NEW GUINEA.

Thames Star, Volume IX, Issue 3065, 11 December 1878, Page 2

NEW GUINEA.

A travelling correspondent of the Argus has been writing some very readable papers about Java. On his return, the steamer called at New Guinea, and this is' what he says of it:—New- Guinea is now to our left, and some natives came on

j board in early morning with birds of paradise—stuffed ones—for, sale., "These are eagerly, caught up by the passenger*, who would have bought any quantity that offered of these lamps of featheredtaauty. New Guinea is the native home o(, this bird, and would seem' to be its chief, if not only article of merchandise.'- The natives brought nothing else; and,'what -was very strange, wanted .no. money.for their wares. Tobacco in any shape was the equivalent. A simple handful of the' odious Javanese cigars" Bought me a bird of paradise that looked .really deserving of its title, though New Guinea hardly comes up to one's idea of heaven. It rather tends to,remind one. of the hereafter in its other aspect—it is 10 dreadfully hot. The idea; of white men ever digging there .successfully for gold or digging for anything else is ridioulpus. Labor for the white-skinned is «ut of jth« question altogether in New Guinea.; To lift a shovel and carry it along would bring a shower of perspirtion about'one. The peculiar heat of the country is of the moist' kind that indisposes the moat energetic to any exertion*. It is also a swampy and miasmatic land for the most part of it, and greatly productive of fever and other sickness to most Europeans. Hospitality might be obtained front, the natives if they had wherewith ,to show it, . but., it is a' poor land in that respect, and its inhabitants se?in mostly to live in a state of want Nature puts limits to the bounds, within which ibe white man may successfully labour. He fails outside of these, and New.Gume 1*

is a long way on the outside... One thingto my. mind settled all questions about the value of New Guinea as a settlement for a white population.; The Dutch hate for years had possession of the northern part of it--" Prince Frederick's Land/ Had their possession proved profitable— and none kuow better' how to make profit of other folks' land and labor-than the Dutch—they would long since hare got. possession of the whole island. Their

not doing so tells, to anyone who knoiri the Dutchman, all that I want to know

at<out JSew Guinea, and all that anyone need to know. . ; ; :, i >