A NEW GUINEA EXPEDITION.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5376, 20 June 1878, Page 3

A NEW GUINEA EXPEDITION.

(Erom the Sydney Evening News, May 23.) The following is a copy of tho letter received at Cooktowu from Mr. John Hanson, one of the party On board the Colonist, the Sydney expedition schooner -.—Expedition Hill, Pork Moresby, 30 th April.—We sailed from Cooktowu on the 18th April, with twentyfive men and nine horses. After a five days’ run we reached Lizard Island at 7 p.m., where we found the cutter Swan, having six men on hoard, bound for New Guinea. She had been two weeks waiting for our company. On tho 19 th of April the cutter came alongside, and her captain came on board and compared charts with our captain. They agreed to sail together at one o’clock. At ten a.m. we called a meeting on board, and the chairman stated that our object of meeting was to elect a leader and form rules and regulations for the expedition. Mr. E. Jones was elected. Wo weighed anchor at one p.m. on the same day, and the cutter Swan started thirty minutes afterwards, following in our wake. Wo crossed tho Great Barrier at half-past four p.m., and tho little cutter crossed through the same passage, but slowly and surely falling behind, and at sundown we lost sight of her ; and now, our troubles commenced. After passing the reef, wo encountered heavy weather and an ugly cross sea. Tho men had to remain by their horses day and night, and use hammocks and everything else useful to keep the horses on their legs. I never saw men work with such determination, to save their horses. Onthe2oththeweatherwas bettor, One horse died; we took his shoes off; 'gave him a sailor's grave. 21st Weather and sea calm. Being too close to land, stood out to sea until five o’clock on tho following morning. On the 22nd, at eleven a.m., sighted Mount Astrolabe, and gave three cheers for Now Guinea' The sea at the time hod become as smooth as a duck pond, and wo were able to let the horses off their slings to rest their logs. After sailing down the bay thirty miles we crossed New Guinea Eoet opening, which is about half-a-milo wide, and anchored in Port Moresby at five p.m. Four went ashore, anti received a hearty welcome from the native teacher, Mr. Ingham, and all tho natives. The latter filled tho boat with grass for our horses. All tho white missonaries and Mr. Goldie are away at preeent, but the native teacher and Mr. Ingram made everything right between ourselves and the natives, and wo move and trade with each other as in

well-regulated communities. Mr. Ingham, agent for the Queensland Government, kindly brought the natives to an understanding with us. This is a beautiful-looking country, plenty of good grass, and our horses are looking well and improving, and we are all enjoying good health. There are 250 natives living here, residing in nice, clean, grassbuilt houses, right on the beach, so at high tide the water comes rolling underneath the houses, which are built on piles, The women are virtuous, agreeable, and willing to work, and have not the wild appearance of Australian aboriginals. On the 23rd we hedged the vessel to the north side of the harbor within a hundred yards of shore, and landed our horses. It was a grand sight to see the natives in their canoes so excited at the appearance of horses, ours being the first ever seen. Many of them came on board and brought fish and cocoanuts. On the 24th we hedged the vessel closer to the mission station, and landed stores. The natives carried them, and received tobacco as payment. Mr. Ingham kindly furnished us with galvanised iron and timber to build a store for ourselves. On the same day the cutter Swan arrived with five men on board. On the 25th we pitched our camp on a hill close to the mission station, and named the place Expedition Hill. On the 26th we went into a lagoon near by and washed our clothes. On the 27th we held a meeting at the camp. The committee appointed submitted rules and regulations framed by them, which were unanimously adopted. These rules and regulations, though only temporary, are calculated to protect ns in prospecting areas, and give us large ordinary claims if we find payable gold ; also for the purpose of maintaining law and order, and to punish any person who interferes with natives or their property. Mr. J. Hanran was appointed warden, and leave given him also to act as judge. After we leave here any member of the party reporting, without the consent of all, will be liable to capital punishment. Mr. Hanran addressed a meeting of the party. This expedition, ho said, was formed in New South Wales, and at our own expense. Mr. Copeland asked in the Assembly whether it was the intention of the New South Wales Government to send any person to New Guinea to report, and to which a member of the Government, I think it was Mr. Suttor, answered “No.” But, fortunately perhaps tor us, there is a gentleman here to look after the interests of the Queensland Government, and he says himself that as yet he has no authority over us, but at the same time Mr. Ingham has served us in a manner which is creditable to himself and the colony he represents. He has obliged us by giving us galvanised iron and planks to build a store for our goods ; he has negotiated and formed a good friendly understanding between ourselves and the natives, and we have received many little presents and acts of kindness from him; he has given us a great deal of information and assistance, and I believe he will go up the country with us and bring an interpreter with him to negotiate with the natives as we proceed. “Now, gentlemen,” continued Mr. Hanran, “ I think we would fail in courtesy and in garatitude if we don’t give this gentleman a token of our respect; therefore I propose a committee of five be appointed to present Mr. Ingham with a testimonial.” The committee was appointed accordingly, and Mr. Ingham was presented with an address. On the 20th, at half-past ten a.m., a meeting was held to make final arrangements for a grand march through New Guinea, and I think we will give it a fairtrial for precious metal. We strike camp on the Ist of May. I hops people coming hero will be cautious, as I am informed that Mr. Goldie very carefully washed and prospected where he got the color of gold. However, we are here, and I think it is not advisable for anyone to risk their means or health until we give this place a fair trial. Another of the horses died after . lauding ; he was very old and in bad condition; he belonged to one of the Cooktown men. Men coming here should bring the best of horses or mules with them, because when yon lose one you can’t replace it. On the 30th a meeting of the New Guinea expedition was held in the evening. Mr. John Hanran was appointed secretary pro teni, and it was resolved, —-That we landed here to prospect this island for gold and other minerals which, if we find in payable quantities, will be an inducement for Great Britain, or one of her colonies, to annex this island, which is what we unanimously and heartily wish for *, also, that as such discovery might bo an’ inducement to some speculators to land hordes of Chinese, as they have done at the Palmer goldfields, we unanimously pledge ourselves to sacrifice our lives and fortunes to prevent Chinamen from lauding.—l am, dear sir, very truly yours, John Hansox. P.S.— Mr. Goldie has just returned from a trip down the coast.