The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-09-16
THE REvELd ROY or NEW GUINEA.


The correspondence respecting New Gut
nea lately presented TO the British Parliament
and the projects OF annexation mootcl by Aus
tralan coloniss have had the effect Of callnl. at
tcntion to the great Papuan island. Few per-
sons are aware how largely our knowledge OF
what not long ago wis an unknown land has
been extended during recent years by the Ia
bors Of Russian. Dutch. and Italian. rs well as
other explorers.
The immense field which New Guinea would
open to the cDlOnist il apparent upon
statement of its dimensions. which are
rather continental than insulnr. by what
name indeed. but continent should We
designate this vast mainland stretching
out LOO miles in length. or as far AZ from
the coast OF Brittany to the mouths oi the Dan
ubc. while its maximum width is equal to that
OF France! The whole region Is in close geo.
logical connection with Australia the shallow
waters Of Torres Straits. which separate their
shores. covering an area which in recent ter
| tiary times must have been dry land. The two
countries are. in fact, united by spurs OF the
great barrier recf which runs along the north
east coast oi Australia.
| Except in one or two directions tho interior
| of the Papuan continent has not been pene-
tratcd. not even by Capt. Lawson. whose Wan
I
phal. Almost the whole periphery OF the coast.
however has now been visited, and part Of it
| thoroughly surveyed. Much of the iatter work
! has Just been performed by Capt. Morcsby. who
| carried running survey for 27S miles along
| the hitherto unknown part Of the north coast.
! The general appearance OF the shore here diff
fcrs greatly from that Of the southern side.
| The mountains generally rise abruptly from
the sea. thu depth of the water close In shore
great rivers in this quarter seems To- be attcstcd
| by vast floating MASSES Of timber en- 'ounterei
far out to SEA. The southern coast on the other
hand. as we had occasion TO point out. some
| time ago. in describing an Australian eXpedi-
! ton TO Torres Straits. is substantially an i'm
| mense delta, malt submerged and rheckcred 10y
| numerous wide channels. Most Of these rivers.
| il will be remembered. proved To be nero tidal
creeks. or. when Otherwise navigabr by boats
were found " bc choked by treos But we now
know tina, the Fly river. Of. the west side Of the
| Gulf OF Pdpua. il certainly an exception. SiGnor
| D'Nbnrtis having latoly assembled it in Il steam
launch. provided tor him at Sidney. 10 II point
not loss than 500 miles from is mouth Fer Il
considerable part Of his course he was beyond
the swampy plains Of the coast region, and in
an undulating country. with mountains in sight
| To the northwest. He seems to have demon
strated that this is the true road TO the interior
! from the south shore.
The northwest peninsula. or Parua Onim.
which is almost severed from the mainland by
II deep inlet. has been quito thoroughly ex-
plorcd hy a Dutch traveller, Van Rosenberg
and IL ono If the few districts whose interior
may now be regarded rs at all well known. The
natives Of the coas, hero have for centuries held
intercourse with Macy and other traders the
value of the goods annually interchangcd being
computed hy Van Rosenberg at 2n0OnO gulden
II would seem, too. that Mphnmneian teachers
| have had some influence. Passing along the
| northern shore TO Asirouhe bay. a part Of the
coast before unv-ited, We irarn from the Rus
sian traveller. Miklukho Mnklhy, who spcnt
fifteen months n this point some curious pnr-
ticulars uf Papunn life. He saw nothing OF the
| irrecaimahlc fcrocity exhibited on tho south
coast On the contrary ne was enchanted with
the simple and amiahle ways fthe nativc, aud
named the islands in thoir buy the arrh pela.so
OF the contented. Here, although the women
provide the viands. the men cook the mrus.
which consist chiefly oi Vegetables varied On
occasions by the flesh 9th dog aldt pIs. IT,"
hard work falls upon the women. hpt otherwise
they ara not badly trrH'ei. Yhey arr coiu"i-
fish. According 60 NnAlay, 1t is a common
sight to see children of four years oli at tho
breast Families wore observed t. he very
small.
10 tho wrs, south. and north of tho continent
the black pupunn ra,,. which IS accounted th,
most perfect oxn,npe of tne Oriental nerroid
TYNE. forms the hnll. of tho p,pula,i,n. 4, ,he
eastern cui OF New Guinea, howrv'r. the col-t
for some $50 miles and the Interior for AN un-
known distance backward are occupied hy a
people OF very different Uppo,ran' an on-hoot
probably of ia" far polyn alrn IA '" which IN
habits most 81 the islam Is ~ no Pacific. S4snur
pAlhorli, foun Sonl' of .,' ldtirr IA N ou tho
upprr waters of Nh" Fy RIVER, and considered
thom much higher ia tIte alH ~ civilization
than n" hlh'k dwriirf9 on ia" coast. In th"
rastern peninsula the villages nrn w.ll laid
out and the street is kept s'rup1 'ou-ly rrau.