The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1876-02-26
New Guinea.

Mr.. w. q. Lawes. who writes from Port Moresby.
New Guinea, on August LIST, has addressed the fol-
lowing letter to the Sydasy Morning Herald
see from the Sydney papers you have kindly
sent me. that n good deal Of interest 10 being taken
in New Guinea. As ] am the only English resident
on this part Of New Guinea, my experience may not
be without interest TO your readers. We came here
in November last, put up a small frame house.
which we brought from sydney, aud have been living
here ever since. No wood ht for building purposes
is to be had here. Natives fetch wood for their
houses aud for their plantation fences too, from near
Redscar Head. 25 miles distant.
From the time OF our arrival until March the ma
tives were very hungry. They were dependent for
food almost entirely on mangrove fruit, and this. TOO,
had 10 be brought from near Redsoar Head. People
would hang about our house half o day In the hope
OF getting n bit OF biscuit. From March until now
yams and bananas have been tolerably plentiful, but
all food IL highly valued by the natives. They have
no taro. A few breadfruit trees are In the bush, but
the fruit Is 30 small and inferior 90 10 be scarcely
worth the trouble Of cooking. Cocoanut trees look
plentiful In the village, but cocoanuts are scarce and
very dear.
No one coming here should be dependent at all ON
getting food from the natives. Red beads are what
they value most, but they will look nj a yam twice
before they will part with H. Two or three shabby
bananas they will bring, and ask a Ratchet for them.
Oranges, lemons, or lines, there are none. Sugar
cane does not seem TO thrive. judging from the small
quantities the natives have, and the high price tbes
set on IL.
Tobacco and small beads are most in demand for
barter. Hatchets and knives they like. too, but have
no idea OF their value, and will bring nothing sde-
quate TO pay for them. Pigs the natives have. but
we have never been able to buy even n small one.
Fowls there are none.
The people having nothing for sale Of the slightest
commercial value. A very small quantity OF tor
toiseshel, all Of which may be bought In half an
hour, Is all they have. All along this coast. from
Yule Island TO Hood Point, food Ia scarce. A shIp
would find great dif1cultv In 0eilfn0 sunolt..
There are plenty Of ~kangaroos In the bush, and
the natives catch q good many fish, all with nets;
fshhooks are not used Mt oil.
Ii was thought that this place was free from fever
and ague. IL Is healthy looking high land; no
swamp or marshy ground. Our experience has been
q sad one as regards health. Many OF our readers
will remember the large party Of teachers from the
South Sea Islands who were ia Sydney in Ootober
last, en- route for New Guinea. There were ak
couples from Rarotonga, and five from Nine (Bavaee
lsland). or the Rar0tongans, one died In January,
another in February. a little girl In March. q teacher
in April, and three more in July. One OF the last
had been nearly two years here. or the Savage
Islanders, none hare died, but all with one excep-
tom have been i'll with fever aud ague. OF the six
karotongans with US in Sydney In October, one only
remains. Our own family has not escaped the sick
ness. Our two little children have had fever and
ague, with only a few days intermission, for the last
two months. i have had two or three attacks. This
is said 10 be IN exceptionally bad year, but Of that
i can only speak from native testimony.
None Of the natives have embraced Christianity
or shown any inclination 10 do 30. They are al
heather, but / do not think there is anything 20
fear from them II they are treated with kindness.
and due allowance made for their lgnorance. A.
regards the land itself, / very much doubt whether
anything can be grown that would pay the planter.
The labor question would be o difBcult one 70 begin
with. We have not yet been able 10 get a servant,
or any one TO work half q day for us.
What the mineral resources Of the country may be
| cannot say. Neither iron nor the more precious
metals are known by the natives.
/ do not want 10 throw cold water on any scheme
for the colonization Of Port Moresby or the develop
Inent Of the resources Of the land; but I would dep
recate families coming without first counting the
cost. BY all means let a party Of scientific and COM
mercial men come and see for themselves, but Let
them bring provisions enough 10 take them back 20
Sydney. / should be most happy 20 assist such Ia
any way within my power. I see much 10 being
written about New Guinea. j would remind your
readers that IL is a good land, and that On
made about one part Of IL may not be applicable 20
other parts, any more than a description Of Victoria
would to the north Of Queensland.