his daughter
I70 THROUGH NEW GUINEA.
was very sick. There I engaged two native hunters and
bird skinners ; one of them was fonnerly with the late
Baron Mackay, and the other assured me he was with
Wallace nearly forty years ago. This assertion, I informed
him. I begged leave to doubt, Jis he certainly was not
more than forty years of age himself.
On Christmas Eve I attended Divine service in the
Church, and was the only European present. Neverthe-
less I could not make this statement in the presence of a
great many of the congregation, I fear, without giving
mortal oflfence. The place was full to overflowing, and
principally consisted of native women, all dressed in their
funereal costumes, only relieved by the white pocket-
handkerchiefs hanging down to the knee on the one side.
The clergyman was preaching most vociferously, notwith-
standing every man, woman, and child in the building
was talking to somebody else, and paying not the slightest
attention to the words emanating from the pulpit. I
overheard one conversation in Malay by two women
sitting near me about the state of the local native fniit
market, and as I could see most others engaged in the
same manner it went to show that the entire congrega-
tion had come together to talk of their businesses and
gossips, rather than to listen to the Word of God. These
people are Christians !
I was struck by the great number of natives in Amboyna
with hare-lips, and although I have asked on many
occasions the reason, have never been able to ascertain
the cause.
These people have a great mania for appearing in
the public law-courts, and they are continually bringing
actions against one another for imaginary grievances,
so in this wav tliev become notorious. There is also here
a very fine brass band, which plays on certain evenings
on tlie green in front of the fort.
CHARACTER OF THE AMBONESE. i;i
I was not at all sorry when I was told by the manager of
the shipping company that the Bteamer Cainphuijn would
arrive on the following day and would leave again after a
few hours for Kei, and on the 2Hth instant I turned my
back upon Ainboyna without, I think, one single regret ;
for whether it was the close contact with the Kuropean,
or for any other cause, the Ambonese is a shallow,
thieving, and untruthful member of humanity ; and my
previous impressions were not altered when the two men
1 l.ad engaged failed to put in an appeanince when the
ship started, and I was tiiid by others that they never had
any intention of leaving their native town, but only
desired tii get a month's wages, whicli they anticipated I
would give them in advance.
The next day I anived at the Banda Islands, whieh
may Ikj fairly described in all respects as being the most
172 THROUGH NEW GUINEA.
picturesque in the Moluccas. Of the three the one on
which the town is built, named Banda Neura. is the
principal ; a large volcanic island close by. Gunong Api
(fire mountain), and the larger island of Banda a little to
the southward. These three islands form a circle, and
having only a naiTow passage at either end, the space
enclosed c(mstitutes the charming harbour of Banda, and
is entirely landlocked.
The most striking feature of the panorama is the
volcano — generally in activity and conical in shape — at the
foot of which many houses are owned by native fisher-
men, who are alwavs on the look out for the shoals of fish
so c<mtinually entering the harbour. The water is so
clear that it can be seen through to a great depth and
appears to be bluer and clearer tlditr elsewhere. Standing
high up against the town, in bold ^relief against the
sky, rises a medianal castle with battlements and pin-
nacles, and were it not for the presence of the many
natives who surround the ship at anchor and the
extraordinarily constructed canoes in which they paddle
themselves about, one could almost fancy oneself trans-
ported to the shores of Southern Italy, so rich in tone and
verdure is everything around.
The captain escorted me (m shore and introduced me to
a Dutch-Indian gentleman, who at once offered to show
me over the island. He took me through his nutmeg
plantation, the name of which was Herstella. Tln^
luxuriant growth of the nutmeg trees, unobstructed by
imderwood, proved a most delicious and cool retreat, and
the little streams trickling down from the higher land
in all directions to the harbour added very materially to
the beauty of the scene.
The number of troi)ical birds I saw here, and the many
varieties of buttei*fiies, made me long for a time when 1
should be able to revisit this delightful group, but as the
THE NUTMEG, 173
steamer was already whistling to make me aware that
the hour for departure had arrived, I was obliged to
be satisfied with the few specimens I obtained, all of
which proved to be rare, more especially a merle, occumng
only here. Dm'ini^^ the hour I was on shore, however, I
managed to chnib to the top of a hill on the island, where
there was a telegraph station overlooking the town and
harbour and from whence I obtained a magnificent view
of the surrounding scenery. The whole of these islands is
given up to tlie cultivation of nutmegs. This tree, which
is always in bloom, i)()ssesses a magnificent dark-green
fohage, tlirough which is ol)served the fruit in all stages
of ripeness, from the small, round, green nut to the large
and ripe fruit, yellow in appearance, the dark red mace
appearing through it as it splits open. Every now and
then one meets a native with a basket slung over his
shoulder, carrying a long bamboo pole, with an arrangement
at the end resembling a pruning hook, by which to procure
the fruit far above him. Shading these well-cared-for
orchards, tluj lofty canary tree spreads its branches, and
thereby forms a [)rotecting slu^lter against the noonday
sun so harmful to the young fruit. High up in the
branches of these trcL's is heard continually the deep and
booming note of the (UiriH)pli(i(i(i conccnHd, a larger pigeon
which is met with all over the South Pacific. These birds
swallow the fruit, discharging the nut in an undigested
state, therebv assistin<^ in the <rrowth of new trees. These
islands being volcanic, tlu? ground and roads are nearly all
crystalline basalt, while on the shore are scattered huge
blocks of coraline limestone.
We left the same evening, and many thoughts passed
through mv mind as to whether 1 should ever be fortunate
enough to view the spot again. The last thing which
struck me on leaving the harbour was the old, deserted fort
standing on the hill, and by its massive appearance I was
174 THROUGH NEW GUINEA,
reminded how seriously the old East India Company
must have regarded the welfare of this group. There is
no doubt that their present owners nmst have fought very
dearly for them, for the story of the colonisation of Banda
is one long series of frightful atrocities.
The next morning we stopped at the small island of
Gisser, situated on the coast of Ceram. In the midst of a
group of other small islands, and rising but a few feet out
of the water, it can be tenned hardly anything but a sand-
bank. I went ashore and walked roimd it, followed bv a
motley crowd of men, women, and children, all lost in
wonder at the white man who would brave the heat of
a glaring and scorching sun at midday simply for the
pleasure of a stroll. Although there was but a small
amount of cargo to be discharged, the natives proved them-
selves to be very independent, and refused to do a hand-
stroke until their exorbitant demands had been acceded to.
On the 31st of December I amved at Sekar, a village on
the coast of New Guinea, but did not go ashore as the
vessel only waited while a few letters were delivered to
the one or two Arab traders living there. In the afternoon
we arrived at Skroe, another village further down the
coast, where we were obliged to anchor for the night. We
received a visit from a Catholic missionary, who came on
board to see the faces of white men again, and to hear
some views of the outside world. I had a long conversa-
tion with him, and he told me of the many difficulties
he experienced in his endeavours to teach the Gospel.
I am sorry to say his arduous labours, however, proved of
no avail, for wutliin a month of my becoming acquainted
with him the poor man was murdered by the very people
for whose spiritual welfare he had sacrificed his life.
At six o'clock on the morning of January 1, 189(i, the
vessel proceeded to Kapauer, a mission station situated on
the coast a few miles further on — notwithstandinir the
A USELESS MISSION. 175
rain, which was coming down in torrents, I went ashore,
as I was desirous of learning whether this would be a good
spot lor me to return to, to make natural history collec-
tions. The mission house stands at the mouth of the
river from which it takes its name, and is a large one,
occupying a place on the beach surrounded by the dense
and virgin forest. It was here that I first placed my foot
on the soil of Dutch New Guinea, and the thought passed
through my mind as to whether one day I should be
unfortunate enough to leave my l)ones in that country.
The natives seemed quite to hold the position, for men,
women, and children roamed indiscriminately all over the
house, and the missionaries, who were two in munber,
were apparently at their beck and call.
There were some twenty or thirty little children squat-
ting on the verandah holding slates and waiting to receive
their daily lesson ; but as their schoolmaster, a native of
Anil)()yna, named Christian, had begged me to let him
have my gun immediately I had put my foot on the beach,
and had gone oil* into the forest to shoot birds for me,
the^y did not proceed any farther with their education at
least for that day. It quite passes my comprehension
what possible good can ever result from these good men
establishing themselves here. In the first place, neither of
them could speak a word of tlu; language ; and secondly,
liad they been 5il>le to do so, thev were afraid to go one
mile away from the shore on account of the treacherous
nature of the natives. They even requested me to remain
in sight of the house, as tlie natives, altlunigh apparently
friendly, might at any moment become hostile - and I
must say a more ferocious looking lot of cut-throats it
would be hard to find. I returned on board at twelve
o'clock, and we at once proceeded to Toeal in the Kei
Islands.
CH.\rTEK IV.
ARRIVE AT TOE.VL. KEI ISLANDS — I IXCUPY THE PKISON —
INTERVIEW THE RESIDENT — L.\ZY NATIVES — I BREED
QUANTITIES OF THE ORNITHOPTERA PEGASUS — AN
ABUND.VNCE OF FISH.
During that aftermxm we met with a ven^ nasty s<j[uall.
during which an enunuous Kittle of Kjaputi oil,
which was standing in the comer of my cabin, l>ecame
upset, the whole contents of which spivad over the flix>r,
thereby causing a powerful oilour tlin.>ughout the ship.
This oil, which comes from the island of Boiu", resem-
bles somewhat the eucah'ptus oil of Australia. It is
manufactured bv the natives, is of a JXl>^t?Hish hue, and
has an excellent virtue in cases of rheiunatism, »!tc.
We anived at Toeal, the chief town of the Kei Islands, on
the 2nd of Januarv, and I immetliatelv went on shoiv and
paid a visit to the Controlleur iGoveniment Kesident>, who
lived in a prettily situated house some hundred feet above
the town. I found him extremely kind, and he begged
me to come and reside with him and his wife during the
few months I intended to remain in the islands, which
offer I felt it best to refuse, preferring if possible to rent a
Ihjusc where 1 could with greater ease and convenience
make a good collection of natural histtu'v specimens. He
informed me tliat the only empty house, in fact the only
building fit for occupation at all. was the disused prisoii,
and lie ottered it to nie at the rent of twelvti irueKlers i'l)
176
/ LODGE IN THE PRISON, 177
a month. I at once established myself in it, and found
the house in every way a suitable abode, and even while
I was superintending the removal of my luggage from the
steamer, coolies were sent to carrv down a bed and every
necessary article of furniture that I should require from
the Residency itself, the controlleur's wife sending many
little articles which she considered would add to mv
comfort.
In the front was a capital verandali floored with
Portland cement, and a large, open living-room in the
centre of the building, in which was a billiard table,
provided for the recreation and amusement of the three
Europeans on the island. On either side were two very
Large rooms, and at the back were several cells, which
served my pui'j)ose as stoi*e rooms, dark room for photo-
graphy, and sleeping rooms for my servants. The whole
house being floored with the same material as the
verandah, it was, therefore', very easily kept clean,
and alwavs cool.
■
I now began to cast about me for hunters to send into
the forest, and notwithstanding the many dilhculties I
met with from the natives on account of their extreme
laziness, I secured the services of six men, and mv col-
lections in lepidoptera therefore proceeded fairly well,
although the only man I could find who could be induced
to shoot for me could not i)e persuaded to go any distance
into the interior on account of his indolence, so as far as
my ornithological collection went 1 hardly got anything
but what I shot myself ; and as there was not a single
man who could be taught to skin, that part of the work
was done here, as eveiywhere, on the whole of my expedi-
tion bv mv own hands. I obtained manv varieties
and innumerable species of butterflies and beetles little
or entirely unknown to European collectors.
Of the papilios I captured, 1 took a long series of the
»3
178 THROUGH NEW GUINEA.
Codrus, which is quite unlike its fellow of New Guinea,
Ceram, or Celebes ; also some albino species of the Pajnlio
Ormanus, which, although known, is very rarely seen in
European cabinets. Of the Ornithoptera Pegasus, so
closely allied to the Priamus, that lovely and stately
buttei'fly, with such an expanse of wing exhibiting so
much gi-een and gold about it ; and so much sought after
in Europe, I captured and bred as many as 150 speci-
mens.* The hunter I sent into the bush to shoot could
not be taught to distinguish the common green Loiry
from one of a rarer species, and consequently I had so
many of the commoner ones brought me that I very soon
dispensed with his services altogether.
The Carpophaga Concenna, which I have already
mentioned in a previous chapter, the magnificent pigeon
described by Wallace, I found herQ, and shot about
twenty specimens. It measures from twenty to twenty-
five inches long, with grey head, neck, and breast ; its
back and wings are of metallic bronze colour, and its legs
and feet coral red. I have found as many as twelve
enormous canary nuts, which are each the size of a
walnut, in its crop at one time. Of other pigeons I took
about thirty species, some of which were very lovely,
their plumage being of a most gorgeous description.
Unfortunately, however, I arrived at a time when birds
were in the moult.
The Kei Islands consist of a number of coral islands,
only a short distance from one another, the two principal
• This butterfly was numerous here, and small native urchins from
the Campong brought me quantities daily, receiving some small pay-
ment hi exchange, but on account of the rough handling a great mai»y
proved to be worthless. On one occasion some were brought to me
for which I offered a ruinous price, but as I had ai)peared perhaps a
little too eager to possess them my offer was indignantly refused,
wlien thev were at once taken to the house of the Gennan trader
liviiiij litTC. and were sold to him for less than half mv offer.
PRA U-IUJILDING. i8i
being Great Kei and Little Kei, on the smaller of which is
the town of Toeal, and the seat of the Dutch Government.
The natives of Little Kei are a verv mixed race, some
being Papuans, but the majority consist of Malays, Arabs,
find Chinamen, and in the market place it is a common
occurrence to see a rajah, attired in some gaudy gannents,
hobnobbing with a man in flowing robes whom one easily
detects to be a hadji. Then the Chinaman in his
spotless white linen, smoking his opium and discussing
the price of beche le mer or rice with a half-cast
Portuguese.
The market itself in the morning presents a very busy
appearance, and is overabounding in fish, bananas, and
other tropical fruits. The entire population almost
solely exists on fish, and for a few cents one can buy
enough of that commodity to keep a family for some
(lavs.
The harbour always presents here a busy sight, with
the countless praus, either loading with beche le mer,
timber, k^:., or discharging their cargoes of cloths,
provisions, and European goods, which they have lately
brought from Macassar, l^atavia, or even Singapore.
These praus, which are for the most part built at Har,
a place on the larger island of Kei, are very well worthy
of mention, inasnmch as thev are built whollv and en-
tirely from stem to stern without the aid of a single nail.
They are made from the excellent timber found in the
forests of Great Kei, and by felling many trees the
natives secure suflicient for the purpose. The adze
is then brought into requisition, and very adroitly they
split the trees into i)lanks of the proper dimensions,
and with the same tool plane ofl" the edge so that each
fits flush with its neighbour. After the middle piece has
been properly shaped and curved, these planks are built
up on either side, joined together by strong wooden pegs
i82 THROUGH NEW GUINEA,
driven into holes bored for the purpose, and so closely do
they fit that had they been turned out of a shipbuilder's
yard they could hardly be more serviceably made. AVhen
the boat has been built up to the requisite height, the
cross-beams are fixed by means of notches cut in either
end and lashed with rattan. Thus is completed a prau
fit almost to travel in any sea, as is often necessary ; and,
indeed, experience has shown me that the South Pacific
glassy seas, pictured so glowingly by many writers, are of
a very angr>' disposition at times.
Taking advantage of the Controlleur's kind offer to lend
me his steam launch for a week, I paid a visit to one of the
smaller islands of the group, where there was a beautiful
waterfall and a most likely place for buttei*flies. On my
aiTiving at Oot Island on the way, some few miles from
Toeal, I found the sea was too rough to permit continuing
on that day, so I was obliged to anchor there for the night.
Going on shore I found the natives to be veiy busily employed
making axes and knives, using a native forge for their
manufacture. This forge, of which I give a small sketch
I took on the spot, consists of two large cylinders of
bamboo about three feet in height, having a small hole
bored in each at the base, and into each is inserted a thin
bamboo about two feet long, and meeting one another at
a point where is placed a small heap of charcoal, con-
stituting the fire of the forge. Seated on a small frame-
like chair above the bellows was a Papuan slave, holding
in either hand a staff, at the end of which were fastened
huge bunches of feathers, each resembling a mop. These
were inserted one in each cylinder, and by pumping
vigorously caused a very considerable draught, and thus
the native smith was enabled to heat the iron and
manufacture his implements, which he did in a very
creditable manner.
The whole of this small island was planted with cocoa-
A nUGOS'G.
■83
nut trees, each Ijeariri}:; tlie different marks of their
owners, and it is astonishing that although some may
helong to a man who perhaps Hves many miles away, and
in another country, and who only comes once or twice a
year to collect the nuts, there is not a being wlio lives on
the island who could be |K!rsuaded to steal one.
It rained very heavily that night, and the small craft,
which was only about thirty-two feet long, was in con-
sequence verj' uncDiiifortabJe, and I was therefore
drenched to the skin.
.>«fe.=^
On the folliiwing morning, the sea having gone down, we
went on tn the waterfalls, where we arrived in the after-
iiiioii. and niiide pr.'p.irations for my stay of a week.
Shortly after we had anchore<l tlieri' was great e.Kcitement
among the natives on tlie ai'rival of a large canoe with an
enormous dugong on board. This creature, which the
natives had siwai-ed, resembled soniewhut a hippo|)otanms
and a cow, and I sli{)uld think weighed fully half a ton.
It was a most hideous brute to look at, Init I am told the
tlesh is very good to eat. I had myself, on a previous
i84 THROUGH NEW GUINEA,
occasion, shot at them .from my boat, but without
success.
The canoes of the natives here were quite different
from the more liuropeanised craft made at Toeal.
From forty to fifty feet long, they rise up in the bows to
some twelve feet and at the stern to fully eighteen feet,
and are decorated with rows of cowrie shells and huge
bunches of cassowary hair and feathers of brightly
plumaged birds. These canoes are capable of holding
fifty or sixty men, and travel at an enonnous speed, the
natives on board shouting and singing while dashing their
paddles far into the water, they cast up clouds of spray
as they go along.
After about a week spent here, and collecting many
interesting species of lepidoptera, I returned to Toeal,
greatly to the disappointment of these simple islanders,
to whom I had been very lavish in my presents of
aiTack and tobacco. Reaching Toeal, without anything
worthy of notice, on the following evening, I at once made
preparations for my visit to Great Kei, the largest island
of this group and the only one which is at all moun-
tainous. The Controlleur again offered me the use of his
steam launch, but the weather being unpropitious I
considered it more advisable to charter a prau owned
by a native of Macassar then at Toeal.
A week or two before I had made arrangements with
the natives who were continually crossing from the larger
island that they should build me a house high up in the
mountains there ; and receiving an intimation that it was
finished and ready for me, I put about a fortnight's pro-
visions on board the prau and embarked with my servants
and hunters about ten o'clock at night. I only had about
twenty miles to go, but sometimes, if the winds and
ciUTents are not favourable, these vessels take several
days to accomplish it. The owner had made it as com-
THE POST-HOLDER, 185
fortable as lie possibly could . for me by spreading mats
on the bamboo floor inside. Nevertheless, the horrible
smell of bilge water and rank cocoanut oil prevented me
from getting any sleep at all, and I spent most of the
night and succeeding day outside. We had, I should
imagine, quite forty people on board, men, women, and
children, who had begged a passage across, and as these
people can sleep anywhere and in any position, even
stretched out on a bamboo pole, the overcrowding did
not afifect them in the least, and it appeared the only
one who suffered at all in the matter was the unfortu-
nate being who had chartered the craft for his own
convenience.
After a most horrible voyage, spent in the fierce
tropical sun, we arrived in the evening of the second day
at the settlement, amid the beating of drums, banging
of tom-toms, and shouts and yells of the people both on
board and on shore. T at once re[)aired to the house of
the Post-holder, the Dutch oflicial stationed there, and
although he could not speak a word of any hmguage but
his own except Malay, we were obliged to converse in
that tongue to one another. He was very pressing in
his invitation to me to remain some time with him, and
it was only on my promise to pay him a longer visit on
my return I was permitted to take my departure to the
interior.
With the first peep of dawn on the following morning
the Post-holder took me in his small boat (my own people
with all the provisions, ^rc, being in a native prau lent
to me for the puq^ose) to Elraling, a village some few
miles up the coast, and from whence it was necessary
for me to obtain guides to take me up the mountain
where my house had been built. A couple of hours' hard
pulling, and we rounded a point and ran into a charming
little sandy cove, at the head of which we found the
1 86 THROUGH NEW GUINEA,
village, where we were received in the most courteous
manner by the Orang Kaya (native chief).
This native was one of Nature's gentlemen. He in-
vited us into his house, w^here he had prepared quite a
magnificent feast in my honour, consisting of coffee,
cakes, and fruits of all kinds. Here the Post-holder
bade me farewell, and the chief at once ordered some
sixty men to carry my paraphernalia up the mountain.
The natives themselves, however, were very reluctant to
go, on account of the many ghosts they said inhabited
the higher country ; and it was not until the chief had
harangued them for quite ten minutes, reminding them
that he had been elected their chief by the wliole village,
and if they did not intend to obey him it was useless
having a head man at all, and with the promise of much
tobacco from myself, that they were at last induced to
start ofif.
The first part of the journey was very rocky and
excessively steep, but after a while, entering the denser
forest on the mountain side, the track became better and
more easily accessible. I was now passing through the
magnificent virgin forest of a country very little known
to the white man. The luxuriant midergrowth and the
magnificent timber so durable and well known throughout
the Moluccas, the picturesque ravines in the hollow of
w^iich I found many waterfalls, all added to the beauty
of this island. Every now and then from some dazzling
height T would catch a peep of the sea with its many
little bays and inlets, fringed with beautiful white sand,
imparting a most peaceful appearance. I remarked the
absence of the native vam and taro ^^ardens one
usually sees, and was told that the people almost entirely
subsist on cocoanuts and rice, obtaining the latter from
the tnidcM's who visit here from Aru in exchange for the
wooden bowls and native crockery, for the manufacture
k
MY HUT IX THE MOUNTAINS. 187
of which they are noted. These bowls, of which I pro-
cured a very fine specimen, are about the size of, and
resemble very much, an Knglish wash-tub. They are
hewn out of the solid block of wood bv the aid of their
knives and adzes, and are sent to every country in the
Moluccas.
Towards evening, and when T had just about had
enough of it, I came upon the small hut which the
natives had built for me at an elevation of 8,300 feet
above the sea-level. It was entirely built of bamboo
and leaves laced together, and about twenty feet square.
A sorry looking residence, but one which, so long as it
would keep out the wet, would answer my purpose very
well, as I was anxious to obtain specimens of natural
history by going into the forest from this high point
of elevation daily — expecting to find entirely different
species from those obtainable down below.
After presenting each carrier with a small Dutch coin
and a large handful of tobacco in reward for his services,
they all took their departure, and very soon afterwards
we all were in the arms of Morpheus, and slept as
soundly as possible until the sun was high up the next
morning.
J^y following the various water-courses I captured
during my visit here a great many interesting papilios,
some being new to the scientific world, but there
a[)peared to be very few birds, and the ones I shot
did not appear to differ from those of the coast. My
hunters also took it into their heads that there were
ghosts and devils roaming about in this strange and
silent forest, and it was onlv bv the use of violent
threats and promises of extra payment that they could
be induced to go any distance away from the hut.
Enonnous ants and centipedes abounded everywhere —
in my bed, my clothes — and in boots that perhaps I
i88 THROUGH NEW GUINEA,
had not worn for two days I was sure to find one, if
not more, formidable scorpions ; but although these
objectionable creatures are found in every possible nook
and corner, I never had the misfortune to be bitten
by any of them. Small, brightly coloured lizards would
dart across the path at every few feet, shining in the
sunlight like so many beautiful emeralds and turquoises.
I also obtained a great variety of beetles, the little
*' Brenthidae ** being the most common, jumping out of
the way at every step one took. Sometimes, whilst
standing up to my knees in water in a small mountain
stream in the very depths of the forest, that beautiful
and graceful buttei-fly, the Papilio Hestia, would come
lazily and slowly towards me, a moment afterwards to
find itself snugly ensconced in a triangular paper. In
this way also I would take that splendid black and
yellow Papilio Euchenor, and by means of trtips set
along the edge of the streams, consisting of sugar mixed
vnth over-ripe bananas, I could ver>^ often obtain speci-
mens of the Codrus and other high and swift flying
papilios I should never otherwise have been able to
capture.
One morning one of my hunters brought me one of
those strange marsupials, the Cuscus. It is an animal
about two feet in length, and, like the opossum of
Australia, has a long, prehensile tail. Its thick, woolly
covering gives it the appearance of a very fat Maltese
terrier, and it cries verv much like an infant. After
ttakin^r its skin I handed over the carcase to mv bovs,
who quicklv cooked and ate it. Mv rambles in the
forest day bv day were i^roductive of verv successful
results, and it was with a certain amount (^f regret that
I was obliged, owing to tlie discontented nature of my
hunters and their excessive fear of the gliosis in the
forest, to return to the coast and once more live under
COyjURLYG TRICKS. 189
the extreme heat of the tropical sun, for the climate I
had lately been experiencing at such an elevation was
delightful in the extreme.
The Post-liolder was very glad to see me again, and
the surprise of the natives at our return was very great,
for they said they never expected to see us again,
thinking the evil spirits would have made away with
us. Seeing these simple people were so superstitious,
1 got as many as possible together in the village one
evening and showed them a few sleight of hand tricks,
an accomplishment I have possessed in a very modest
wav for manv vears, and one I have found very useful
to me throughout my travels in the South Seas. Their
wonder at seeing a dead chicken placed in a hat, and
lay two fine eggs before their eyes, and the few other
manipulations with native money, kc, I showed them,
was unbounded ; and when at last 1 told them in Malay,
the language that most of them understood, that I was
now about to turn all the men into women and ince
versa, they all disappeared in the twinkling of an eye,
and it was with great difiiculty 1 could persuade them
to return. One old man followed me wherever I went
for some days, until at last T stopped and asked him
what it was he wanted, and then with a great many
tears he told me his daughter had been married for ten
years, but was not blessed with children, and that if I
would only come and place a covering over her as I had
done to the dead chicken in the hat, he was confident that
I could produce her heart's desire.
Here was a fix.
What was I to do to keep up my reputation ?
Thinking for a moment, I told him that it was evidently
Allah's will that no children had been bom to her, and
that as it was my greatest desire to please him I could
not possibly attempt to go against his wishes. This
190 THROUGH NEW GUINEA.
evidently satisfied him, as he went oflf and I never saw
him again.
During the time I waited here for the praii to take me
back to Toeal I took up my residence with the Post-hohler
and his family, who were very kind, sliowing me all
the attention they possibly could.
One evening, strolling through the village I entered the
house of the chief, and was surprised to see the number
of brass cannon, muskets and gongs. These I found to
be of considerable value, as the natives here consider such
articles to be real property, through whose medium they
purchase their wives, slaves, and plantations. There
were also .several small elephant tusks, which had
evidently been purchased from the Arab traders.
This village was noted for the manufacture of pottery,
and the bowls, jars, and pots are very creditably made,
afterwards finding their way even as far as Singapore.
After being shaped in the clay they are painted with
grotesque designs by the women, and great trouble
and care is spent upon them. These women, in a
great many instances, had very fine features, and one
especially, the daughter of the chief, was a most beautiful
girl, and were it not for the fact that her teeth were
spoiled from the constant use of the betel nut she would
have been as near perfection as possible in face and form.
It is the custom with the men to file their teeth down to
the very edge of the gum, an operation which imparts a
very repulsive look to their features, and I should imagine
a very painful one to undergo.
A few days before leaving, accompanied by a native
guide, I made an expedition over the mountains to the
sea on the other side of the island, and was well repaid
for the journey by the capture of many interesting
specimens. One village we passed through on the
way, and high up in the mountains, was inhabited
THE IMAGE A XI) THE UMBRELLA. 191
by a people entirely diflferent from those on the
coast. They had long, frizzly hair and features of the
Papuan type, and their skin much darker in colour.
They were evidently not accustomed to the sight of so
strange a being as myself, for they all ran away at my
approach into the forest, leaving the village deserted, and
although T called many times and my guide shouted to
them to come back, they could not be induced to show
themselves.
Leaving a small present of tobacx'o on a stone in the
village 1 passed on, thinking how piteous it was to see so
near to civilisation such a wild and ignorant people. A
day or two later, the prau being ready, I said goodbye to
(xreat Kei, and late that night, by the aid of a fair wind
and twenty strong men as rowers, arrived at Toeal,
not at all sorry to i)e once more in my comfortable prison
abode. Here I found an invitation from the French
Jesuit missionaries, stationed some few miles distant, to
i)av them a visit, which I <i:ladly did shortlv afterwards,
and found them very hospitable. Their Mission House,
situated in the middle of one of the largest villages in
the Kei Islands, is a verv larj'e one and comfoi'tablv
built, having an enormous verandah running right round
it. Adjoining this is the church, a very tine edifice built
of wood, and ca])able of holding from three to four hun-
dred people. On the outside of this building is erected —
as I believe is usual in the churches of this order — a large,
life-size figure of our Saviour. The image here was a
present from some beneficent person in Europe. They
told me that on its arrival and during its erection it had
suddenlv commenced to rain verv heavilv, when one of
the natives had run into the house unseen by any one,
and fetched an umbrella, the handle of which he tied to
the arm of the figure, and when a few moments later the
padre arrived on the scene he was scandalised to find
iij2 rUROVGH SEW Gl'tXEA
(TDWiiK I if niitivi^K hintfin^ and shouting around it thus
rr|iii])]NMi- -for tliese natives, m» unlike the Papuans of
New (iiiinra. jire nf a most excitable anc] jViWuI natuxv,
rriniii(lin<; one of sii nianv schrw)! children running; riut in
a |ilav<^M'iMiMfl.
Wlirn at TiH'al I had many opixirt unities nf nbsen-ing
tlic r(invi(*ts in th<' [)rift«m, wliich had been built within
a W\\ vanis (»f tlic old edifice where I resided. The
«
<\irriiir laxilv <»f tlic warders and the excessive licence
■
(itlfn-d In tli«' dcliiKjucnts was evidently fully appre-
riat«>«l l>v tlifni. From dayli^dit until dark their cell
dnors \\v\v iirvt-r sliul, and when thev were n«ii workinir
Mil tlir rnads tlicv wen* j^'enenilly seated in ^ju)>s in
I'mnt of my Iimisr |)layin<: at cards or stretched on their
l>arks last a^l«'«'p. On Sundays they were allowed to
work i'(»r aiiv niif. and I alwavs emploved several of them
tn )iK) iiiid tlic forest to slioot for luc, and I have no doubt
wlnii I wriit awav tlu'V missed tlie ** Tuan Inms " who
paid tiiriii so Will for sliootin*: such small and to theui
imiiittrcstin^' hirds.
Hnr nioriiiii*: a man arrived all tlie wav from Great
Kri. I la villi,' luard of my powtTs as a wizjird. Some
^^^•Vl•n or ci^'ht days pit^viously, it apiH^arcd, he had
accidcntly (:liop[)rd otl" one of liis rtn^'crs. Taking the
disnicinlM-n'd portion he stuck it on his hand, wrapping
the whole ii[) in some cotton clotli, but findin*^ sifter some
days it liad not joined itself a;;ain, lie took the first
o[)portunity to come across and ask mt; to make him
another fin«,'er. It was quite a wonder that blood
poisoning' had not set in, for the putrid finj^er was all
clotted into the wound. It was with stmie difticultv I
separated it and dressed his hand.
Just at this tinu' I sulfered very much from the hite
of some small insect which attackt.'d me when wtilkin*:
in the lon^^ «i:rass in the forest. This minute creature.
THE RAJAH OF TOEAL, 193
whicli resembles a f^rain of cayenne pepper, burrowed
beneatli tlie skin of my feet and ankles, creating a
most intense irritation which would last for four or
five days. This happened every time I went off the
))ath into any grass, and after a while my ankles and
feet broke out with several most obstinate and inflamed
ulcers, eating right into the bone, not only preventing
me from walking, but confining me to the house,
where 1 was obliged to lie in a recumbent position
owing to the excessive pain when standing. Wounds of
this kind are always very difficult to heal in tropical
climates, and with every care and precaution, suft'ering
intensely the whole time, it was quite six weeks before I
was able to bear a shoe again.
The Kajah of ToeaK a veritable dandy, who was always
dressed in the latest of Kei Island fashion, with a gold-
embroidered smoking cap and many coloured robes on, paid
me a visit one morning, and it was with the greatest diffi-
culty 1 could ))revent him from stealing everything his eye
lit on. But the special attraction was a j)air of field boots
he caught sight of on the verandah. He begged me very
hard to give him these, and promised me everything he
had, and more that he had not, if I would only let him put
them on and walk ot!' through the town in them. How-
ever, I was obdurate, referring him to the Chinaman's
store, where he could for a few guelders purchase a pair of
sandals or even white canvas shoes. " But," he said, ** I
have not a few 'guelders,'" and then he wept and brought
all his persuasive powers into activity again for the loan
of two rupees. This time he might have been more
successful, if it were only to get rid of him, but at that
moment my Chinese boy, Anthony, interposed, and in-
formed me that the Eajah was in his debt to the sum of
two rupees twenty cents, and although he had been con-
tinually dunning him for the past month for its return,
14
194 THROUGH XEW GilXEA.
had not been successful. I therefore told the old scoundrel
I was ashamed of hun, which, apparently, had little or no
eflFect. I told him also that if he would bring me fowls
and fruit or eggs I would buy them, and then he could
pay back the money he owed, and he faithfully promised
he would do so, but 1 never saw him again.
On the 6th of Mav mv vacht came from Australia, and
her arrival caused immense excitement in the town, people
coming in from all parts of the ** blakang tanna " (back
country), to sec the **capul aier" (sailing ship), or the
** capul Ingris '' (English ship), as they called it. Immedi-
ately she dropped anchor I went on board, and the captain
handed me the ship's register and papei*s, and infonued
me that on the passage up he had had the misfortune to
break the main boom and had been obliged to lower the
top mast and utilise it. I was so anxious to get on to the
Am Islands that I said I would start the next day, and
he could then get another boom out of the forest there. So
the rest of the day was si>ent in packing up my nmnerous
collections and getting them on board.
ClTAn^KK V.
I DKPAUT von AUr— ARRIVAL AT DORBO — CIIKAP STORES —
I SHOOT SOMK DKKR I KNCIACrK SOME HINTERS — A
SCrRVV THICK — I MOVE OX TO MAVKROR — WE RUN
ON TO A REEK — THE MERDER OE A (MIINESE TRADER
— MV HEXTERS DESERT ME — THE t'HIEE STEALS MY
C'KiARS— I ri'RCHASE A LIVE PARADISE BIRD.
The next duv, the 7tli of Mav, I bidfjuvwell to Toeal amid
• ft
tlie shoutin^j^s of the natives, who liad <j[athered down to
the si lore to view my dej)artiire, and after two days' sail
arrived at l)ol)i)o, the chief settlement in the Am Islands.
Dohho is a villa^^e on the island of Wamma, Jind is
situated on a narrow projection of sand only just wide
eiR)U<(h to permit of the ei'ection of a few houses. In the
s<)Uth-(Ni-it monsoon vi^ssels jinchor on one side of the village
and in the north-W(^st monsoon on the other. It is occupied
principally hy Chinese and J^ur«;is traders from Macassar,
who come in their praus with a fair wind of the one
monsoon and return with the other, takin<( hack with them
])earl shell and beche le mer in exchant^e for clothes, knives,
and even nionev which thev hrin^ with them.*
• The Am Islands aire hy no means the least important of Dutch
possessions, for from Dohho alone, althoiij^li only occupied hy Durgis
and Chinese - and no European ever hardly visits here - many
thousands of pounds' worth of native produce are exported annually ;
the i)rincipal, as I have said, hein«^ pearl and tortoise shell, trepang or
heclie le mer.
195
196 THROUGH NEW GUINEA,
Immediately I arrived I went on shore to pay a visit to
the Post-holder, for the Dutch Government has placed an
official here to look after the interests of tlie pearl fishery
and to prevent the importation of arrack into the country-.
But from my observation regarding the packing of the
smaller shell, of prohibitive size, and from the jollifica-
tions of the people, I do not consider his presence has
any restraint over the one or the other. Unfortunately I
found that this gentleman had gone to the blakang tanna,
and was not expected back for twenty days. This was
the more annoying as it was absolutely impossible to
procure native hunters without his help, on account of the
thoroughly indolent disposition of everybody here. I had
nothing therefore to do but to wait patiently until his
return, occupying my time meanwhile in enlarging the
saloon and my cabin, painting the ship, and cutting and
making a new boom.
The description given of this place in Wallace's ** Malay
Archipelago " is correct even to-day, and it well might be
but only a day ago that he was here and wrote about it
instead of over forty years, for the people, who are not at
all an ambitious lot, have not altered one single house, I
believe.
In all the stores you can buy Km'opean articles — for
instance, straw hats, soap, cotton cloths, canvas boots,
plates and dishes, gaudy colom*ed handkerchiefs, and even
clothes are to be purchased for very moderate sums
considering the great journey they have made. I bought
some long, cane, deck-chairs and many other little knick-
knacks of European manufacture.
On the 17th of June the steamer arrived, this being the
farthest port of call of the Shipping Co.'s. steamers, except
that twice or three times a vcar they are under contract
with the Dutch Government to go on from here to 141^ off
the coast of New Guinea, where thoii" possessions meet the
A SCURVY TRICK. 197
British portion. Here they he for forty-eight hours and in
the wet season quite out of sight of land, as the shallowness
of the water there and the numerous reefs will not permit
of their getting within a mile or so of the coast.
The Controlleur of Kei was on hoard, having come to pay
an official visit to these islands, and the same afternoon he
paid me a visit on the yacht, accompanied hy the portly
Post-holder, who had returned to Dohho the previous
evening. He gave me messages to the chiefs in the south
of the group, requesting them to help me in every way
they could.
On this day T spent a few hours in the forest and was
fortunate enough to procure two magnificent specunens
of the Hamhur deer, which have been imported and are
now to be found in great quantities here. That evening,
at my earnest request, the Post-holder paid me another
visit, bringing with him several njitives, who called them-
selves Portuguese, for me to engage as hunters, but he
told me it were better for me to go to another island in
the group if 1 desinnl to get any work out of them, as they
are so lazv and will do nothinfr unless awav from home.
After nnich trouble and manv journevs into the forest mv
captain found, on the island of Wokan, a mile or two
distant, a suitable tree for a Ix^om, and having felled it I
engaged forty natives to drag it to the beach some mile
and a half distant. This took the whole of our day, and
for t'jn succeeding ones my captain, boatswain, and crew
were hard at work making it into the spar 1 recpiired.
It was just finished, and a few hours before 1 intended
getting it on board some one came off and told me to
come and look at it. From his looks and gestures I
feared there was something amiss, and jumping into my
gig was pulled ashore, only to find that some scoundrel
liad, with a fine saw, cut right through the centre, leaving
but an inch or so to keep it together. This blackguardly
198 THROUGH NEW GUINEA.
act must have taken some considerable time to accomplish,
and althoiit^h I offered a reward big enough to purchase
a really good spar from a shipwright's yard at home, I
never succeeded in discovering the culprit. Suspicion
fell verv heavilv on the onlv car])enter in the island, a
Chinaman, whom I had previously engaged to help make
the alterations on the ship, but who had stolen so many
odds and ends eveiT time he came cm board that after
two days I paid him for what he had done and politely
informed him that if he showed his pigtail within a
hundred yards of the shij) again I would cut it off.
Here was a pretty go, a fortnight's hard work for all
mv men wasted and no boom I
ft'
ijuckily the old one had not been thrown away, so
re-adjusting it I set sail on the following morning for
Maykror, one of the more southern islands of the group,
and taking with me eight hunters. Owing to headwinds
and contrary tides, however, the journey, which could
have been taken in only a few hours, was not accom-
plished under four days. On the second day out my
man at the masthead must have gone to sleep, for we
ran on to a reef, but luckilv there was hardlv any wind
and the sea as smooth as glass, so that after a very short
delay and with the aid of two kedge anchors we managed
to get off without any damage being done. On Sunday
afternoon T arrived at the mouth of the Watelai river
after many hours' beating uj) the Wannambai Straits.
In the evening, the tide being in our favour, we
managed to drift up the river for about two miles, and
anchored at the mouth of a small creek on the south side.
This creek 1 found to be only navigable for a boat for
about a mile. At the head of it T found a small stream
of fresh water.
Here I found. liaU" liidden bv the thick underirn^wth
and conipletely surrounded by the huge trees of this
MURDER OF A CHINESE TRADER. 199
virgin forest, one solitary liouse, if indeed I could give
it such a dignified appellation. It certainly was a
dwelling, for it contained at least forty people, with an
interior of not more than twenty feet square. This
was the very house occupied by the man whose name is
so familiar to even' naturalist — 1 refer to Alfred Russell
Wallace — and occupied as it was in his time, by numerous
families, who greeted me with most vociferous acclamations
of joy. And although they are the children and grand-
children of those the great naturalist found here, they
liave rather gained than lost the faculty of speech. Every
one appeared to try and shout louder than his fellow and
one and all crowded round my boat, and laughed and ran
and jumped for joy.
My collections, I am sorry to say, got on but slowly,
owing to mv lazv hunters, who would start off at
sunrise with an amount of energy that would inspire
one with the hope that they would return over-
laden with the good things of the forest, but innnediately
thev were out of sight thev would make for the nearest
native house to remain there until the sun was fast sink-
ing in the west, when they would return with the news
that ** This place he no good, ])lace belong me he plenty
good too nuich," meaning to say that if 1 would only take
them back thev would be able to bring me evervthing,
which T knew^ would be nothing.
A few days after 1 arrived here a Chinaman passed
me in his prau, and 1 told him it would be better
for him to anchor near me and not attempt the
smaller creek ; but he wanted to anchor close to the
one solitary house, as he could then trade better
and with less trouble with the families it contained.
The next morning at daylight the news was brought
me that he had been nuirdered and his ship burned. I
at once went to the scene and found liis body stripped
200 THROUGH NEW GCIXEA,
of all clothing and tied by the pigtail to a mangrove
stump.
There was an enormous wound in the left side, ap-
parently made by a parang (Malay knife), which had been
so forcibly driven into his side that there was a small cut
where the point had shown itself on the other side, com-
pletely disembowelling him. The only man he had with
him to help him sail his prau was a half-caste Malay and
Burgis, whom I at once sought and inter\'iewed. I found
him, not far away, standing on the bank of the creek and
in conversation with a bloodthirsty looking ruffian, who
had as much low-caste Javanese blood as he had Papuan
in his veins, and who was evidently in league with the
sailor. I asked him how it happened, and how it came
that the ship, of which I saw the chaiTed remains, was
burned, and that he was on shore with his boxes and all
his clothes, and yet the Chinaman's were all burned. He
told me he was awakened in the night by the fire, and
hastily taking his own things managed to land in safety.
And he first said he thought the wild people had come
down from the interior and murdered the Chinaman and
set fire to the vessel, and afterwards he said that the
Chinaman had killed himself when he saw his prau on fire.
Thi^ I knew to be impossible, as the wound had evidently
been delivered from behind. Also I knew that the natives
in Aru are a very friendlily disposed people, and even if
they were not they are of such a superstitious nature that
nothing could have induced them to have come in the
night to connnit such an atrocity. He appeared to be very
frightened of me and was so anxious that 1 told him there
was no doubt but that he was the murderer himself. I
learned later in tiie dav that the Chinaman had a valuable
pearl on board, wliicli lie had found in a poarl oyster, and
also three liundnMl guelders, and my firm belief is tliat
this miserable sct)un(lrel waited till the poor man was
J/V //rXT/t A\S DRSERT ME. 201
asleep in his l)unk and lyin^ on his face — a common
enou<i[h custom amon^^st natives — and then stahbing him
from above had robbed him of his pearl and money, and
set fire to the ship in the ho|)e that the body woidd be
consunuMl in the flames. On mv return to Dobbo I
informed the l*ost-holder of mv convictions, who inmiedi-
atelv sent for the man and had him arrested, but whether
he ever received the punishment which his ofl'ence
deserved it is hard to sjiv.
Juhj ^^th. The murder has had such an effect on my
hunters, or at least thev ])retend it has, tliat thev one and
all refuse to go into the forest and insist on returning
home. 1 said 1 intend(Ml remaining, even if I had to go
into the forest bv mvself. (\ have often thought how
miraculous it is that, however far oiu; mav take a native
«
away from his home, he has ahvavs means of hearing
from his relations, and the only message he ever receives
is that they are indis])osed and recpiire his piesence before
there is any chance of their becoming convalescent.)
They all said that their wives, fathers, mothers, cousins,
in fact all their relations, were so seriously ill that uidess
thcT immediatclv returned thev would all die. I told
• ■ «
them 1 would not pay them any wages at all, and would
re<piest tlu* Post-holder at l)obl)o to make them give* back
the cloth and knives I had already paid them in advance,
and that their time was not up for another month ; but
thev were obdurate and said, with a smile, in their verv
best Malay, that the Tuan Mister) might certaiidy speak
to the l\)st-holder as much as he liked, but one thing was
certain — they would go home and nothing should induce
them to stav.
They therefore obtained a large canoe from some other
natives, and started off to Dobbo without anv wages. I
afterwards learned that thev had received intimation that
Dobbo was now ovei*Howing with people. Traders from
202 THROUGH XEW GlIXEA.
Java, Ceraiii, Sin<raix)re, and all parts of the Moluccas
had arrived, and in fact the societv season had com-
inenced, therefore little wonder was it that they preferred
to lie alK)Ut and roam at will in the street^ of so animated
a town, to the more monotonous occupation of catchin*^
buttcfrflies and sliootin<:( paradise birds in a lonely forest.
I set sail the next mornin*^' for Maykror. a village further
south, to ascertain its advanta^'es as a collectin<jj fjround
later. We airived the same evenin*^ and anchored a few
hundred vards f)flF the shore. The village was a model of
cleanliness, and was inhabited by a people who differ most
materiallv from the natives of Wannambai. who are for
the most part Papuan with some Ceram. some Malay, and
a little Chinese blood in their veins, exhibiting; one of the
most extraordinary mixtures of breedin*; it is jK)ssible to
ima^'ine. Here they are very much bri<;hter in colour,
and are distinctlv descendants of the earlv rortu<:(uese
navif^ators, and althouj^di a <;reat many had bou<rht Aru
women for their wives, the majority of them had women
of their own nationality -if it is possible to strain the point
and a(!knowled<(e them to belon<:( to any cme particular
race.
Nevertheless they were all dressed in cotton clotliin<;
and lui^ged me to sell them soap. I may here mention
that this was the first and only occasion durin<( the whole
period of my expeditions that I was ever asked foi* this
commoditv. I was luckv en()U<;ii to have with me two
or three; cases, and by its means 1 was enabled to ])urchase
fowls and ef;<(s. Th(» former are in threat demand through-
out the whole group, the natives oftentimes asking as
much as two guelders (8s. 4d.) apiece for them. But I
secjurcid as many as I wanted for half a bar of soap, value
'2(1. eacli. I fnund a clinrcli, a scliool. and a ])()tterv, for
tlic natives lici-c send out many thousands of eartlien p(;ts
to fai'-awav islands every vear.
NATIVE RESPECT FOR PROPERTY. 203
The women were very comely to look at, being fat and
well cared for, which is not usual amongst Papuan tribes.
The Orang Kayer (rich man or chief) paid me a visit
directly I hit go the anchor. He was dressed in a black
coat and hat with white trousers and boots, wliich kept
him in a constant state of unrest the whole time he was
on board. If I woidd only stay, he said, lie would help
me in every way and make some of his people work for
me. l^ut instead of helping me he helped himself, for I
found after he had gone that a box of cigars and a bottle
of rum I had produced in his honour had disappeared.
He had [)assed them over the shi[)'sside while I was down
below for a moment, and mv own steward told me he saw
him do it, but thought 1 must have given them to him.
1 tried in vain to see him afterwards, but was always
informed he had gone into the foi'est and no oiu* knew
where to find him. Tliis was the result of a litth^ civilisa-
tion, he having received his education (viz., his knowledge
of clothes) at Amboyna; for in Dobbo, when* there are
no courts of justice nor police, and only one oflicial,
himself a half-caste, and for whom the people care little
or nothing, the* natives, who are about as ignorant and
bloodthirstv lookin</ a lot of cut-throats as it would be
possible to fmd anywhere on th(» face of the glol)e, can
[)ositively leave their houses open and unguarded day and
night without fear of mol(*station or robb(*ry ; and although
a man will cheat his neighbour over a d(*al, and is con-
sidered a smart fellow for so doing, ])etty larceny or crimes
of this sort, which seldom or ntner occur, are looked upon
with universal ill favour.
Just before leaving this village I observed a sight which
caused me to modifv niv conclusions about the cleanliness
of these people. A man was squattmg on the ground
with a naked girl, about fifteen years of age, laid across his
legs, while with tlie point of a knife he was literally
2Q4 THROUGH XEW GUIXEA.
picking out the parasites frx>iu her head, and I felt as I
gazed ujwn the slaughter that I would have given the
price of a g(X)d many fowls which I had come on shore to
purchase to have missed the sight. I will be indulgent,
however, and say that |>erhaps they had run out of soap
for some time, and now that they had it again things would
change.
My cook took a stroll into the forest one evening, and
was rewarded with a ver}* fat wild pig which he shot, and
which kept the yacht going for a few days in fresh meat.
Just before leaving this place a native brought me, in a
small bamboo cage, a very tine specimen of the great
paradise bird. It was a line male, and I instantly bought
it, and very soon afterwards transferred it into a large
cage which one of my sailors made for it. Becoming
very tame, it would feed out of my hand, and lived for
many months afterwards, and every one on board became
much attached to it.
CHAPTEK VI.
HKTrKN TO DOKIU) — A ClAV SP:AS0N — THE AlUHVAL OF
THK STEAMEH — COCK FIGHTING — A NATIVE lU'IUAL
(iHOl'NI) — NATIVE LE(;ENI)S — A DEAD CHIEF — A
LOATHSOME CEKEMONV — MY STEWARD MUTINIES —
AHIUVAL AT AIDOEMA— I VISIT A WOMAN CHIEF —
TKITON BAY — I DISCOVER THE ANCIENT REMAINS OF
FORMER ENGLISH HARITATIONS — TERRIBLE MAN
TRAPS — DEPART FOR ETNA BAY.
On the lOtli of Jiilv I (imvcd in J)()bl)(j at^iiin with a fair
wind, and T niav here sav that tliis was the first I had
encountered sinee settin*^' sail in these waters, and I am
not tlu? first to travel in the South Seas who has com-
plained of the Clerk of the Weather treating' him with
scant courtesy in this res[)ect. As a rule, if you desire to
travel north tlie wind invariably blows from that (juarter,
if south, it comes from the south, and the same rule exists
for every otlu^r point of the com[)ass.
Dobbo presented a very (Hfi'erent a])pearance now.
There were hundreds of people, who had arrived during
my absence, who had brought cargoes of sarongs, plates,
knives, and many other articles to trade with the natives
for their tripang — pearl shell, beche le mer, tortoise shell,
and other island produce.
The praus, which numbered considerably over a hun-
dred, were all hauled up on the beach, and men were soon
caulking them with chinani and painting them, preparatory
2U5
2o6 THROUGH XEW GUINEA,
to their departure : for the trading season, which does not
last long, will soon he over for the year, and Dohho again
deserted, save for the few remaining Chinamen who are
so heavily in deht in more civilised parts of the world
that they choose to remain here to sleep and smoke away
another vear.
The morning after my arrival I started into the forest,
and after walking along the beach for about a mile turned
in past several mangrove swamps to higher ground and
had a very successful day. It is not my intention to
describe here the various l)irds I shot, which 1 have
included in the Appendix of this v(^lume, but I cannot
leave the Am Islands without mentioning a few facts
concerning the large, black cockatoo which 1 first met
with here — the Macroglossum aterrimum. This bird,
which has a plaintive note and one quite unlike the shrill
scream of the cockatoo of Australia, is entirely bla^k
with the exception of the cheeks, which are a bright
red. There is a powdery substance covering the whole
plumage, and which I first took to be dust, but found
afterwards to l)e the secretion characteristic of the
cockatoo family. Its head is enormous in comparison to
the bodv, which is verv small and weak, and it owns a
large, hooked bill of astounding strength. It lives princi-
pally on the kernel of the canai^ nut, which it expertly
cracks.
To those of mv readers who have met with the canarv
nut and are, therefore, cognisant of the hardness oi its
shell, I need say nothing, but to those who have been
less fortunate (1 sav less fortunate advisedlv, for the nut
itself is most delicious, resembling a now walnut or
filbert), T say that the canarv nut requires a very hard
blow with a sledge-hammer to make any iuipi'ession on it
at all, and T liave sj)ent sometimes a (quarter of an liour
with an ordinary hammer before getting at tlie nut inside.
THE PEOPLE OF ARU. 207
This bird, however, takes it endways in its bill, saws
awav until it cuts a notcli in it and then, bv fixin<( this
notch in the lower mandible, by a supreme effort breaks
off a portion ol' the shell. Then with the upper nnuuhble,
which is lon<i^ and sharply pointed, it [)icks out the kernel,
which is immediately seized by its prehensile ton^rue.
On the 17th of July the steamer arrived, brin^ijing me
four Macassar men I had en<^'a«^ed as hunters from Kei, a
fresh sui)ply of provisions, and three thousand more cart-
rid.^^es, so that 1 was now enabled to leave for the
promised land of all naturalists — New Guinea.
Tlui people of Aru are extivmely fond of cock-ii<^hting,
and nearlv everv man owns a favourite bird, which he is
always ready and willin*^ to back a^^ainst his nei<,dd)()ur's.
It is no um'ommon si<^dit to see tlu»m sittin*^ on the
^'round with an enormous roostei' standiui^^ up between
their le^^^s, m:i-;sa<i;in»^ it, an ()[H'ration apparently very
much enjoyed by the bird, who remains perfectly still,
whether on his fe(*t or his back, durin*^^ the whole
o[)eration.
The Aru women wcai' a considei'able nund)er of orna-
ments, but the men, like all tiue Pa])uans, wear by far the
<rreater nund)cr. The eai-rin<»s worn bv the women are -
made of co[)p<M' oi* silvei* in the shape of a [)]ain bar, which
is ])assed throu^^di a hole in X\\v lobe, and twisted over so
that the ends cross, and when there is no more room, the
sides and toj) of the ear aie treated likewise. I have
sometimes seen so many of these ear-rin»^^s that the ears
of the weaier were completely pulled over with the
wei^^ht.
Outside the houses and under the eaves can ])e seen
baskets in rows for the fowls to lay in. Inside, red,
^'reen, and blue lorries, and half-starved native dogs,
pi«4s, and cats roam at will.
\\\ the evening melancholy Malay songs are heard issuing
2o8 THROUGH SEW Gl'ISEA.
from the praus and l>each. while iiiixe<l with the noise
of Jew>*-haq>s. toni-toius. and jHr-rhaps a mouth-orjxan,
can l»e heanl an <»ccasinnal Portii«:uese h^^wn-tune siin^
to Mahiv wiirds. In tht- niid>t t»f all S4»nie frantic veils,
sh(»ut>. and j<Teani> are heard and <»ne is made aware that
an interesting' c<>ck-ti^ht is taking place.
Just outside the villatre. and a little way al<»nt]^ the sandy
shore. I came ujH»n the native hurial-jrround, and another
instance of the honest v of those far-awav sava<;es is
evinced hv the fact that on each tond» I fomid verv manv
• • •
of the shell anulets S4> much souirhl after and prized
by the natives, and which occupy some months in their
manufacture. These probably the proiHuty of the
deceased, are laid upon a w<Mxlen ornament which marks
his burial-place, and yet none are ever st<»len.
T did not stay to examine the ^rraves, as the native who
accompanied me. and who s[K)ke Malay fairly well,
informed me' that the [XM)ple did not like any one looking
upon their tombs, and knowing' that any trespass of this
kind is always resented, 1 resi)ected their superstition and
came avvav.
There are many le»^ends amon<^' the inhabitants of these
islands, wnerallv told bv the old men, and alwavs
thorou^rhly believed in by the people. The principal is
that many years a^o some stran«:^ers arrived in bi^^^ ships
and fou<^ht with them, carrying' away their chiefs and a
great nuujber of women and children, whom they still
believe to l)e alive, and are continually askin*,' of the
traders who now visit the ^n*ou]) if they have lieard any
tidings of them. When 1 was questioned about their
whereabouts I said that wherever thev went to it was
quite certain that they were dead long ago, whereupon
thev scornfullv told me I didn't know anvthin^ at all
about it. \WiT not they theinsolvt^s alive, and their
fatliers had told tlii'iii of tlieir ehit^fs' faptuiv?
A LOATHSOME CEREMOXY. 209
So had not the chiefs themselves told their children
and why did they, the children, not come l)ack ?
1 had many messages <^ivcn me by these sim[)le people
to ^ive these ima^^inary (mes, all of which I faithfully
promised to deliver if I ever met witli th(»m.
l^efore I left the «;roup I anchored at a small villa<^^e on
the island of Wassia to take in water, as the water of
Dohbo was so bad, and indeed, if there hap])eiu*d to be a
drou^dit, I have no conce])tion how the inhabitants would
exist, for there is no river in the whole ^^roup, and with
the exception of one or two very small cret^ks, all the
water obtained by the jn^ople has to be du<^' for, and is
consequently of a very brackish nature.
At the villa^^e I found a \ixv\\i concourse of people who
had come from a lon<j: distance, as tlu' chief of tlie [)lace,
who happened to be an old and influential man, had died
some two weeks ])reviouslv. The bodv, which was not
vet buried, was laid out on a l)aml)oo sta<'i? inside the
])rincipal house in the village. There were <,n'eat lamen-
tations, doleful sont^^s were sun^^ and tom-toms beaten
without ceasin*^' all day and ni«,dit. and it ap])eared that ever
since the man died weird noises and nnu-li shoutin*^ had
been carried on from sumise to sunset, an<l so all through
the ni^dit ; also they lU'ver seemed to tire of keepin*^ ^'i^l
beside the corpse of the once powerful warrior. I sent
some of mv men into the house to see what the body
looked like, but thev verv soon came; awav, saviuij: it was
terribly swollen, and bein^ eaten by the thousands of
ants which were crawlin*^' all over it.
The dav I arrived, I was informed, was the one on
which the last rite was to be performed, and although
I did not personally go ashore to see this loathsome
cenMuony, one or two of my people did, and they told
me that the body, wliich had assumed huge propor-
tions, was taken out of the house and laid on another
«5
2IO THROUGH NEW GUIXEA.
bamboo stage raised about three feet from the earth.
The head and feet being fastened with rattan at either
end, the body sank shghtly towards the centre, and
owing to its terribly decomposed condition a thick,
dark, mattery fluid emerged and (h'opped to the ground.
Natives now came from all parts, and holding out
banana leaves or cocoanut shells caught some and
drank it, thereby believing that they were imbibing the
virtues of their dead chief. It was with a sense of
sickening horror that I ordered my captain to heave up
the anchor and make sail as fast as possible from a place
where the people filled me with so much loathing and
disgust.
July 19^//. — I steered a straight course for Aidoema, an
island on the east coast of Dutch New Guinea, and after a
tolerably fair passage I arrived at the Straits of Aidoema,
and entering at the south end anchored for the night.
Just as it was getting dark I observed several canoes
slowly creeping down close to the land, but although
I called out to the natives in them they could not be
induced to come nearer than hailing distance of the
yacht. My Chinese servant on board had begged me
at Aru to let him remain behind, but of course, having
no other, T refused. He told me that he had heard that
no one ever returned alive from New Guinea, and would
I let him go.
As a result of my refusal, he laid down on the passage
across, saying he was seasick, and would not do a stroke
of work. When the anchor was down I went forward
to the forecastle and called to him to get u]) and come
and make ready my table for dinner. He came up, but
said he was too sick, at the same time, taking up two
large carving-knives, made as if to stab me. Quick as
lightning my revolver was out and covorino- liim, where-
upon he dropped both knives, and, falling down, implored
A JrOMAX CHIEF. 211
me to spare his life. This act of cowardice is truly
characteristic of the Chinese race. In stabbing a man in
the back they excel to perfection, but to meet a man face
to face is not within their category of possibilities. The
punishment he received taught him such a lesson that he
never again disobeyed me during the whole time he was
in my sen'ice. At daybreak the fc^Howing morning 1
sailed up the coast looking for the village I had heard was
hereabouts. Shortly afterwards I saw- signs of life in the
shape of cocoanuts waving to and fro in the breeze. Then
a canoe or two would shoot out into the strait a mile
or so ahead and pull across to the mainland. At last
I saw% in a httle inlet, some houses, and, letting go in
twelve fathoms only a few hundred yards from the beach,
1 quickly had my boat lowered and went asliore. The
chief here was a woman — a most unusual occurrence —
and was styled the liajah l^rumpoean, or AVoman Chief.
She received me verv cordially in a tolerably well-con-
structed house on the Ix ach, built high up on piles some
twenty feet from the ground and entered bv very uneven
steps made of bamboo or wood [)oles lashed to two up-
right [)osts. She was surroundrd by many courtiers,
men, women, and children. The Arab traders who visit
here once everv vear have certainly done a great deal
to further the civilisation of these i)eople, teaching them
the Malay language and giving them clothes to wear
in exchange for paradise birds' skins (the l^urrong Mass,
or (iold Bird, as it is called, being the bird which has
a market value), tortoise shell, and p(»arls. I purcliased
two or three of the latter, which were of fair size and
colour, for a few needles, a reel of cotton, and a sarong.
The queen wore a great many ear-rings, similar to those
worn by the women of Aru, and also many cheap and
tawdry rings, such as are to be found in a prize-packet,
and which I suspect had been received for pearls and
^' ' 212 THROUGH NEW GUINEA.
skins. I offered her a small j2;old chain if she would get
iiie some more pearls, but she exclaimed, *' Teda mass "
— Malay for ** not gold/' My assurances were of no
avail, the more especially after one man had taken it
and put it in the sea for a sliort time and nothing
happened to it ; for he said had it been real gold like
the things the Arabs gave them, the salt water would
have turned it black. I may mention that the ornaments
to which he alluded are of some ver\' inferior metal cmlv
very slightly gilt over. The dishonesty of the Aiab and
his wonderful powder of persuasion have even reached this
far-away spot, and the unsophisticated savage has been
imposed upon. Had I some cheap trinkets now, such as
are to be found in the celebrated arcade in l^iccadilly, I
could return laden with pearls.
The Rajah Prumpoean was kind enough to give me
two men to accompany me into Triton Bay, which
directly faces the island on which she has taken uj) her
residence, and she further promised others to shoot birds
for me in a day or two.
The women on this island wear their hair in a
different manner to the Papuans further south. It
(I is done up into three plaits, starting from the front
i of the head and traversing it right over to the nape
; of the neck, imparting a very strange appearance as
i if their craniums were devoid of all hair, but that they
had taken three baker's twists, and, plastering them
on their heads, had then painted them black and smoke-
/ dried them in a chimney.
In the afternoon I bid adieu to her Majesty and sailed
to the head of the bav, where 1 anchored at the mouth of
a very large river, appan^ntly running between two high
ranges of mountains. 1 also perceived on tlie left bank
some signs of former European habitation in the shape of
a p(.)rtion of a stone jetty and some large blocks of stone,
TRACES OF ENGLISH HABITATIONS. 213
which luicrht have foniied the fouiulations of substantial
liouses. T also perceived Hnie and bread-fruit trees. The
natives, who could speak a httle Malay, told me that
formerly, and many years a<^o, the Orang In^n*is, i.e.y
En<(lishmen, lived here, so their fathers had said. Indeed,
it is quite possible that they may have done so, for it will
be remembered that in 1()*20 the Dutch drove the English
out of Bantam, and thev went to Ambovna, where a few
years later they were the victims of a plot invented by a
Dutchman for their destruction, and were again routed,
some escaping to the mainland of New (xuinea. This is
very correctly styled The Massacre of Amboyna, and took
place on the 17th of February, 1(V28.
What eventually became of the few who thus escaped
is uncertain, but in all [)r()l)ability those who survived the
terrible ravages of the malarious climate in this part of
the world were killed and eaten bv the cannibal inhabi-
tants of these shores. How long they did exist I cannot
tell, but they nuist have felt that they were condenmed
to a living tondj here in this desolate s])ot where no man
ever comes or goes, and where no other sound is heard
save tlu; " wok, wok" of the [>ara(lise bird, the screech of
the cockatoo, or the weird and distressing boom of the
tom-tom to remind them that a cannibal repast is taking
])lace close bv. The bav itself is entirelv landlocked
with precipitous mountains towering u|) directly from
the water's edge on either side, and 1 hardly think it
])ossible, even in the heart of Switzerland to behold
grander scenery.
i found no natives living on the shore, but my guides
informed me that a long way off and high up in the
mountains, the Arfours (wild men of the mountains),
reside, and that if I would let one or two of my own
men go with them with rifles to protect them, they would
go and call them down to see me, when I might persuade
214 THROUGH NEW GUINEA.
them to obtain new or rare paradise birds. I therefore
sent four men, who after proceeding a mile or so, returned
to the coast owing to the terrible dangerous traps that ^t
ever}' stride lay in their path.
These traps, which are set by the Arfours to prevent
enemies approaching their mountain retreat, consist of
small spikes of iron wood, about ten inches long, and
steeped in the juice of some poisonous plant. They
are firmly imbedded in the ground with the exception of
two or three inches, which is left at an angle of forty-five
degrees and pointing towards the sea coast. These are
placed in the native tracks a few feet apart, and are
expertly hidden by twigs or leaves, but on any one walk-
ing upon them they penetrate right through the foot,
being so finely pointed.
On the second day after my arrival here T obtained a
very poor specimen of the Paradisea ni(jra, and one
magnificent specimen of the beautiful crown pigeon of
New Guinea. This bird, which is the size of a turkey,
weighs about tw^elve pounds, is a beautiful bluish grey,
and has a superb crest of fan-like feathers. It proved a
truly excellent dish. Several praus arrived in the even-
ing, and the natives all seemed very anxious to go and
shoot for me in the moimtains.
The next morning the natives brought me a great many
of the spikes I have mentioned : they had found them in
all the paths leading from the beach. A native had one
foot entirely pierced by one, and had I not immediately
withdrawn it and propei-ly dressed the wound, very serious
results might have followed. It is the custom amongst
these natives that if the loin-cloth which a man wears,
made of the bark of trees, is wound tightly round him
all is well, and vou mav approach him with safety, but
• •11. %/
should it he hanging down from behind, then beware,
for he is in hi.s fighting apparel, and is on the war-path,
/ STAR 7^ FOR ETNA BAY. 215
and sharpenin*,' his cannibal teeth preparatory to a
feast.
After spending a few days here and finding it im-
possible to hunt the forest on account of these fri<{htful
man-traps, I started on the 'i^^rd of July for Etna Bay.
CHAPTER VII.
A NATIVE PILOT — HE DESERTS ME — CONTRARY WINDS AND
CURRENTS — TRAVEL THREE HUNDRED MILES FOR
NOTHING — ARRIVE IN KYAMAKA BAY— ETNA BAY —
ARRIVAL OF NATIVES — POINTED TEETH — TERRIBLE
FIGHT WITH NATIVES — THREE OF MY MEN MURDERED
— CONTINUOUS FIGHTING — I CAPTURE THE CHIEF —
LEAVE ETNA BAY — RETURN AT TOEAL — DUTCH
GOVERNMENT— THE DRY SEASON — SCARCITY OF
LIVING CREATURES — THE QUEEN OF HOLLAND'S
BIRTHDAY — ARRIVAL OF MAIL STEAMER — I DEPART
FOR PORT DARWIN.
The old man T had engaged to pilot us, and to shoot in the
forest, begged nie to let hini go as we sailed past his house,
putting forward the usual excuse- -his wife's sickness. I
told him he had promised to remain for a lucmth with
me, and that if he left now he would go unpaid. He
then promised to follow me in a day or two, but as he
asked mo to give him his wages I felt certain that he had
no such intention, and told him so, whereupon he intimated
that he considered me a very cruel man, and the spirits
had told him his wife was reallv verv ill and that he onlv
just wanted to go on shore to look at her and then he
would come straight back to me. 1 again refused to
allow him to do so, knowing that every word he was
uttering was an untruth, it being nothing but his cowardly
fear to go so far from liome. Besides, 1 felt quite justi-
■116
CONTRARY WINDS AND CURRENTS. 217
fied in endeavouring to keep him, as he had not only
been ordered by the queen to come with me but also had
an accurate knowledge of the many reefs and different
passages down the coast. He said nothing more, but
watching his opportunity when I was below at tiffin he
quietly slipped over the ship's side and swam ashore.
T was soiTv to lose him, as, apart from his seafaring
knowledge, he was a very interesting old cannibal, and
amused us on manv occasions bv his droll remarks and
many native superstitions. Besides all this he had
become an excellent shot and had brought me many
good things from the depths of the forest. Towards
evening the wind freshened, and at ten o'clock was
blowing so hard we were compelled to stand out to sea.
This gale lasted for two days, during the whole of which
time I was under closelv reefed sails. On the third day
the weather cleared a little and we made the land, but
unfortunately instead of being at Etna Bay, so strong
had been the current to leeward that we found ourselves
back in Triton l^ay, after covering a distance of at least
three hundred miles. We then made our way through
the inner passage and inside the straits, and after
struggling for a whole week against a most terrific
current we managed to put into Kyamaka l^ay, after
accomplishing a distance of only twelve miles. We
were all so tired after being knocked about for so
long that I ordered the captain to find a suitable anchor-
age so that we could stay here and have a good night's
rest. Kvamaka J^av extends north and south for a con-
sidera])le distance inside the headland. It has not yet
been surveyed, but I found deep water everywhere. 1
sailed all round the bav in mv endeavours to discover the
existence of natives, but with the exception of a few
frigate birds, who seemed to inhabit a large rock some
distance down the bav and close to the mainland, and
218 THROUGH NEW GUINEA.
one or two cocoanut trees dotted here and there, the
whole bay was apparently deserted.
On a small island or, rather, a lon*:]^ rock, at the entrance
of the bav I observed a very curious instance of water
bein^ forced to some considerable hei<^ht, which 1 should
estimate at over a hundred feet. The water is dashed
with ^reat fury against this rock, when it apparently
proceeds to some underground channel, and from thence
it is forced in dense volumes through a snuill hole in the
top of the rock, giving it in the distance the appearance
of the spurting of a huge whale.
The next morning we again got under way and made
another attempt to reach Pltna Bay, which was now
onlv a mile or two distant round the headland, but after
«
battling for nine hours against a strong head wind and
terrific current were obliged to put back and spend
another night in the same anchorage.
At daylight one more start was made, and the distance
of three miles into Etna Bay was at last accomplished
after eighteen hours' hard beating, making it eleven
days to cover a distance of fifteen miles. The cuiTcnts
along this coast are the strongest 1 have ever ex-
perienced. Tlu»y are influenced vctv greatly by the
ditferent monsoons, sometimes travelling at the rate of
twelve miles in the hour, so that in the south-east
monsoon it is practically impossible for a sailing shi])
to b(?at along the coast. Htna Bay, after proceeding
in a northerly direction for a few miK s, turns off to the
eastwanls and winds itself between two ranges of moun-
tains for seventeen miles, and at its widest place hardly
leaching half a mile across.
A verv prrttv watcMlall at tlu^ rntrance of the narrower
[»ortion of the hay lushed down from a considerable height
over pi'('ci)>it(His rocks into tlu^ sea hcncath. 1 proceeded
lo the \(.\\\ head ot" the hav and some i'our miles further
HTXA BA y, 219
than tlie line of soundings given on tlie chart, and finding
there a coni])aratively suitable spot whence I could make
some extensive collections and where a few small rivulets
ran down between the ravines to the l)each, 1 ancliored and
made preparations for a long visit. As there were no cocoa-
nuts to be seen, and nothing but dense forest running to
the very water's edge, I concluded that there were no
natives in the neighbourhood, the last sign of life I had
seen being a few houses on a small sandv beach at the
entrance of the bay. I was surprised, however, to find,
immediately 1 went ashore, many traces of people, and of
verv recent date: in fact, some one had evidently becui there
on the previous day, as branches and twigs that had been
broken were not yet withered, but although 1 called and
caused a gun to be fired no one put in an appearance.
The next morning we all made excursions to the forest,
and although it was a verv cloudv day were verv successful
in securing many ])rizes. One female ornithoptera I
ca])tured repaid me for the hard task I had experienced in
reaching there. Imm(Mliately T saw it I knew it to be
something new ; it ha.s since l)een desci'il)ed as a new
species. I exti acted an c\i^^ from the body, as T was
most desirous, if possible, to ol)tain the male.*
This <•<,'«;, jifttT ;i lapse of a week. Iiatclicl into a cat(.'ri>illar, uiid
tluMi it was. if 1 lia<l anv <l()ubt hcforr, that I knew it to l>e a new
spt'C'it's; the white stiijn' connnon to all (unithoptera caterpillars was
niissin«^', the red spikes were not there, and the insect itself was very
much l.ir^'i'r at hirth. I managed, after a ^re it amount of trouble, to
secure the lij^dit food for it, and nursed it most c.uefully until it assumed
the form of a chr\>>alis. I then im.ij^ined that all my trouble was
rmisln'tl. and I was deli;;hted to see that it nnist evidently, on account
of it-i size and shape, be the male. K\ervthin^' went well until I
arri\e.l at Port Darwin a month or two afterwards, where of course 1
took it on shore with me, as by that time I was expectin*,' it daily to
hatch out. Placing' it in a small, open box in my bedroom, I hunj; it
from a l)eam so that it would be >ecure. What was then my horror
to be awakened in the middle of the nij^ht by a strange noise, and
220 THROUGH SEW GUI SEA.
Arfionff??t many other species «»f lepidoptera no less
interesting;. t^>j5ether iiith five iua«:niifii.t:nt specimens of the
Paradi^ea ajHMla, three of the Paradi^a nitjra, a superb
anrl ver\- rare kinffrisher, an<i fivt- «»r six taher smaller birds,
all tti which had rarely or ne\ t-r l»t^n exhibitetl in Euri>pean
cabinets, were the result of my first tramp in that <»Teat
vir^n forest, never before tnjdden by tlie f«:Mit of the white
man.
Towards evening: fin the 5th of Au^st I sighted a canoe
on the northern side of the bay : it was occupied by some
ten or twelve natives, who hailed us fn>m a long distance
and spoke a dialect of the Ceram language which was
luckilv partiallv understood bv one of mv Macassar hunters.
Their s|>eaking this language was verj' strange and only
showed me that at some remote date these people must have
had connection with the Ceramese notwithstanding the
considerable distance which separates them. They had
the Dutch flag hoisted in the canoe, but thev could not be
induced to come anv closer until I went off to them alone
in a boat bareheaded, when after much gesticulating and
promises of presents made to them by signs, they were
enticed to the vacht. Thev seemed verv frightened, and
were continuallv asking me with unmistakable motions,
such as the drawing of their fingers across their throats,
if it was mv intention to kill them. Thev verv soon
gained confidence, however, and all came on board, when
they r(?c(!ived each man something. These men were
mis(;rablv tliin and were evidentlv lialf starved, for thev ate
most ravciioiislv the huge bowls of cooked rice and taros
which I ha<l placc^d l)efore them, ofl'ering me in exchange
jiniil)in^ ii|) to i'md a Inif^e rat liad climbed down the cord and seized
my treasure in \\\>> iiioiilh and was even then niakin*,' off with it.
Thai was lh«' hist I ever saw of what I liad reason to believe was a
iiiah' of this spcc-ics.
A mah' lias sincr been (h^cn\ere(l wlucli ])ro\('s to be far more
beautiful thoU''li not unlike the OrmfJiojftcf'd partn/isra.
/ FEED THE NATIVES. 221
a few bows and arrows and small arm-rings, ko,. At
sunset tliey departed, promising to return on the follownng
morning.
At daybreak on the ()th of Au<aist the man on watch re-
ported many canoes approaching filled with ])e()ple. I at
once came on deck and invited them on board, and after
some hesitation thev came — men, women, and children. All
day long canoes were seen gliding down the l)ay from both
shores and close under the mangroves. At about midday
one large canoe displaying the Dutch flag came alongside.
It held a very old man, who had to be carried on board by
his wife, who told us that he was the* head man of the tribe.
Tliey were all ravenously hungry, and it was most anmsing
to watch the great amount of greediness displayed,
especially by the men, when food was i)laced before them,
the whole scene ivminding me somewhat of the feeding
of the animals jit the Zoological (iardens, only, unlike that
establishment, I am afraid the females and the children
did not fare equally with the ()p[)osite sex.
After they had filled their connnissariat departments,
they all gathercMl together to heai* what I had come for,
and when I explained as best J could that it was for beetles
and butterflies thev all laughed verv much and w-ere
anxious to start right away and search the forest. The
old man promised me his assistance, and at once sent
several men to see what they could find. Their clothing,
which was of the scantiest descri])ti()n, consisted only of
a piece of fibre no thicker than stout twine and fastened
round the loins; a narrow piece of native cloth about an
inch wide was passed through the legs, hanging over
slightly in front and IxOiind ; every one had plaited hair.
I was sorry, however, to see that the majority of them
had their teeth sharpened to points, resembling the tooth
of the shark, this being in my own personal experience a
very bad sign in natives. They asked me if I would like
THROraH SEW CCIMIA.
to purchase one or two ^\r\?, whom thw liad for nale.
When I atike^t thein what I should do with them, they
.5tc*4a, i
intiiii;ili-d Unit of .■ourso [ slioiild fatten them for ii
hollsrs, mill -nll.H'til'
TERRIBLli OXSLAUGHT. 223
own Imnters and T went without hindrance into the dense
forest, the natives apparently bein*^ of a most friendly
dis])osition, and ^^^ainin^:: confidence daily when tliey saw I
had not come to harm them.
l^ut alas! on the 11th of Aujj^ust, all my ^'ood opinions
of them were horribly and suddenly dispelled by the
terrible and determinc^d onslau<;ht they made upon us,
and mv earlv fears, which T had formed owin<^ to tlieir
sharpened teeth, were indeed realised. l^arly on this
mornin<^' two of my crew went on shore as usual to shoot,
and after breakfast the ])utterfiv collectors were taken in
the whale-])oat bv my boatswain, Johnston, and one of
the sailors, round a point about a mile distant, where
there was a very ^i^ood river, on the banks of which they
told me thev had seen manv line butterflies the day
before.
Shortly after thev started a veiv hum* canoe, containing;
about twenty-five people, came alon«;side, and all its
occu])ants canu^ on deck, includin^^ one old woman, wlio
])rou<(ht with Ium* a child, which she; was very anxious for
m(» to purchase. I'heir maimer was even more friendly
than usual, and throu<^di this I then, for tlu» first time,
suspected hostile intentions, and so, takin*^^ away a larp^e
knife, with a ])Iade about fifteen inches in len«;th, from a
man who was sitting' on the tallVail close to the back of
my cliair, I told the captain to keep a ^ood look out.
It is mv firm belief that this act saved mv life. The
natives, evidently ol^servin^^ my suspicions, connnenced
talkin*; very excitedly amonj^^st themselves, and I must say
that the boat, which by now had had ample time to return,
and was not f()rthcomin<^^ caused me very much anxiety
so nnich so that I was on the point of sendinij some one
after it when I o])served what 1 first took to ])e tlie l)oat,
but afterwards found was a lar^a^ cano(\ returning from
round the point; and had 1 known then that its comin^j
224 THROUGH NEW GUINEA.
heralded the accompHshment of their hloody deed not one
man, woman or child of those twenty-five on board tlie
yacht should have lived to have reached the shore. Seein^y
then that their own mission, which had evidently been
to murder us and seize the ship, had proved futile, they at
once departed, and not a moment too soon for them, for
about a quarter of an hour afterwards ** Jimmy," one of
the two hunters who had started at daybreak in the
morning, was observed rushing down to the beach and
entering the water. I shouted to him to know the reason,
when he called out, ** Fire the big gun ; Lennel has been
killed.''
At that moment a shower of arrows and spears were
seen whizzing through the air over his head, as he swam
out to the ship, but fortunately not one struck liim.
I then brought the Knipp gun I had mounted on deck
to bear upon the beach, and by its assistance kept back
the swarming natives from following Inm, and a few
moments afterwards he reached the ship in safety. He
told me that he and Lennel were just returning from the
bush with a number of paradise birds, the result of their
morning's work, and were sitting down in front of the
village, drinking the cocoanuts the natives had given
them, when he suddenly saw a man raise a native axe
and strike Lennel across the neck from behind. The
poor man, he said, sank down without a murmur. He
then ran back again into the forest, but was so hard
pressed by the overwhelming numbers that he doubled
back to the beach and swam for his life.
1 was obliged to keep up a continuous and deadly fire
for about ten minutes, to prevent the people from hauling
up their canoes on the shore, which by now began to
float off with the rising tide.
About two o'clock, Rangoon, one of the butterfly boys
was seen to run out of the forest and push a canoL' into
/ SCUTTLE THE CAXOES. 225
the water. He also reached the ship without any injury.
Rangoon said that my men, who had taken liim with the
otliers in the boat in the morning, liad been attacked by
swarms of natives, Imt he had rushed oflf into the jungle,
and tlius escaped ; tliat there were also hundreds of
natives running backwards and forwards in the forest
filled with excitement. About an hour later T saw two
more of my men creeping through the mangroves a few-
hundred yards north of the village, and making for a
canoe which was tied u]) close by, but the natives dis-
covered them a few vards before thev reached it, and
attacked them in a most ferocious manner, only running
away after I had fired several rounds of the Knipp gun
over their heads. A few minutes later these two men
were safelv on board, and I could not but be amused at
the ])luckv wav in which one of them had stuck to his
butterflv-net all the time, and esiu^ciallv wIk'U he told me
that he could have reached the canoe nmcli quicker had
he not bad it in his hand. Tlu^v informed me that when
the boat was attacked tbcv ran away, as they were
unarmed, but that Johnston, Sam, and Abdullah, the
Macassar man, were all together.
The canoes wliich lined the l)each opposite the village
liad by this time all Uoatcd olT, as the tide had risen, and
owing to the continuous fire 1 had ])een obliged to keep
up to prevent the natives from securing them. I therefore
now sent some men with axes, and in this wav scuttled
ft-
about forty, which were to ])e seen floating in the bay in
all directions. This act evidently enraged the natives to
such an extent that otlu*r canoes, overcrowded with people,
sprang out of the mangroves from every point, and
sinmltaneously made a desj)erate attack upon us.
These canoes, some sixty or seventy in number, con-
taining in all about three hundred people, were kept at
bay for a considerable time, and finding evidently that it
16
226
THROVGH SFAV GVISEA.
was an impossibility to secure the prize they so much
coveted, they tlivided and disappeared, doing us but very
little injury. Tlie bay presented by this time a gruesome
sjiectacle — the wreckage of destroyed canoes, bows and
arrowK, and many other articles of the enemy's fighting
'>AO>l X
\J^
paraphernalia were to be seen floating in all directinns.
The noise of the tom-toms could be heard sending ont
their weiixl and diamiil sounds from range to range, dusky
objwts cciuld he ncnii skimming ncrosw a little open patch
or cicc|iirig through the un<liTgm\vth near tlic watfi's
<'dgi> all vuinid uk; and it reflects grL^t credit ui.nn the
THE RETURN OF ABDULLAH. 227
remains of my small but plucky crew that so large a force
on the shore was unable to approach and capture the
ship.
There was not a breath of air to enable us to move, and
the sun had nearly set, nevertheless immediately the tide
turned 1 weighed anchor and dropped in the direction I
had sent tlie boat in the morning, to endeavour to find
out something of the three missing men. I fired a rifle
at regular intervals on the way to enable them to know
the ship's position, although I had but little hope of
their being then alive.
At 10 P.M. we again let go the anchor, and about
half an hour later I perceived, by the phosphorescent
disturbance of the water, that something was coming
towards the ship. In response to my inquiry I heard the
faint word ''Cowan" (Malav for friend), and knew at
once it must bo Abdullah, and very soon managed to get
him on board. It appeared he had hidden in the jungle
until long after dark, and then when he heard the chain
running through the hawse-pipe he knew that the ship
was again at anchor. So making his wav some mile or
two to windward along the coast he had cut a spar, taken
off his clotln^s, and struck out for the centre of the bay,
knowing that the strong current running at the time
would verv soon carrv him down to the vacht. Had he
«. a. k
started even fiftv vards lower down the current would
have swe])t him past the ship without ever reaching it,
iUid we sliould never have seen or heard of him again.
As it was he arrived on board in a terriblv exhausted
condition, with his feet all cut and bleeding, and his body
scratched to pieces from the prickly undergrowth he had
been obliged to penetrate, as the natives had so hotly
pursued him, the most persistent being a man and a boy,
both of whom he had killed with his kris.
My worst fears were now realised, for he told me
r
228 THROUGH NEW GUINEA.
JohoBton and Sam were both dead. On landing in the
morning, he told us, the boat had been hauled np on
the beach, and they bad all Bat ander a cocoanat tree.
Suddenly they were aurprised by Bome hnndred natives
mshing ont of the forest and attacking them, whereapon
they made a bolt for their rifles, which they had foolishly
left in the boat, when others in canoes attacked them
(ram the ftea. He just had time to see that Sam had
been cut in the back and pierced with arrows, and poor
Johnston, my boatswain, had hterally been pierced
through nnd through, when he ran off to save himself.
By eldveu o'clock that night by the hght of their fires
I could (tee that the village was full of natives, and from
the noise of .their drums and tom-toms, and from an
observiLtion one of the hunters had made on the shore, I
knew only too well the nature of their horrible and
repulHivt! festivity. They had killed three of my men,
had captured five rifles and my boat, and I was powerless
U> revenge these dastardly murders. All through that
night and many succeeding ones I never left the deck,
for on Re\'eral occasions these natives, who were the
))n1ilest anil moat ferocious I had ever seen, made several
desperate attempts to capture the vessel, and I am con-
fident that if it had not been for the quick-firing Knipp,
the yacht would have passed into other hands, and this
book never have been written.
On the 15th of August we had still not a breath of air,
but at daylight, the tide being with us, I weighed anchor
and drifted slowly down the bay. I picked up one of my
butterfly boxes floating down and saw hundreds of arrows
and spears, &c., also about a dozen more canoes, which had
evidently floated away in the night, as the natives had
been too frightened to show themselves on the beach to
make them fast. About midday the tide turning, I was
obliged to let go the anchor, as there was still no breath
THE NIGHT AFTER THE BATTLE. 229
in tlie heavcnK, I shortly afterwanls perceived caiioe
after canoe full of natives creeping up under the man-
groves after nie, hut a few well-directed shots at those in
the leiul quickly caused the othei^s to turn and paddle back
again. From sundown I i-eniained on deck throughout
the night,- straining my eyes at every movement in the
=■' ' f„J-,„. 1, r..
- ''■'■■ "-^^ A.yJ.^\^
''"%
water and my ears at the slightest possiMe sound, and
sevcnil times during the small hours of thu moniing the
slight bump against the ship's stern caused me anxiously
to peer over the taffrail, only to find thiit it was one of
the canoes I had captured, but owing to its particularly
clever design and carving 1 had not destroyed. T would
not allow one single light of any description, as it might
330 THROUGH NEW GUINEA.
havi- hfi-n ii fi»"<lti to our -whereaboiits for onr -wouid-be
mnrderers. and so, as tlio oight was dark as pitch, I was
obliged to {^i)e my way ii]» and down.
At dayiiglit I got \mAet way again with the tide,
followed, as I cuuld see, but at safer distance, by hondredB
of natives, nut only in cunoes, but creeping along the
mangroves of the shore, I could every now and then
both see ii,nd hear them. On this day we entered the
narroweat portion of tho Imy, being only a hundred yards
or BO wide from shore to shore. Here the tide was moch
stronger, and we were thus enabled to travel a consider-
able diHtiiiiRo, anchoring at the waterfall nearly at the
entrance.
Here we caught sight of two canoes coming from
thu ujijKJBitB direction altogether, and presuming they
knew nothing of the Hglit, I hailed them, when they
came within speaking distance. They flew the Dutch
flog, and dipped it three times to me. They said they
had come from Kjomera liay to buy yams luid sago from
the people of Lahabia, whose chief , the Bajah Bai, was
on board. This chief was the son of the old man who
hail boeii earrit'd on ljn;vt<l 3ome days before, and was the
head man of the very people who had fought us, but
whether he knew anything about the matter I could not
ascertain, as he had remained at his village at the
entrance of the bay, and had not followed us iip with the
rest of his people on our arrival the week before. At any
rate he was their chief, and I considered that I should be
thoroughly justified in making him my prisoner.
I enticed the canoes nearer and nearer until they were
alongside, and after producing an arrack bottle, which he
evidently recognised from his dealings with the Burgis and
Arabs, he consented to come on board and was followed by
about twenty men. I then told him through Abdullah,
who spoke a little of his dialect, that his people had
/ CAPTURE AND RELEASE A CHIEF. 231
murdered three of my men and had stolen my boat and
five guns, so that 1 intended to keep liim as a prisoner.
]^efore he had been told half the sentence he made a bolt
for the side ; but I was too quick for him, and he found
himself handcuffed and tied to tlie mast in a far shorter
space of time than it requires to write the account of
it. Meanwhile his friends had deserted him and were
swimmint( vigorously towards the canoes, whicli had been
paddled off at the first intimation of trouble. I told
him that he must tell his people in the canoes that I
gave them three days in which to go and fetch my boat
and my guns ; at the end of that time, if they were not
fortlicoming, 1 should kill him. J3ut notwithstanding his
requests to them to do as I bid, they paddled off as fast
as possible in an entirely opposite directicm. I now held
a consul taticm as to the best course to adopt, and after
turning the matter well over in my mind, 1 decided to let
him go on his undertaking to return to me as quickly as
possible with my property — this promise I set little or no
value upon, but 1 felt ol)liged to make him guarantee
something as an excuse for setting him at liberty. My
true reason, however, was that tlie Dutch Government
would have undoubtedly sent me off to Macassar to
attend his trial, and 1 could ill afford the many
months T should have to remain there before the
law was carried into effect. 1 learned afterwards from
the Controlleur of Kei that 1 had acted very wisely by
so doing, and had saved myself a lot of trouble and
time. Calling back one of the canoes by telling them
that their chief was free to go, they returned within
a hundred yards of the ship, but no power of
persuasi(m or assurances could induce tliem to come
any nearer. I therefore permitted the chief to get into
the canoe I was towing astern, and payed out rope to
enable liim to reach his own people, and had I not covered
THROVGH NEW Cr/XEA.
him several times with ii riHe the old scoundrel would
have cut the painter aii<i made off, canoe am woU. The
next tide took us out of the hay, and very soon afterwards
we caught the fine, steady wind of the south-east monsoon.
It was with a sense of exquisite rehef that I was now
enabled for the first time for many days to go below and
sleep in safety, and llic strain and anxiety which I had
experienced the last week can never, if I live to be a
hundred, be forgotten.
Two days later the beautiful forests of the Kei Islands
hove in sight, and befoi-e sunset, with an imnjense feeling
of pleasure, I once more came to anchor off the hospitable
little town of Total, where I was to leave my lumters
and whither I had come to make my statement and
complaint to the Dutch Government, and to try and
obtain one or two Malay sailorn to replace my poor
murdered men, to help us down tti North Anstraha. The
Controlleur showed his great kindness again by assisting
me in my search ; but we were only able to obtain one
man who was willing to leave the country.
On turning up the records of occurrences in his districts,
the Controlleur showed me the entry respecting an attack
made iipuii ii wNjiilut in Etn:i liny, in issll, wXwn- the
captain, who had gone ashore with two of his officers,
had been savagely attacked by the natives of Lahabia
and murdered, and the natives had afterwards made a
desperate attempt to seize the ship. Some time later I
learned that another writer, speaking of this very village,
stated it to be dangerous. To quote what he says:
" This part of New Guinea is inhabited by the most
bloodthirsty and treacherous tribes. It is in these dis-
tricts that the commanders and portions of the crews
of many of the early discovery ships were murdered.
and scarcely a year now passea but that some lives are
lost." Again the same writer states, when speaking
RE7URN TO TOEAL. 233
of Lahal)ia in Etna Bay: ** In tlie very same village
four years before more than fifty Goramese were mur-
dered " (these people from the island of Goram, as well
as Arabs and Ceramcse, are in the habit of visiting
annually this part of New Guinea to trade with the
natives), ** and as these savages obtain an immense booty
in the praus and all their appurtenances it is to be feared
that such attacks will continue to be made at intervals
as long as traders visit the same spots and attempt no
retaliation. Punishment could only be inflicted on these
people by very arbitrary measures, such as by obtaining
possession of some of the chiefs by stratagem and ren-
dering thom responsible for the capture of the murderers
at the peril of their own heads. But anything of this
kind would be (|uite contrary to the system adopted by
the Dutch Government in its dealings with natives/'
For my own. part, 1 must say 1 do not consider it a good
plan to distribute, as they do, the flag of their country
haphazard to all tlu? natives with whom they come in
contact, and in my opinion it would be far wiser were
thev first to obtain some knowledt^e of their character
and disposition before placing in their hands such a token
of civilisation, which, as the candle lures the moth, has
drawn so many innocent people to destruction. 1 may
also sav that 1 have since been in communication with
tlu* J^'oreign Office, and have made a strong appeal to
the Netherlands Government, but whether or no 1 shall
ever receive anv redress remains vet to be seen.
I had some few days to wait at Toeal before the arrival
of the steamer from Singapore, which might possibly
bring mc some letters. The place presented a very
ditferent aspect to what it did some few months ago ; the
scarcity of rain was the cause of the scorched up
appearance of everything now ; the grass'', so green when
I left in May, was nowhere to be seen ; the cattle of the
254 THROUGH A/iiV CVINEA.
Ccmtrollear, so fat and ia snch excellttnt couilitimi before,
were now drs^^ing themselTes from tree tn tree in their
BndeavouriD to find the wherewithal to keep themselves
alive. I sent out some men, aiid alao went njywlf intti
the fore&t to see what I could find ; but wo all returuwi
empty-hauded, as thia terribk' drj' Hea»un seemeil to have
destroyed every Uving creatart; ; there was iiothmf; there-
fore but tj' wait sa patiently JiH ijutwihlc fur the arrival
of the Bte»mer.
The 31st of Aognst being the birthday of the Queen
of HoUand, the whole town was clothed in its hoHday
Zkiment of red, white, and blue ; and it struck me at the
time as beiag ao extremely strange that, although witliin
a conple of days' travel froin tribes of wild and savage
cannibals who know absolutely nothing iif the civilised
world, theue people ahoold be celebrating the anniversary
of the birth of a .young queen so many thousand miles
sway on the other side of the i^iohe. Guns were Bred
tontinnally from daylight to dark— sijuibs, crackers, and
rockets were being let oflf indiscriminately from every
house. The natives amused us hy swimming, racing in
tajioes, imd various other sports, for piiztiB of tobacco,
cloths, EUid even money, ending up tho day with dancing
and other festivities.
It is the great ambition of every native to obtain from
the Chinamen a few crackers or squibs, and he is <}uite
satisfied to go away by himself and let them off for his
own amusement, a little fizzing, a very occasional small
report, the flare up of half -dampened . powder, and all is
over ;_ but he is quite satisfied, and dances and rolls on
the ground for joy.
On September 10th, the Dutch mail having arrived the
day previously, I started for Port Darwin, which is
situated on the north-east of Australia, and where I was
obliged to go, being so short-handed. It would have
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[/7: ARRIVIi AT PORT DARWIX. 239
been impossible during the south-east monsoon season to
beat all the way to Torres Straits, where I desired to go
on my way to British New Guinea, with so few sailors,
and 1 calculated that at Port Darwin I should be able to
obtain the requisite number of hands.
On the wav out of Toeal Harbour we were fortunate
to hook three enormous king-fish, each weighing fully
thirty pounds, and were thus provided with fresh fish for
tJie voyage.
A fine, steady breeze blowing from the south-east brought
us, in four days, to Melville Island, off the coast of
Australia, and a day or so afterwards we ran into Port
Darwin, or Palmerston, as the town is called. The only
sailors I found here were some verv inferior and drunken
Manila natives, but as it was a case of those or none, I
was compelled to engage two. 1 tlien sent the yacht on
to Thursday Island, in th(^ Torres Strait, remaining
behind myself, as T intended to wait for the China mail
from Hong Kong, in which 1 could take passage for
I'hursday Island, nnd m the meantime benefit by the
change on shoic.
CHAPTER VIII.
THE HARBOrR AT PORT DARWIN — THE CABLE COMPANY'S
HEAD-QUARTERS — THE TERMINUS OF THE TRANS-
CONTINENTAL RAILWAY — CHINATOWN — I TAKE UP MY
QUARTERS AT THE RESIDENCY — A CORROBOREE- AN
aboriginal's camp — PORT DARWIN AS AN IMPORTANT
SEAPORT — ARRIVAL AT THURSDAY ISLAND THK
. PEARL FISHERY -- NUMBERS OF JAPANESE THE
! ARRIVAL OF THE YACHT — I DEPART FOR NEW GUINEA
— YULE ISLAND — OPPOSITION MISSIONS — PORT MORES-
BY — I WATCH A WOMAN BEING TATOOED THE
i **MKRRIE ENGLAND" — VOYAGE TO SAMARAI MISSION
STATION AT KWATO — THE ONLY STONE CHURCH IN
NEW GUINEA — THE NATIVES — I LOSE MY FAVOURITE
/ ' DOG — DEPARTURE FOR NEW BRITAIN.
i
The harbour at Port Darwin is situated in a verv .sheltered
position behind the town of Pahnerston. The rise and
fall are very considerable — some ei^diteen to twenty feet.
Tlie small pier on wliich the railway runs is very well
constructed, but at the time of my arrival a new one was
in course of contemplation. Tlie town itself is of some
importance on account of its being the head-quarters of
the British Atlantic Cable Company, tliis being the place
where telegraphic connnunication witli Australia coni-
menc(^s. It is prettily situated on a peninsula (n'crlookini^
the harbour on one* side and tlie oct^an on the other, and
nuiy therefore be considered in all n^spects very healthy.
•240
f .
PALMERSTOX. 241
It possesses a fairly ^ood town-liall, post-ofiice, library,
and excellent Government buildin^^s. The site of the
Government Kesidency is an exceptionally well-chosen
one, connnanding, as it does, an excellent view of town
and harbour. Here also is the terminus of the great
Trans-continental Railway, an undertaking which has
never yet been completed, although some hundreds of
thousands of pounds have been spent upon it. China-
town, wliere live by far tin* greater number of the
population, is in a hollow ratber below the l^iUropean
quarter, and tlie great stores and warehouses to be seen
here remind one tliat, although the J^ritisher may be
dreaming away his dreary existenc(? beneath the scorcliing
heat of tlie trojncal sun, the Chinaman, at least, is
extending his trade and pushing his way inch by inch
forward bere as in evt^v other town when^ he establishes
liimself.
At the kiud invitation of the (lovermnent Resident, His
Honour Judge Dashwood, I took up my abode at the
Residency, and during the time I was obliged to remain
liere, pending the arrival of the steamer, rec(Mved many
kiiul attentions and much hospitality at his hands. On
one occasion, at his riMpiest, the aborigines collected
togetlier for many miles round to exhibit their native dance
or corroboree, in which some eighty or a bundred men
took part. Dressing themselves in leaves, and by the use
of paint, oclu'e, il'c, covering themsc^lves with fantastic
designs, tliey conuueiu'ed tbeir weird gyrations before me,
and around a huge boutire, which had Ix^eii lighted in the
open space selected for the purpose. This entertainment,
whicli connnenced at about nine in the evening, was
carried on all through the night. Sometimes their dance
would be accompanied by a low and melancholy clianting
sound, and at others by terrible sliouts and veils as of
men rushing on to victory. Sonietiiueb their motions
17
242 THROUGH NEW GUINEA.
would betray their various passions in love, which to the
European eye appeared to be very lewd and disgusting.
At other tinjes they would go through the evolutions of
war, imitating an attack or defence with such perfect
mimicry that one could hardly believe that it was any-
thing butone tribe in combat against another.
Amongst the many and beautiful drives for which the
Resident took me during my visit was one to the blacks'
camp, a few miles up the coast, where there were some
two or three himdred natives congregated together.
These people, who appear to be about the lowest class of
any natives, build no houses whatever, but live upon
the seashore in small holes dug out in the sand. They
are filthy in the extreme, living a wandering life, picking
up scraps here and there, but never doing any work.
The time cannot be far distant when this race of people,
like the aborigines of Tasmania, will have entirely dis-
appeared from the face of the earth.
The Residency itself is most substantially built of stone,
found in the district. It lias some very fine reception-
rooms, and a most delightful verandah under glass,
completely encircling the building. The interior deconi-
tions hav(^ been thoughtfully carried out, and the
artistically hand-painted ceilings and walls all go to show
the good taste of the Resident, l^rettily laid-out grounds
and a veiy tirst-rate asphalte tennis-court complete the
home chosen by her Majesty's South Australian Govern-
ment for the man whom they apj)oint to guard tlrtB
interests of their people in this far-away corner of
Australia.
It struck me as beini^ rather stranixe that Port
])arwin. which is the nearest point of Australia to
Western civilisation, and in a dinM-t line from China and
India, both of those c-otnUric^s hein*' i-eacluMl from here bv
smooth water all the way, should not have become, long
THURSDA V ISLAND. 243
ere this, a town of greater magnitude. The excellent
land of this northern territory, the extensive gold-mines
in the district, and the abundance of water should in my
opinion have gone a long way to enhance its value as a
shipping port, and 1 believe that when the time arrives,
as surely it nuist, when coloui'ed labour is allowed, this
colony will bid fair to be a very dangerous rival to its
sisters — Victoria and New South Wales.
On the arrival of the China Steam Navigation Company's
boat, I took my departure for Thursday Island, but I
cannot bid adieu to this charming town without expressing
my sincerest gratitude for all the exceptional hospitality
I received at the hands of the Government liesident. A
more deligjitful host it would be impossible to find, and
no trouble was too great where the comfort of his guest
was concerned.
After a passage of thn^e days we came to anchor at
Thursday Island, where is situated the head-quarters of
the great pearl tishery of Australia. The hundreds of
pearling luggers, surrounded by their supply schooners,
are to be seen everywhere, but the picture here is of a far
ditlerent nature to the pretty town we have just left.
The want of foliage and green of every description is very
obvious. A few offices and stores in the midst of a
number of dilapidated shanties and billiard saloons mark
the contrast, and 1 thoroughly believe that a few years
hence, when the pearling industry is exhausted, Thursday
'Island will be given up to the half-caste Manila men
and Japanese who infest the place. ^ly yacht had not
arrived, and I was therefore obliged to take up my
cpiarters in an hotel, with nothing to do but to sit down
and wait patiently.
The firm who were acting as my agents had established
a branch of their business here, and I was therefore able to
obtain fresh stores, of which I was beginning to become
244 THROUGH NEW GUINEA.
sadly in need, without being obliged to write to Melbourne
or Sydney for them. On the arrival of the yacht, which had
been unfortunate in meeting with many calms, delaying
her passage, I at once set about getting my things on
board, maldng a few repairs that were necessary and
dgii^iig ft Qfiw crew. This finished, I set sail for Port
Moresby, where the seat of government is situated in
British New Guinea. Experiencing very wet weather and
lipftil winds, our passage to Yule Island extended longer
iliiiii it would have done otherwise. This was the first
point we made on the coast of British New Guinea. The
i<ilaii<l is two miles broad and four in length, and coD-
Uiirm numerous peaks, the highest of which is about 600
feel.
Sailing down the straits between the island and the
mitinl:ind we very soon came upon the Mission Station of
th<' 1 « indon Missionary Society, and on the small island
iiiiinvit Lolo, exactly facing it and about one mile and a
half ilistant, I could see the many houses, schools, and
cimri'lt of the French Catholic Mission which is estab*
lislKul there. It appears to me rather foolish that these
I HO luissions, both excellent in their own way, should
have chosen stations in such close proximity, to teach
religions which differ so much in form one from the
other. An amusing cartoon which has lately appeared in
the Sydney BvXUtin, portraying a native in the act of being
dragged by the legs by the missionaries on either side, goes
a long way to show that there should be no divided
opinions in the teachings of our Lord.
The Bishop of Navarre, who presides over this Boman
Catholic Mission, I met whilst at Thursday Island, whither
he had gone on a visit. Knowing that I was on my way to
New Britain he requested me to take a letter to his old
friend Bishop Coupe, to whom lie had not written for years,
and with whom he was very desirous of communicating.
BISHOP corp/rs disappo/xtmext. 245
This letter I lia<l in my poHMcssioii for hoiiiu considerable
time, and when iit last I had again the pleasure of meeting
Bishop Coupe, 1 haitdud it to him, but to his intense dis-
Hppoiiitmerit lie discovered that lie was reading a com-
munication to some individual in I'aris, as the iJishop of
Navarre bad placed tlie wrong letter in liis envelope. Of
course to thowe living at lionie a mistake of this kind is
thought little or nothing of, as it can be so easily reetiHed,
but to those living in the T-'ar East, where distances are 80
great and [xists so seldom — ^n occasions many months
between each— it was, to say the least of it. extremely un-
fortunate that siicli a misfortune should have occurred.
Sailing down the coast with all our canvas spread, it was
not long befon; we hove Port Moresby in sight ; and shortly
afterwards, just as tlie suii was sinking beneath the horizon,
came to anchor in Fairfax Harbour, when we were imme-
246
THROUGH NEW GUINEA.
diately boarded by a young Englishman, who held the ap-
pointment, amongst numerous others, of Custom House
officer, for it could not poHsibly be aii EngHsh port, however
small, without a Customs Department. I was told that a
great many improvements had been effected here, although
at the time of my visit it woul<l be hard to find a more dreary
and dried-up looking spot anywhere in the South Pacific.
Unfortunately Sir William MacCJi-egor was absent in the
interior, on one nf those expeditions which he so often
undertakes, to acquaint the natives with tlie niaimcrs and
customs of the white man. to prop.igate civilisation, and
for whicli he is so eminently renowned. It was my great
wish to meet him. iis I eiitertaineil iin eiionuous respect for
the capalile iriariTicr ln' liiis carried on the govenimenl of
this cnimtrv lor so riiariy ymrs piist. itJid my dis^qipnint-
riii'iit at litidint,' him uway was very great imleed. How-
THE NATIVES. 24.7
ever, the f<ciitlenian who was acting for him ilid everything
he could to make my shiirt visit a [ileasant one, showing
me over the head station and native tradinfj institution
wliich is estabhshed here, the principal native villajfe in
the harbour, and all the otiicr places of interest in the bay.
The fact i>f its bcinj,' tlie dry season on the occasion of
my visit perhaps accomits for the balf-starved and miser-
ably thin appeanince of the natives, whose only dress
consisted of a small piece of cord round the waist of the
men, and a. short skirt, manufactured of banana leaves
of being tattooed, for it is the custom to tattoo from head
to foot every female. Commencing from infancy, they are
marked witlr strange designs and Hgiires, until, when they
are grown up, there is no space left for more.
At one house, where I could see a woman stretched on
A WOMAN TATTOOED.
249
the ground undergoing tlio somewlmt painful operation, I
stepped in to watcli the modus operandi. Laid flat on
her back, and witli several people on either side to hold
lier still, she was undergoing tlie torture, for I am call it
bv no other wind, of liavinf» circular and zigzag lines
scored round lu-r breiists, A wutuan kncclin;; beside her,
with a small ])ieee of stick, sonic eight inches in length,
attached to the poiut of which, and at right angles to it.
Has a long tliorn, rescnililing Honiewhal a sharp daniing-
needle, was the operator, and after nketchiug tlie requisite
2SO THROUGH NEW GVWBA.
design upon the Iwidy nf the victim in charconl and some
black and sticky snlwtance obtaiuud frniu the bark of a
certain tree, with another umall and weighted stick in the
other hand, nho CLimnien«?d striking tlie implement which
bIic bad placed uiwn the skelched-oul portion mitil she
bad pricked Kufficionlly that part sbe was riesirouB of
taltuuitig, and bkiod was flowing copiously.
Further on past the village Sir William MacCiregor has
cansed water piiies to he laid, so that not only have the
natives a fresh water BUppty bniught to them, hnt ships
can fill their tanks without tTOuble. and it is also utilised
for in-igating the gmund f[>r some considerable distance,
thus enabling the natives to liave a gotxi supply of
vegetables in the driest season ; altboiigb I am surely
afraid tliat the indolent disposition of the pwiple will
never allow them to have anj-tliing in the way of food
except that which grows itself and is all but placed in
tbeir mouths,
Mr. Muagrave, tlie Government Secretary, very kindly
offered me a passage as far as Haniarai on the Govern-
ment steam ysu^ht Merrle JCtifilantJ, and at the same time
promised she should tow the yacht behind her. Tliere-
fure, after remaining here for furty-i-ight himrw. during
which time my water tanks were rejflenished, I went on
board the Merrie England and started. The coast after
leaving Port Moresby assmnes a far more regular aspect
than I had as yet experienced. A reef which runs for
many miles parallel to the coast has caused the destruc-
tion of many vessels at different times.
Threading our way through the numerous coral patches,
which are to be traced by the discoloured water, in this
vicinity, we quickly made the open sea, but soon after-
wards a. strong wind and heavy sea rising, we were obliged
to let go the yacht's hawser, as my captain signalled there
was too much stram upon her. After coimuuiiicating
PASS MOUNT VICTORIA.
251
witli him to come on as quickly as possible to Samarai
.ly iifterwards she was lost
Rteanied ahead, and shortly :
sight of below the horizon.
Passing the Owen Stanley
of the Papuan Gulf, I could
Victoria on account of its fj:
This is the highest peak in the range. Numerous \
were seen all along the coast, and cocoanut trees in great
range to tlic eastward
;ee quite plainly Mount
cat height— l;l'200 feet.
profusion were iihscrvcd even high up ill the mountains,
hut I was inform(?d that the natives were very treache-
n)iis, and bore a bad cliaracter, notwithstanding the fact
that Sir Witham MacGrcgor. with an iron thougli kindly
hand, has ruled the country for so long. Owing to the
severity of the weather anil the heavy head sea the pas-
sage t(Mik longer than we expected, and it was not until
the morning of the fourth day that we passed the island
252 THROUGH NEW CUIN
tif Kwato, and aiKihored nppoBite the hoaflcs »i Sninariu
BoiUQ half an horn- later.
Saiiiarai, or Dinrnar Island, as it is cttlled. is flat, with
th« (!xceptii»n of a small hill on the eastcni side. It is the
scat of the Governmeut fur tins eaBtem portious of New
Guinea, and whon I arrived there was a judge from
Queeiietaiid ntsidiitg ihwre to try the numerous small
native L-aiwe. The whole island lias been planted with
cocoaniit trees, and that which at one time was a Imi^e
Bwamp in the uentre of the island lias now twen filled up
and converted into a cricket ground, and a place ()f
recreation for the one or two Riiropeane whose occupa-
tioi!B oblige tlieni to remain here. Pineapples seem to
grow in great (jnantitios. and the Government buildinf^a,
tbti ont- or two stores, and the Ix-autiful avenue leiuling to
the judge's residonee. and the many and various-i^oloured
orotona growing by the wayside, make Samarai a« liahit-
able as possible. About tive hundred tons of coal are
stored here for the use of her Majesty's ships. The
island was once the property of the London Missionarj-
Society, having bee.n bought by them from the natives,
but was given up to the Oovernment, iis being more sTiit-
able. in exchange for the island nf K\\,,ti.. nti \s\\\<:\\ tlie\
are now established. Mr. Abel, the missionary in charge
of the station, paid me a visit, and on learning that my
yacht was expected in the course of a few days persuaded
me to come on shore and live with him until she came.
Availing myself of his kindness, and thanking the captain
and officers of the Merrie England for all their hospitality,
I was pulled over to this small island, which is only about
three-quarters of a mile in length and half a mile in
width, and high up in the centre of which is situated the
missionary's hi>use.
Mrs. Abel received me with much cordiality, and the
week I spent with them passed only too quickly. The
MR. AnRL'S Af/.SS/OX.
2S3
niisfiiim house is large and very well built; furnislied with
exiiiiisite taste, it is replete witli everj' comfort, and I could
hardly believe, after f,"'''-''!!-' round the prettily arranged
dni\vin<;-rooni, that the liuul I saw before me contained all
the malarious swamps imd unknown forests of New Guinea.
Mrs. Abel, wliose duty it is to snpenntend the training of
the numerous native children they have adopted, held a
scboiil every morning, and it is truly wimderful what an
amount of intelligeiice these small savages display even
after a few weeks of Hiition. In the afternoon a class for
nei-dlework takes place, and the expert and dexterous
fingers of these young people again prove that they have
been sent into the world Tor some purpose.
At the time of my visit Mr. Abel was in the act of
buihhng a stone church, the tirst ever erected in New
Cruinea, with no other help tlian the few native children
254
THROUGH NEW GUINEA
whd carried up tJie lime and stone from the Ix^ach below,
and the few Papuans who collected the material >md
burned the lime for him. This wa» all the inoi'e wondeiful
as there itt mil, tn hefmmd a s(iujire yard of level jrrouiidon
lln^ whdif i.slaiid. iiiul the i.iisk nf K-v.-llinj; lln- if-inisite
portion, where rock and boulders had to be contended
with, seemed to me to be almost a herculean one.
Taking a stroll one evening on the island of Kogeai,
wliich is separated frntii Kwato by jv very deep channel
some two hundred yards in width, 1 passed thi-ough
MV YACHT ARRIVES. 255
numerous villages, thickly populated with natives, the
women in many instances being hard at work making
nets, but the men as a rule lying sleeping or chattering
together. A great many pigs were seen, also chickens,
but everywhere the pariah dog so common amongst all
the islands of the South Pacihc. ^I'he natives, who were
friendly, crowded lound mic and asked innumerable ques-
tions. Their frizzy liair, which grows to an enormous
extent all over the head, is kept from altogether becoming
a tangled mass by a pronged bandjoo cond), which every
now and then they pass through it. Ijike the natives on
the mainland, they wear little or no clothing, and are for
ever busv chewing the betel nut and lime. The women — if
possible more hideous to look upon than the men — are
tattooed from head to foot, and the custom of besmearing
their faces and lieads with a Idack, sticky substance re-
send)ling pitch during their time of mourning is practised
here. Their weapons consisted of bows, arrows, and spears,
and I saw njany evidences of their dealings with the
white men in the ownership of knives and tomahawks.
At night could be lieard far away in the forest weird
sounds from their tom-toms and drums, wailings and
shouting, which told us that their lewd dances and other
disgusting orgies were taking place.
One evening a crv of *' Sail I " resounded throughout
the island from every mouth that could give tongue, a
custom which is universal, wherever a white man n^sides
in these ]mrts, on sighting a ship, and on running round
the verandah I perceived in the far distance the white sails
glistening in the evening sun of my little vessel, and
running up a signal from the flagstaff* of the Mission, I
very soon acquainted the captain with my whereabouts,
and ere the last glinnner of daylight had departed she
was riding at anchor bv Kwato Harbour.
The one and only regret I have in my memory of the
256
THROUGH NEW GUINEA.
visit I paid here was the loss of iny little fox-terrier
" Spot," who had been such a companion on the voyage
and such a safe guard to the ship. His hatred for any one
black was unbounded, and many times I have spHt with
laughter on seeing him clear the deck of many natives by
causing them to jump overboard in their absohite terror
of him, and on more than one occasion, when one has
taken ii nitlior Innger time t<i get over thf side, he has left
the impression of his teeth in sumc pour man's calf. I
took him on shore one evening for a run, and so great
iippeiired his delight at being on terra firma that he
rushed madly ;ib()ut all over the island terrorising the
n;itivi's and causing' us much arriuseinent hy his antics.
Presently i lost siglit of liim, and although I ciilled and
searched the whole island Inim end to end 1 eould not
/ TAKE LEA VE OF MR. ABEL. 257
find him, and whether he was snapped up by an aUigator
on the beach, or whether he attempted to swim to the yacht
and was taken by a shark, I never knew. But that was
the last I ever saw of him, and his disappearance must
thus remain for ever a mystery.
1 cannot close this chapter without expressing the very
highest feelings of regard I have for the way in which
Mr. Abel is carrying out his work here. His perfect
knowledge of the language of course brings him in very
close contact with the natives, and he is thus enabled
to dispel many of the superstitions so prevalent amongst
them. His style of teaching, in my opinion, so much
better than I have hitherto seen practised by Protestant
missionaries, must without fail mark him sooner or
later as a well-known figure in mission labour in New
Guinea; and his love for athletic sports, the taste for which
he is fast infusing into the minds of the natives, will one
day cause him, I should say, to become the most popular
teacher in the country. Bidding adieu to my kind and
hospitable friends, I set sail for New Britain, calling
at Samarai to get on board the few articles I had pur-
chased in the store there.
18
CHAPTER IX.
THE CHINA STRAITS — THE TROBRIAND ISLANDS — BEAU-
TIFUL NATIVE CARVINGS — EBONY — A NATIVE
PEARL FISHERY — THE NATIVES OFFER ME TOMA-
HAWKS FOR SALE — THE DISCOVERY OF NEW IRE-
LAND — ST. George's channel — i arrive in blanche
BAY — I give a conjuring ENTERTAINMENT — THE
DEVIL-DEVIL — DUKE OF YORK ISLANDS — MIOKO — ■
THE GRAVES OF MURDERED EUROPEANS — NATIVE
FESTIVITIES — THE DUK-DUK — I AM POISONED BY
A FISH — A NARROW ESCAPE FROM DEATH — I AM
LAID UP WITH FEVER — METHOD OF RECRUITING
LABOUR — WOMEN MANUFACTURING NATIVE MONEY —
LOCAL BUTTERFLIES — ABUNDANCE OF FISH — THE
MIOKO TREE AS A LANDMARK.
Passing through the China Straits, w^hich separate the
south-east coast of New Guinea from the island of Sariba,
and which gained their name from the explorations of
Captain Moresby, K.N., in 1873, when it was found
that these straits would prove the most direct route to
China from Australia, and successfully navigating the
numerous coral patches I found there, I set my course
towards the Trobriand Islands, the northernmost point
of whicli lies in latitude 8° 27' 40" S., and longitude
151" 3' 40" E., and on the following day ran along the
coast of North Island, one of the islands in the group.
A great many natives came off in canoes, and offered for
258
THE TROBRIA.VD ISLANDS. 259
sale many of their ornaments, and I was surprised to see
how very much better they were made than those of the
New Guinea people. Their weapons, spoons, and bowels
were delicately carved in ebony, and they led me to
believe that a great quantity of this wood was to be
found there. Their hair was worn in ringlets hanging
over their shoulders, and they appeared to be a far finer
race of men than the inhabitants of the mainland. At
first very shy, they very soon gained confidence, and
crowding round the ship, were all very eager to trade.
There have been great numbers of pearls discovered
here by the natives, and for which they have received
from the white traders visiting them such an over-abundant
supply of tomahawks that these tools were willingly
offered me for a stick' of tobacco each.
Having heard so much of the great power the chiefs
exercise over the people in this group of islands, I was
most anxious to find the mission station, which I was
told was hereabouts, so that the missionarv could show
me through one of their villages, but unfortunately the
natives, who could not speak any Knglish, seemed quite
unable to understand my desire, and although I anchored
and sent my boat away the whole of one day to look for
it, I was unable to discover where it was.
The canoes in which the natives surrounded the ship
were of excellent design and most beautifully carved,
being dug out from the solid trunk of a finely grained
tree, partially decked over in the bows. Although I
ofifered a considerable amount of trade, thev could not
be induced to part with one. The whole of these islands
seem to be flat, but very thicklv wooded with enormous
trees, some of w^hich were quite 150 feet high ; and
judging from the quantities of yams, taros, and other
products brought to me for sale, the land must be of a
most fertile nature.
THROUGH NEW GUINEA.
CimtinitiiiK my journey past Nonoandy Island, a large
idand in the eonth of the d'Ehtiecasteauz group, I
-J , 'Oibortly afterwards sighted Cape St. George, which lies at
-*l>!^'^the extreme south of New Ii^and, and where the settlers
of the Manjiiia de R^ Expedition I have already described
landed, and afterwards met with their untimely end.
New Ireland wns discovered in the seventeenth century,
anil was, with New Britain, for considerably over a
hundred years, considered to be a portion of the island of
New Guinea, and this idea was not dispelled until the
visit of Dauipier in the eighteenth century, when it was
found that the straits which bear his name divided
New Guinea from it, and even another fifty years elapsed
before New Ireland and New Britain were discovered by
Carteret to be two distinct islands.
Beating up St, George's Channel against considerable
head winds and currents, it was uot until a week later I
/ CrVF. A CO.yjrRIXG F.XTIiRTAINMnNT. 261
perceived the houses at Heibertsnh , which, as I have
already mentioned in the first part of this volume, is the
seat of Gerumn Government in this aivliipeIaf;o.
After !i short delay I sailed on to Kalum, and for the
second time liad the pleasure of meetin<; my old friends.
Here 1 found fjreat improvements had been made; the
Itlantations had been considerably extended for many
miles into the interior, roads liad been cut throu^jh the
entire estate, and horses and carriages imported from
Australia. Mrs. Kolbo had built herself a most palatial
rcsidi'iicf. and, in fact, cvciythint; had changed with the
e.vception of their wclcoiuc, fur they were as kind and
hospitable to nic as un the last occasion of my visit.
A few (lays after my arrival I promised the natives to
shciw them some coninrint; and sleij;ht-of-bund tricks.
On the day fixed, from (laylit,dit in the morninj,- natives
tIiK,-keil down from all parts of the interior and from
many miles along the coast to witness the performance,
and 1 was afterwards held in yreat awe and veneration
by every one I came across. No matter how simple the
THROUGH NEW GrWEA
36»
triekft the mtm* wen apen^noiithed in thei^ vniailer,
aul that iaj Mined for me the title of " taburan " (dci^'U)
throagbont the ^riiole ot New "Batm n . aod vntbiMit a doabt
a faandreil jaur* henoe the " tiboran " who came id a
ship ADil made mango tmoB gnnr Ix-fi^rc their eyes, and
fin.' DfitoB out <rf hn monUi, will Ite talked of a& imc
of the wonden (rf their eoontry. and I daresay with
ttiovh exa^entioD.
Time was girtting ebnrt, and the object of ni; calling
hi^rf. namely, to get bontcKB to go lo the Admiialt;
Islnnds, wu with great difficult Bc(!oitiph6hed. and so in
lh<; hopeji of getting <Hie Cfr two luon; I sailed over to
Mioko, one of tin smaller islands of the Puke of York
(^up, and possessing a veiy wull -sheltered harbour,
bavin;; tv,o entntnces, ctqiable of wlmitting vessels of any
Kize.
This gamp of islands (xmsiatB of tliirteen in nomber,
(t( which the Dnke of Yortt Island is the larjt;e5t. The
]»luud of Hioko has been choa^i by a large German-
Haiuoaii company, sa a coiua and recruiting station, and
h managed by a gentleman named Scliultze. About a mile
in Icii^'tli, and three-quarters in width, vnib its high land
at one end gradually sloping down to the sea at the other,
it is a most picturesque q>ot. The station itself is
charmingly situated at the lower t:m\ of the islanrl. and
obtaining the direct sea breezes fnoii ull p<<inti> ••i the
compass, is considered one of the healthiest spots in the
Bismarck archipelago. It is completely surrounded by
cocoanut and orange trees, and has its mi^nificent
natural harbour on the one side, and is protected from
tidal waves and hurricanes on the other by a large reef
running out to a considerable distance.
At tlie far end of the island I found a large, underground
grotto, abounding with ferns. Here, until quite recently,
natives who, according to their own confession, are
THE DUK-DUK, 267
cannibals, held their man-eating festivities. A walk
along the beach through a shady avenue of cocoanut
trees, and I came upon a cemetery, a little enclosed patch
well kept and fenced round with a neat bamboo rail.
Here lie buried Dr. Kleinschmidt and his two assistants,
Messrs. Schultze and Becker, who were sent out by
Messrs. Godefroy and Sons, of Hamburg, to collect
curios and natural history specimens. Whilst here,
desiring to visit the mainland of New Britain, they
attempted to engage natives to paddle them across.
But as the Duke of York Islanders and those on the
mainland of New Britain were then at war they refused
to take them. With a little strategy they obtained the
services of the people of Outuan, another of the islands in
the harbour, but they also, on learning their destination,
declined to take them and started for home. The Germans
then followed them, and stupidly fired a gun to frighten
them into compliance with their wishes, whereupon the
natives turned and attacked them, spearing and toma-
hawking them to death. The chief of the island, Bokop,
took no part whatever in this murder, and was afterwards
influential in delivering up the perpetrators to the Govern-
ment. There are several other graves, the names on
them having been erased by time and weather, but they
all belong to white men who have been murdered in this
group.
During my visit a curious custom was being enacted.
The Duk-Duk, for that is the name it goes by, is an
interesting institution, originally emanating from this
group of islands. Many hundreds of years ago it was
invented bv a celebrated chief here, as a form of native
police. At the outset, men who had misbehaved them-
selves in the principal village, and were consequently
debarred from getting food there, used to cover them-
selves with leaves, worked into weird and strange shapes,
268 THROUGH NEW GUINEA.
and repair to neighbouring villages, and on their terriiymg
the people to such an extent, they willingly gave them
food in onler to get rid nf them. This costume proved
BO successful in working upon thu feai-s and superetitions
<]f the natives that eventually the chiefs arrogated to
themselves the right of clothing a kind of police in this
manner, and any of their enemies were thus honted
down by the Duk-Duk who could and did kill any one
with impunity.
Any womiin liHjkiii^' ufxiri ihe Diik-Diik wasi imme-
diately put to death, and oven liown to the present day
uiMtn the faintest sign of the approafh of this dreadful
apparition the women all fly in terror and bury them-
selves in the densest jungle possible.
I was very fortunate to be here when the Duk-Duk
was en evidence.
One morning the King of Outuan, who is quite the
most important chief here, paid me a visit, accom-
panied by several men and women, whose bodies were
very artistically painted and who were decorated with
many coloui"ed croton leaves and native flowers. He
Mm
Ri
^HnHHHk^ \_i
• *
I J
/ A.V XRARLY KILLED BY A FISH. 273
came to exhibit his own native dance in hf)noiu* of mv
presence. After performing various strange evolutions and
singing many songs of love and war to the accompaniment
of their native drums, thev were with considerable diffi-
culty persuaded to allow themselves to he photographed.
The king then received a few fathoms of dewarra and
many sticks of tobacco as renuuieration, and presenting
me with a very handsome dancing spear, they all took
their departure.
On one occasion a native brought me a small fish
on his spear point, saying in j)idjin I^nglish, '* That
fellar he savey too much, lu; ki-ki along o' me plenty,
me die finish," meaning to say that the fish was
an artful customer and if l)itten bv him 1 should die.
IMacing it in a bottle of spirit 1 unfoitunately touched
one of tlu* sj)iky fins, whilst pressing in the cork.
Immediatt^ly I felt an electric shock run up my arm and
one drop of blood appeared on my linger. Hushing to
the verandah I at once [>n)cure(l brandy and ammonia,
in which T batlied my injured hand, but in an incredibly
short space of time I became inst'nsil)le, and had it not
been for the timely ai'rival of a captain of a recruiting
schooner then lying <^tr the island 1 should probably never
have n^covered. The cai)tain at once proceeded to ad-
minister brandy in enormous doses, with the result that
after sonu^ time 1 recovered consciousness. He* then
walked me u[) and down, though feeling dead beat, for
manv hours, continually dosing me with brandy until the
poison was concpiered. I was, however, confined to my
bed for ten days, a severe attack of fever supervening.
In spite of this unfortunate occurrence my collection
here was very satisfactory, many new species being dis-
covered. The captain of this recruiting ship would
kindly sit by me during my sickness and spin many
yarns in connection with his recruiting work.
19
274 THROUGH XEW GUINEA,
')l\w liKKle of procedure in thus obtaining the labour
liands for the various plantations is as follows : — The ship
arriving at the country wliere the captain is desirous of
^a»ttinjj liands, ket^ps as near the shore as the reefs will
allow, l^oats are then lowered equipped with axes,
tomahawks, coloured calic(x*s, pij^es, tobacco, ^lass beads,
and many other small articles likely to prove attractive to
tlic eyes of the natives. They then pull ashore and go
close to the lK»acli, stern lirst,so as to be able to pull away
at once in case of attack. This is, of coiurse, a very
dan«:;erous undc^rtakin*,', as the natives would in many
instancies kill the recruiter and crew, were they not
deterred hv the si^dit of so nianv rifles and revolvers.
l^'or every native who elects to f,'o, for a i)eriod of never
less tlian three years, which is understood, presents of
tomahawks, calicoes, iV:c., are at once handed over to his
relations, and when thev liave a sufficient number of men
tlujy are put on board a second boat and sent to the ship.
In this way, calling; at many villages as they go along,
occasionally in a very short time they get their full
complenjent, wlu^n they at once start off for New Guinea
or for wherevter they are recruiting; labour. The natives
receive payment at the rate of about five marks per
montii. hut as their wages are always paid in kind I am
afnii<l tiiey do not always receive the just amount. Each
native is provided with a small metal disc, which is
fast(!ned round I lis n(H'k, bearing a number corresponding
to his name in a book ke])t for the purpose, but many
times tliese (lis(*^ either get lost or exchanged, and the
natives themseivt^s, for^^etting even the very name of their
own village, ;|et landed on their return at the wrong place,
and an' coiiscMjiUfntiy killed and eaten.
Stroliin^^ tlirougli a villa^^e one day with my gun in
(juest of some new sjx'cies of (ornithology, I perceived
some women very busy manufacluring a native money
I
i
1
f
THE ISLAND OF MIOKO. 277
peculiar to these islands. Taking some small white or
black shell they expertly chip it until it assumes the
shape of a gun wad, and the size of a small glove button,
but only half its thickness. A hole is then bored
through the centre with a small piece of flint fixed in
the end of a stick, resembling somewhat a Chinese drill.
Thousands of these are thus made, and then strung upon
a thin strip of rattan or cane and sold in lengths of
twelve inches or so. By this means food is bought,
articles exchanged, and debts paid from one village to
another.
On another occasion, rambling along a native path with
my butterfly-net, I came across and captured many hun-
dreds of small buttei-flies, wliich were all crowding together
in one spot only. This particular species I did not see
anywhere else in the group. I afterwards found them to
be new, and thev have since been described. This is one
instance of proof that these insects arc very local.
Among other birds, T collected many pigeons, the most
beautiful of which was a ground pigeon of metallic bronze,
and apparently very common throughout these islands.
I got but little assistance from the natives, as they
were one and all so infernally lazy, making their women
do everything for them, except to eat and sleep.
There is a mission station situated in Port Hunter in
the northern part of the larger island, but I did not
visit it.
We obtained enormous supplies of fish here, which
kept the ship going all the time she was in harbour,
but owing to the extreme indolence of the people, vege-
table produce was very scanty, and that, in a way, no
doubt accounts for the number of ulcers and skin diseases
which I found so prevalent amongst the natives.
In the centre of the island of Mioko is an enormous tree
some 150 feet in height, and a landmark for many miles.
278
THROUGH NFAV GUtNEA.
Id the upi)er branches docks of flying ^oxes and pigeona
make their homes, and towards suiKiown the sky is black
with them circling round and round before roosting. Mr.
Schultze has had a large Bpace cleared round the base,
and employs a native to keep it in order.
Having obtained the services of the one or two men I
required, 1 said giwid-hye to my kind host, who bad been
so excessively thoughtful in arranging everything ftir my
comfort, coniix-'iling me every day to dine with him, and
presenting me on my departure with a very fine collection
of cthniilii',Hcal 8[K.-cimen8.
i
CHAPTER X.
A BAD GALE — I AM OBLKJED TO RETURN TO MIOKO — A
FRESH START — NEW IRELAND NATIVES — STEFFAN
STRAITS NATIVES BRING CANOE LOADS OF PINEAPPLES
— I MEET A FRENCH TRADER IN AN OPEN BOAT —
I AM PRESENT AT A NATIVE DANCE WHICH TOOK
TEN YEARS TO PREPARE — WE ARRIVE AT RUNG — A
THIEF — THE DESTRUCTION OF A VILLAGE - STRANGE
NATIVE HEAD-DRESS — THE NATIVES COLLECT BEETLES
— CURIOUS NATIVE IDEAS — PALMISTRY — ONE OF MY
SAILORS RUNS AWAY- PROBABLY EATEN BY NATIVES
— MEN AND WOMEN QUITE NAKED- I START FOR
THE ADMIRALTY ISLANDS.
On the 2n(l of Jamiarv, 1H97, I started for Klln<^^ an
island on the extreme north coast of New Hanover, and
situated in latitude 2° '2(V south, longitude 149° 55' east.
My object in visiting this place was not so much that I
was desirous of making collections in natural history as
that I hoped to learn from a French trader living there
some reliable information al>out the Admiralty Islands
I purposed visiting, and also to learn something of
Mathias Island, he having traded in those regions for
some years past, and, I heard, had a very good knowledge
of the natives.
On the 4th of January, owing to a terril)le north-west
gale, I was compelled to return to Mioko, as otherwise the
currents might have swept me down the St. George's
279
ate THROUGH XEW GUtHEA.
Channel. Aflcr two more days iiere the weather niode-
ratcd a littlo. ihuI I ihcruforc made another start. Crawl-
ing up till" north-east const ol N«w Hritain, so us to keep
out or the full foiw of tho ourrentR, and ket'inng wpU
under the lee of the land an far a» Man Inland. 1 managed
to procure a good start in annrtherly direction, and a hing
boanl acn>ss to the New Ireland coast, and so hy taking
short ta^'ks wa« ahle tt> make f;ood headway.
The nativcR, who so densely populatr Nl>w Irelantl,
came out from their different viUagee in most beaatifollT'-
constructed canoes as we went along, to exchange their
cocoanuts, spices, and ornaments for tobacco. They are
ferocious cannibals and very treacherous ; wear no cloth-
ing whatever, and although many of them could speak
pidjin Enghsh, having been away to Fiji, Samoa, and
Queensland as labour hands for the plantations there, they
are none the more to be trasted. In fact my experience
has taught me that tliose natives of the South Pacific
who have lived amongst white people, and have thua
MAUSOLEUM ISLAND. 281
gained a little knowledge, are generally worse when they
return to their own countries, often inciting their fellow-
creatures to kill and plunder.
After many days of struggle against stomis, head winds,
rain, calms, and terrific heat, we arrived in the Steffan
Straits on the north-west coast of New Ireland.
These straits derive their name from a naval officer
who was wounded in an attack made by the natives, and
they divide New Ireland from New Hanover. Tliey are
ahont nine miles long and two hroad, with a current
running like a sluice, and quite impossible to attempt
to sail against. In front of us was a large island about
the centre of the straits, named Mausoleum Island, that
has one cone-like mount on it about nine hundred feet
high.
1 had been warned that the natives of this island were
very treacherous, and si) did not stop at all ; Imt they
came out in great numbers in canoes, and sold me
282 THROUGH NFAV GUINEA.
quantities of beautiful pineapples, which they said grew
all over the island.
A few miles inside the straits I canie to the out-station
belonging to the Gennan Trading Company. Here I found
a young Mexican, who was ver>' pleased to see a white face
again. I anchored there for the night, resuming my
journey with the tide at daybreak next day. Continuous
streams of natives paid me visits, and traded fniit and
fish for tobacco. Ten pineapples were obtainable for one
stick of tobacco valued at a lialfpenny. Several natives
came on board, all willing to show me the passage wliicli
would enable me to sail up the east coast of New Hanover
and inside a barrier reef wliich extends along that coast.
After a mile or two we were inside, and tlie sight
wliidi presented itself I shall never forget. The numerous
islands forming the reef on my nght with densely
wooded shores and prolific undergrowth, and the grand
scenery of New Hanover to the left, with its mountain
range extending as far as the eye could reach, and its
peaks attaining an altitude of about 2,000 feet ; the bold
headlands and the roar of the surf breaking over the coral
reef for miles, reminded one of some beautiful panorama ;
and althougli the temperature was about 104° in the
shade, there was a cool and delicious breeze blowing all
the time.
Natives were to be seen, as we went along, in all
directions, some here and there standing upright in their
canoes with spear in hand, on the look-out for fish to
l)ring me in exchange for the fragrant weed ; others
running along tlie shores, and all frantic with the ex-
citement of liaving a ship amongst them again. These
natives reminded me verv mucli of the inhabitants of New
Britain, and were all most anxious to tnule anvthin<' thev
possessed for t()])aeeo. Tlie reefs are very numerous
here, and require a considerable amount of circumspection
A AT IMPORTANT FESTIVITY 283
to navigate, especially with the sun ahead, and I was
obliged to keep a man at the masthead all the w^ay. The
wind falling light towards evening, and the current
proving against us, I was obliged to anchor for the night.
At the first intimation of returning day we were under
way again, and at six o'clock, to our delight, though
astonishment, I perceived the sail of a boat bearing down
upon us. On reaching it I discovered it to contain the
French trader to whom I was on mv wav. He was
ft' ft
going to the trader I had left the day before, but sending
his boat on instead with a letter, he came on board and
returned with me.
He said that a mile or two further on oiu* way there
was a large village on a small island, where the people
were preparing a very big festivity and dance. This
affair, he told me, had been no less than ten years in
preparation, and promised to be something so exceptional
that as it was to take place the very next day, I elected
to anchor on purpose to witness it.
About seven o'clock in the morning T went on shore
with the Frenchman and two boys he had brought with
him, and who were all anned, and also four of mv own
' ft.
men, all of whom I armed with a rifle a- piece. For
although we did not anticipate any trouble, especially on
the occasion of such a festivity, natives are strange
beings, often incited to anger on the least provocation,
and then at all times carrying their argmnent at the
spear's point. The village was dressed in its holiday
raiment, various coloured crotons decorated the houses,
festoons of bright leaves and flowers hung from tree to
tree, and at the end of the village and in front of the
house of their chief, huge heaps of taros, bananas, pine-
apples, and yams were stacked up to a very considerable
height. The men, women, and children were covered in
their war paint from head to foot. In the centre of the
a«4 THROUGH NEW GUINEA.
village ii liu'jic enclosure had been erected, eurrounded
by higli branrhes though wliich it waa impossible to see,
and which acted as the green room for the performers,
!Uid witliin which every one taking part in the ceremony
was collected, no one else being allowed inside.
After we had arrived a short time the tom-toms com-
menced their weird and dismal dronings, and we could
see by -the faces and whiBperings of the women and
visitors — for people had come from distant islands and far
Rway conntri^ to witness thisperfonnance — that the time
was approaching when the first item on the programme
would comnionec. After a time, amidst a most deafening
noise of yells, screams, and hootings, men bomided out of
the bufih and begun their gyrations to the sound of the
toni-toiiis, and 1 was nmcli pleased with the extnwrdinary
time they kept tliroughoitt. Whirling round and round,
waving branches of crotons, and handling their spears
with great dexterity, they kept up in this way for fully
half an hour, going through quite twenty different figures.
8ome of which were really very pretty. I managed to
secure two photographs, but the light under the trees
proved tiio dim to hope for any good result. These two ■
negatives. 1 am worry tu hiiy. were iifterwanls destroyed |
accidentally. After witnessing two or three more similar
dances and one performed by women, who were by no
means behind the men in agility, I retiuned on board
and we at once set sail, arriving at the station on the
island of Kung the following afternoon.
This trader, who has been here a great number of
years, is quite a character. At one time a convict in
New Caledonia, he with four others escaped in a small,
open boat, and after travelling in this small craft, without
sails or compasses, and with but very scanty provisions,
for some weeks, was pickeil up by a passing ship. Two
of the party had succumbed, but the others were brought
M. G ANGLO FF. 289
to the Bismarck Archipelago, and Mons. Ganglofif, at
whose house 1 had arrived, started trading as a HveHhood.
He is the terror of the whole district, and the natives live
in fear and trembling of him. An explosion of dynamite a
year or two ago carried away his right arm and eye, but
with the stump of the former he is very clever and uses
it when gesticulating in a very amusing manner. He
heard on our arrival that the natives had come over to
his island from the mainland during his absence, and had
stolen a box belonging to one of his boys, and his fury at
learning it was unbounded. Taking a few of his New
Britain boys in a boat, he pulled straight across to the
village of the thief, and very soon afterwards I heard a
shot or two fired and then saw smoke curling up above
the trees, intimating that he had set fire to the village.
It may seem hard, perhaps, that the whole village should
suffer on account of the theft of one man. l^ut it appears
that the natives of New Hanover are arrant thieves, all
of them, and that had he not taken stringent measures
at once, in all probability his own boats would eventually
have been stolen and he himself nuirdered. The box
was afterwards returned and an indtnnnity paid in the
shape of so many pigs and a quantity of tortoise shell.
Mons. Gangloff promised to i)il()t me to the Admiralty
Islands if 1 would postpone my departure for a short
period, as he was expecting the New Guinea Company's
labour schooner Senta to come and take away the dried
fish he had prepared. He has a contract by which he
provides properly dried fish for 1*20 per ton to the New
Guinea Company for their labour hands in New (juinea.
Sending several boats away daily with charges of dyna-
mite, he by this means captures enormous supplies of
fish, every one of which is split and salted and spread
out to dry.
The island of Kung is in all respects similar to the
20
I
' Vjo THROUGH NEW GUINEA.
many islnnds ilwayi to Ix* fonnd cm the coasts of
ouiintries in ibe Sonth I*n .itic. It nun low and densely
wooded, hail a ii«9. aamly heiurh, and wan siinonnded
entirely by ».< kmg oiml reef, witJi but one or two
passages widi.' enoiig^ tti jwrniit of a small boat entering
and gi-oiuiiling on the l.tach. Tlit> ialnnd was frinKiid
also with cotoannt pafatis. and altlmugh certainly not »
mile in eimunferenoe. it contained two (food-sized
villiiges, ciLcb tontainiiii: ^uveral hundred inhiibitoiitK.
Tim nittives themselves iinj sonii^whtil similar to tlioRe
of New Ireliitid, tbe.meii ;;iiiritj ixn-fi-cliy naked, while the
woiiirii. hiNiiias weariilf: ;i small bimch of fibre in front
and lieliinil iivemblingii vvisp of bay, and which is kept
in it» \i\wf. by a tendril i>r suuie i>lant fastened ronnd Uie
loins, also cover their hi':\ilK with a ciiriims airangemont
of banana leases Beira iui,'(ther. resembling Homewtiat a
fool's cap. but having a rurvL> backwards.
Sweet |K)tittoesiand tams fjniw here in great tjiiantities,
and the jKuiJe-conseqinntly are verj' fat and well and
free from tlif varibns skin diseaBes usually so prevalent. I
was astonlHln'S at bo many nf tliii natives speaking pidjiu
Snglish, and on makinfi iiii|iiiries found that yeare ago a
great number of them hail worked on the plantations in
Fiji and Queensland bc^lore (iermany trKik poaBes§iun of
.these islands.' This goet far tn jimvc the great intelligence
. 'possessed by these people, us tliey >'ou]il imt. Imve worked
for Englishmen since 1884, when G-reat Britain ceased to
protect this archipelago, and yet .they have still retained
their knowledge of our language, and in some instances
spoke it most fluently.
One morning, whijst passing through the village, I
caught sight of a native apparently very much interested
in the palm of the hand of another, and on interrogating
him I learned that they have a behef that every man,
woman, and child belongs to one or another species of
J
^pl
1 - - V*
'^^^1
' ^/>^-
fH
\ut^ ^
^>.
RAINS IN TORRENTS. 293
birds, according to the lines of their hands. Those
possessing sharp Hnes belong to the hawks, those with
soft one to pigeons, and so on. This is truly a strange
coincidence, that these wild and savage cannibals, who are
for ever fighting and seeking whom they may devom%
should believe in the old-time palmistry of our forefathers
at home, and they believe in it to a far greater extent
than we ever did. T asked him to what family of bird I
belonged, and he at once told me. Some days afterw^ards
I asked another man who belonged to another village, and
he told me the same bird.
The trader's house itself was indeed a wonderful con-
struction ; built as it was by this one European who had
but one arm, it could hardly be said to be faultlessly put
together. It consisted of five small rooms, all of which
were numbered in large figures, but all under the usual
ordinary stretch of corrugated iron roofing. Mons.
Gangloff is a veritable Brigham Young, and has many
wives, principally natives of New Hanover. After I had
been there a week the labour schooner arrived. But as
the trader had unfortunately just at that time strained
himself very badly he was obliged to go away to New
Britain, where there was a doctor.
The natives came oflf to the ship daily, and were very
keen to collect beetles for me, receiving payment for each
bottle they filled with them. But it rained in torrents
every day, and I hardly ever saw the sun shine during the
whole of my visit here, consequently the lepidoptera
collection did not increase at all. Early in the morning
sometimes the rain would hold off for an hour or two, and
I was able to send my hunters out and get a few birds,
but they were always back by midday, drenched. Some-
times an enthusiastic savage would not only fill his bottle
with beetles, but would cram in butterflies, lizards, and,
in fact, everything he came across that had life, and great
aw THttorofi ynw cvh^ea.
Wdold \\o \\\f, chagrin when he saw mo empty out and
throw away nfarly alJ liis day's work, Thpy wi-j* all very
(MiriiKi^ tJi know wliat I did with tliow tliinge — did I
cut Chcm i>r did [ takv thi-m tu niiot)ii;r country' and bring
thwu U\ lift- o^aiiiV " Y«k, ihal's what h«ppens." they
would Bay. " li» x&k*:* thciii iutoss th« wa to another
c»)uiitr> and iiiak<'H them come hiwk to lifn," and one wba
had boon to Australia would coirolxjrate this opinion hy
lulling them that what they inta^ned was ijuite trtie, (or
he had fiuon them hiimielf alive there. How many sticks
nf tobaccti did I get i>aid for bringing them back to life
and Irttiuf; tJicm go in my country 'f tht-y would ask me,
and. ittnny otiicr itimple quvri^^s would Ixt put, until I got
tiiwd of thfir clmtt<ir and would drive thftm off- After a
week or two morv here, and Hiiding that the gi'eat bank^
of min r:loudH m^em tti travel right up fi"om New Ireland
to thii« part iK'fori! di»iKT»ing, I deemed it advisable to
shift roimd to the west coaat, where. 1 waH infurm<;d, I
should find a wheltered Imy into which two rivers ran.
and at thu same time shouJd be quite at the foot of llie
mountains.
My i:ijlpr>ptcra coUenrtion iit Kung was Kltt-r than T liad
anticipatod, and it wuii throuf,'h tliis faet tlmt 1 was
induced to stay kmgirr, U consiHtcd of about fiv«
thou8iu>d 8pec'iiueti8 and uv<ir five hundred speciee,
amongst which I lio|xul tn lind a number new to science.
Of the one hundii-d and fifty i'irds I shot there were over
a hundred different species, and some, I anticipated, were
new.
Sailing romid to the west coast of the island I found a
bay with a tolerably good sandy beach and a small river
running down from the mountains, and so I anchored
liere and started again sending my people and going
myself daily into tliu foiost. One day Harrj', one of my
sailoi's, a»ked fur a gun tu try and shoot some birds for
.^91
i- ■ r
IB^Mj^v^^vmi ^H
j.S%£^^^
^ftm^^^^gtJff^KS^j^j"^ ^,^^
THE NATIVES, 297
nie, and off he went. At night time I was surprised to
see through my glasses one of the butterfly-hunters
carrying his gun on the beach, who, when he came on
board, told me that the sailor had seen him in the forest
and had asked him to take back the gun as he was going
away to live in the jungle. I never saw him again, and
am at a loss even to-day to understand why he did such
a thing. There is one thing certain, the natives after
a time would be bound to kill him, being a stranger in
their Land. He was one of my best men, and I had never
had any occasion to reprove him for anything, which made
it all the more strange.
The natives here were very friendly, and brought us a
great many taros daily. One man in particular got quite
attached to us, coming off by himself on one or two logs
of wood lashed together, for the natives had no canoes
here, stating that they did not know how to make them.
I suspect it was owing to their extreme laziness, however.
This man would come at daybreak and stay till dark, |
lying about, but occasionally being made to do a little work
on the deck. \Vhat delighted him most was for one of
my men to paint him from head to foot. He was very
useful in this way, the men often trying the consistency of
their paint upon his back or face, and one day when my
captain was varnishing in the saloon this man received a
coat of it all over himself much to our amusement, and,
I may say, his also.
They wore absolutely no clothing whatever, although
decency has obliged me to have them draped for publica-
tion, and modest v, as we understand it, in this way was
absolutely imknown to them. Women and young girls
were also quite nude, and often would swin) off to the
ship for a stick of tobacco, but I made them tie a few
leaves round their loins whenever they came on the deck.
I found a great many snipe and wild duck here,
^
298
THROUGH NEW GU/XEA.
and ustid to shoot them daily for the tabic. But
thu birds were aliuout identical with those «hot ill
Kung. After a week or ten dnya spent here, and tlu*
tunnaoon being very steady, I made up my mind to
start for the Admiralty Islando. and bo on tho Slst of
Maifh I took in a fresh supply of water, and the
Huxt morninp said gcjodbye to these simple savages.
Aftur the anchor bad been hauled up at bre^k of day
and wc wort; IcaviiiR the land far behind us, the sun
bof^au to show bimsfilE abuvt; the tops of the trees,
when we perecivod u solitary native paddling his loy
of wooil after us as fa«l as lie could mid shouting
all the time. It was our frit-nd, who had overslept
himself, and 1 suppose wished to come on board and
see what he could get for the last time, but all his
endeavours to reach ns were in vain, and very soon
after we left him, a liny spcrli upon the ocean, far
astern.
CHAPTER XT.
THE ADMIRALTY ISLANDS — EXCITEMENT OF THE NATIVES
— ST. GABRIEL ISLAND — I RECEIVE A VISIT FROM
THE CHIEF — PECULIAR STYLE OF DRESSING THE
HAIR — NATIVE COSTUME — A VISIT FROM A WOMAN —
THE NATIVES ARE TOO DANGEROUS TO PERMIT OF
OUR LANDING — THE MURDERERS OF A WHITE MAN
— THE CHIEF STEALS MY HAxMMER — I DISCOVER AN
UNCHARTED PATCH OF ROCK — I DEPART FOR
ADMIRALTY ISLAND.
On the 8rd of April we sighted the Admiralty Group —
which were discovered hy Schoiiten, a.d. 1G15, but
about which very little information was obtained until
H.M.S. Challenger steamed through them in 1875 — and
some fifteen miles out observed the sails of very large
canoes. The people had evidently sighted us from the
mountains and had come off at once to meet us. The
first to come up to us was an enormous craft, with out-
riggers to steady it. Its sail was of matting and fibre.
There were, I should say, quite thirty men on board.
When they found they could not reach the yacht, not
having hauled round in time, they all jumped into the sea
and tried to swim to us, shouting and waving their anns
in the madness of their excitement. The next to arrive
was more fortunate, and coming close enough I
ordered a rope to be thrown them, which they made fast
round their bows. I pennitted two to come on board.
801
J02 THROUGH NEW GUW
They were certainly the wnWest and strangest people I
had ever beheld in my life. Hhoiiting tu thoBc in the
Cftnoo being towed, they worked thoiuselvws iiitu wuch a.
frenzy that I momentaxily expected them to full down in
a fit.
Shortly iifterwarda I arrived at the island of St.
Gahriel, and found u vorj* good aiichorAige under the
ol a Kiuall islet at the western end. Swanns of
lives came out directly the anchor was down, gesti-
lating wildly and all talking at once. I allowed the
chief, whose name 1 fonnd to \n' Kanau, to come on board ,
ftcconipanied by a second chief. These two men, in point I
of size, were very fine specimens of hmuanity, enormoHsly i
fat and evidently extremely Ia/.y. They continued to I
chew betel nut ounMtantly, without ceiitning, ax indeed [
did all the natives throughout thcise islands, and only i
discharging the cu<l wliin desiring to eat ffxid, Tobacco i
seemed unknown to them, and when, after nmch por-
. suasion, I induced one man to try a little, the wTy faces \
l&e made caused a considerable amount of amusement.
The island of St. Gabriel appeared to lie more thickly
' populateil than some of the larger ones of this group, and
I conlil see swanns of natives every day I was there, lining i
the beach. The natives theniselves wore but few orna-
ments, those they had consiBtinj; of Khell annletn and
-.human bones. A cnriooB piece of carved wood, about
. two feet long, deconted with feathers, is sometunes
worn at the back of the neck, intimating that the
wearer is on the war-path. The men allow their hair
to grow to a considerable length and then tie it t(^thar
at the top in a huge bunch, from which a great namber
of feathers are always streaming. Many pronged bamboo
combs, aJso tipped with long feathers, are worn at the sides
and front. The " Bulla Ovum " shell, which is recorded
to have been worn as their sole dress some years ago, is
•t
t
A WOMAN BROUGHT ON BOARD. 305
still invariably earned in the indispensable basket always
seen slung on their arm, but a larger dress of native cloth
wound round their loins and hanging down in front is
substituted for it. They appeared most friendly, and
brought me, as a present from their women, great
quantities of sweet potatoes and another root, the
name of which I forget, but which was evidently culti-
vated to some considerable extent. They were most
eager to barter their obsidian spears, arm-rings, and
bowls, which were made in great varieties and
exceedingly well carved, for small beads, files, and
knives. These natives, who are born natural traders,
will haggle over a small arm-ring or a piece of tortoise
shell to such an extent that one at last loses patience
and refuses in disgust to deal at any price. When
offering any article they possess for sale their praises
or protestations are accompanied by most appropriate
expressions. One man especially, T remember, who
endeavoured to persuade me to give him an axe for a
blade or two of tortoise shell, might indeed have
been a queen's counsellor urging the innocence of his
client before a grand jury, and with every bit as much
force and energy.
For the few davs 1 remained here the chiefs came
off at sunrise, and lolling about the deck, making
everj'thing black and filthy they came in contact with,
w^ould stay until they were literallv driven over the side
at night. Only once was a woman l)r()ught on board,
who was said to be the wife of the chief. Hideously ugly,
and with hair matted with some filthy substance all over
her head, she had a great many small, round marks
burned into her body in rows, and round her legs
had been woven grass bands so tightly that the
flesh had grown right over them, and must have
occasioned the poor creature considerable pain.
21
L
THROUGH NEW GUINEA.
TIrv t<)l<] lue that a white man had lived there
iiiaiiy ycaTH before, but that the natives had come
iiv<'r from the largur island a few miles away aniJ
iminlered him. but from the fact that I saw one
with ti Kmull hatiii-glaMs (nut a trade one), and
others witli articles of cookery, evidences of a white
man'R abode, I should not have gone as tar away
aa they said to look for his murderers, and I let
them know my oiiinion."
For one or two days is\^ry one was anxious to (;(tllvot
beetles and butterflies in exchange for tiles, beadH, &<;.,
but none of my own hunlei's, offer them what I wonid,
could be persuaded to leave the yacht, and I must say the
l(M)ks of the people, and their superabundance of apparent
friendship, weighed much with me in my decision not to
land myself. NevcrthdeHs, I gave the natives butterfly-
nets, and although it rained most of the time I Bto()ped
h«rc they brought mo some few specimens, generally
spoiled, but still the majority of thoiu were now to
science, and have since hi-on dcHcribed by the Hon.
Walter Roth«child.
After two or tliree dayw the natives got tired of collect-
ing, preferring to come and loll about the ship or climb
the rigging Hke so many children, and seeing it was of
no use to i-enuiin here any longer, I made up my mind
to move on to Admiralty Island, where it might be
possible to find an uniuhubited shore, which would enable
my hmiterB and myself to go into the . forest. The day
before' I departed the chief failed to put in his usual
appearance, and suspecting something at once, I began to
" It appears that this poor man, I believe a SootchmaD, had, with
a certain ajuoiint of trade goods, visited in a schooner these ialands,
but had been attacked and murdered, the natives robbing him of
everything ; lor wiiich atrocious deed they have never been punished,
and in tact, up to the time of my visit liere, none of the German war
vessels wlio ure alwavH cruisinj; in the Bismarck Archipelago, have
ever paid these ielunds a visit.
r
THE HAMMER STOLES'.
307
liK)k nmnd f(ir whiit iiiiglit l>e lost, iiin) it was not long
before I diseoveied that ii lumiiiier one of the crew had
been usinfj t!ie <liiy before wiis nut forthcoming. I at once
informeil the niitives who were on board of the fact, and
tbey iippeared very frightened and at once exclaimed,
" Kana, Kami," offering at tlie same time to go and
fetch it, but I knew liy their anxiety to leave the ship I
should never see them again. They swam on shore,
leaving their baskets of betel nuts and a large bow! they
liad bronglit for sale beliind tliem, and it tnrned ont to be
as I thought; they never returned. Tliis small incident
sliuws full well that even in, I suppose, tlie farthennost
part i)f the W(irld, away from civilisation of any kind, theft
is l(M)ked upon as something for which pimishment is
merited.
On leaving the island of St. Gabriel I found, aljout four
3o8 THROUGH NEW GUINEA.
miles distant from it in a north-west direction from the
north side of the island, a large, uncharted coral patch,
of large area, and having three fathoms of water on it.
Also another about two miles north t(^ north-north-east
from the small island adjoining St. Gabriel with but one
fathom cm it.
On the 7th of April I arrived at Admiralty Island,
entering the Barrier Reef between the two small islands on
the north-east end. Numbers of huge canoes with great mat
sails came out some miles to sea to meet me, all crowded
with natives shouting and gesticulating wildly. The first
to meet us was a smaller one, to whom we gave a tow-
rope, and it was very amusing to see how others coming
after tried to fetch the ship, and how they one and all
failed, some capsising i^ the attempt, others springing
into the water in their endeavour to catch hold of the
canoe in tow\
Half a mile inside the reef we rounded up and dropped
anchor under the lee of a small island, intending to remain
for the rest of the day, but I was so surrounded by large
canoes and overpowering numbers of natives, who appeared
to be anything but friendly, all waving their obsidian
spears and gesticulating in a most frantic manner, and I
deemed it advisable to get under way again. These
repulsive looking cannibals were impudent in the extreme,
boarding the ship contrary to my orders, and at one time
I felt it likelv that we should have trouble with them.
Imagine if you can, reader, a small cruising yacht in a bay
many thousands of miles from civilisation, with no steam
power and very little wind, and but two white men on
board — for with the exception of my captain, a Scotch-
man, my crew were all coloured men — completely sur-
nnuided ])v tliirtv-two enoi'inous war canoes, nearly every
one oi wliicli was as lon^^ as llie yacht itself, and having
fully ten men on each, all ferocious cannibals, carrying in
SINISTER IIOSriTAUTY. 309
their hands several formidable obsidian spears. 1 say
imagine these numbers of wild people on every part of
your bulwarks, all talking, screaming and gesticulating at
once. The situation was not pleasant, and it was with a
feeling of intense relief that I felt the ship moving ever
so slowly through the water, and saw with great pleasure
the canoes dropping one by one astern.
This obsidian which they utilise for their spear-heads
is a volcanic substance resembling thick green glass,
generally worked in a triangular form, sharpened at the
point to the fineness of a needle, and having the shape of
a tongue of fire, about twelve inches in length. It is
then fitted into the hard wood of the spear, and at once
becomes a very formidable weapon.
At sundown we anchored a few miles further on off the
island of Pichalew, which was low and densely covered
with forest, and having a sheltered bay and sandy beach.
Strangely enough the natives here, who were very
numerous, were entirely different in character to those
with whom we had just parted, coming off in great
numbers in their canoes with presents of yams, taros,
bananas, and cocoanuts, and what is more unusual, a
present of a large bowl of cooked potatoes from the
women of the village, refusing to accept any payment
whatever in return. It was hard to think that this
apparent generosity was shown me with an ulterior object,
but I am sorry to say I am forced to, as one boy I had
with me who understood some words of their language
heard them say among themselves that perhaps now I
would come on shore, when thev at once would make
short work of me, and capture the ship. This was indeed
disheartening, for my hunters refused to leave the vessel,
under any pretence whatever, and I feared it would be
absolutely impossible for me to go on shore, at any rate
where there were people. My boys all came to me shortly
310 THROUGH NEW GUINEA,
after this occurrence and told me that I might kill them
if I wished, and they would not raise a finger against me,
but they would not leave the ship and so allow their
bodies to be cooked and eaten. I therefore made up my
mind to retrace my steps and work round by St. George
and Jesu Maria Islands, the south-east end of the group,
and w-here j>erhaps I might be more likely to find some
of the smaller ones uninhabited.
On April lOth I arrived at St. (Tcorge's Island, which
is densely wooded, and attains an elevation of about 800
feet, finding but an indifferent anchorage, and also a great
number of people. I thought it wise to go through the
St. Andrew's Straits, which are situated the south end of
the island, and anchor among several small islets I saw
further to the eastward, and where it was not likely we
should have so many visitors. The coastal i)eople on St.
George's Island had been driven into the mountains by
the people inhabiting the smaller island opjK)site, who
had taken possession of the coast to plant their taros and
sugar-cane. Passing down through St. Andrew's Straits
I discovered another uncharted patch with only six feet of
water on it, one mile from the north-east end of St.
George's Island at the entrance of the Straits, and also
several patches, covered with from three to five fathoms of
water, so that any one entering these straits should do so
with extreme caution.
All the way dow^n the straits I was besieged by cjinoes
hanging on by tow-lines, and quite seventy of the natives
crowded on to the ship anxious to barter their spears and
tortoist' slu'll. I was obliged to place my nuMi in different
parts of the vessel with loaded rifles owing to the appear-
ance of the natives, and. had it not been for this pre-
caution, 1 am confident a desperate^ attack would have
been made ui)on us. 1 found a verv effectual wav of
clearing the decks witiiout «^iving offence was to suddenlv
THE PRICE OF A WOODEN PIG, 311
open an umbrella — an act which has served me in p^ood
stead on many occasions, for those natives who have
never seen this article before would invariably jump over-
board at (mce. I found it extremely difficult to trade
with them, as they all asked for axes and tomahawks
for any small thinp^ I wanted to ^et from them. The
reason for this was apparent. The officers on board
H.M.S. Challemjer must have given them one or tw^o
of these, and they have since discovered the extreme
utility of them in the manufacture of their canoes, their
own tools, made of shell or stone, bein<( of a very primi-
tive nature.
Anchorinf( off three small islands — the lar<^a^st of which
being Waikatu Island, where 1 found a village built on
piles far out into the water — 1 made up my mind to remain
here for a day or two and see what I could get on either
of them ; but, alas ! these w(;re productive of Httle more
than a few beetles and one jungle hen, which had evidently
got there by mistake, as there were no other birds found
there. A few people at different times came off. One
man brought me an extremely well-carved imager of a
pig of about three feet in length and cut out of a solid
block of wood, forming a bowl, at first asking an axe
for it, and, on this being refused, a fish-hook : 1 handed
him the latter, when he said he recpiired a pieces of wire
he saw on deck attached to tlie end. I did this, but
he still seemed dis.satisfied, recpiesting a longer piece.
I again fastened on some more wire, when to my disgust,
he said, ** Fix on another fish-hook at the other end ! "
I seized the lot and crannned it back into mv tradin<:-l)()x,
driving him over the side. Keturning shortly afterwards,
he gave me the bowl for one much smaller* fish-hook and
without any wire at all ; but as he was just going away
1 found that one of the legs he had artfully kept hidden
was broken off', and, collaring him in time, I sat him down
312 THROUGH NEW GUINEA.
on the deck and told him to make a new one and fasten
it on. This took him the whole afternoon, but it was
very instructive to see how these people work with such
unhandy tools — an obsidian knife and a bit of shell being
the only implements he possessed. Breaking off a piece
of a pole he had in his canoe and used for pmiting over
the reefs, he squared the end to be joined on to the broken
part, and, smearing it with some charcoal, pressed on the
new piece, which showed him where more was to be
pared off. This process was repeated several times until
the two parts fitted to a nicety. Then, rounding off the
new leg to the requisite length, he fixed in some small
pegs and so fitted it on in a most ingenious manner,
demanding an axe but receiving a few beads for his
trouble.
On April 12th, as I was about to go on shore to try
again for birds and beetles amongst the thick undergrowth
of one of the smaller islands, I counted no less than
thirty-eight canoes coming towards the ship, and so
abandoned the idea of landing. Shoii;ly afterwards they
had all surrounded me ; there were quite 150 people,
about eighty of whom came on board, for it was im-
possible to keep them ofif without quarrelling. Up the
rigging to the very masthead, into the 'galley, down
the forecastle, and even into the saloon, they swarmed
everywhere, and, what with their shouting and screaming
at one another, the ship was a perfect pandemonium.
They brought arm-rings, shell-dresses, dogs'-teeth, spears,
bowls, tortoise shell and pearl shell, their lime-pots, and
even pieces of their own hair to barter for beads, red
cloth, or knives. It did not matter in the least what
I offered them, they invariably desired something more,
and the purchase of some small and useless curio would
sonietiines take all the afternoon. These people are
of the most intelligent order, often anticipating a remark
JV/T OF THE NATIVES, 313
you are about to make, and adding a few witty words
of their own ; for their language is most simple and very
easily understood, and, after learning about a hundred
words, one can almost understand everything they have
to say.
CHAPTER XII.
SMART NATIVES — FRIENDLY SAWTATIONS— EXTRAOHDI-
NARV MEMORV— ARRANT THIEVES— NU WOMEN— THE
NATIVES CONTEMPLATE KILLINH ME — SPEAH WOUNDS
ON NATIVES— COWARDICE — MY OWN MEN AHE VERY
PBinHTENED— VERY UlCH ISLANDS — NATIVE VOCABU-
One iiiuruing two different lots nf tortoiae shell were
otfei-ed to lue by two men. The ont- lot consisted of
large and valuable shell and the other mther below the
average size, and consequently not worth so much : for the
former an axe was asked, and for the latter two knives.
I had been in tlio habit of f^ivinp; a large knife for large
shell and a small one for that of lesser size, whereupon
I said: "Kurt mundrean pigmbon mundrean, kurt leem
piginbon leem " (meaning to say, " Rig knife for big
tortniw slicll. siiiiiJl knife for sniiill tnitois^ shell"). The
brntlivrnl tlj<' i liirf. who \mis sitliTi^' rlus,' In ]nenn the
deck, immediately produced two pieces no bigger than the
palm of one's hand and of no value whatever, and, laying
them down in front of me, exclaimed, in his own
language, of which this is the translation, " Webster,
this is for you ; you always speak the truth : hand over a
small knife."
The fii-st question invariably asked by all on my arrival
at any village was "Tokalager?" ("What is your name?").
This always intimates that the people are desirous of
THE DAGGER IN THE HAIR, 315
establishing friendly relations. When you have once told
it to them thev call you hv it always. Many natives
spoke to nie of a certain ship's captain, mentioning his
name, and who, T afterwards learned, had passed through
the group nineteen years previously, when he had not
remained amongst them foi* more tlian a w^eek. This
at least proves the excellence of their memories. They
are of a verv treacherous natui'e and horn thieves, and
I was therefore obliged to keep a most strict watch day
and night, alwavs having one and sometimes two of my
men with loaded rifles. Nevertheless, notwithstanding
the vigilance of my crew, something or another was stolen
from the ship at every i)lace T called at. On one occasion
a native shell-dress, for which 1 had bargained the greater
part of the day and had at last purchased at the man's own
price to get rid of him, so persistent he was in pushing
it in my face and demanding a large knife for it, was
after all stolen back again when my face was turned, and
was the next day brought to me for sale by some one else
altogether.
With the (me excei)ti(m 1 have mentioned in a
previous chapter, it was lu'ver my fortune to see any
of their women nearer than 500 yards, and although
I offered all sorts of inducements to the natives to
persuade them to bring their women-folk to pay me
a visit, they never did so, and of course, after the obsen'a-
tions T have nuide and the treacherous looks of the people,
I did not venture on shoie.
The only two weapons they appc^ired to use were the
obsidian spear and an obsidian dagger, the blade of the
latter being about ten inches in length and the handle
worked of the same material as their head-combs. This
was carried by being passed through the hair, and so a
native who apparently was unarmed very often had a
dangerous weapon at hand, and it was always my custom
3i6 THROUGH NEW GUINEA.
to thoroughly examine their head-gear before pennitting
them to come on board. The hair of these people is worn
in a slightly different fashion to those of St. Gabriel :
very bushy all round the front, they wear an enormous
fringe which is combed backwards, but at the back of the
head they tie it like the other natives in a huge knob
resembling the tail of a prize draught horse at an agricul-
tural show, bound round and round for about a foot in
length, standing straight out from the head, and displacing
a bushy tuft at the further end with a feather comb in it.
A great number of the people I observed to have sj^ar
wounds, but without one single exception they were all at
the back of their persons, from which one draws the
ominous conclusion that they do not present a bold and
fearless front to their enemies.
They repeat their words many times over when sj)eaking,
every word being spoken in a louder and louder tone, until,
at the end of the sentence, they are absolutely screaming.
For instance, if a native wished to say, ** Tedor lockon
solowan'' (** There are plenty here '*), he would exclaim
** Tedor, tedor, lockon, lockon, lockon, lockon, solowan,
solowan, solowan, solowan, solowan — solowaaaaan ! ''
It is customary here, as in every other country in the
world, when offering an article for sale to ask a gieat deal
more than is expected, and often a native will take away
his goods altogether and remain absent for days before
offering them again, sometimes bringing something else
in its place. Nevertheless eventually you will get what
you want i)r()vided you have enough patience to wait until
it is again show'n you, but once take an interest in it or
express the slightest desire to i)()ssess it, you will have to
give the man his own price or you will nev(»r own it at all.
Tlie tliin<rs wliicli thev seem to srt least store bv are
their howls, wliicli were I'c'iilly very Ix'autilully carved and
are alwavs ()])tainal)ie fnr a few ])r;i(|s.
IVE LEA VE THE ADMIRALTY ISLES. 317
Finding that my number of visitors increased daily,
from their gestures I imagined that it was about time for
me to move, so on the fourth day, having a favourable
breeze, I moved on through the innumerable patches and
the many small islets to Jesu Maria, a larger island about
ten miles distant, but on anchoring on the south side in a
bay that was full of shoals, I found here, as everywhere
else, the coast to be most thickly populated. The natives
did not wait for me to anchor, but crowded the ship on all
sides.
I now finally abandoned all hope of obtaining any further
collections in natural history. My hunters on board were
by this time so thoroughly frightened at the wild appear-
ance of the natives, and my captain and crew were also
becoming very dissatisfied at my remaining among such
people, who outnumbered us to such an enormous extent,
that the next day, amid the yells and frantic gesticulations
of the natives in canoes all around me, I set sail for New
Britain with a wind which obliged me to set my course
towards La Vandola Island, situated twenty miles to
the east of Jesu Maria and the most eastern island of
the group.
The same evening I arrived under the cliff of that island,
which is entirelv different in formation to any of the others,
being of circular form and having a coast line of straight
up and down cliff. The natives came off to me in great
numbers, and were very eager for me to anchor, but finding
no bottom except on a lee shore, and that at some consider-
able depth, I merely laid to for an hour, bartenng with the
natives for a few spears and shell ornaments, and then
before dark again set sail for the slightly more civilised
country — New Britain.
Thus the great object of my journey to the Admiralty
Islands had signally failed, and with the exception of a
few hundred specimens of coleoptera and still fewer
3i8
THROVGH XEW GVtXEA.
boUerflies ftod with bat «ae bird. 1 tamed iii; boi-k i>n
lltew will! {wople who possess a crjontiy so rich in u
latum unkoitn-D to Earopuan irtJIecbire.
fiut p«ThaiM>. one day. it qmt be ujr good fortune to
rvtnni and there U ootfaing I dioald desire more — taking
with tue n Ktmngvr force of anus, to etMble me to remain
Huui! Uioiithfi in tbi! ^mp. ani) onllect all tbe niH uid
new tbinf^ I am ennHdcnt an- to be foond '\vstb.
Tltu foll>m-uig ift a sooll vifcnbuLin* of Aditiintlty Island
wordA 1 pickeil up from tlio nativ<» whilM trading with
thiou:^
Mat^EUUmii.
ttav— tbiUina J-MW.
WwB-n-IWbbowi.
linMl.
Conio Iwic. bnni; Ei^uui.
No. don't wMit-Hbrnnni.
titi away-'Tuoiliu.
Thoow it owny— Kmui.
Go BWBV for good -TdobIuvhL
rub-hook -Mok.
Lonte, b(K-Jtuadr«B.
Buw >uid amw— Jfemk.
auuJI— I«nu
Shigs UiKt, ciuiui— ColeiiJm].
SpoM-l-iclifli-fi.
WiDd-Se*.
J^xvi — Cimmcl-
!tiun-li:ml«llA.
KjiifB— Knn. ,
It is lictv— Lockon.
!)e«l^Wj.I..
Iltrit.i -Solowim.
Cl**h-Dr«.pp.
Htrrv or lIick — Tedor.
(lood-W.ven.
This Of Uuit— Sclw.
JUd-Momin.
I'lVMot. f(ifl -Corns.
Coine— AuBwii.
Bleep-M»t »Mt.
Iitlwid— Mook.
Dead_Uarti.
What b. vour ia.uuc ? ( -. ,
Toiiiniuiwk— SHWali.
Tortoise shell— CijiiilxHi.
The numbers are —
One-EBM.
Beven- Betalor.
Two— EDour.
Eight^Undralii.
Three— Ettti.
Nine — I'lidrexHie.
Four^-AvLT.
Te.i-Co.
Five— El'iiiw,
Eleven— t'o EsKf.
yix-Aoii.
Twelve-Co Ellour.
ADMIRALTY ISLANDS VOCABULARY, 319
Thirteen -Co Etal. j Eighteen — Co Undralii.
Fourteen — Co Aver. Nineteen — Co Undressie.
Fifteen — Co Elinm. Twenty — EUour Co.
«
Sixteen — Co Aon. Fifty — Elinia Co.
Seventeen — Co Retalor One hundred — Co Co.
CHAPTER XIII.
I LEAVE THE ADMIRALTY ISLANDS — WE ARE WRECKED
ON A REEF OFF NEW IRELAND — RETURN TO NEW
BRITAIN — CHINESE CARPENTERS REPAIR THE YACHT
— THE HOT SPRINGS IN BLANCHE BAY — THE BOILING
RIVER — THE BEEHIVES— EXPERT FEMALE DIVERS —
I LEAVE FOR THE SOLOMON ISLANDS — CALL AT
SIR CHARLES HARDY ISLANDS — I DISCOVER THE
MURDER OF AN ENGLISHMAN- -I PHOTOGRAPH THE
ASSASSINS — STORY OF A WHITE MAN SWEPT AWAY
IN A BOAT AND KILLED AND EATEN BY NATIVES —
AN ACTIVE VOLCANO — BOUGANVILLE- -DANGEROUS
NATIVES — THE CANNIBAL WHO WANTS A SOVEREIGN
— H.M.S. ** rapid" puts ME IN QUARANTINE — IVORY
NUTS — I START FOR AUSTRALIA — ANOTHER ACCIDENT
— RETURN TO THE SOLOMONS — H.M.S. ** WALLAROO '*
— THE YACHT CONDEMNED — I LEAVE FOR AUSTRALIA
IN THE MAN-OF-WAR.
From here I had a tine wind in my favour, the first I had
experienced for some months, which brought me down to
New Britain in two days, where I again anchored in
Blanche Bay. The settlers were very pleased to see me
again, having all made up their minds long ago that I
had been killed and eaten by the natives of the islands
I had just left. Losing no time here, I at once paid
a visit to the liead Government orticial at Herbertsoh
to get the necessary permission to recruit more natives
320
THE YACHT RUXS OX A REEF. 321
to hunt for me in the Solomon Islands, where I was now
bound, as my contract with the people I had expired on
my returning to their country, and none of them were
desirous of re-engaging.
Receiving the necessary pennit I at once ran over to
Kuras, a large village on the New Ireland coast opposite
Blanche Bay, the reason for this being that after our
experiences in the Admiralty Islands, and the intense
fear of my New Britain hunters while there, I should
have stood no chance whatever of getting any others from
that country.
Arriving in Kuras harbour on the following afternoon,
I anchored a mile from the shore. A great many of the
natives who came off in their canoes told me I should
find a better anchorage inside the reef, whereupon I decided
to shift my position, getting the advantage of a better
shelter. Soon after the anchor was hauled up and the
captain had given the order to go about to enable us
to clear the reef, the wind fell light, and the ship
missing stays, the current, which was very strong, swept
us immediatelv on to a coral reef before there was time to
let go the anchor again. Luckily the tide was low, and so
1 knew it was only a matter of a few hours before getting
off again, provided she held together until there was enough
water to float her. Owing to a big sea running at the time,
the ship suffered verv considerably, at one moment
high up on the crest of a wave, only to be dashed down
again with terrific force on to bed rock. All our crockery
and glass was smashed, fittings and furniture were dashed
to pieces down below. Hundreds of natives swarmed the
beach, perhaps hoping — who knows ? — that the vessel
would soon break up, when we should all fall an easy
prey to them. My greatest fear was that they would attack
us even before the ship became a total wreck, and I
conceived the idea of passing a tow-line to the shore
22
f
n
322 THROIGH XEW GllXEA.
\ requesting them to haul away, and thus I kept them
ij fully occupied, and from planning any mischief. At
s about ten o'clock at night, and after we had been
jj bumping in a temble manner for about five hours, the
tide rose sufficiently for us, with the aid of two kedge
anchors, to get her off into deep water, and to my great
joy we discovered that she was not making very much
water. Unfoilunately the rudder gudgeons were broken,
and the rudder casing a great deal damaged, a very
considerable mishap. I found it (piite impossible to
induce any one to come awav with me after this, so
immediately we had temporarily fixed up the steering
gear by the aid of wire rope, I returned to New Britain.
This, however, was not so easily accomplished, owing to
\ the strong south-east wind, and the cun-ent which
* accompanies it.
J After two days' hard struggle I fetched the north
^ coast of New Britain, and anchored off the Wesleyan
Mission Station situated there. An hour or two after
^ starting the next morning, the ropes holding the rudder
broke, owing to the temble strain and chafe upon them,
and for some hours we were drifting, until my men fixed
them as before, by no means an easy task with such a big
sea running. Two days afterwards we successfully
weathered the point by the volcano, and anchored off
the llalum plantation.
Finding no one here able to be of any service
to us, we moved down the bay to the island of
Matupi, w^here there was a Chinese carpenter living,
who at once took the vessel in hand, and did his best to
repair the damage done. Unfortunately, there were but
two or three ftn^t rise and fall lier(\ and so we were
()l)li<,^('d to take cvtMTtlnii^^ out, even to the ballast, to
tli^j^litcu llu' ship sntVicicnlly, so lliat tli(? men could work
at low watt'i". A ^reat inaiiy sheets of co))[)er had been
m
f
f
I
I-
I
tt
THE BEEHIVESr 327
torn off on the reef, and a considerable amount of damage
done to the stern-post. After working for some days the
men dechired it to be impossible to repair her thoroughly,
on account of our inability to beach her ; and so 1 nuide up
my mind to make my way as best I could against the south-
east UKmsoon now blowing in full force, to Australia
beating down through the Solomon Islands, and from
whence I should be able to make the Queensland coast
in one board.
Whilst waiting here for the ship to be ready for sea,
I made many expeditions into Blanche Bay, and
collected many interesting specimens. On one occasion I
went for some miles to the head of an inlet, where 1 was
told I should find some hot springs ; and after navigating
a river running into the bay for some mile or two, the
water commenced to be warm, and the further 1 went
the hotter it became, until at last it was impossible forme
to hold my hand in it. Then I could see steam bubbling
up in all directions about me, proving that beneath the
water there was some very great volcanic disturbance.
The scenerv here was verv beautiful, and the trees which
overhung the river most luxuriant, but the heat was so
intense that I was glad to get out into the cool again. I
luc'vily had my camera, and so with the aid of one of my
black boys, whom 1 had already taught to scpieeze the ball,
I managed to secure a photograph, which in some small
degree pourtrays the beauty of the scene.
On my way home I made a slight detour to inspect
some rocks 1 had seen in the distance, and which have
been named the Beehives.. On approaching them I found
these were two in number, and of sandstone formation.
Springing straight up perpendicularly from the sea, they
are clothed from head to foot with most luxuriant
vegetation, have deep water right up to thrir very base,
rise to a height of about 2*20 feet, and are, I should
328 THROraH MiW GUIXEA.
say, ahout ci^'lity yards in circumference, and only
separated from one another hv a few feet of water. There
is a small led^e of coral at the hase of one of them, and
on it a villa^^e has heen huilt, iK)piilated by fully three
hundriMl {n'ople, who suhsist almost entirely on fish. On
my arrival the youn;^' «^nrls and women clambered up to a
small projection thirty or forty ft»et alK)ve the water, and
immediately jum|H'd ott\ claimin*; a stick of tobacco for
the accomplishment.
T was sorry not to he able to take a photopraph of these
remarkable rocks, but the sun had lonfj since sunk below
the horizon, and the li^^hts from the torches of the natives
fishin^jon the reefs round the bay were beginning to show
up in all directions.
On another occasion 1 visited the village of Nordup,
on the North Coast of New Britain, for the purpose of
reconcilin«^ two old warriors who had been at loj^gerheads
with one another for yeai*s, their villa*(es joining. After
a deal of piMsuasion 1 got them together, and, i>lacing
a green palm-leaf of peace between them, got a photo-
grai>h, afterwards giving a copy to each, at the same
time obtaining a promise from them both that they
would be brothers in the future.
When the Chinese carpenter had done what he was
able, 1 (piickly got my ballast on board and returned to
Kaluni, to bid a Ihial adieu to all mv friends there. And
taking, at the request of Mrs. Kolbe, some provisions and
papers for an iMiglishnian who was trading for her in a
gi'ouj) of islands just noith of th(^ Solomons, and who
was apparently (piite isolated from the world, being out
of tlic ti:ii"k (►!' all sliins, 1 iii;i«le an t'ai"Iv start on Mav
lltli.
J list as tlif aiiflioi' was heing hauled up 1 ]H'r('eived a
boat I'oiiiiiig ot't' to nic with a liu^^e casi- on hoard, and
I'oiuul it to contain two cassowaries 1 had l)oui:ht from
f
4
^ i
^ t
I i
: {
k
f •
ii.
ii
J
1:
I :
I
: i .
r I .
L
k
/ FIND A MURDERED ENGLISHMAN. 333
the natives, and in the hurry of departure had entirely
forgotten.
A fair wind took us down the St. George's Channel
and past the south coast of New Ireland, and then
making an easterly course a few days brought me to
Sir Charles Hardy Islands, lying some miles to the
east of New Ireland.* These are densely wooded and
rather low, surrounded by mangroves, but here and there
there is a small sandy beach where it is possible to land.
It was one of these on which the Englishman for w^hom
I was taking the papers, ^:c., was living.
Sailing along the coast I soon afterw^ards observed a
flag-staff raised up at the spit of a small island which
I knew must be Nissam, the trading station ; and so
lieading through a very narrow passage where the current
was rushing like a mill stream, I was quickly taken to the
back of the island, where there was a good anchorage and
beach, and from which I could see the trader's house.
But although the flag was flying I could see no one on
the verandah, nor did any natives, as is customary,
approach the sliip from the shore. Nevertheless I could
see many dusky figures running through the trees which
line the beach and at once remarked that something must
be wrong. Firing a gun two or three times, but getting
no response, I manned the boat and went on shore when
my worst fears were at once realised.
The Englishman, whose name was Oliver Beavis, had
been murdered. His native housekeeper, a young girl
from New Ireland, whom I found huddled up in the
house in a most terribly frightened condition, said that
Mr. Beavis had been expecting a schooner to come from
New Britain with his stores for some months. I may
'■'■ This group should in reality, according to my captiiin's observa-
tions, l)e placed five miles further to the east than their present
charted position.
334 THROUGH SEW GVIXEA.
mention liere that Mrs. KoUk* luid previously told me that
her schooner, when I left New l^ritain, was then more
than a hundred days overdue, and thev were tliemselves
verv anxious for her safetv, as the natives on the east coast
of New Ireland, where it had lu'en sent, were very
treacherous, and that was the reason whv she had not
been ahle to send this man his stores before.
Whether the natives ima^Mued that he had been com-
pletely deserted by his f(»llow -creatures or not, it is hard
to say ; but one morning, when \\k\ was in the act of
stooping' to pick up somethin*^ from the ground, thirty
yards from his house, they had crept up l)ehind him, and
with one of his own axes, stolen from the verandah, had
struck him down. I at once sent for the chief of tlie
island, but he refused to come, nor all the threats and
inducements I afterwards sent would cause him to alter
his decision, and, conseijucntly, I never saw him at all.
Gatherinj^asmjiny natives as possible tot^^etherl interro-
gated them, findin^i: that pidjin I\ii*,dish was not imknown
to several, with the result that 1 discovered that one
morninjjf, ten days jnvvious to my comin*^, the trader was
in the act of feedin<jf his pi^'s, when a native had split liis
head open with an axe from behind. The poor man liad
stren<;lh (M1()U<^1i to run behiinl a cocoanut tree, followed
bv his assassin, who wa^ then joined l)v other natives.
Takin^j out his revolver he lired twice, woundin<^' one man
in the hand and another in the shoulder. The trader's
New Ireland boys iIhmi a|)]HMire(l on the seen(\ and the
murderer deeampiMl, but was afterwai'ds shot l)y one of
these boys with the trader's own ^nn, and close to the
spot where he had stiuck down his xii'tini. Mr. Beavis
maiia^^ed to sta<^^<i:er to his lioust\ l)iit fell on the threshold
and expired l)et"oi'e he could ^^et u|)on his l)e(1. 1 could
see the <rh:istlv siiins of tlic tViulitrul ^tiULT^K^ the ikk)!*
man liad niade in tr\in;4 to L!«t tlnir. hut iii< stren<rth
i
I- I
t
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/ PHOTOGRAPH THE MURDEROUS TRIBE. 339
had given way, and he had died pulHng at the bedclothes.
One can hardly imagine such a gruesome scene as the one
I looked u[)on, for although ten days had elapsed nothing
had Leen touched.
The New Ireland boys buried the body just outside, and
so, after seeing that his grave was properly attended to,
and a baml)oo fence built round it, 1 examined his papers
to try and discover his address, so as to give intimation of
the sad occurrence to his friends. Unfortunately, I could
find no letters that told me what 1 wanted, but just as I
was giving it up 1 saw in the corner of his room a small
and much used J3ible, wherein 1 found his address in the
Isle of Wight. I comnnmicated with his friends on my
arrival in Australia in July, while, at the same time, I
wrote to New J^ritain, sending news of the murder.
J^efore letting the natives depart 1 sent on board for my
camera, and, with two rifles on either side of it, took a
photograph of them ; this they seemed very h^h to allow,
never having seen the apparatus before, and evidently
imagining it might go off at any moment and kill them
all.
The natives of these islands are a very fierce race of
people ; much above the average height, they appear to be
very powerful and muscular, bold and danng. They
wear no clothing, not even the T bandage, customary
in the Solomon Islands. My photographs have been
draped since. Their only weapons appeared to be bows
and arrows, and on their right arm they wear a guard
against the bow-string consisting of a creeper which
they unwind from the stem of the tree on which it
grows, and dry for their use : it forms a kind of gauntlet
from the wrist to the elbow. I discovered them to be very
expert in the use of the bow, for, wishing to divert their
attention as much as possible from myself, I caused a
thin bamboo stick, about two inches in circumference, to
340 TIlROrCIl XliW CAIXEA,
luMlrivcn into the sand, trivin*; a stick of tohiieco to every
oiir who roiild spht it with an arrow at a distance of
forty pacrs : in this way I ^n)t rid of a *xi*<-*it deal of tobacco
in the afternoon, one man in partieuhir, splittinjjf it eveiy
tinit». Th(» arrows wliieh tliese people use are not unlike
those made hv the Solomon Ishmders, but are consider-
ahly hetter made — harhed with small pieces of human
hone and |>ointed with the same material, they are very
formidahle \veaj)ons -and if a native is struck by one in
le^' or arm it is quite impossible to withdniw it, and the
only way he has of freeint^ hinjself is by driving it right
thron;;h to thc^ other side.
The next nlo^nin<,^ the tide bein<j[ in our favour, at six
o'clock I turned my back upon the scene of this honible
and atrtu'ious nnnder, another bein*; added to the already
lon^f list of such crimes which have been and are being
daily enacted throut^diout the South Seas, where the lonely,
hanlwoikin*' tradtM* t»kes out a solitarv livelihood and
spends the «j:reater part of his life living alone, outside the;
pale of civilisation without friends and far, far away from
home.
.Vs we were InMn;^: swe])t through the passage by
the li(M"ce <-urrenl running' at the time, the native who
was on hoMid tn pilot us clear of the coast, told me
how. a year or so a<:(), a white man had arrived in a ship
to stav with the ti'adcr until the schooner returned a vear
iil'ti-rwarcU. I>ui as the tid(» was I'unning out at the time
lli«'>liil) (lid not attempt to entei' the jmssage but just
stood off and on until the man had been lowered in his
l>(»at with his four hovs and tluMi sailed awav. The white
man had UfVi-i- hern able to ivach the shore although
wlicii the ship left liini he was not, a mile distant from it.
\\\\\ tlif ni\t iinn'iiui: ln' \\:i> iiowliei'e to i>e found, and
it \\;i^ allrrwaiiU di>c(»\ cird that the current in the nit^^ht
luul swept him ri^lil ae'r(»>> to the east coast of Xew
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IVE REACH TREASURY ISLAND. 345
Ireland, where he had been killed and eaten by the
natives, his boys sharing a similar fate.
After leaving Sir Charles Hardy Islands I laid
along the coast of Bougainville, one of the largest
and northernmost islands of the Solomon Group, being
nearly one hundred and twenty miles in length and
over thirty in width. Sailing down the coast we perceived
high up in the sky flames issuing from the spnnnit of an
active volcano, and although we must have been some
thirty or forty miles distant it was plainly visible. There
is a range of mountains which appears to run nearly the
entire length of this island, and I should say, judging
from our position, some of the highest peaks were several
thousand feet above the sea level. I could sec many
volcanic cones but only the one I have just mentioned
appeared to be active. The villages along the coast
appeared to be very thickly populated, but the ferocity of
their inhabitants is very well known, and it would be very
difficult indeed for a white man to make an expedition
through the island with safety. Towards the southern
end of the island (me or two large war canoes came out to
us as we went along, each one containing about twenty
men, who, like the Sir Charles Hardy islanders, were
completely naked and very dark in colour. Thcnr faces
were tattooed in lines, imparting a very fierce and repulsive
appearance.
On the third day we reached Treasury Island and ran
into a very good anchorage ofi' the principal village. The
natives, who have a very good reputation here, many
having worked on the plantations in Queensland, but the
greater number engaging themselves at difterent times as
boats' crews to the traders of the Solomon Islands,
swarmed on board immediately 1 let go the anchor. One
of the first to arrive was a boy who went by the name
of Tom, whom I immediately remembered as having
346
THROUGH NEW GUINEA.
previously met before at liubiana when on my previous
exjKiditiun. He was ven' anxious to come away with lue,
aH in<U-v<t were a great many <»f them, and I received a
(^eat luany presentH <»f yams, tanm, and kaukaus — a
vegetable not unlike ii [xitato. One man who spoke
pidjin Kngliuh fairly well hegfjed nie very hard for a
wwereign, and when I offered liim a Bhiliing turned up
bis noHe in disgust. Had be received what he wanted I
!*i
:iiii sure I i-ariiiut iMiiifcivc wlnit be wmilil liiive done with
it, .■xc.'tit tliiit pui-Iiiips on tlif ill-rival of tlie brst trading
sfliiioniT, lit', like many ..tlicr relinin-ii labour bands from
(.,)ii,',-ii^laii(l Willi iiiniii'v, wnuM liavi- i>arti'il witli it for a
lew brads Of a slid; or two oC lol,a<-,-M.
Th.' .-liirf. \vl„> wa^ 111,' son of ■.^. ,.,.l.-l.rat,>a warri.n-
iiiniK'^l ■■ Miilii K\^\y^r ioim ,in<v Av.uX. paid iiif a visit in
IVE ARE PUT IN QUARANTINE, 347
present, and receivin^^ in return some cotton red and
tobacco, for it is always customary in every country
tlirout^hout the South Pacific to ^ive presents and receive
somethint^ in exchange on an acquaintance being made.
Inunediately my water tanks were replenished we set
sail again, but owing to the very light winds that pre-
vailed it was many days before we reached Kubiana,
where most of the English Solomon Island traders
form their head-quarters. A fair wind springing up,
we were about to run over the bar, which extends across
the entrance of the lagoon, wlien a sail was reported on
the starboard bow. This turned out to be H.M.S. iia^^irf,
which quickly bore down upon us, and ascertaining as
she steamed close under our stern that 1 had come from
New l^ritain, at once sent off a boat with an official order
from the High Connnissioner of the Western Pacific,
prohibiting any connuunication whatever with any one
for twenty-one days, owing to tlu^ fact that smallpox had
broken out in the country 1 had just come from. Not-
withstanding the fact that I had not b(H>n within two
hundred miles of the infected district 1 was requested to
remain outside the bar, s(^ T went and anchored off
Kendova Island.
Before they steamed away I had a short and shouting
conversation with Mr. Woodford, who was on board and
who had just been appointed to the post as Commissioner
of the Solomon Islands. I had met this gentleman pre-
viously in PiUgland. He cordially invited me to pay him
a visit at Gavatu, an island off the coast of Florida, one
of the southernmost in the group; but being in a hurry to
get across to Australia I told him I should be unable to
do so, little thinking at the time that force of circum-
stances would compel me to go there, and that my ship,
which had been my home for so long, was fated to renuiin
there for ever. Shortly afterwards we said goodbye, and
an hour or so later they disappeared beneath the horizon.
348 THROUGH NFAV GUINEA,
The next morning I found it necessarj^ to again repair
the steering gear, and it was very difficult to make the
natives who were continually crowding round us under-
stand that we were in quarantine and that they were not
to come on board, as being of a friendly disposition the}'
are in the habit of boarding every ship they come in
contact with. It was also very hard upon me as it had
been more than six months since I had seen an English-
man or heard any news of my own country, and I was
now within a mile or two of several living just inside the
lagoon, to whom a regular bi-monthly mail arrives and
from w-hom I should have been able to have learned w-hat
was going on in the world.
These traders, who have established quite a little colony
here, would, I know, have been very glad to see me. To
Englishmen living at home and knowing nothing what-
i ever of South Sea life and natives, except from an occa-
sional glimpse of a print or photograph, picturing shady
palms, glassy seas, and sandy beaches, the life of a trader
would appear a very enviable one. But from what I saw
i of the different traders who have been established in these
i! latitudes for manv veais I should sav that it is, as a rule,
* not so profitable as the uninitiated imagine. The life is
/ one of extreme loneliness, monotonous to a degree, and
I terribly harassing to the nerves.
|i There are several men earning their livelihood by collect-
ing and selling native products in the Solomon Islands. Of
thos(* I met, Mr. Wickham, of Kubiana, and Mr. Nielson, of
Florida, appear to be the most pros})er()Us; but from one
and all 1 experienced the utmost courtesy and hospitalit3^
Tliey invariably live on some small island, consideriner it
to be more safe tlian the mainland.
Amongst till* many articles of trade* tlius collected is
tlu' ivory nut, wliicli is about tlic size and appearance of
an ordinary a[)j)lc, witli tlic depressions where the stalk
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IVE CONTINUE THE JOURNEY. 349
and the opposite indentation are accentuated. Tlie tree
from wliicli this nut is taken <]jro\vs in low and swampy
ground and takes a great many years to mature. The
trees are cut down and the nuts gathered and put into
bags, each tree yiekhng al)out six of tliese bags full. On
the outer skin being removed the kernel has an appear-
ance of a large-sized bilhard ball. It is as hard as ivory,
and will retain anv dye. After being dried thev are
exported to Europe and largely used in the manufacture
of buttons, etc. The trade in ivory nuts has greatly
decreased within the last few years owing to the depreci-
ation of value, at one time being worth t'lO per ton,
but now only bringing, I believe, about 1*8.
Tortoise shell is also largely dealt with. It is the back
of a turtle usuallv found on the reefs or on a sandy beach.
The natives spear the turtles and, after eating the flesh,
take off the blades and sell them to the trader in exchange
for cloth, beads, or tomahawks.
Mr. Ijouis Becke's tales of South Sea life are very
pleasant and poetical with the descriptions of beautiful
coral reefs and waving palms ; but when one looks upon
those reefs and sees the ovcM'whelming numbers of poison-
ous and stinging creatures indolently lying in wait for
some unwary stranger, or when one finds some wild and
ferocious cannibal with a long-handled native tomahawk
or jagged stone club, or perchance even a poisoned arrow
or two in his bow, behind that wavin<^ pahn, the poetry
somehow fades away and one's hand steals quickly and j
silently to the revolver so handily phiced in the belt.
After a day or two I coiitimied my journey, and had a
fair wind as far as Russell Islands, which lie to the north- !
west of Guadalcanar, one of the larger islands further \
east. Many natives came off in canoes laden with yams, :
cocoanuts, and bananas ; but before they reached us a
strong wind sprang up and we saw no more of them.
350 THROUGH NFAV GUINEA.
On reaching Guadaleanar, an island about eighty miles
long and having many volcanic cones amongst the
mountain peaks, which rise up to an enonuous height
of about eight to ten thousand feet, I considered it
advisable to anchor for the night in a harbour a little to
the westward of Cai)e Hunter and fill up with water, as I
intended this to be my furthennost point to the eastward
before striking across to Australia. The south-east mon-
soon was blowing steadily now with slight easterly vari-
; ations. I therefore calculated 1 could reach Sandy Cape
; . on the Queensland coast, a distance of 1,200 miles away,
, on one board. There were verv few natives in tlie
J village, and they did not interfere with us in any way.
) . The next morning I made the final start for Australia
) : w^ith a strong steady wind blowing east-by-south ; and by
\ noon on the following day had covered a distance of 180
\ miles. An hour after this the captain infonned me that
* • the lower rudder gudgeon had again given way, leaving
me no alternative but to turn back to Gavatu, the seat
' of government, where in all probability I might find
!; some suitable beach on which to make further repairs.
Just at this time also we found that she was making
more water than usuiil, owing, as 1 suspected, to the
terrible straining she had received.
Kunning up the Guadaleanar coast, and past the small
island of Savo, 1 reached tlie island of Gavatu, and
saiHng round to tlie let' side with what joy I perceived
' tlu; St. (it'orge's cross tlying at the stern of a J^ritish
niaii-of-wjir riding at anchor I 1 found it to be H.^NI.S.
]\'aIl(ir(>o fioiu Australia, eoiniuanded by C-aptain Pollard,
K.X. Mv anchor had hardly touched the bottom when
I received a visit tVoni Mr. WOodford, who was verv
])lease(l to >ee ni<" now that my [x-riod inr (juarantine had
expired, l)Ul \\a> ;^rie\r<l to hear oi iii\ niis]ia[).
i then paid a visit Lu the captain oi the man-of-war.
THE YACHT ABANDONED, 351
who, altlioii^j^h he had aiTan^^ed to leave for AustraHa on
the follo\vin<^' morning, most kindly ofifered to postpone
his departure until his en<jfineers and caq^enters had paid
the yacht a visit and repaired the dania^jje.
Ijonf^: hefore dayli<(ht Mr. Kowley, the navi^atin<( heu-
tenant, accompanied hy another officer, came on hoard,
and after a short dehheration and thor()u<i;h examination
came to tlie conclusion tliat the dama<:^e was irreparahle.
A survey was then called, and the ship condennied for all
future sea service. C'ai)tain l^ollard at once offered nu^ a
passa^i^e to Australia, which I ^dadly acce))ted, and quickly
transhippintf my personal lu<^'«;a*^e, and as many of my
specimens and collections as possihle, and leaving my
captain and crew hehind to pack everything and hrin^'
them over hy the tradin;^ steamer, which was expected in
about a month, we slowly steamed out of harbour, leavin^j;
for ever behind my home of the past two years ; and I
imist confess to a verv sad feelin*; as 1 saw the vacht's
ensign dipped as we j)assed her for the last time.
Here, then, in this it^noble way, ended my cruise in the
Southern l^icitic, and lookin*^ back on it now, I feel
that in spite of all the misfortunes attendin*^ it the
scientific discoveries I had made repaid me tenfold for all
the anxieties and dan^U'rs I had passed throu^di, and the
two years had certainly been the most interesting of my
existence.
(
■t '
CHAPTER XIV.
STHAX(;K NATIVK CTSTOMS—METHOD of COOKIX.G FOOD
— SALT WATKH SOLI) FOR THE INTERIOR NATIVE
FISH-HOOKS — DISEASE — NATIVES WITH MANY WIVES
— YorXCi OIHLS WITH LARGE FAMILIES TREACHER-
OUS PEOPLE — RELIGION — TOTAL EXTINCTION OF THE
i RACE — FLNIS.
i
t '
Y l)i'RiN(i my cruise I had many opportunities of studying
• many of the stran^^e customs, manners, and habits of the
different peoples wliose countries 1 visited.
Yams, taros, native hananas, and bread-fruit form the
■J principal food of the islanders of the South Pacific. Of
1; course, those natives who live on the coast are furnished
I with lar^^e supi)lies of shell and other fish, with which the
^ reefs and shallows abound, and many and various are the
I different methods used in (•a])turin<j^ theUL The pig is found
[ everywhere, and is known in a <i:reat many places as **Cap-
• tain Cook," presumably on account of its being that cele-
brated navi<,^ator who first nnported them to those countries.
i But it is only on special occasions, such as on the return
of a successful party of marauders, or the death of a chief,
oi' [)erhaps a visit from a friendly tribe, that one is killed
and eaten.
The method <j:enerally a(loi)ted for cooking food is by
takin<^" s(>v(>nil stones al)()Ut the size of small cocoanuts,
and buildiii^^ them \\\) into a moun(l-slia[)ed edifice. A
tire i.> knulled within, and the article then buried in the
3.V2
NATIVE MAXUFACTURES. 353
ashes, the wliole being covered with taro or banana
leaves. In a very short time the food is tlioroughly
baked. In some countries where cooking utensils are
used, in the shape of pots or pans, the food is generally
boiled ; and on the coast salt water is very much utilised,
for the natives liave discovered that the salt contained in
it adds much to make their food more palatable. In some
parts bamboos containing this conmiodity find their way
for many miles into the interior, and command a high
native price. In some instances, where the mountain
people are on unfriendly tenns with the natives of the
coast, and where trading in anything else is, in conse-
quence, not thought of, these bamboos are left beneath
trees or at known spots in the forest, and those people for
whom it is intended come down and fetch it away, leaving
something, generally in the shape of food, but unobtain-
able near the coast, in exchange.
C'ocoanuts are also eaten very extensively everywhere.
The young nut contains about a pint of liquid which is
always cool and refreshin<'. From the cocoanut tree itself
some natives (^xtract the sap, and fermenting it, manufac-
ture an intoxicating drink. I found this to be an excellent
substitute for yeast in bread-making, and it is used by
every white man living in the South Seas in preference to
hops.
Native-made articles differ verv much in style and
manufacture according to the countries to which they
belong, but in most places exhibit a considerable amount
of ingenuity and ability. The dresses in the Admiralty
Islands are excej)tionally well made, consisting of small
shells, which are rounded, bored, and strung togetlier in
w-onderful (hnices and patterns, in the shape of a small
apron, and decorated at the bottom with many various
coloured feathers, numerous cowrie and other shells,
forming tassels, so that the noise they make chinking
24
354 THROrCU XEW GllXEA.
to^rthor Jis thi* wi*arer iiiovts alnn^ ciin be heard at a con-
siderable distance. Fish-hooks are generally beautifully
eonstructed. A piece of pearl shell is taken about two to
four inch«'s in lent^th, and shape<l likt* a fish. Several
small notches ari' cut at one en<l, by whicli Ji piece of
tortoise-shell already rounded an<l [)ointod to the fineness
of a needh*, is tij^htly strapped with native hemp. This
barb is curved and pointed towards the shaft, and the
whole of the construction is attached to a heiup-line, and
trawled from the stern of a canoe, seldom or never failing
to secure a lar<^'e specimen of which the hook is but an
imitation.
Scrofulous and venereal diseases are very prevjilent.
Pulmonary alVections, oplithalmia, elephantiasis, leprosy,
and niMiiy skin diseases are connuon, and are amongst the
pri?u*ipal ailments with which the natives of the South
Sea Islands are alUicted. In manv instances sores and
ulcers so invariablv ne»:iected increase to such an extent
that in time the limbs rot and fall olf. In one case that
came under my personal observation the man's ripjlit lep
had litciallv melted awav, and when I saw him he had
lilt If or none of it left, but wherever he went a darkish
tlnid stained the urountl.
Polygamy is practisi-*] t-verywhere, a?id wives areboutT^ht
and sold lik*' so much propt-rty. Youn^' ^nrls mature at a
very (»arly a;^f. and ol'tfU an^ the j>()ssessors of lar^e
families ix'tnri* ihev attain theii- seventeenth vear.
'riii'i'r are, natural! v. a irreat manv ditVerent character-
isties wlu'n- a i*aee is s(» mi\<'d as in these islands. In
^onie t'ounti'ies they are ireae]ierou> to a de<j^ree. obtrusive
and inlraetahle, whilst in others, perhaps only a few miles
di>tant. tliev are at nnce iVii-ndK. ea^ilv tlealt with, and
( \eii L:«'m:il M! t lull' i'elati<»ii^ With vmu. The kidna]>pin«4
;iii.i it^ aljiihlanl at I'-^'-ioii^ erucity. a Irw year^ a^^o ]»rae-
ll-^.•.l l)\ , I ;iiii >"rr\ to sa\. ni\ own rountrvnien, who
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MORALS OF THE PEOPLE. 357
recruited labour in these parts, has even to-day never
been forgotten by tliese wild l)ut simple people, and has
very often, and I am afraid will yet a<i:ain result, in many
savap;e reprisals, for revenge in the heart of a South Sea
Ishmder is everv bit as much looked forward to as it is in
the majority of countries in Southern Europe. Never-
theless, even in parts where the white man had never
set a foot before, and the j)e()ple therefore could not be
incensed by any wrongs, imaginary or otherwise, I found
them here as elsewhere, of a bloodthirstv and treacherous
character, never to be trusted for a moment, and always^
(m the look out for an oj)portunity, no matter how long
thev have to wait for it, when thev can strike unawares.
■ ft.
It is astonishing that among a people showing little or
no civilisation the rights of one man are religiously
respectinl by another, and a native owning anything, be
it a cocoanut tree or an implement, has only to put his
mark upon it to secure it from the liands of any covetous
person.
Tn countries where the people have been recruited for
plantations, and have lived for some years amongst the
white men, theft is sometimes indulged in; but in every
case, when discovery is made, heavy punishment is
inflicted bv the chief of the village.
ft "/
Religion they have none ; nevertheless there is a belief
in every country of the existence of some evil s[)irit, and
wherever 1 went I found that this superstition was a
source of absolute terror to everv one.
In conchision, T am perhaj)s scarry to say that in my
opinion those I^Jlynesians inhabiting the far-away islands
of the South Seas will die out as the Malav and Cliinese
races extend, and if the flow of colonisation should move
towards New Guinea there can be no doubt but that the
Papuan race inhabiting tluit vast country will, like the
aborigines of Tasmania and Australia, fade away.
ii
(■ V
APPENDIX I.
A CHAPTER ON THE BIRDS COLLECTED DURING
CAPTAIN WEBSTER'S TRAVELS IN THE PAPUAN
ISLANDS.
By Ernst Hartkrt,
Director of the Zoological Museum at Tring.
iThis chapter has for its suhject all the hirds collected, with the excep-
tion of the Hirds of Paradise, a list of which will he given hy the Hon.
Walter Rothschild, the principal authority on Birds of Paradise.)
I. — On thk Birds collected in Germ.vn New (Iuinea.
The collection made during Captain Webster's first expedition
to Cernian New Guinea was, except for some fine Birds of
Paradise, not very large, consisting as it did almost oidy of
larger forms.
Among the " Hawks " there was a skin of the rare Mci/dtri-
orchis (Joriiw (Salvad. and Alb.). As it was, however, a young
individual, it cannot be said with certainty if it agrees in all
details with birds from other parts of New Guinea. Its
measurements are like those of the type. Another specimen
has been collected at Lolebu on the river Bumi by Mr. Geisler
(/. F. O., 1892, p. 255).
Of " Parrots " the large black Cockatoo, ^V/Vro(//o5.s'W5 ater-
run us (Gm.) was found to be not uncommon.
Of (rcoffroi/us both oriental is and johiensis were shot, and
the large Eclcctus pectoral is was also found, as well as Loriiis
erijthrotiwrax and Eos fuscata. The specimens of E. fuscata
from German New Guinea have been separated under the
1
360 APPliXDfX I.
i name of incofidita, but they cannot l>e distinguished from
Y those of other parts of New Guinea.
The rarest Parrot, and indeed the most interesting of all the
captures of birds made by Captains Webster and Cotton, is a
skin of Cijclcpsittacus diiivenbodci (Dubois). It was shot near
Stephansort on November 18th. The interest attached to this
specimen Hes in the fact that its exact home was formerly
1 unknown. Now, however, we believe that this parrot is spread
all along the northern coast of New Guinea from Stephansort
to at least Walckenaar Bay, for the skins which have come
with Dutch New Guinea trade skins have certainly not been
procured in the German colony. (Compare Mr. Rothschild's
note in Novitates Zoolotjicac, vol. i. p. 677.)
Of Cuculiilae the large Ncsocentor menebeki, belonging to the
CentropitutCy which build nests themselves and hatch their eg^s
like other birds, but unlike the true Cucidinae, which are
parasitic, as everybody knows of our own Cuckoo.
The family of ** Kingfishers " is plentiful in New^ Guinea,
and especially conspicuous is the genus Tani/siptera, or Racket-
tailed Kingfishers. In German New Guinea only T. meijeri,
\ with an almost white tail, was found.
I The large-billed, very bright, but not beautiful Sauronwrptis
gaiidichaiul was also shot. It can, in our opinion, not be
^ separated from S. kubari/i, which we consider as only a
nominal, but not real species.
Notliing of spi^cial interest of the large order Passcres was
; procured, but both Aiit-Tln-usbes, Pitta novaajuineae and
P. mackloti were collected, as well as Minn dumouti,
MelanopyrrhuH orirn talis, Cjijmnocorax senex, and many
Cicinnunis regius and otiier Birds of Paradise, a list of which
is appended by Mr. Rothschild.
The collection of " Pigeons " is rather ricli. Tiiei'e are
several of the beautiful green pigeons of the genus Ptilinopas
or Ptilopus, and the long-tailed Mciialoprcpia poliiira. Of tlie
large Fruit-Pigeons, Cavpophmja rufit'cnlris, zocac, and
spilorrhoa were obtained, and the large (roura bcccarii was
also shot.
" Waterfowl *" were not met with in nunil) ts, to jud^e from
the collection, but the fine duck, Tadonia radjaJi, was foiuul
m to be common.
APPEXDIX I. 361
Several small birds were also preserved ia spirits, and these
were found to be of much service for anatomical purposes.
Skeletons of some are in the Tring Museum.
II. — List of the Birds collected on the Aru Islands.
The following list has been published in Novitatcs Zooloijicae^
vol. iii. pp. 534-536, but the numbers 44 and following have
now been added, as they were sent in spirits and were not
received when the list was published. Of some of the small
birds, sp.^cimens were sent in spirits, the skeletons of which
are mostly preserved in the Tring Museum.
1. Panriisca apoda, L. Onti fe male. " Iris pale yellow." —
2. Aeliiruedus mclanotis, Gray. — 3. Cicinniiru.s ro(jius (L).
The Aru .skins do not differ perceptibly from those of other
countries, though on the whole the wing is a few millimetres
longer. (W.R). — 4. Manncodin atra (Less). --5. Macrocorax
fnwicapillus (Gray). — i\. Mi no dunionti, Less. White bar in
the wing rather narrow. — 7. Oriolus flarorinctioi (King). — ^8.
DicruropHia rarhonarid (Miill.). Wing 147 mm. — 9. (Traucalus
caendcoijriscus (Gray). — 10. (rniucalus mclanops (Lath.). — 11.
Artamus Icucogaster (Valenc). Two specimens with remark-
ably short wings. — 1*2. Cracticus quoiji (Less.). — 13. Cnirticus
atasicu.s.
14. Bhactes analogus, A. B. Meyer, or B. aniensis, Sluirpe.
In Zi'itschr. /. f/es. Orn. i. p. 285 (IHSl) Dr. A. 13. Meyer
separated some Aru specimens from R. analfxjus uiider the
name of li. aruensis. The skin before us seems to agree with
Meyer's birds, but Dr. R. 13. Sharpe in Ihis, IHSS, p. 437,
declares that Meyer's Ji. analiujus is only the young of his U.
anicnsia. See also Salvadori, Jf/f/. Oin. Papitasid, ii. p. 97
(IH90).
15. Bhectes ferrugineus brevipennis (subsp. nov.)
Aru specimens have the wing very short, only 128 mm.
All individuals of our very large series from New Guinea have
the wings decidedly longer. A. B. Meyer, in Zeitschr. /. gcs.
Orn. i. p. 285 (1884), had already pointed out this difference,
APPENDIX I.
and it is only on account of his cormimtnliim of our obser-
vation ihnt we dare to Iwstow a aubspecific term on this
fori]].
16. Philemon noTMgniseae arneneu, A. H. Meyer.
Four skiuB from Dobbo. unfortunately not aexed. Out; o(
these, probably an old vialt,. has a very long bill and a very
high hump. These four birds have tha bill 46, 46, 48, and
53 mm. long; their height at hump m IS, 19. 20, and 24 mm.
Throe specimens of Ph. ju)vaei}uine4u tiibtitberosiis {antea, p.
238) hnvo the bill 43. 4.5, 45 mm. long, and their height at
hump iti 14. 15, 17 mm.
17. I'iltu Hornf-'jiiineae. MiiU. it Schleg.— 18. Macroplerys
mi/alacfu (Tcmm.). Wings 222-2-24 mm.— 19. Purianjivs
ocellatits, Q. ft G.^20. Euryttomus austraiis. 8w. — 21. Tany-
tiptera kyilriKharw, Gray. — 22. Batcyon xorfliHua Gould. The
loral spot cannot hu called pure white, but has a distinct
lhoii(ih faint ImfTy tinge. Wing 116 nnn. Ht-e anUa. p. 244.
•Ii:i. Syma torotoro tentelare (nubsp. miv.).
h'fmairx from Am have the bliiek spot on the head in or
beliind the middle of the crown alxiul 15 inm. or tiiorc away
from the bane of the bill, while in specimens from Northern
Dutch New Guinea this spot is generally larger and L'xtends
almost nr ijuite to the base of the culmen. The males of the
Aru form do not differ perceptibly from H. torototv typica.
Specimens from Fergusaon Island are rather dark below,
but u young individual from Waigiii is similar in this respect.
Iji one of the Ferguaaon /i-uudcK the head-spot is placed more
backwards than usual, and thus it seems somewhat to point
towards the Aru subspecies. According to Salyadori [Om.
Papaosia, i. p. 4S5) females from Naiahui in S.E. New
Guinea resemble those of Aru. and therefore most likely
belong to the same subspecies. Another species has t>een
recently described as S. megarhynrha by Salvadori from the
Owen Stanley Mountains.
The last form of the genus Si/iiiii is tailed ,S. jlacirostrh
and inhabits Nurtli Queensland. In llie CaUilvyne of Birth,
25. Sauroinarptis tyro (Gray). — 26. Microyloimus aterrimus
(Gm.). ^Ving only 330 mm. — 27. Cyclopsittacus ariiensis
(Schley.). — 2H. TrichoijlosHHH nujroijularisy Gray. I^arge and
fine birds ; wings 150, 152, 153 mm.
1
(
APPENDIX I. 363 ;
vol. xvii. p. 197, it is said to dififer from S. iorotoro in J
wanting the black mark along the tip of the culmen, and «
this statement has been made before. However, it is quite
wrong, the fully adult S. iorotoro never having any black mark
on the culmen, a character peculiar to immature birds of |
S. iorotoro only. On the other hand, I have not yet seen .
a S. flavirostris quite without a black mark, and I ^
believe that even the most adult birds have it. In any •
case it is a bad character for distinguishing these species, \
the nmch lighter and more greenish colour of the upper
parts being the best distinguishing character of the Queensland '
form. The subspecific name proposed above is the native
name of the bird in Aru, as Toroioro is its name in Dorey. ,
24. Sauromarptis gaudichaud (Q. c^- G.).
No distinction from typical skins of New Guinea. There
is certainly not more white on the back ; on the contrary, ;
some of our birds from New Guinea (we have now thirtv-six '
without duplicates) show more white on the back. The blue
of the rump of most of our Aru birds is rather dark, while
it is certainly paler in most of the skins from S.E. New
Guinea, but not constantly. The so-called S. kuharyi seems
to differ in no way from .S. (jaudichaud typica.
4
I
<
Vi
29. Chalcopsittacus scintillatus (Temui.).
The majority of the Aru specimens have the breast more
washed with brown and have very dark orange stripes along
the shafts of the feathers on the breast as well as on the hind-
neck, but the British Museum possesses specimens from New
Guinea that are just like our Aru skins. The plumage of the
sexes and different ages of this bird are not yet properly
known. Some birds (? femaU'a) have the rump distinctly . ) \
bluish, some have no orange stripes at all. j^
*
\
J
r.
364 APPENDIX I.
30. EcleetoB pectoralia aruensis (Gray).
: Specimens from, the Aru Islands have the tail in both sexes
very prominently tipped with yellow. I do not find this
so much in any other specimens from other localities. The
Aru Island birds are also rather large (^ wing 263-269), and
I believe they can stand as a subspecies. Cf. Gray, P. Z. S.,
; 1858, p. 182 ; Salvadori, Oni. Papiias, i. p. 201.
* Specimens from the Solomon Islands seem smallest of all,
next coming those from Fergusson, New Ireland, New Britain.
31. Ptilopiis aurantiifrons, Gray. — 32. Pt. waUacci (Gray). —
33. PL super bus (Temm. & Knip). — 34. Pt. iozoniis. Gray.
**Iris yellow." — 35. Pt, coronulatus, Gray. *' Iris orange." —
36. Mijristicivora hicolor (Scop.). — 37. Carpophaga zocae
(Less.). "Iris straw-colour." — 38. C. pinon (Q. & G.).
** Iris red ; feet coral-red ; bill greyish ; naked space round
j eye red." — 39. Chalcophaps stephani, Rehb. Hitherto, I
j believe, only doubtfully known from the Aru Islands.
■ (
r
I -
40. Macropygia, sp.
There are before us four skins of a Macropiffjia from Dobbo
and Wannambai. According to Salvador's Catalogue of the
Pigeons in the British Museum they would belong to M.
doreya (Bp.), and Salvadori has identified the Aru specimens
that came before him with the latter species. To us they
seem to agree much better with M. batcJiiaueusis, and to be
merely a form of that species with a less rufous chin and
longer wings. Tlie wings of the adult males measure
173-175 nun. From all we can see at present we must
conclude that our Aru specimens dilTer from M. dorrj/a tt/j){cn
and that they are nearer to M. hutclndficnsis ; further that
M. (lorei/ii, M. cincreiccps, M. (jri.scifiiii'ha, M. batcliidnrN.siSj
and M. ijoldici are more or less connected bv intermediate
specimens and merely subspecies of one and the same
species, l)iit that a lar^^c material with exact localities will
he lU'ccssarv hefore oiK' can come to dctinitc conclusions
ahout ihcm.
APPENDIX I.
36;
41. Baza reinivardtt\ Miill. & Schleg. — 42. Haliastur
girrencra, Vieill. — 43. Nycticorax caledonicus (Gm.). — 44.
Alcyone pusilla (Temm.). — 45 Monarcha guttulatns (Garn). —
46. Arses aruensis, Sharpe. — 47. Monarcha niiidns (Gould). —
48. lihipidura tricolor (Vieill.). — 49. Gerygone palpchrosa
Wall. — 50. G. chrysogaster, Gray. — 51. Myzomela nigrita
Q. & G.. — 52. Microcca flavoviresccns, Gray. — 53. Cyclopsitta-
CUH melanogenys (Rosenb.). — 54. Edoliosoma arnense, Sharpe. —
55. Melilestes noraegnineae (Less.). — 56. (rraucalns hjipoleucns,
Gould.
III. List of the Key-Island Birds.
I Dicacum he tense (in spirits).
Cinnyris zenobia, C. theresia (in spirits).
Zosierops urojyygiaUs (in spirits).
(rraucalns ?nclanoj)s.
Pli i lemon 2)1 u m igen is .
Passekes. Calornis me tall tea.
Lalage karu.
Pitta mackloti.
j Pachycephala rufipennis.
A r tarn us leucorhynchus.
Sphecotheres fla viven t ris.
Parrots.
Pigeons.
Eclertus pectoral is.
Geoffroyus kciensis 9 .
Nasiterna keiensis (in spirits).
Ptilinopus wallacci, P. xanthogaster, P. prasi-
norrhous.
Mac ropyg ia ke ie n s is .
Geopelia maugeus.
CarpopJtaga concinna separata. Hart. This
form of the well-known C. concinna was
described from a skin in the Tring Museum.
Capt. Webster has now sent two fine series,
and a large series has come to hand from Mr.
Kuehn. All these Key-Islands* skins agree
in ever}' detail with the type, and the Key-
Islands' form is at a glance recognisable by
3M APPENDIX I
its snow-whito uixloiDuti, which is grt^y in
the lypioiil C. cotiWdim. This pigeon ia
probably resident in the Key group of islands,
.1 j Aoiur albii'eulriit.
I Pandwn luiliaetat ItueocepJuiUi*.
I LiobivaneUu* miJe*.
HinMntnpiit leucocepkaiui.
Bhori:-Biri>b. ( Aetitit hypoleucm.
' Sliltia isabetla.
DemiegrHUt xacra.
IV. I-IBT OF BULDS FKOM ETNA BaV AND TbITON BaT.
Cdtlcctions from these parts of New Guinea are hardly ever
received in this country, yitt they uni especially of inten^st,
because many years ago tlte great Dutch naturalist, Salomon
Miiller, uiudo collections there, and several forms were first
described from iXwAO- ]>lit(.-tts. Wo wiMe, therefore, glad to gut
any specimens from these parts, althougli the collection was.
in c<)nBc<iucnc:c of the lawless chnrnctor of the natives aud the
attack made on Captain Wtibslcr's pitrly, which resulted in
the loss of several Uvea, only small. The beautiful series of
the true Pnrrtiliwa minor minor, the small Papuan Bird of
Paradise, was of value for comparison with the P. minor
finschi from Kaiser WilhelmslauJ, and the enormous P. iniiwr
johifHsi/i, Itothsuli. from Johi Island in tioi'lvink Bay.
Pitta noi-teguineae. Midi, and Sehl, (No. 328.) Etna Bay.
This fine, but common Ant-Thrush was also obtained at Sim-
bang.
Bhpctes eirrhocephala (Less.). (No. 297.) Etna Bay. The
back is rather paler than in our skins from the northern coast
of the N.W. peninsula of New Guinea.
EupelM caerulescens, Temm. (No. 302.) Etna Bay. In
British New Guinea this species is replaced by a closely allied
form with block tips to the under taO-coverts.
Tofhpsh cymiocepkala (Q. and G.). (No. 261.) This fairy -
like little blue flycatcher was shot at Etna Bay.
Arses teleitcupiithaltiui (Garnot). (No. '2Sii.) Tritpn Bay.
Monachelia millUriana (Sohlug.), (No. 263.) Triton Bay.
APPENDIX /. 367
Jiliipidura setosa (Q. and G.). (No. 270.) Triton Bay.
(rifmuocorax senex ( liess.). (No. 329). This curious large crow
with its naked face, connnon in most parts of New Guinea, was
shot at Htna Bay. Its iris is " pale hlue."
Xcsorcntur tnvurheki (Less, and Gam.). (No. 291.) *' Iris red."
Triton Bay.
Tiuujsiptera tn/m]>lm (Temni.). (No. 314.) Etna Bay. '* Iris
pale blue, feet and hill led."
Tauysipteru ijalatc.n (? subspecies). (Nos. 260, 289, 274.)
Three spt^ciniens (^f this beautiful racket-tailed Kingfisher from
Triton Bay are somewhat puzzling. In their dimensions they
stand somewhat between T. (jalatca and T. (jidatea micror-
hyncha, the latter of which is only a poor subspecies, but
generally recognisable by a smaller bill and mostly darker
crown of the head. The latter character is also characteristic
for T. tjdlatoa ruhicnsis, .\.B. M., from Rubi on the south of
Geelvink Bay. The colour of the crown, however, varies very
much in this grouj), and there are in Mr. Rothschild's museum
two specimens with nmch paler heads than fifteen others that I
could compare. The exact place they came from is not known,
but they probably form a distinct subspecies.
Hdlcyon Nii/nuj/dnfa, Wall. (No. 327.) A male was shot at
Ktna Bay. ** Iris light blue, feet and bill entirely black." The
alxlomen is deep blue in the male, white in the female, rufous
in the young bird.
Loriiis eri/throthnnix, Salvad. (Nos. 307, 302, 264.) Etna
Bay and Triton Bay. The distribution of this species is
interesting. It seems to occur all over the eastern parts of New
Guinea, from (Jernum New Guinea, where C'aptain Webster
also procured some specimens, to British New Guinea, and
along the F'ly River to Etna Bay and Rubi, south of Geelvink
Bay. In the latter place specimens are slightly smaller and
are called L. crythrothonix rubifusis.
AprosmictusdorsalU (Q. and G.). (Nos. 271, 279, 217, 320.)
Etna Bay and Triton Bay. '* Iris orange. The old bird has
the back blue, the young green."
Carpophnija nitircntris, Salvad. (No. 319.) *' Iris orange.
Bill black. Feet coral red." Etna Bay.
Megaloprepia paella (Less.). (Nos. 308, 306, 313, 290.) This
wt
I
368 APPEXDIX I.
gay- coloured pigeon was shot at Triton and Etna Bays. It is
well known in Western New Guinea, and is replaced by M,
poll lira in Jobi, Central and Eastern New Guinea.
Heinicardtoenas reinirardii griseotincta, Hartert. (No. 309.)
Etna Bay. Iris yellow. Hartert in NoviUites Zoological, vol.
iii., p. 18, separated the New Guinea form of this long-tailed
pigeon under the above name. Moluccan birds are lighter.
Ptilopiis anrantiifrons, Gray. Etna Bay. Captain Webster
had also obtained it on the Aru Ishmds. ** Iris orange, feet
coral, bill yellow."
Ot id ijjhaps nobi lis, Gou\d. (Nos. 317, 331.) ** Iris orange,
feet and legs yellow with red joints, bill red." Two fine
specimens from Etna Bay. This species is found in Western
New Guinea and Batanta.
Eutrijijon terrentris (Gray). (No. 332.) **Iris yellow, bill
black and white. Feet whitish." A fine skin from Etna Bav.
Althougli not rare in Western New Guinea and Salaw'atti,
good skins seldom reach this country.
Goura coronata (L.). This large crowned pigejn was also
found at Etna Bay. It is the oldest known species of crowned
pigeon, being already mentioned as a ** large land fowl " in
/' 1699 in Dampier's Voyage, in the third volume. Brisson
(1760) and Edwards (1761) gave figures of it, and Linnaeus
7 gave it the name Coin m ha annua ta.
PtilopUH puh'holliiH (Temni.). Etna Bay.
DiloijocnaH rufi(jula (Puch. and Jacq.). (No. 273), One male
from Triton Bav.
Mcgatriorchis (or Knitlirotriorchis) doriie (Salvad. and Alb.).
Captain Webster obtained two specimens of this very rare
s|)eci(*s (luiiiig his tiavels. One, evidently a young bird, was
shot in (iernian New (luinea. It is a large bird, with the wing
about "330 mm. long, like the type, and the one described by
Sharpe. It (lifters in having no black ear spot, in being butl'
on the underside with onlv nairow blackish brown shaft-lines,
and ap])}ir(Mitly in being paUn* on the u|)perside. The other,
evidently an :ulull ])iixl, was shot in l^tiia l^av. It is verv
much snuiller, liavin^^ the wing only '2\K) nun. long, the tail
ii(')0. tai'^iis So. In coloiiiation it seems to agree with the type.
Jt is (Miher a male (the type haxin^^been a t'emale) or a smaller
I ;
\<
i
APPENDIX I. 369
race. The similarity in colouration of this hird and ITenicoperni.s
Umfficnuda is very striking. It reminds one of the case of Pernio
ceh'hcnsis and Spizactns lanccolatuH in C'elehes, the former hein*^
an ally of Hcnicopctiiis.
V. — List of the Birds Collectkd on New IIanovek.
This collection is especially interesting^, as the ornithology of
this island is practically unknown, and tlie scientific interest
would have heen still f^reater if more of the smaller forms had
heen sent. The present collection shows that the fauna of
New Hanover is not fully identical with that of New Ireland
and New J^ritain, hut that there is a sli«^ht admixture of the
fauna of the Admiralty Islands in New lIanov(ir, although it
is mainlv, of course, the same as that of New Britain and
New Ireland, with, apparently, a small number of specialised
indigenous forms. The ornis of New Britain and New
Ireland is not sufliciently known, and it is hardly possible at
present to state definitely how far they diil'er from each other,
as it must he remembered that the Kev. Brown's collections
from these islands were mixed up, and had no original labels.*
That the ornis of New Britain and New Ireland, though
mainly the same, differs in some ca.ses, is clearly shown by the
Pititi tnarkloti and Pitta uocdrhiht'rnicfie, which replace each
other in the two groups, an<l by other birds.
There are, besides the skins enumerated in the following
list, some birds in spirits of wine, which are not yet all
properly identified, but a superficial examination proved that
they are either represented in skins also (^uch as fjorici(his
tenvr), or belong to the well-known forms of the Neobritannian
group of islands. Two new species were disc^AertMl in New
Hanover, and l)oth I have named in lionour of their discoverer.
Mino kirffti, Scl. (Nos. 023, 47i), 0-24, :i07, :J0;3.) Expe-
dition Bav, New Hanov(.'r.
Eth)U<)H()}mt n'mn///m, Sharpe. (Nos. o.'jo, 410, 401.) Expe-
dition Bay, New Hanover.
* Thrn* is aKo soiiw uncertainty with roj^ard to oxat-t locality aixjut the
siK'cinit-ns collected by Mr. Cinidir. in liritlNJi New CJuinfa. hut the fault
in such cases is often not with thi; colirctor, liut with those* who did not
instruct theui sufliciently.— E. Hahtkut.
25
■ .»
V, :
r
t'
M
*'
< ■
« .
I
}
(
370 APPENDIX I,
Graucalus sclateri, Salvtid. (No. 508, 2 No. 350 ^ .)
Expedition Bay, New Hanover.
Pachycephala vielanura, Gould. (Nos. 383, 404, 396.) New
Hanover, two males and a female.
Pitta novaehihemicae {sic), Ramsay. Five skins (Nos. 531,
■< 437, 338, 360, 480) marked partly " New Hanover,'* partly
U ''Expedition Bay," agree very well with the description of
\i Ramsay in the " Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New
South Wales," vol. iii., p. 73, and are quite different from
P. mackloti. It is strange that this excellent species should
\\ have l)een overlooked so long. Count Salvadori erroneously
J . united it with P. mackloti, of New Guinea, on the ground
'. ! that specimens from New Britain helonged to P. muckloti.
'{ , In this statement he is quite right, but then New Britain is
:| ', not New Ireland. Pitta novaehihemicae (spelt thus) differs
*, •' widely from P. vuxckloti in having no black guttural patch,
; ' no black band separating the blue breast band from the scarlet
I abdomen, the chin and upper throat being much paler, the ear-
j coverts more distinctly bluish, the crown rather light. It
jj ' -^ resembles in colour i\ rufivctitris of the Moluccas, but
" ' differs at a glance by its larger size, which is like that of
y P. mackloti, its brighter red hind-neck and less uniform and
' less rufous brown crown.
On Banda Captain Wel)ster obtained also a skin of P.
viyorsi. This is said to live also on Timorlaut.
Macroptcnjr my.stdcca (Less). (Nos. o3G, 439, 505.) Expe-
dition Bay, New Hanover. Wings 8-75 to 89 inches in
, length. Specimens from New Guinea have generally longer,
I specimens from the Moluccas generally shorter wings.
|! CaconKuilis ireh.steri, Hartert, s}). nov. (Nos. 387, 392.)
Tliese two cuckoos do not agree with any of tlie known forms.
One is evidently an adult bird, or nearly so. It is metallic
■/ fuscous ^rey aboye, more ashy on the head, more metallic
brownisli on the w ings, tail glossy black with small white tips.
reniiges dark glossy brown witli large but^' spots on the outer
we])s, near the leases. Eiitnu- under surface iniiforni dark grey,
ineludinLr llic under winL:,-e(»vrrts, whieli show only traces of
rusty l>ar>, ;iiid I lie under l.-iil-covci'ts, which are s|)arsely, but
distiiiclK , haired with rusty ijrt)wn. " iris and feel yellow.
APPENDIX. I. 371
bill brown." Wing 120 mm., tail 126, bill 18. The other
specimen, evidently a young bird in first plumage, is every-
where barred and spotted with pale rusty rufous.
Alcj/onctrchsteri, Hartert sp. nov. (No. 422.) A kingfisher,
shot at New Hanover, on February 20, 1H97, proves to be a
very fine new species.
Adult (sex unfortunately not determined) : above, greenish
blue, purer and more ultramarine on the back, rump and upper
tail-coverts, as well as on the hind-neck, forehead duller,
feathers of lores white with black tips. The feathers of the
upper parts and sides of head and neck have, in fact, only wide
blue tips, being black at base and whitish towards the utmost
bases. Tail blue. Primaries and their coverts black,
primaries whitish grey towards the bases on the inner webs.
Secondaries black with broad blue edges to the outer webs.
Under parts white with a very slight buffy tinge. Under
tail-coverts deeper buff with blue tips. Sides of breast blue,
flanks striped with blue and blackish ; breast crossed by a
blue band, which is slightly interrupted in the middle. A large
longitudinal whitish buff spot on the sides of the neck, l>ehind
the ear-coverts. Bill and feet black. Wing 62, tail 43, bill
53 mm.
This very fine new kingfisher shows what an amount of
work mav still be done in New Hanover, and it makes the
want of knowledge of its smaller birds still more felt.
Kurijaiomna solofnonensi.s, Sharpe (Nos. 446, 571.) It is
rather a surprise to find iiere, at New Hanover, again the bird
descril)ed by Sharj)e from the Solomons. Its bright blue tail,
bright blue gular patch and red bill, without distinctly black
tip, leave no doubt as to the fact. Only our birds have the
head more green, but that may be due to the freshness of
their plumage. Our birds are very fresh, and partly still in
moult.
LoriuH hifpoenochrous, G. R. Gray. (Nos. 342, 355.) ** Iris
straw-yellow." New Hanover. This lory is spread from
New Hanover to St. Aignan, and occurs also in the
D'Entrecasteaux Group.
Tnclwijlossus Jiacican.s, Cab. and Reichenow. (Nos. 336,
337.) This panot is very much like Tnchoglossus cyano-
372 APPENDIX /.
gratmmis and T. viasscna, but the red is lighter, the green
more olive. Captain Webster shot it in New Hanover.
Geoffroyus heteroclitiis (Hombr. and Jacq.). (Nos. 339, 432,
510, 345, 539, 540, and one with the label lost.) All from
New Hanover, Expedition Bay. The iris is straw-yellow. This
species, besides frequenting New Britain and New Ireland, is
also found on the Solomon Islands, but I am not aware of its
being on record from New Hanover.
HypocharmosTjnn suhplaccns (Scl.). (Nos. 534, 364, 537,
492, 527.) This series from New Hanover, Expedition Bay,
is very nice, and the specimens agree with such from other
localities. The species is well known in New Britain and
British New Guinea, but is not, I believe, recorded from
New Hanover.
Loriculits tetier, Sclat. There is one skin (No. 438) of this
rare little parrot, and one in spirits, both from New Hanover.
It has been known only from the type in the British Museum
and one in Canon Tristram's collection, both from Duke of
York Island. Captain Webster's specimens have, like Canon
Tristram's, yellowish bases to the feathers of the forehead.
** Iris straw-colour, bill black."
Ptilmopus ricolii (Prevost and Knip). (Nos. 335, 366, 394,
429.) This pigeon is only known to inhabit the Duke of York
Peninsula and New Ireland, from where Mr. Rothschild's
museum has a number of skins. The specimens from New
Hanover are exactly like others. The young bird has no white
collar and no violet forehead.
Ptilinopus johanniH, Sclat. (Nos. 397, 447, 465, 466, 390,
528.) This line pigeon, which di tiers from P. rivolii and all
other species of the genus by its uniform bright yellow band
across the breast, was discovered bv the naturalists of the
Challenger in the Admiralty Islands, and has been figured in
the great work on the voyage of the ChalleiK/er. Jt has now
been found in numbers on New Hanover, at Expedition Bay.
The young differs from the adult in tlie same way as that of
P. r/.rnlii. It is of interest to find two so closely allied species
ill the same island.
Plilinopiis iiisolihis, Schk'g. (Nos. 341, 44S, oi>G.) This
])eculiar green pigeon with its enormous ])riglit red, hollow
APPENDIX I. 373
knob at the base of the bill was found at New Hanover,
Expedition Bay. Its iris is pale 8traw-yellow\ It is known to
occur on New Ireland, New^ Britain, and Duke of York Island.
Ptilhwpus superbus (Temm and Knip.). (Nos. 348, 459.)
This common, but pretty gi'een dove was also shot at New
Hanover.
Chalcojfhaps stephaui, Rchb. (Nos. 349, 414.) New-
Hanover.
PhloyocfuiJi joJunniae, Sclat. (No. 469.) One specimen shot
at New Hanover on the 4th of March, 1897. Iris red.
Caloenas nicoharica (Linn.). (Nos. 430, 376, 498.) This
wide-spread island-pigeon is also connnon at New Hanover.
Carpophaga ruhricera, G. R. Gray. (Nos. 499, 457, and
one without a number). Tliis fine sj)ecies, conmion at New
Hanover, New Ireland, New Britain, and Duke of York
Island, was shot at Expedition Bay, New Hanover.
It is quite inconsistent to acknowledf^e the genus Glohicera,
on account of its nasal knob, if OedirhinuH is not separated
from PtHinopus. That the latter is not possible to maintain
is shown by PtilinopUH grannli/tous Hart, on Obi Mayor,
which differs only by its knobs. This is a case similar
to that of the lihnmphococciix, <fcc., of the Sunda Jslands.
Mi/ristirivora snbflavescois (Finsch.) (Nos. 412, 431.) New
Hanover. So far only recorded from New Ireland.
Macropjjijia (?) spec. nov. (aff. carteretiac). Nos. 504, 403,
452, 453, and 340 belong to a long-tailed pigeon, which is
probablv different from M. carterctin. Thev have about 5 to
10 mm. longer wings and their breast is more or less barred
with blackish lines, w^hile old cartereiiae have no blackish bars
whatever on the breast. There is, however, one New Hanover
specimen with only faint remains of these bars, and as most of
the others are not with certainty quite adult, I prefer to leave
the question of these pigeons unsettled until I have examined
a larger series of fully adult examples from New Hanover, and
immature ones from New Ireland or New Britain.
Haliastiir ijidns yirrenera (Gould). (No. 362.) The typical
tjirrcnera with snow-white head, neck, and breast, without any
dark shaft-lines, was shot on the 9th of February, 1897, in
New Hanover.
3-4
AfPENDIX I.
"H
Astiir ,tampii-rl (/) Two akina (Noa, 44.'3 unA 45H) fi-om Nuw
Ilanovpr cannot be identified with corlivinty, ns they are both
immature. The one, evidently a, female, has the underparla
barred buffy-white and rufou8 blown, but on the breast and
thighs some uniform cinnamon rufous Teathers are appearing,
showing what the tinal plumage will be like. The wing is
245 mm. long. The others, a male, wing 310 mm., is white
below with rusty brown spots, These hinls must belong to
the A. f torques gi-oup, and, if A. daaipieri is a valid form, pro
hahly belong to the latter.
Riisa liiniHirrki, fthiiriK!. (Nob. 630, 529), Iwth from
Expedition Bay, will, 1 think, belong to the bird named Bmtt
hixnwrcki by Dr. Shurpe, One has the bars on the breast
and ultdomen ushy-grey, the uthur brownish -black. Both,
however, are remarkable for the width of the bars below,
whicli aro fully 7 to 10 mm. wide, and the colour of the under
wing-onverta, which iLre white with only a huff tinge, not deep
ferruginous huff. The axillariea are barred as iu B. reinwnnlli,
" Iris yellow," wings 330 mm.
Nhwx vitrieffata (Q. and G.). Nob. ,S94, 435.) Two sicins,
one with more irregular bars, apparently less aged. Rare iu
collections.
AiWnfl triotor, Gmy. (Noa. 368, 467.) " Iris red.'" Two
New Hanover skins are remarkable for their rather short
primaries, which hardly exceed the secondaries in length.
There aro, however, skins from Dutch New Guinea, in Mr,
Rothschild's museum, which closely approach them, and there
is one from New Britain in the British Museum, which seenia
to l>e inteiTOcdiate. The tijne seems not yet ripe tor discussing
the various subspecies of this rail.
Amniironiin nwluccatui (Woli,). (Nos. 39a, 456.) Two
skins from New Hanover are rather deep slaty-grey below,
and one haa an enonnous beak (fully 38 mm.). It may be
another subspecies, but no final conclusion can he inaiic
without further material.
IhjpoliieiwUn phiUpjifiish (L.). {Nos. 413, 382.) This
widesjiread species was also met in New IIiino\'er.
Polhlimnas riiicrcus (V.). (No. 3B1.) One skin from New
Hanover, the back rather rufous.
APPENDIX I. 375
Porplii/no calvus (? ollioti = fieohritanuiciis), (Nos. 423,
451). Two skins, one from New Hanover, another from
St. Gabriel, look very different at the first si^ht, the former
having tlie chest bhie, tlie latter distinctly greenish. These
characters may he local, but they are probably due to age. As
Messrs. Meyer and Wiglesworth truly say : " Local races exist
in this group, but individual variation is so great, that it
obliterates the characters which are bound to the localitv."
Thus the distribution P. calvus is best described as follows :
'* From Java and South -East Borneo to Australia, Fiji, Samoa,
and New Zealand, varying locally in almost every spot."
Excalfactoria lepida Hartl. (No. 3H9.) One male from
New Hanover, of this rare little game-bird, which is hitherto
only known from New Britain. Th(; breast is slaty-l)lue, but
with a few small red spots.
Mcijapodius eremita, Hartl. (No. 334.) One adult bird
from Kung, New Hanover. Messrs. Cabanis and Reichenow
have named the New Hanover bird .V. Iiurskrri, but I do not
see how it differs from specimens from the Solomons and New
Britain, and that they are the same species is also the opinion
of Mr. Grant. (Cat. J3. Brit. Mus. x.xii. pp. 452, 4/).3.)
Besides the very interesting land-birds, which are enume-
rated above, some of the widespread shore- and water-birds,
which are of little interest for zoo-geographical studies. They
are : Esacus tnmjuiroHtris, Art it is hupoloifcus, Hptrnictitis
incauus, Auas suju'rciliosa, and four species of herons.
APPENDIX il.
BIRDS OF PAIIAIUSK COI.T.ErTED BY CAPTAIN
CAYLRY WHHSTEB.
IIV THI'. HONIILE. WALTER ROTHHCHILD.
1 hftvi- lwt!n rcquDstod liy fiiiiitiiin Webster to give a Imt
nnil acDoutil of the biniB of pai'ailise coliectud by him. Before
doiDK HO I must Hay that though he got on his Beveral jonrueys
0. consiilonvhle numlwr of siHsciea, hu wiia wi much hindereil by
l)ad cartridges und opposition, botli on the pai*! of the natives
and others, that he could not do himself justice. On his tirst
expudllion to GMrninn New Guinwi iio troll or Iml the following
Bpeoies : —
1. Aclnroeilus huccoiilcn ftfislrr-ii-'ini,
2. Vtilarkii mterreihin.
3. Cicinnurui regiua.
4. DiphylloiU* ma^nijicm,
5. Paradisea minor Jin»clii.
6. Paratlisea aiigUHticictorute,
7. Paradixea guilklriii.
i*. Manitcotlia atra.
I have nothing to report on theee except that most of the
specimens of I). iruti}nificu» belong to the form named
sfp lentrionaliii.
In £tna Bay and Triton Bay tha species collected were : —
1. Piilorhis viagnifiea,
2. Ciciinturits regius.
'i. Paifidisea ininor minor.
4. Minnic-»li,i aim.
5. Manucoilia chalybata.
APPENDIX II. 377
In the Aru Islands Captain Webster procured- -
1. Paradise a apod a 9 •
2. Manucodia atra.
3. Cicinnunui rer/ius. ^
4. Aclurocdus ynolauotis melanotis.
As there were no new spt?cies and few rare ones among
these three collections, I am at a loss to say anything alx)ut
them, except tliat the good skins and fine condition of the
specimens show wliat might have been done under more
favourable circumstances.
APPENDIX III.
LIST OF NEW LKIUDOPTERA DISCOVKRED BY
CAPTAIN H. C. WEBSTER.
I.vc
V. Zool.
590 n, 9 iimi)
589 II. 8 (1894)
n. 3 (lS9tt) (N.
Thysonotis peri Smith,
(Sattelbei-g).
phroao, id., I.e. iv. p. 313 n, 2 (ia97) (Etna Bay).
hanno, id., .^rni. Mag. N.H. (6) xiv. p. 25 n. 1
(1894) (N. Britain).
hamilcar, id.. I.e. n. 2 (1894) (N. Britain).
esme, id.. I.o. xiii, p. 501 n. 8(1894) (N. Britain).
Epimastidia alhocoemlea. id.. I.e. xiii. p. 501 n. 7 (1894) (N,
Britttin).
Lampides eclectus, id . , Nov,
(Sattelberg).
Hypochryrops honora, id., 1..
Hanover).
PtERIDAE.
Delias georgiana, id., I.e. xv. p. 229 (1895) (N. Georgia).
— ladas, id., Nov. Zool. i. p. 586 n. 1 (1894) (Saltelliei-g).
geraldiiia. id., I.e. u. 2 (1894) (Sattelberg),
Appias gisco, id., Ann. Mag. N.H. (6) sv. p. 229 (1895) (N.
Georgia).
P.\l'IIJOSIDAE.
Papitio websteri. id., I.e. (6) xiii. p. 497 (1894) (N. Britain).
euchenor neohannoveranus RothBcli., Nov. Zool. v.
p. 217 (1898) {N. Hanover).
APPENDIX III. 379
Papilio ulysses j^^ahrielis, id., I.e. p. 217 (1H98) (St. Gabriel,
Admiralty Is.).
codrus auratus, id.. I.e. p. 218 (1H9H) (St. Gabriel).
se^'onax tenebrionis, id., I.e. ii. p. 427 (1H95) (N.
Georf^ia).
Papilio sarpeden iiiipar Rothsch., I.e. p. 443 (1895) (N.
(jeor^ia).
Nymph ALiDAK.
Asthipa inelusine Smith, Nov. Zool. i. p. 08(5 (1894) (Sattel-
ber^r).
Vadebra eboraci, id., Ann. Maj^., N.H. (()) xiii. p. 498 n. 2
(1H94) (N. Britain and Duke of York).
lacon. id., I.e. p. 499 n. 3 (1894) (N. Britain).
Cetbosia «<abrielis Rothseh., Nov. Zool. v. p. 218 (1898) (St.
CJabriel).
C'baraxes latona diana, id., I.e. p. 9G (189H) (N. Hanover).
Mynes websteri, Smith, Nov. Zool. i. p. r>8() n. 4 (1894)
(Sattelber^).
eottonis, id., Ann. Ma«(. N.H. (0) xiii. p. 499 n. 4
(1894) (N. Britain).
Klymnias melanipjx*, id., Nov. Zool. i. p. o88 n. 5 (1894)
(Sattelberj;).
erastus, id., I.e. p. 5H8 n. (> (1897) (Sattelber*,').
Myealesis barbara, id., I.e. p. o89 n. 7 (1894) (Sattell)erj^).
maura, id., Ann. Ma*^'. N.H. ((>) xiii. p. o(X) n. h (1894)
(N. liritain).
matho, id. I.e. p. ">()1 n. (1894) (N. Britain).
Ag.auistidak.
Bur^ena ebalylxMita Rothseh., Nov. Zool. iii. p. 39 (1890) (N.
Britain).
(iKOMETRIDAK.
Milionia assimilis Rothseh., I.e. iv. p. 510 (1897) (N. Hanover).
websteri, id., I.e. p. 511 (1897) (N. Hanover).
SOMK NKW COLEOPTERA DISCOVERED BY
(rAI'TAlN H. C. WBDSTEH.
Ckraubyoidak.
NemophaB websteri Joril.. Nov. Zorjl. v. p. 41fl n. 2 (1898).
J 9- Supra et infra lienae corallilio tomentostis ; ttntrnnis
nigris, iirtiutilo 1" bhI dimfie punclnto ; ulytris scx fasciis tituis-
versiB iiudJs nitiiliu alris punctalia orutis. 1' aiigusttt subbasali
postscutellari. versus humeroti aaepe obsoletd (jijwc. Ii/p.),
'i' pawlo latioro, 3** nubmodiunft et 4* jwstmoiliurm Intioribua,
i]uabu{4 pDSticis lUi^iiHtie, plus ujiiiusvi? irfbgularibufi. saepe
ooujuDctia ; pedibiiH nixris, punctatis. ftiiioribiis panim comllinn
tomentoeis.
Hah. Nirw Hanovtifii RisinArck ArcliiptilaKO, Morcb and
April, IHST; a serteo of lioth aexea.
Easily diBtinnuishable from N. gmyi (18.59). Southtirn
Muliiccaij, by tlic uiitirtUy conklline red upper aud under sur-
faces, the numlier and position of the black bands on th« olj-tra,
and the punctumtion of tho legtj »nd fimt iintoniiul joint. .\
ct^rilral »i)nl on the- pronotuin and ibe upper side of thoracical
tipiues an- oft.-n dfiiudiHl,
HofflophaB cyaneBcenB, id., 1.
, n. 3.
S S ■ Formne tiniorunsi bal'icrrouhH dititae similis, sed pro-
lliorace supra et infra nigro. subtilisainio bniniiescente pubes-
cento ; elytris nigro-viridi-cyaneis ; processu mesostenioli
minus vlevalo onna coxts quatuor postioJa nigro, distinguendus
Hall. Kei Toeal, January to March. 1896 ; 1^.1 ? .
Epepeotes websteri, id., 1. c. p. 420, n. 4.
3 5. B. niger, lutoso tomento3us. Caput fere nudum occi-
pite sparsioi pujiotulato. Anlennaruui artlculus primus den-
aissime rugulosus, crasee rugoso-punctatus. Pronotutn medio
sparsiro, versus latera parum deiieius totnentosutn, granulatum,
medio tiuiisverse plicntum. Elytra dimidiobasali tortiler sat
disperse punctata, humeris granulatis. punctis postice sparsis,
mai'gine apicab bispinoso leviter concavo ; dense lutoso tomen-
APPENDIX III. 381
tosa, toiiiento in margine hasali fusco, tribus fasciis latis trans-
versis plus miiiusve irregularibus aequidistantibus denudatis
atris nitentibus, postbasali, niediana, postmediana ; inediana
latus versus latiore guttam lutosain lateraleni includente ;
praeterea maculis irregularibus anteapicalibus etiani denudatis.
Prona fades medio sparsini, lateribus densius lutoso toinen-
tosa. Pedes nigri,. punctali, tibiis anticis (J) infra crasse
rugato-granulatis.
J . Long, proth. (5, elytr. 23 mm.
4. • •» »» '-'» i» ^^' »?
J . Lat. proth. (apice) 7^, elytr. (hum.) 1*2^ mm.
9 1 10^
liith. New Hanover, March and April, 1897 ; a series of
b;)th sexes.
Varies in size. Easily recognised by the pattern of the
elytra, which reminds one of Xcmophaa and also of Diocliarcs.
The J has the first joint of the anterior tarsi exteriorly tri-
angularly dilated, as is the case in the other species of
.\nthkihidae.
Xenocems websteri, id., I. c. p. .'^70, n. 2S.
APPENDIX IV.
TOTAL NUMBER OF SPECIMENS COLLECTED.
OrnitbDlngical specimens tSO
Lepidoptem 30,000
Coleoptera 50,000
Ethnological 1,S00
CaBBon-arioe (two reached England alive) 4
Misccllwittons 450
TnWl 83,104
INDEX.
llecke, Mr. I^uU. hi> South Sea
stories, H41I.
iistHnt of Dr. Kleti
ileslh. 237.
AWI. Mr. HI1.1 MrK.. AW.a.i4 ; li.eir
M'liiniril, killM. '2(17.
Ileehive^, the. B27.
Bftel-Tim, mnnner of ertliiiK, 37,
Bishop of SKMim-. 344. 24-5.
Itisiimrek MounUins, non-existence
.Vlniiralty Islitud. »0M,.1(KP.
A<lmir«lly WancU, the, 37'.l. ■i'flt, :wl-
»l!l.
of «.*e.
AilniirHlly WhjicIs vooHbiilrtty. iin.
31M.
lilanche ]Uy :1«). 327.
Ai'loeimi. \iH(.
BoeleleitK. 3H.
AlbtiH Victor lUriKe. part of it
Bokttjini. ;W.
Buknjiin lUiilect hpokpn bv niitiveB
MouiitniiiA, i5. 411.
l>eloii«inn to Oouibiili, 43.
Alu, 107.
Bokop. chief ol Mioko. 2117.
Ambon, Iwy of, 1117.
ILiu;,™!!-.!)!*'. 1117. l:«, 34.'>.
Ambonese, cliaracltr til the. UV.I.
Am boy tin, lli7.
iJoUinical GariK'ii-. nt JiiiilzenzorR. 149.
Aiiibovn«, iiiBsiHcrc of, 313.
Braiifltis. CapWin. inijictiHl ju-lt(e in
AmiH-i.«n. 1-511,
Sew Btilain. «2 ; niist«ke.i for a
Arloors, wild men of the nioiimaiii,.
publican, 112.67.
■2V.i.
iJrilihb Allntitif CkWc Company, 240.
Aru, iw.. l'.l.i.
BoilzonzorK, 14!l.
1!.
Bullet proof oiiitinenl, nntive pretends
Bali, l.iM, l.y.l.
to have ai.-*overe.l, H2,
I!.,ll.ir.,t. the. f. A-O. >t.-rtiim-, I.
C.
UKndiiMnnJ^. 171,
BHnJn Neura. 172.
Csri; St, Geot^e. ^HO.
lliitavift, 1!». Ul-l.i7,
Ceraiii. 174,
Bcrtvis, Mr. Oliii-r. cliM.ovt-rcl miir-
ih«tu<'ti"; H. M.S., 301. all.
derwl. ;i:ir)-:(:tlP.
China Straits, 25«.
CluiKkmlnH, itftUre. 99.
Choiwut. 107. 1S5.
CtNKMuiul litlknd. 103.
ContmlltUT al Kej laUna. ITft, W2.
lar. am, 2»9.
Cnpm ; Ihn ilrinl hnriwl of the cocoa-
nul, HI.
Coltua. Cuptnln, 1, M. 64 ; UlU (.i^k,
CoupA, Ultillop, liRKil of tho Hacred
Hoirt MisaitMi in New BhUin, SIT-
101 ; histur? ot Uu musitin, 08 ;
bis eiluMliiHiiil Hyslvai, 101 ; rfvialt
htm, »4.f.
1).
buuwiKm, Judiic, 311.
D'Giitn CmUmiux Group, SOO.
DihhoH. an.
Itelilw, IWi.
Duk>' of York LUudn. 2lili, 2117.
i)iili->liik, I'lirlouH (wrninony of Ihe,
Diimbu. in, fi, S3.
Dutvli tlmr. 230, 3U1 ; in«dviiuibillty of
Ain[r]|)u(lni( it lo nutivea iiutiiicrlmi-
tute);. salt.
Ookih Qovcnmiunt agent, his cruultj' .
Ci) .iHvaneiw [>ix>Li<w, 10. |
Duloh litdiKe 111 Java, lluur «i«tume, ^
EcimiMt Mptiiroii, M!).
Utperama. fiitc of tin K'hooner, 119,
Etiin Buy. 21A, 'Jl^, 21'J, 2.12,
FeRaussoK, Mr,, murder of. 113.
FinchhnfeLi, original bee4quarlers of
New UuiDen Gonipiiny, 31.
logging o{ a Chioamsn bf the Daloh
GovernmeDt, 33.
Frederichwilhelmishiilen, hoadi) uartera
of Sbw Guinea Company, 30; (jov-
emor's hoHpitallty, 20, B3. .1H, Ul.
French Catboliu Mission, 244, i!46.
,lllu, iHUMJnii o( Ihe Chiueee
30.
GftDKlot. U„ SHS-am), 803
aavKta. 350,
OiHHfr. 174,
Gon, Itajab of, 1><S.
Goenoeng Rindjani, IKS.
fluadnlcannr. 1150,
Gutiunc Api, 172.
Ouy, Mr.. ntordOTid, 108.
UAWTBriii.v hound. 125.
Bnxd-hiiiiting, lOH. 135.
Jlediereii, liuron vou. ISH.
Herlwrtson.n?. 2no. nW).
HKrotella. IT'2.
HoIImaDn. n Grrninn niiiwliiiiacy,
3H.
1,
Ingova, r-hlnf of ItnbianiL, 100, 113, I'M
iBtann. pivliMW of [lie SulUti of Joham
I J«vi, 10, 144.1.i7.
I Javnnme. chanteter of. 157.
I JavunsBti coolieB. tfl.
I Jtwiiil miHKlonarirs in the Kei IsUndAi
I lUl.
' Jmu MKriii Isljind. 310, 817.
I JUIiui, 10. J>4,
Jimmy, oiir of the bunleirfi, 834.
I Joboftlao, boutfwiiiD, 823 ; kiUaii, 3:M.
Joliun!, Saltan tiTid palace of. 1-llii
cmwn prince of, bis iDarriB.ge cere-
mony, 7-9.
Kami:, chief of St- Giiliricl, 3(12,
Kapaunr, 174.
Katigot, bay □eui- Hnddlebci'g, BO,
I.XDEX.
385
Kei Islands, 175, 170 ; inhabitants of,
181 ; controlleur of, 176, 182, \\)1.
Ker, Mr., marine superintendent of the
State of Johore. 4.
Kernhach, German recruiting? labour
for New (ruinea, HO.
Kirkhoven, Mr., his plantation of
Sinaj^ar : his hospitality, 153.
Kjaputi oil, 170.
Kjoniera Hay, 280.
Kleinschmidt, Dr., murdered, 207,
Koninklijke I'aketvaart Maat.schappij.
157.
KoHm', Mrs., her plantation in New
Britain, (»8, 87, 201, 328.
Kung, 271», 281», 2<)0-21)8.
Kuras, wrecked off, 321.
Kwato, 252-254.
Kvamaka 13av, 217.
L.
Lak.vhiv, the people of, 230.
Lark, the schooner, 141.
La Vandola Island, 317.
Lennell, killed, 224.
Lolo, 244.
Lomlwk, 15'.M03; Sultan of, 150-100;
self-immolation of women in. 1(»0-
163.
London Missionary Society at Lolo,
244, 252.
l.iihcrk, ss., I'J, 58, (»2.
M.
Macakkau, 115, 103-UJ6.
Macgregor, Sir William, 240, 250, 251.
Malita, 114.
Man Island, 280.
Mandoliana, 135.
Marquis de lie F:xpedition, history of,
102, 200.
Mathias, island of, 271).
Matupi, island of, 81.
Mausoleum Island, 281.
Melville Island, 239.
Merrie England, steam jacht, 250.
Minjem, the river, 30, 31), 41.
Mioko, 202, 203-278, 279.
Mission.s, 97-101, 241, 245; error of
theological divergencies among,
244.
Moresby, Captaiin. 258,
Mount Victoria, 251.
" Mula Copa." his son visits the ship,
340.
Murdered tlnglishmen, list of, 130.
Musgrave, Mr., 250.
N.
Navaickk, Bishop of, 244, 245.
New Britain, arrival at, 02 ; troubles
in, 81 ; heavy loads of women, 87 ;
dirt and ugliness of natives, 87 ;
native festivity in. 88-93 ; set sail
for again, 257 ; considered to be
part of New Guinea, 200 ; am re-
puted to be a wizard throughout,
202.
New Georgia. 107, 113, 141.
New Guinea, first arrival in, 20 ;
natives of, 27 ; their legends, 28, 29 ;
their love of red paint and salt, 52,
53 ; New (luinea revisited, 210 ;
probable extinction of races in, 357.
New Hanover, 279, 282-298.
New Ireland, considered a part of New
(luinea, 200; pass by it, 280. 281
wrecked off, 320.
Nielson, Mr., 348.
Nissam, 333.
Nordup, 328.
North Island, 258.
Nu.sa Sanga, 107.
O.
Obsidian, u.se of, by natives, 309
Onithoptcra Paradisea, 23.
Got Island, 182.
Orang Kaya, 180.
Outuan, 267. 268, 273.
. Owen Stanley Range, the, 251.
26
3«<i
2
I-ai
1. iia.
Tuiiuiui (ia\t. 3S1.
I'nrkininti. Hm.. ]i»r Uvruio dnlencc or
liwrbou-i.. 75. 71!.
I'inno. imlivD vinwn on the Qovcrnor'jt,
richulfv, HIHi.
I'uiiunonit Itolt. 37,1
l-oiUnl. Capmlii, of H.M.S. ir-.IIu.™.,
asfi. HS).
l\<-pu. 139, lax.
t'ori Ukrwin, 9MI, U3». 341. us.
rort Hiintnr, a77.
Port Mnr«iiy. a«*, UW, 250.
t^UioMcr nt GtimI Kei. IKrt, ISO,
fiixthulilpr M Dobln. I'm.
II.
R*j\ii
1 Ilii made n iiriwinci-, 2At.
lUjiih J-TOiiipw-niu r a woumn chief.
3)1.313.
llHiuiii. 7S. S7. S3M,
HftTiKft, till- boy. fl7.
ItikOgcMin. '2i!i.
Itniiid. H.M.S.. pais im in (junrnnliiie.
347.
lEoci'uitinit r
■m.
Keii pftinl,' nnlivo love of, .5.'i.
Kicht«r, Mr., death nf, ai).
Rohilla, the, P. and O, Hlt-nniov. 1.
Uoynl bath : ninrFiiige of tbo Ciov
I'rince of Johore. 9.
KubiftnH, 107, 113, 346, 347.
St. Oftbriel. 303-307.
St. QeoiRe's Channel, 2liO, -2711, ;
St. George's IsIbiiJ, 310.
Utiaii UonnUiiiB. IM.
Hun, uui mui. 325 ; kllletl, -OS.
SumnrU, S&O, 3S3.
Sniulilp. n.M.S., or*w ol.
186.
Sanil; (^|ir. SfiO.
. Kchuuton. dlscoviirat of the .iilmlmll]
lalMds, SOI.
SpUuIu*, Mr., Mxiitant of Dr. Klria
Rfhmldt, killiHl, SOT.
Si-liultic. Mr., managuT v( n Qmnaa
Sumunn Coiiipuny in Mioko, S6S,
37M.
Senr. Si).
>ial(iu-. I7t.
ScIf-lmuiolAiiuo ut woiuoi), 160-1(13.
■S>Mn, iwhoan«r, Altai'k an.St, KW.
Hhortland, 107, 141.
SInibnnK. Ktuo ol tame ut <nir Iw
polWiloiw. 3S,
SiuitKHi-. plantation uf. l.^D-]S3.
Siiiimv^rD, 1,144.
Kir Chiul<!s HKrdy IiIhihU. tinirtTcr In
Skroo, 174.
SuukiiUocnii. I.'f4,
SiieriibiijA, 107. laN.
Solomon UImiiIb, 107 ; itjswivery ot,
inrnnliiie. 134; vialt, B45.
" Spot." nij foi terrier, loat, 3Sfi, afi7.
clhod of. Sleffiin StriiilB. ani.
Stci)hensor[. headqunrlera of the
Ajitrolilbe Haj ConpHity, 20, H«, SS.
Sydney, ncrival M, 14S.
Syintg HuUelin. nmusing ciirliHin m.
344.
TANJoNii I'riok, 144.
T,illi)oini!o(ftwom«n. 24H-2.t1.
Tliiirsdav Island, 239, 243.
Tjilionff. 1.50.
Toenl, 175, 176-182. 1S4. 191, 192, 2:i2.
239 1 I lodge in the prison at, 177 ;
KHJah of. 193. 194.
IXDEX.
387
Torres Straits, 239.
Triton Bay, 212, 217.
Tunku Makota. Crown Prince of
Johorc, 3 ; his marriap:e, 7-0.
V.
ViTTin, 38 ; natives accuse us of killinj*
their pi|,', 57.
W.
WAiKvrr, 311.
Wajan^, or Javanese theatre, l.i4.
Wallnron, H.M.S., 3r>0.
Wamnia, lUo.
Wassa, 2m,
Waterloo, tjre.it Dutch victory of, 148.
Webster, Captain Cay ley, starts on hi^:
first expedition, 1 ; stays with the
Sultan of Johore, 2-l(» ; interferes
on l)ehalf of .Javanese coolies, \\) ;
buys a boy who is in trouble with
his tribe, 29 ; starts for the interior,
35 ; (li.scovers non-existence of
Bismarck Mountains, H\ ; fights the
natives about a pij^', 57; attends a
savaj^e festivity, HH ; visits a native
hou.se of niournint^, 120; finds hini-
8elf alone amon^ hostile natives,
142; starts for his .^iecond expedition,
144 ; entertaine.l by Mr. Kirkhoven,
150. 151 ; attends a Javanese theatre,
154,155; writes to purchase a yacht,
157 ; negotiates with two brothers
who have the same wife, 100 ;
loilges in a prison, 176, 177 ; per-
forms c(»njurinK tricks before the
natives, 189 ; i.s bitten by a dangerous
insect, 192, 193 ; interviews the Rajah
of Toeal, 193 ; inquires into the mur-
der of a Chinaman, 200 ; visits a
native burial j,'round, 208 ; is charged
with mes.sages to an imaginary race,
209 ; Chinese servant attempts to
murder him, 210 ; visits a woman
chief, 211; is attacked, 224; capture
and releases the chief's .son, 231 ;
again performs conjuring tricks, 201 ;
nearly killed by a poisonous fish,
273 ; notices natives studying palm-
istry, 291-293; bargains with a
grasping native wood carver, 311 ;
effects a reconciliation between two
hostile chiefs, 328; finds an English-
man munlered, 333 ; the yacht put
in quarantine, 347; end of his
.second expedition, 351,
Wickham, Mr., 113, 348.
Wiengi : attack by natives, 57.
Wilhelmina, H.M.S., hospitality of,
105.
Woman chief, 211, 212.
Wootlford, Mr., Commissioner of the
Solomon Islands, 347, 350.
Y.
Yacht arrives, 194; meets usatKwato,
255 ; put in quarantine, 347 ; con-
demned an<l abandoned, 350, 351.
Yanln'L Dutch Government steamer,
23, 107, 125. 135.
Yule Island, 244.
■I
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Zhc <3rc0bam prcM.
'JXWIN BROTHERS,
WOEINO AND LONDON
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