Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-06-01
NEW GUINEA.
Features of tho Land and Its Inhabit'
ants.

ants.
Till the rivers that are suspected 10 dow
into the sea on the eastern coast are explor-
as TO the fertility of the soil. The contra
dictory accounts we have are due to the fact
that different observers have visited the
island at different seasons, so that where one
man reports that the hills are beautiful with
verdure, and another that they are barren, it
simply means that the first traveller saw
them first after the rainy season passed away
and the other after the sultry season had
scorched and parched up every vestige OF
vegetation. Coarse kangaroo grass covers
the country in some places as far as the
eye can reach. In the open forest white
gum, waffle and other Australian trees
stud the landscape. The rank and luXuriant
tropical growlhs which fro the imaginsions
of people who have never been there consis,
of areca palm, bread(ruit, wild mango, and
chestnut, pandanus, crotons OF varlegated
leaf, crimson dracSna, orchids, creeper',
and ferns aud according to the missionary,
Lawes they only flourish near watercourses
and rivers, or in sOrges and ravines Of Inc
hills. In the northeast mountain ranges Bee
carl found an Alpine flora, and Morseby
speaks of forests of teak and sandalwood be-
ing in great abundance. Lawes, u much less
imaginative traveller, is generally supposed
by scientific geographers to have hit the
!, truth when he says Some districts are
hurgry and barren, while in others food is
pl,n iul, vet in all the bill Of fare lacks var.
, ieiy. One almost wonders what the peoplt
, live on, without any corn, rice, or potatoes.
Bananas, however, we observe, are admitted
ly plentiful, AMI few yams are grown
raro is abundant in some places, and suga
cane, pumpkins, melons, wild mango, ant
cucumber "arc found to flourish in others.
A great deal OF sago 100, is made from thu
Q sago palm; and the native dietary is eket
l out not only by cocoa nuts, but by shell-tsh
t lizards, beetles, and, writes Mr.. Wallace
Y "almost every kind Of large insect" cate
G either raw or cooked, $50 that the peopl
: are never half-starved like the Austria
: ians." The safe conclusion is that Nc'
q Guinea is a poor sort of Brazil or Borneo
n which, when colonized by Europeans VIII
q are literally supplied with native or cooli
6 labor, may yield somc nut and palm oil, jutt
- teak, sandal-wooj, tobacco, yams, ceda
y ebony, cinnamon, spices, sago, sugar, co
!, ton, and coffee. Gaudy insects and bird
II notably the Bird of Paradise, exist
is enormous numbers, and the flora and faur
II are Australian in type. The fisheries II
g pearls and the sea. cucumber (beehe-de-mtr
IL 50 dear to the Mongolan epicure, are
course valuable : but beyond that and Il
traces of gold found in the malaria, swami
parts of the island near Port Moresby, the
is nothing more to be said by way of temp
r. ing the English colonist to brave its he
mt humid, and pestilential climate. For Il
in rainfall in the wet season averages "a inche
IT, while the heat at Port Moresby ranges fro
or 73' 8, the average minimum night temper
v, ture. TO 00'.43 IN the shade during Februar
Is which is the hottest month.
ly AS to the inhabitants, We have again
We deal with the most contradictory account
an One set of travellers and mining prospectc
nm will describe them as savage cannibals, nul
,;o berless as the sands of the seashore, incui
ad 4d bly, treachcrous, and bitterly hostile to VIII
~ :" men; another as a few tribes OF amiaD
he docilc, ease-loving folks, full of good hum
au and good will TO u.s. Although th
there build their houses on plies Ii
the old Lake dwellers, aud live like
Ihe people of the Stone Age, they lave ma
ich good points. Their women seem to be bet
ac- treated than with most savages. They
all. excellent sailors, make capital pottery,
bold hunters and skilful fishermen. I'll