Two Years Among the Savages of New Guinea.

but such hopes were not fulfilled. One of the creeks I followed had a formation identical with those on Sud-Est, where payable gold was found. The bed of this creek was

bout 14 years, is said to have discovered trace

ld existed in the country, but, strange to sa

e beauties of a tropical night, when suddenly the door of my room was opened and eight stalwart men appeared ou

ectors, had arrived, with Mr. Whyte as leader. I knew Whyte and one or two of the others. Water dilut

that the party was organised by himself under the authority of the Hon. John Douglas

ther minerals over the whole of the territory under British protection. I may as we

and parcel of British New Guinea territory), and who, by the bye, was hard up at the time, informed Mr. Douglas that he

g to go with him although they were well aware that he was not a miner. The adventurous party, who were loudly cheered on their departure from Cooktown, set sail on May 23rd, and arrived, as I have already s

time of their arrival H-- and I were the only white men on Samarai, whilst there were as many as 250 natives, most of them visitors from differ

to the native visitors were drawn up in regimental line on the beach. Hard by, in an open grove of beautiful coco-palms, about 100 natives belonging to Wagga-Wagga (Milne Bay) were drawn up in review order, opposite to them were 50 natives from Tube-Tube, one of the islands of the Engineer Group, rang

rer, each with his long and deadly spear poised, ready to lunge it in the breast of his antagonist, until they had advanced to within a few yards of their opponents. I expected every moment to see the spe

stily despatched a native boy named "Ginger" to a house a short distance away, telling him to bring back three or four Winchester rifles duly loaded. He returned in a few minutes with them. We armed ourselves and forced the Wagga-Wagga natives to retire, and leave the island in their canoe

g from a Wagga-Wagga man. This the Tube-Tube natives denied, but it was evident that the two trib

ub, shield, and a small spear something like a dart. To the we

in their nefarious head-hunting expeditions. It is a large loop of rattan with a long handle of bamboo; at the bottom or foot of the loop a sharp spike about four inches in length is inserted. The loop is thrown over the head of the retreating victim, the sudden jerk causing the spike to enter the base of the

, the prospecting party left in the Juanita for

by which is meant a quartz reef not bearing gold), which never had carried gold and never would. In fact there was n

was a larger island seven

nths the boat was to be returned to the British New Guinea Government, which was accordingly done. I saw the members of the party in China Straits upon their return from Sud-Est. They reported that they had worked the field out and that it was very patchy. This report sp

"British Possession," which was declared at Port Moresby on September 6

ll imports, which revenue came as a relief to

ter, owned by a friend of mine, arrived from Cooktown. As my friend purpose

rd of dutiable goods, such as

sby, nor any schedule of the tariff, which we took for granted would be imposed. The Government

were anxious to reach Sud-Est before the arrival of the Gover

t, an ignorant foreigner, and asked him for his clearance for Sud-Est. The agent very impolitely refused to grant it, stating that,

We distinctly refused to grant this request, and demanded our clearance, as our sails were all unfurled and everything re

gained by arguing with such a man, [1] orders were at once given to let go; the sails were hoisted and away we went without the coveted clearance, as we had lost quite enough time as it was. We touched at Sarib

urthen, she passed us during the following night, reaching Sud-Est two days in advance of us. The Administrator had, of c

at could be desired. We kept inside the Long Reef, passing Teste Island

ds of tropical beauty, covered with succulent grasses, and smiling

with dusky forms, would shoot out from an

we hauled up a couple of splendid fish, sometimes a king fish, at other times a sea salmon. We at

and the next night anchored off Grassy Island, as just here th

s. The lieutenant, who was most courteous, informed us that Sir Wm. Macgregor was very wroth at our behaviour and had a good mind to seize our vessel. We received this news with wonderful calmness and fortitude, as for the life of us we could see no reason for seizure. By the kind help of the lieutenant and his men, we were enabled to get clear of the reef, and proceeded to our

ernor t

all your goods before landing a pa

se. I am quite prepared to pay duty on such goods as I may require for immediate sale, and the b

ctly well that the Government had not any bonded stores on Sud-Est yet." But, in the name of common-sense, how does that give the Government a right to exact from people the duty on the whole of

very bad. You have to wade through mangrove mud, the stench of which is e

y packages and tools up to it. About 400 men were on the ground. Some were doing well, others making

h several thousands of ounces of gold were obtained from the islands, it cost a lot of money to get them

e are hundreds of deep gullies running north and south, with bold hills, covered with good grass, separating them. These hills would make excellent pasturage for cattle, and after a time for sheep also, the grass at present being a little too rank. The deep gullies on all sides would act as natural fences. There is also an inexhaustible

ed. At the same time there are many barren quartz reefs here and there. In my opinion, Sud-Est is one of the healthiest spots in New Guinea. The great sickness amongst the diggers was caused by turning up the virgin

mmit of the highest hills or mountains. I should est

barrenness is to be traced to the fear of their enemies. This is undoubtedly the reason why they build their houses in such inaccessible places, invisible until you are close to them. The natives of Brooker Island constantly make expeditions to S

interview the governor with respect to taking a party of diggers in the Hygeia for prospecting Rossel a

must not exceed 15, and that those brought their own "tucker." A committee was formed of seven, of which I was

he natives here have a very bad character, and up to the present time white men have been unable to trade with them. It is said that many years ago a large vessel, [2] with 350 Chinamen on board, got driven out of her course through stress o

, or one of their own race, to a European. The reason they give is, that a Europe

of some use to the advo

lenty, and, strange to say, cannibalism is just as rife in districts where other food is abundant as in those where it is scarce. The natives have no European prejudices regarding the human body, a

t? They then went to Messima (St. Aignan), a large island 40 miles to the north, spent a couple of days on shore finding nothing but "colours," never attempting to follow them up. They

ral weeks in prospecting, at the end of which they had the satisfaction of discovering two large gullies bearing pay

ft St. Aignan and went in a small cutter to Normanby Island. They stayed there for four weeks, and not meeting with success proceeded to the adjoining island, viz., Fergusson. The latter is larger than Sud-Est, is only 15 miles from the mainland, and is thickly populated. In a few days they discovered good traces of gold. Unfortunately they were unable to

inland, but from the formation of the islands, which extend from within a few miles of it in one unbroken line as far as Sud-Est, there being only very narrow straits separating them,

pally in the neighbourhood of the San Joseph River, on the south coast.

be found in New Guinea proper and in large quantities, but the search, to be successful, must be undertaken