NEW GUINEA.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 227, 11 July 1873, Page 3

NEW GUINEA.

M.M.S.. Basilisk, Captain Moresby while cruising in Torres Straits . and neighborhood for the suppression of the Polynesian labor traffic, has added a valuable fact to the knowledge we possessed of the geography of New Guinea by the discovery of a new port and harbor in lat. 6deg. 30sec. S., lon. ; 147deg.. lOsec. :E., and about 38 miles east of'Sedscar Bay on the south-eastern coast. The discovery - was made in February, -whenCaptain Moresby, while searching for a river supposed to-flow into the sea coast of Redscar Bay, entered an inlet which proved to be the entrance to a?magnificent harbor, with an outer and inner .anchorage, to which the names of Port Moresby and Fairfax Harbor have been given. A complete ..survey made by the boats of the Basilisk confirmed the favorable 4mpression which the aspect of the port had > given at first sight, and on soundings being -taken, the depth of water was : ascertained to be from seven to. ten j fathoms in Port Moresby, aud about five fathoms., in the harbor. Fairfax Harbor is entirely landlocked, the entrance from Port Moresby being about a quarter, of-a mile wide, -and the distance from'!the Heads about three miles. The aspect of the surrounding country is most delightful. Extensive grassy plains, and undulating country extenci from Fairfax "Harbor to the Owen Stanley range. To the eastward the country is very fertile, undulating hills, thickly wooded, stretching away as far as the eye can reach. The locality ot the Harbor is ~ dotted-- with many villages, the inhabitants of which evinced the utmost desire for intercourse with their visitors, taking every opportu-nity-to show amicable intentions. So far do they differ in this respect from the inhabitants of other parts of the island* that on one of the ship's officers, when out in the pursuit, of sport, becoming separated from his companions, who returned to the ship without him, the natives pointed out his way to the landing place, , not-showing the slightest disposition either to do him injury or appropriate any of his property. The -natives are much lighter-complexioned than those of the opposite coast, and are evidently of ,a much more friendly disposition. For the information of masters of ships visiting the harbor, *it is worth recording that very convenient spots for watering are .to be found, on Jane Island, Port Moresby* and in-Fairfax Harbor.