NEW GUINEA EXPLORATION.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1586, 24 May 1887, Page 3

NEW GUINEA EXPLORATION.

A telegram from Brisbane, dated May 10, m j t . -The steamer Victory arrived at Thursday Island on the 3rd May from New Guinea with Messrs Burns, Pbilp and Company's exploring expedition, (nnder the leadership of Mr Theodore Bevan),on board, and brings an inters!ting Account of exploration in New Guinea. All the explorers are well, and the trip has been a treat success from a geographioal point of view. Mr Bevan reports as follows:—" We left Thursday Island on the 18th March, and arrived at the mouth of the iird River on the 21st, where we found a broad channel carrying from three to seven fathoms of water light into the river. After following the Aird up we found that it was only one of many mouths of a great fresh water river coming 'from the mountain ranges. After trying various ohannels, we got into the main river, whioh is a magnificent stream, and followed it up to the head, 80 miles in a direct line from the coast, good water all the way into the ranges. We found a magnificent sew river, with entrance of over three miles wide olose to Bold Head. We proceeded up the Btream ten miles by the river courses, passing through ranges and gorges in places 1500 ft high, Finally the river became too dangerous to proceed any further with a vessel of the Victory's draught of 9ft. At the point at whioh the Viotory turned back the river is 800 yards wide, with water from two to five fathoms. We turned down the same river in Deoeption Bay. The country is practioally uninhabited, only a few tribes of natives having been met with, with whom friendly relations were established. The country it splendid sorub oountry, and there is very rich agricultural land on both rivers. Very fine weather prevailed throughout the trip, with a cool climate, and there were no mosquitoes. A telegram dated May •11th, says:—"The New Guinea mail steamer Truginini brings intelligence of the wreok of the Pride of Lovan on Moresby Island, and the massacre of all her crew, consisting of six Chinamen. The vessel went ashore during a N.W. gale. The crew were properly treated by the natires for a few days, and then brutally murdered. The vessel was also stripped and broken up. The Truginini visited tbe soene of the massacre, but the natives had all oleared into the mountains."