W. D. PITCAIRN, (continued 2)

When smoking the "bau-bau" they seat themselves in a circle. The pipe is always artistically carved, and is a great favourite with the women.

Having lost our only dinghy, I purchased from the natives a canoe with an outrigger attached, capable of holding two persons. I had to pay one American hatchet for it. It came in very handy, as without it I should have been dependent on the natives for going ashore.

Some of their canoes here are very large, carrying a big mat sail made from the palm-tree, the seams well caulked and tarred. It is surprising how quickly they can travel, and how close to the wind they can go. They go out with them in all sorts of weather, and it is very seldom they get upset. The leading man in the canoe sits in the stern sheets and acts as helmsman.

He also gives the word of command. When it is time to make sail, he sings out in a loud voice, "Wai-wai, Wai-wai," and when the great sail has been hoisted to the peak, he calls out, "Besi" (that will do), the halyards and sheets are belayed, the sail is canted over, and away she scuds before the breeze.

The prows of their canoes are decorated with numbers of the white egg-shaped cowrie shell, and, like our own vessels, each canoe has a particular name.

The natives trade a good deal amongst themselves, in some instances taking sago in their large canoes a distance of 300 miles, bringing back in exchange yams, betel-nut, etc.

Having obtained several bags of Bêche-de-mer and copra, and stowed them safely on board, I took advantage of a light favourable wind and left for Samarai (China Straits).

After an uneventful passage of 18 hours I dropped the anchor a little after midnight.

CHAPTER V.

A GOLDEN PROSPECT.

When not engaged in trading operations I occasionally made excursions on the mainland, and at different times prospected several creeks, hoping to obtain traces of gold, but such hopes were not fulfilled. One of the creeks I followed had a formation identical with those on Sud-Est, where payable gold was found. The bed of this creek was composed of slate, with slate bars here and there. The banks sloped on either side. With more time to prosecute the search possibly the result would have been different.

Mr. Andrew Goldie, who has been in New Guinea about 14 years, is said to have discovered traces of gold many years ago, but nothing came of it.

Everyone held more or less the belief that gold existed in the country, but, strange to say, no one had taken much trouble to prove it.

One evening, towards the end of May, 1888, I was quietly reclining on a lounge, smoking my pipe and enjoying the beauties of a tropical night, when suddenly the door of my room was opened and eight stalwart men appeared out of the blackness of the night. I was taken quite by surprise, as I had not heard any vessel let go her anchor.

It turned out, however, that the cutter Juanita from Cooktown, with a party of eight diggers or prospectors, had arrived, with Mr. Whyte as leader. I knew Whyte and one or two of the others. Water diluted with a little whisky was at once produced, when numerous questions were eagerly asked and answered.

In answer to my query what was their object in coming to New Guinea, Mr. Whyte said that the party was organised by himself under the authority of the Hon. John Douglas, at that time "Special Commissioner" for British New Guinea under the "Protectorate."

Mr. Douglas had given them special powers and privileges to prospect for gold and other minerals over the whole of the territory under British protection. I may as well here state the causes that led to this sudden action on the part of Mr. Douglas.

Two months previously, David Whyte, who was engaged on a pearl-shelling boat in the Louisiade Archipelago (which is part and parcel of British New Guinea territory), and who, by the bye, was hard up at the time, informed Mr. Douglas that he had discovered an auriferous reef on Johannet Island, situated in the above named group, showing him specimens therefrom.

This information resulted in Mr. Douglas purchasing the Juanita, a cutter of seven to nine tons burthen, and provisioning it for a three months' cruise. Mr. Whyte found eight practical miners who were willing to go with him although they were well aware that he was not a miner. The adventurous party, who were loudly cheered on their departure from Cooktown, set sail on May 23rd, and arrived, as I have already stated, off the Island of Samarai on the evening of May 28th, 1888. The party stayed on the island for a couple of days in order to take in a fresh supply of wood and water before proceeding on their journey.

Johannet Island lies 140 miles to the eastward of China Straits, which necessitates beating to windward nearly the whole of the distance. At the time of their arrival H—— and I were the only white men on Samarai, whilst there were as many as 250 natives, most of them visitors from different parts, some from Milne Bay, others from Tube-Tube (Engineer group), Basilaki, and various places. The resident natives only numbered about 50.

On May 31st I was strolling round the island with two or three of the "diggers," pointing out some of its beauties, when, near a large group of natives, I heard a buzz of angry voices. I immediately hastened to the spot anxious to find out the cause of the disturbance. Numbers of large canoes belonging to the native visitors were drawn up in regimental line on the beach. Hard by, in an open grove of beautiful coco-palms, about 100 natives belonging to Wagga-Wagga (Milne Bay) were drawn up in review order, opposite to them were 50 natives from Tube-Tube, one of the islands of the Engineer Group, ranged in double ranks in the position known as "ready to receive cavalry." A few moments before not an arm, not a spear, was to be seen. Now they appeared to have sprung from the ground, as all the warriors were suddenly armed with them. The spears had, in fact, been hidden in the canoes a few yards away.

Matters began to wear a serious aspect. Both parties had worked themselves into a most excited state. The attacking party, viz., the men from Wagga-Wagga, intent on crushing their foes, gradually drew nearer, each with his long and deadly spear poised, ready to lunge it in the breast of his antagonist, until they had advanced to within a few yards of their opponents. I expected every moment to see the spears, held in itching hands, hurled. I could not but admire the cool courage with which the Tube-Tube men awaited the onslaught, nothwithstanding the disparity of numbers. Each belligerent party hesitated.

However, I could plainly see that it was merely a question of time. In a few minutes, maybe, their feelings would get the better of their judgment and blood be spilt. Not knowing what evil consequences might not result from such an ending, there being nearly 300 savages on the island, I hastily despatched a native boy named "Ginger" to a house a short distance away, telling him to bring back three or four Winchester rifles duly loaded. He returned in a few minutes with them. We armed ourselves and forced the Wagga-Wagga natives to retire, and leave the island in their canoes, thus averting unnecessary bloodshed. Had we not acted promptly, goodness knows where the fight would have ended. There was great excitement in the place for several hours afterwards, the wives and sweethearts of the men taking a lively interest in the events of the day. War was averted.

It seems, according to the Wagga-Wagga version, that one of the Tube-Tube men had stolen something from a Wagga-Wagga man. This the Tube-Tube natives denied, but it was evident that the two tribes were natural enemies, and that the quarrel was only got up through their hatred of one another.

The weapons used in this part are the spear, stone hatchet, club, shield, and a small spear something like a dart. To the westward they have the spear, club, tomahawk, and bow and arrows.

They are wonderfully expert with the latter, being dead shots at a distance of 80 yards, the bow and arrow being much more dangerous to my mind than the spear. The bows are very large, strong, and beautifully made. They have also a horrible, murderous-looking weapon, called a man-catcher, which is used by them in their nefarious head-hunting expeditions. It is a large loop of rattan with a long handle of bamboo; at the bottom or foot of the loop a sharp spike about four inches in length is inserted. The loop is thrown over the head of the retreating victim, the sudden jerk causing the spike to enter the base of the skull, producing instant death; the head is then severed from the body and kept as an article of barter. You will often come across a number of skulls stuck in a ghastly row outside the houses. This, of course, is direct evidence of the wealth of the proprietor, as with them he can purchase anything he desires.

Having taken in a fresh supply of wood and water, the prospecting party left in the Juanita for Johannet Island, which they reached on June 10th.

Whyte was asked by the "diggers" to point out the golden reef that he had discovered. He showed them a "buck reef" (by which is meant a quartz reef not bearing gold), which never had carried gold and never would. In fact there was no trace of gold on the whole island. The outraged feelings of the diggers may be imagined; they were simply furious.

Fortunately, however, there was a larger island seven miles distant, viz., Sud-Est.

They went there, and on the second day after landing discovered traces of gold. Their spirits rose at once. They diligently followed them up, and in a little over two months obtained 150 ounces, of the value of £550. Mr. Douglas had stipulated that at the end of three months the boat was to be returned to the British New Guinea Government, which was accordingly done. I saw the members of the party in China Straits upon their return from Sud-Est. They reported that they had worked the field out and that it was very patchy. This report speedily reached Cooktown, setting it on fire, everyone believing that there were millions of ounces of the precious metal awaiting their grasp. A party of 26 diggers left Cooktown on August 14th, in the schooner Griffin, other sailing vessels following at short intervals.

This discovery caused the Home Government to create British New Guinea a "British Possession," which was declared at Port Moresby on September 6th, 1888, and an Administrator, now Sir William Macgregor, was appointed.

A high customs tariff was at once imposed on all imports, which revenue came as a relief to the impoverished state of the New Guinea funds.

Six or seven weeks after the above events, the cutter "S——l," 12 tons register, owned by a friend of mine, arrived from Cooktown. As my friend purposed going on to the Sud-Est Goldfield, I decided to go with him in his cutter.

They had a large cargo on board of dutiable goods, such as tobacco, general stores, etc.

Up to this time (September 30th, 1888) no word of the declaration had reached us from Port Moresby, nor any schedule of the tariff, which we took for granted would be imposed. The Government schooner Hygeia, with the Administrator on board, was hourly expected from the above-named port.

As most of the goods on board the "S——l" were under bond, we were anxious to reach Sud-Est before the arrival of the Government and get rid of a quantity before duties could be levied.

Having got everything ship-shape and still no sign of the Hygeia, Captain S——g went to the Government Agent at Samarai, Mr. Edelfelt, an ignorant foreigner, and asked him for his clearance for Sud-Est. The agent very impolitely refused to grant it, stating that, as the Hygeia was expected every moment, it would be necessary for us to pay duty on everything before we could obtain a clearance.

What an absurdity! Fancy paying duty before knowing what the duties were, or having had any official intimation of them! We distinctly refused to grant this request, and demanded our clearance, as our sails were all unfurled and everything ready for a start. We then went on board our cutter, telling the agent we would give him an hour to reconsider his decision.

In about an hour and a half we received a letter from him, in which he defied us to leave without a clearance, and stating that if we did so we should have to take the consequences. Seeing that nothing was to be gained by arguing with such a man, [1] orders were at once given to let go; the sails were hoisted and away we went without the coveted clearance, as we had lost quite enough time as it was. We touched at Sariba to take in water and left the same evening for Sud-Est. No sooner had we got abreast of the Island of Doini (Blanchard), six miles distant, than the Hygeia, from Port Moresby, hove in sight, bound for Samarai.

She only stayed two hours in port, when she hurriedly left for Sud-Est. As she was a smart sailer, and of 60 to 70 tons burthen, she passed us during the following night, reaching Sud-Est two days in advance of us. The Administrator had, of course, been duly informed by the agent, Mr. Edelfelt, of our reprehensible conduct in leaving without his august sanction.

The trip to Sud-Est was most enjoyable, the weather being everything that could be desired. We kept inside the Long Reef, passing Teste Island on our right. We were never more than half a day out of sight of land.

We had to pass through a perfect network of reefs and islands—islands of tropical beauty, covered with succulent grasses, and smiling groves of palms bending beneath the weight of their luscious fruit.

Every now and then a large canoe, filled with dusky forms, would shoot out from an adjacent island and pay us a flying visit.

We had a tow line astern with a hook covered with a piece of red and white calico, and every day we hauled up a couple of splendid fish, sometimes a king fish, at other times a sea salmon. We ate what we could and dried the remainder, cutting them into strips and hanging them in the rigging.

After passing Brooker Island, we entered the Sud-Est Barrier, and the next night anchored off Grassy Island, as just here the reefs are very numerous, making it unsafe to travel at night.

At daylight in the morning we were off again, and in the afternoon, when only three miles from the anchorage of Sud-Est, we grounded on a coral patch. We tried to get her off, but she would not budge; however, the tide was making, so we had nothing to fear. Whilst in this position, a boat from H.M.S. Swinger, containing the chief lieutenant and half-a-dozen Jack tars, boarded us. The lieutenant, who was most courteous, informed us that Sir Wm. Macgregor was very wroth at our behaviour and had a good mind to seize our vessel. We received this news with wonderful calmness and fortitude, as for the life of us we could see no reason for seizure. By the kind help of the lieutenant and his men, we were enabled to get clear of the reef, and proceeded to our anchorage, which we reached just before dark. At the request of the Administrator, on the following morning Captain S——g went on board the Hygeia. The governor, who was in anything but a good humour, asked him why his vessel should not be seized? Captain S——g explained all the circumstances of the case, not forgetting to dwell on the stupidity of the Government Agent at Samarai.

The governor then said:

"Well, you will have to pay duty on all your goods before landing a package," to which my friend answered:

"I have no intention of doing anything of the kind, nor have I the necessary funds for the purpose. I am quite prepared to pay duty on such goods as I may require for immediate sale, and the balance of them you can put in the Government Bond until such time as I may require to clear them."

The governor had evidently imagined that he had an ignorant fool to deal with, and was consequently disagreeably surprised. He foolishly lost his temper, telling S——g "that he ought to know perfectly well that the Government had not any bonded stores on Sud-Est yet." But, in the name of common-sense, how does that give the Government a right to exact from people the duty on the whole of their goods? However, the result was, the governor had to give in. My friend only paid about £8 in duties, the balance of the bonded goods having to be sealed down under hatches. So we won the day.

The next morning I went ashore. The landing, which is at Griffin Point, is very bad. You have to wade through mangrove mud, the stench of which is enough to breed fever, and then climb a very steep ascent to the first camp.

Here there are numbers of canvas tents pitched on a grassy flat, and it is no easy task carrying heavy packages and tools up to it. About 400 men were on the ground. Some were doing well, others making good wages, whilst many were not making "tucker." Others again were lying in the tents sick with fever.

The field only lasted twelve months, during which time dozens of diggers died from malaria, and, although several thousands of ounces of gold were obtained from the islands, it cost a lot of money to get them. It was all alluvial digging from six inches to two feet wash, no reef carrying gold having been found.

Sud-Est is a large island 40 miles in length and eight miles broad. The coast runs east and west, and is surrounded by a fringe of mangroves, with a coral reef extending some distance from its shores. It has high land, the principal mountain, Mount Rattlesnake, which is on the south-east coast, having an altitude of over 3,000 feet. There are hundreds of deep gullies running north and south, with bold hills, covered with good grass, separating them. These hills would make excellent pasturage for cattle, and after a time for sheep also, the grass at present being a little too rank. The deep gullies on all sides would act as natural fences. There is also an inexhaustible supply of good water. There are hundreds of native foot-paths leading along these hills and across the gullies throughout the length and breadth of the island. The gullies are very steep and densely wooded. The rivers and creeks, whose name is legion, run north and south, with gullies, for the most part dry, meeting them at right angles.

The greater part of the gold was found on the western side of the island. Strange to say, there was no indication of any leaders or reefs bearing gold, although, occasionally, nuggets weighing four ounces were obtained. At the same time there are many barren quartz reefs here and there. In my opinion, Sud-Est is one of the healthiest spots in New Guinea. The great sickness amongst the diggers was caused by turning up the virgin soil in the workings and so releasing the malarial germs. When the unwholesome food and change in the climate is further considered, one cannot wonder at the result. Such is nearly always the case in new gold-fields.

All the native houses on Sud-Est are built on the summit of the highest hills or mountains. I should estimate the total population to be from 3,000 to 4,000.

The natives I saw are smaller than those living on the mainland, in fact, as far as I could judge, they seemed to be half-starved. The coco-nut trees are very few and far between, and yams anything but plentiful. I believe the real reason for this barrenness is to be traced to the fear of their enemies. This is undoubtedly the reason why they build their houses in such inaccessible places, invisible until you are close to them. The natives of Brooker Island constantly make expeditions to Sud-Est in their large war canoes for the express purpose of obtaining heads, and as they are more powerful than their opponents, seldom leave without a number of these ghastly trophies. No wonder the natives of Sud-Est live in mortal dread of them.

Whilst I was on the island, a deputation of miners waited on the warden (Mr. Cameron), requesting him to interview the governor with respect to taking a party of diggers in the Hygeia for prospecting Rossel and other large islands, as the number of men on Sud-Est was too great for the amount of gold procurable.

Mr. Cameron spoke to the governor, who consented to act on the suggestion on the understanding that the number must not exceed 15, and that those brought their own "tucker." A committee was formed of seven, of which I was one, and the ballot for the 15 took place in one of the tents. The names of those elected were posted up outside.

The party left the next morning, arriving at Rossel Island the following day. Rossel is the last and easternmost island in the Louisiades. It is not so large as Sud-Est, being only about 25 miles long. The eastern end is thickly inhabited. The natives here have a very bad character, and up to the present time white men have been unable to trade with them. It is said that many years ago a large vessel, [2] with 350 Chinamen on board, got driven out of her course through stress of weather and ran ashore on the island. The natives, who were very numerous, surrounded her, and succeeded in capturing all the Chinamen. They made prisoners of them, fattened them up, and killed and ate them whenever their stocks ran short.

It is a curious and also a fortunate fact that the natives much prefer a Chinaman, or one of their own race, to a European. The reason they give is, that a European is not a good-feeding animal; he eats too much meat and not enough vegetables.

The above facts may be of some use to the advocates of vegetarianism.

Cannibalism is still rampant in some districts, but in others has died out. A man who has died a natural death is never eaten. Human flesh is deemed far superior to pig, of which animal they have plenty, and, strange to say, cannibalism is just as rife in districts where other food is abundant as in those where it is scarce. The natives have no European prejudices regarding the human body, and eat it with as good a conscience and as much gusto as we do butcher's meat. To a civilized person, this is of course repugnant, but we must remember "different countries have different customs."

The Hygeia party spent three days on Rossel, but did not succeed in finding paying gold, only bare "colours" of the precious metal. What else could they expect for a three days' prospect? They then went to Messima (St. Aignan), a large island 40 miles to the north, spent a couple of days on shore finding nothing but "colours," never attempting to follow them up. They afterwards visited Normanby, Ferguson, and Goodenough, all large islands lying to the north of East Cape, and on to China Straits, where they disembarked, having failed in their search.

A few weeks later, a number of "diggers" left Sud-Est on their own behalf, journeying to St. Aignan. They spent several weeks in prospecting, at the end of which they had the satisfaction of discovering two large gullies bearing paying gold. The news of the "find" soon reached Sud-Est, and in a short time 100 men found their way to the new "rush."

The country of St. Aignan is much more broken than Sud-Est, and, owing to the denseness of the scrub, is more difficult to travel in. In spite of these disadvantages, a large quantity of gold was obtained, and had it not been for the great amount of sickness amongst the diggers, this quantity would have been considerably increased. Three friends of mine left St. Aignan and went in a small cutter to Normanby Island. They stayed there for four weeks, and not meeting with success proceeded to the adjoining island, viz., Fergusson. The latter is larger than Sud-Est, is only 15 miles from the mainland, and is thickly populated. In a few days they discovered good traces of gold. Unfortunately they were unable to continue the search, as their "tucker" had run short, and also their number (three) was too small to cope with the savages. They liked the look of the country and were strongly of the opinion that it contained paying gold, and much regretted their inability to remain. There are numerous boiling springs on this island, which is evidently of volcanic origin.

The discovery of this "Field" has nevertheless proved conclusively that gold in paying quantities exists in British New Guinea. It certainly was found 100 to 150 miles away from the mainland, but from the formation of the islands, which extend from within a few miles of it in one unbroken line as far as Sud-Est, there being only very narrow straits separating them, it is not too much to say that at one time they formed part of that mainland; therefore it is a fair hypothesis that gold exists there in payable quantities and merely requires tracing.

There have been one or two prospecting parties for that purpose, principally in the neighbourhood of the San Joseph River, on the south coast. They were badly equipped, and as might be expected, were unsuccessful.

Notwithstanding this discouragement, I see no reason to doubt that, within the coming two years, gold will be found in New Guinea proper and in large quantities, but the search, to be successful, must be undertaken by a party fully equipped and with plenty of carriers, South Sea Islanders being the best and most reliable.

CHAPTER VI.

VOYAGE TO BISMARCK ARCHIPELAGO.

Having been some weeks on Sud-Est, I left in the cutter S——l, and after a smart passage of four days, arrived in China Straits.

The first news that greeted us was that Captain Ancell, of the ketch Star of Peace, had been cruelly murdered by the natives of Chad's Bay, only 30 miles distant from our anchorage. His vessel had then been burnt, after the whole of the "Trade" had been taken out of her and divided amongst them. Captain Ancell was an old man, and one who had always treated the natives with kindness.

I have often had a yarn with him on board his craft, and heard the lamentable news of his death with much sorrow. The natives, generally speaking, are most treacherous, but there are exceptions. The Bush tribes are infinitely more savage than those living on the coast, and the latter have a wholesome dread of them, as they periodically make raids, at which times a terrible panic ensues. The Bushmen are much dirtier and more unkempt, evidently being totally ignorant of the benefits of a bath.

In navigating the waters of New Guinea and touching at the various islands and mainland, if you be on a trading expedition, great care must be exercised, as the sight of a large quantity of "Trade," such as tobacco, hatchets, etc., immediately kindles a desire in the natives to acquire it, and unless you keep a careful watch and are well armed, they will kill you for the sake of the booty, and then set fire to the vessel. Many a vessel and many a white man have met that untimely fate during the last three years, and among them several of my friends. Looking at it from a philosophical point of view, this desire on the part of the natives is but natural. How many of us, notwithstanding our boasted centuries of civilization, envy a man his wealth and riches, and, but for the strong arm of the law, might even go to the extremity of killing him for the sake of plunder.

At times they seem to kill for the sake of killing. It is a savage instinct (acquired perhaps for defence) belonging to primitive or early man. Doubtless, some of my readers have heard the story of the aboriginal boy of Queensland who was walking behind his master and begged of him permission to go in front, as "he had such an intense desire to kill him." In the English schoolboy, who delights in torturing animals, in tieing tin cans to dogs' tails, and in playing practical jokes upon his friends, a relic of savage nature inherited by him from ancestors of a remote age may be recognised.

It is only by dint of centuries of civilization and refinement, that we have been enabled to control and dominate our savage instincts, whereas those of primitive man are free and unrestrained, so we must make some allowances for these wild children of Nature. Maybe, centuries hence, given the same opportunities for advancement that we have had, they, too, will eventually become "even as we are," and their present savage instincts be toned down into mere sport and playfulness. At any rate, we may hope that these, our dreams of the future, are prophetic.

The Government schooner Hygeia had just arrived in port, and upon hearing the sad news of the murder, the Administrator (Sir Wm. Macgregor) determined to go to the scene of the tragedy, taking with him the diggers on board, with whose assistance he purposed giving the perpetrators of the outrage a lesson they would not soon forget. At this time I had made arrangements to go in the cutter S——l on a trading expedition to some of the wildest districts of British New Guinea, where the natives speak a different language, and where a white man is a rara avis. The party comprised three all told, not a very large number considering the dangerous parts we intended to visit.

There was the captain, S——g, K——h, chief officer and I, second mate and crew.

Not having any cargo on board, unless a few cases of "Trade" may be counted as such, we had to fill up with ballast, consisting of stones or rocks obtained on the beach. It is preferable to bags of sand, as the latter are liable to impede the working of the pump, and, as our little craft had a small leak, we were all the more anxious to keep the pump in good working order and free from all obstruction, as upon it much might depend.

We made an early start, taking full advantage of the ebb tide, which is very strong in these waters, running at the rate of six miles an hour. We had not long left the anchorage when day began to break.

We soon swept past the South Foreland and across Milne Bay, anchoring in a small bight on its northern shores, a few miles to the westward of East Cape. Not far from here, viz. at Bentley Bay, which lies to the north-west, there are some strange-looking natives. All the men have the fully-developed breasts of a woman. This is all the more remarkable, as such a peculiarity, as far as my knowledge goes, is unknown in any other part of New Guinea.

The distance across Milne Bay, from the South Foreland to East Cape, is about ten miles, and from the mouth to the head of the bay somewhat over twenty. Its shores are lined by numbers of villages, all of them densely inhabited and in a prosperous condition. The villages are a mile or so apart, and the natives dwelling in them are of a light brown colour, some approaching in fairness to Europeans.

I was spending the night at a place called "Killerton," and after kai-kai (supper) joined a circle of young men and maidens who were seated on the ground, passing the tranquil hours of night in singing and general conversation. The conversation was hardly suited to a fashionable drawing-room reception, but from a native's point of view was modesty itself.

Among the faces grouped around me I was much struck by that of a young girl of about 16 years of age. Her complexion was very fair, her figure full of grace. Her face, of which the features were decidedly of a Caucasian type, was full of animation, her eyes sparkling with fun and humour, a "toga" or scarf was loosely thrown over her left shoulder, serving to heighten the effect of her charms, as she coquettishly tossed her head aside, her eyes at one time pensively looking downwards, at another filled with the fire of impetuous youth. At first I mistook her for a half-caste, but I reflected that such a breed is unknown in New Guinea; and afterwards, from my enquiries, learnt that both her parents were natives, pure and simple.

There are splendid plantations of yams, taro, bananas, plantains, sweet potatoes, and groves of sago, coco-nut, and the betel palm, extending from the beach for several miles inland. Behind is a vast amphitheatre of mountains, with numerous rivers and creeks.

The soil on the flats is most fertile, and capable of growing anything. Near the village "Maivara" there is some very good undulating land, which I have not the slightest doubt would fatten cattle. There is but one drawback to this district, viz., the heavy moisture caused by the frequent rains. This excess of moisture makes a prolonged residence in the bay unhealthy. The natives are better off here than in most parts. They have good houses, fine plantations, and a superabundance of food. They are very fond of feasting and dancing, and hold several great feasts during the year.

I must not omit to mention the millions of coco-nut palms that thrive here. They are to be found in all stages of growth, and close to the water's edge.

On the one tree you can see a whole family of nuts, from the baby, the size of a walnut, to the fully-matured, the size of a human head.

It is from Milne Bay that the greater part of the copra is obtained. I should estimate the total population of the bay to be not far short of 8,000. From this number a very fair idea of the quantities of yams, taro, etc., necessary for home consumption, may be formed.

We remained at anchor one night and at 7 a.m. the next day decided to weigh anchor, and continue our journey. Easier said than done. Two of us worked at the winch, heaved the chain short, when, to our discomfiture, the anchor obstinately refused to leave its watery bed. We tugged and swore, then swore and tugged, but all to no purpose. The anchor, which was a heavy one, had evidently got foul of a lump of coral, and do what we could we were unable to influence it. We were in about seven fathoms of water, and in dangerous proximity to a coral reef, just on our lee. To add to the mortification of our enforced imprisonment, the breeze was every moment increasing in strength. Of course we might have slipped our cable, but what should we have down with only a light anchor to depend upon? We should have been obliged to relinquish our voyage, and return to China Straits. Seeing some natives on the beach we hailed them, when they at once boarded us. Upon offering them several sticks of tobacco, three of them dived and attempted to free the anchor. The attempt proved futile, as the water was too deep for them. We then got out a kedge anchor, and hoisted the mainsail, but all of no avail.

We now held a consultation, and one of us suggested we should slip the cable.

We decided, after a few minutes' rest, to have one more trial, and if unsuccessful to leave our anchor at the bottom of the ocean, and return to port. After numerous efforts, we felt a sudden jerk, when up came the anchor with a large lump of coral attached to it. We were soon under weigh, and after beating for several hours under a strong breeze, came to an anchorage close to a native village on Lydia Island.

This island is immediately abreast of Normanby Island or Du-au. There are numerous villages here, and all the hills are covered with plantations. The natives, too, are superior, and, in my opinion, thoroughly to be trusted. A native chief, named Paulo, owns considerable property on the island, and therefore has great influence. I have often met him, and have invariably found him to be trustworthy.

He is not particularly handsome, having a mouth of enormous dimensions, as large as an ordinary letter-box. His headquarters are at "Quato," but he often spends a couple of weeks at his country residence on Lydia Island.

As we had a long journey before us we obtained from the natives a large quantity of firewood, and filled up our water tank and cask, as, on a voyage of any extent, those are the two most important items. We invited one of the natives to accompany us on the trip. He signified his willingness, and came on board. We made a start early the next morning, and after accompanying us for a mile, he jumped into his canoe and returned home. As we purposed going such a great distance, he considered the chances of coming back very remote and uncertain. He would have come in very handy for cutting up firewood and boiling yams, otherwise we were just as well without him.

The harbour we had just left is an excellent one, with good holding ground and perfectly sheltered from all winds.

We had to navigate between several dangerous-looking coral reefs, and in a few hours rounded Cape Ventenat, the south end of Normanby Island.

Canoes came from the shore loaded with yams, etc., which we purchased from the natives, keeping our vessel close-hauled, in order to permit of their approach.

We soon left them far behind, and passed close to the small island "Digaragara." This last is memorable on account of the terrible tragedy that took place there a few years previously.

A young man, Fred Miller, who was engaged in the Bêche-de-mer fishery, had a smoke house on this island, and employed several of the savages. His boat was on the beach, and he was superintending the curing of the fish, when the natives, without any warning, suddenly made a dash at him. Some held him while the others put an end to him with their "tomahawks." Miller had always treated the natives well, and had never interfered with or molested them in any way. It was simply their lust of plunder, added to the distinction gained by obtaining a human head.

Were these diabolical savages punished for this outrage?

I regret to say no. Nothing was done to them. It was only another white man added to their list of victims. His murderers are to this day enjoying their full liberty, and doubtless, when seated around the camp fires, recount to their friends, with careless glee, the history of their terrible deeds.

Everyone who had known Miller, and he had many friends, was furious when he heard the details of the massacre.

The natives of Normanby have always been of a stubborn and hostile disposition, refusing to have anything to do with the white man, or to have any trading relations with him. Maybe this is partly owing to the terrible scenes enacted by those on board the Hopeful seven years ago. The Hopeful was a schooner engaged in the labour trade.

She was accustomed to make voyages to the South Seas for the purpose of obtaining Kanaka labourers for the sugar plantations in Queensland. The term of their indentures was three years, when they had to be restored to their homes.

About the year 1883, finding the business in the South Seas rather overdone, she turned her attention to New Guinea.

A man of the name of Williams was the captain in command of her, and McNeil acted as Government agent. They proceeded to Normanby Island for recruiting purposes.

Instead of obtaining recruits in a legitimate way, they behaved in the most brutal manner. Armed to the teeth, they landed in one of their boats and kidnapped the natives against their will. If any struggled they shot them down without mercy, and even shot them in the water as they were swimming from their canoes to the shore.

After killing many, and imprisoning as many as they could on board, they sailed to Queensland, where they landed their living freight.

They say "murder will out," and so it did in this instance. The Government, immediately upon hearing of their outrageous conduct, arrested McNeil and Williams, and at the same time caused the unwilling immigrants to be returned to their island homes. In due course the two culprits were tried, found guilty, and sentenced to be hanged. As is fashionable in such cases, a monster petition was got up by the people of Queensland to reprieve these murderers, and laid before the Executive Council. After long deliberation the Council commuted the sentence to penal servitude for life, the first five years in irons. One of the prisoners (McNeil) died in his irons. The Queensland Government also strictly forbade any more recruiting in New Guinea, so that was the last time natives in New Guinea were torn from their homes. Recruiting is still permitted in the South Seas, but the regulations in force are most strict.

At the time of my leaving Queensland for this country, namely, November, 1889, the Government were seriously considering the advisability of prohibiting further importation of Kanaka labour.

To this, of course, the planters seriously objected, as they maintain they cannot afford to work their plantations with white labour.

The Hopeful massacres have undoubtedly caused reprisals on the part of the Normanby Islanders, and not without excuse.

Unfortunately the innocent have to suffer for the sins of the guilty.

We now laid our course for the "Woodlark Islands," 70 miles to the north-east. We hugged the coast of Normanby as far as Cape Pearson, when we stood out to sea. The coast up to this point is very bold and rugged.

A square block of frowning mountains runs from Cape Ventenat to Cape Pearson.

Loud claps of thunder reverberated through the hills; black clouds were sailing along with threatening aspect. Strong gusts of wind burst with fury against our little craft as she tore through the seething foam.

We were travelling eight knots an hour—a great speed for a boat of 12 tons. Luckily, the wind was pretty favourable, otherwise we should have had a bad time of it. As it was, we deemed it prudent to close reef the mainsail and jib. Evidently we were in for a dirty night, as the wind hourly increased in strength. Our boat, however, was staunch and true, and laughed at wind and storm.

Darkness suddenly fell on us, as, in tropical countries, no sooner has the sun set than night spreads her black mantle over land and sea.

After careering for some hours at a breakneck speed, we began to think it was high time to "heave to." We roughly estimated the distance we had travelled and our proximity to a large island. Knowing that a reef extended from this island, we were most anxious to keep it at a respectful distance, as to run on to it at the rate of eight knots an hour meant certain destruction, as a heavy sea was breaking on it.

I suggested "heaving to," at 10.00 p.m., but my two comrades considered 9.30 to be safer, so, being in the minority, I gave in. Fortunate for us that we did so.

"Heaving to" with half a gale blowing, and a heavy sea running is rather a delicate matter. We took up our respective stations, and watching a good opportunity, sung out "ready" when, with the exception of shipping half-a-dozen buckets of water, the manœuvre was successfully carried out.

Everything was made as snug as possible, but we prepared ourselves to spend an anxious and restless night.

The wind still held sway. How our little craft did "job" about! There was no sleep for any of us that night. The whole of our attention was concentrated on the boat, as the slightest carelessness or neglect, in such a sea, on our part, would almost certainly have fatal consequences.

As the first streaks of dawn lined the horizon our position was made known to us.

To our great surprise, there, right in front of us, not 200 yards away, stood the island, with the coral reef merely a few boats' lengths ahead. We realized that we had had a narrow escape. Where should we have been had we "stood on" for a few seconds longer the previous night? Dashed to pieces amongst the coral rocks, and food for the sharks. In less than two minutes we had slackened the sheets and away we tore, our lee gunwale under water most of the time, beating our way to "Egum" (Little Woodlarks), 10 miles to the eastward, which we were glad to reach at 5 o'clock that evening.

Directly the sails were furled and everything made fast, we were honoured by a succession of visitors, both men and women. It is very unusual for the latter to come spontaneously on board. The chief's wife welcomed us to the island, and stated that a dish of yams was being prepared for our delectation. We sent on shore a billy-can and some tea, thus saving us the trouble of boiling it on board. We felt rather tired with our tempestuous voyage, and were glad of a rest.

Our most distinguished visitor was "Tokaiakus," the Dwarf.

Not having met him before, I was introduced with due ceremony. In all my travels I had never beheld such a curiosity. Let me endeavour to describe him. Imagine a man 3 feet 6 inches in height, of a chocolate colour, 35 years of age, having a Herculean chest, with arms the length of a child's. An immense head covered with a shock of hair falling on his neck in ringlets, a flat nose, and a mouth stretching from ear to ear. Add to all a light summer suit consisting of a palm leaf round his loins, and the picture is complete. He was, without exception, the most monstrous specimen of Papuan humanity in the whole of New Guinea. As both he and I understood the language spoken on the southeast coast, we soon became on friendly terms.

The chief of "Egum" was absent, having gone on a cruise to the "Trobriand Islands," and was not expected back for a month. The houses on "Egum" were different from those we had been accustomed to. Instead of being built on blocks they were level with the ground. The anchorage here is quite sheltered, being close in to a small reef.

The difficulty is in reaching it; once there you are in still water and can remain at anchor without fear of dragging. In navigating these parts you have to trust mainly to your eyesight as it is practically unsurveyed. A chart would only lead to confusion and maybe into peril.

"Egum" is connected with another small island by a coral reef on which the surf breaks with some violence. This reef lies to the E.N.E.

About sundown the natives came off with the yams and tea prepared for us.

They had boiled the yams in coco-nut milk, which is far preferable to water. We fell to with a will, the sea air having given us a good appetite. We showed our visitors over the vessel, when they expressed their admiration at everything they saw. They had never seen a vessel of such large dimensions, viz. 12 tons.

They were particularly interested in a cabinet photograph of a young lady, which adorned our cabin. We explained to them that it was a "Sina Dim-dim," i.e. a White Lady, in fact was the wife of one of us. In answer to our queries they considered her "very good."

After supper two of us took the dinghy and rowed on shore, leaving our mate in charge of the cutter.

The island contains about 30 inhabitants. We were quickly surrounded by the entire population. They were very anxious to know how long we intended to stay and whither we were bound? We informed them we were going a long way over the sea to a strange land, and could not possibly return for at least a month, but that we would not fail to give them a call on our way back.

The next morning we went to the adjoining island, where we bagged three or four pigeons. We also obtained some Bêche-de-mer from the natives, for which we paid them in tobacco.

I had hoped to meet a native princess, the daughter of the chief of the Woodlarks, but was doomed to disappointment. I had received a glowing description of her beauty, and my curiosity was excited. However, I had the pleasure of seeing her on my return visit.

A small cutter belonging to us, named the "A——s" had left "Egum" for the Trobriand Group a few days previous, so, as we wished to fall in with her, we decided to sail on the following day. We invited the dwarf and a boy of the name of Sindiwaia to accompany us, promising to bring them safely home in one "moon."

To our astonishment they both accepted our kind offer, notwithstanding we were bound for New Britain, a country they had never heard of. After taking an affectionate farewell of their friends they came on board with their luggage. Their luggage consisted of two bau-bau pipes, a few betel nuts and two or three native mats. Whatever wardrobe they possessed was left on shore. We conducted them to the "hold," which was to be their sleeping quarters during the trip. They stowed their worldly possessions down below and prepared to enjoy themselves. It showed great pluck in them, trusting themselves so far away from home and for so long a period.

Our number was now increased to five, quite enough for so small a craft. Having finished our business, we left for the Trobriands, hoping to overtake the cutter "A——s," although we were ignorant of where we should meet her.

When leaving "Egum" you have to go through a barrier reef. The openings are very narrow, therefore it behoves you to be well on the alert. Also in this district it always appears to be blowing half a gale. It is absolutely necessary for one man to stand in the bows and give warning to the helmsman of any reefs or shoals. You can always recognise them by the discoloured water. We often had to sail a distance of five miles with but a couple of feet of water under our keel and on the constant look out for "gibbers" or rocks. It is said "Without danger or chance of mishap, travel is never worth a rap."

Nevertheless we should have been quite satisfied to dispense with coral reefs and sunken rocks. It will be years before these parts of New Guinea are surveyed. With one or two narrow escapes we managed to keep clear of the hidden dangers and at about four o'clock in the afternoon were in sight of the Trobriands. Knowing that our cutter "A——s" was sure to have called at Lagrandiere, one of the islands of the group, we determined to visit it, hoping by good luck either to meet her there or learn her whereabouts.

The evening was a beautiful one. A steady breeze was blowing from the south-east and a few miles to the north-east lay the island to which we bound. The lurid sun was just about to set, and the sea was calm save a gentle ripple. All nature smiled, as if conscious of her beauty. It was the most enchanting hour of day—Sunset—whose delights are made more precious by their brevity. Alas, the varied colours are soon blotted out and transmuted into a sombre black, but as we gazed on that scene of sea and sky, the sin and sorrow of the world seemed to fade from our memory.

Half-an-hour later we dropped anchor within 20 yards of the shore, and to our delight found the cutter "A——s" already there, completely surrounded by canoes full of wild and dusky savages. To tell the truth, they were more glad to see us than we to see them, as there being but two of them, and their boat a small one, it was as much as they could manage to keep the savages in check. They had been obliged to draw their revolvers and for some time had been in considerable danger of their lives. We anchored close alongside of them, when there was much rejoicing and shaking of hands.

We now mustered altogether five white men and four blacks, so that we could have offered a strong resistance. As our boat was the larger of the two, our friends came on board of her, where we all dined together.

What a pleasure it is to meet friends unexpectedly, especially in a lonely spot unfrequented by white men and surrounded by hordes of shrieking demons, armed with clubs and spears, who might at any time use them. Dozens of magnificent canoes, with from 20 to 30 warriors in each, encircled us, and beyond, a perfect "flotilla" of them. All their occupants stood up, craning their necks forward, striving to get a glimpse of the mysterious white men.

What was there to prevent them from killing us and capturing our vessels? It certainly was not the fear of our fire-arms, for the natives of this district are perfectly ignorant of the destructive powers of a rifle or a revolver. It was their gross superstition. They believe the white man to be a species of "Devil," and possessed of supernatural powers. How fortunate is such a belief for us; were it otherwise, if they only knew we were ordinary mortals like themselves, it would be necessary to educate their respect for us by a course of instruction in musketry.

We had a right merry evening. Our skipper played on the violin, toasts were given and taken, and our several experiences recounted since last we had met, seven weeks since. Although nature has not gifted me with a fine voice, I treated the company to a song, my friend accompanying me on the violin. The hours flew by until one of our number fell fast asleep, tired out with the evening's dissipation. We put him to bed on the hatches, with a sail and some rugs for a covering, and soon after turned in ourselves, to woo, with more deliberation, the goddess of slumber.

In the morning, we informed our two friends of our intention of proceeding to New Britain, and that we hoped to meet them again in about a month. They wished us bon voyage and a safe return. They then left us in order to visit several islands for the purpose of trading for Bêche-de-mer. We remained at Lagrandiere until the following day, as we wished to buy a quantity of yams, and, if possible, trade with the natives. The native town lay about two miles distant from us. It was the largest town I had ever seen; it must have contained from 300 to 400 houses, and allowing an average of six persons to each house, would have a population of 2,000. At sunrise, dozens of large canoes, in full sail and crowded with natives, arrived upon the scene. Their canoes here are magnificent, all the seams caulked, beautifully carved, and all the sails apparently new; in fact, the canoes themselves appeared quite new. They were infinitely superior and better finished than any I had yet seen. Our little craft was so completely surrounded by them that it was impossible to drop a potato overboard without the risk of its falling into one of them. What a chatter they kept up! Imagine several hundred native throats shouting at the same time. Several of them had harsh, discordant voices, and they were the ones who talked the loudest and longest. If anything out of the common attracted their attention they would one and all send up a piercing shriek, which, unless you were accustomed to their peculiar ways, would terrify you.

We allowed a few to come on board, but the difficulty was to prevent all of them doing so. I had to keep constantly rushing to the sides of the vessel with a naked sword, slashing at them in order to keep them in their canoes. Once let a number obtain a foothold on board, and you put yourself in their power. At any moment they may obtain possession of the vessel, and then good-bye to dear life. So long as savages believe that you have power over them, you have nothing to fear. Immediately you allow them to consider you in danger or anxious, look out for squalls. Take a man who enters a den of wild beasts, what is it that prevents him being torn to pieces? Is it that he is stronger than those wild beasts? Nothing of the kind. If only those beasts had the knowledge of their power, they would not think twice before springing upon and devouring him. The true reason is that the man shows no fear. From his manner and his behaviour, these wild animals infer that he is not afraid of them, and consequently believe that he possesses some hidden power greater than theirs.

It is this and this alone that keeps them in check and closes their mouths. It is just the same with the civilized white man and the true wild savage. Once show the white feather and all is up. Keep your head cool, show a bold front, and keep your eyes about you, and the command you will have over them is astonishing. The whole livelong day, one of us had to sit on the scuttle, keeping a sharp lookout all round the vessel, a naked sword in hand, a loaded revolver in his belt and a couple of Winchester rifles fully primed in the cabin, all ready for use. The remaining two of us were engaged in bartering with the natives for spears, clubs, shields, "chunam" knives, wooden fishhooks, ebony paper-cutters, and even "gods." We also purchased about a ton of yams, which we could easily dispose of at a good profit, in New Britain. Our two native companions, Tokaiakus and Sindiwaia, were unable to speak the language of this part, so we had to do all our business by signs. Tobacco is unknown here, and they would not accept any. Hoop-iron was their great desideratum. Luckily we had some on board. We also did some trading in empty beer-bottles. We first drank the beer, and then exchanged the bottles for Bêche-de-mer. If this method of exchange would only last, the profits of Bêche-de-mering would be enormous. But after a time they got tired of glass bottles. To hoop-iron they were constant. In time, of course, tobacco will become the chief article of trade, but then, tobacco is expensive. Trade tobacco costs in Queensland, 1s. 3d. per lb., then there is the transit, say 1d. per pound, and New Guinea duty of 1s., so it costs you 2s. 4d. per lb. on board. Hoop-iron, on the other hand, is very cheap, and it does not matter how inferior the quality so long as it is hoop-iron. With hoop-iron they can improve their tools and weapons, thus saving them much labour.

I determined to go on shore, so having told my comrades that, in event of any danger, I would fire one shot, I strapped on my revolver, exposing it free from its pouch and jumped into one of the canoes alongside. By signs I intimated to them my desire, but before trusting myself to the tender mercies of such nice-looking gentlemen, I caused the leading man of the canoe to step on board our vessel, where he would be held as a hostage for my personal safety. He evidently thoroughly grasped the idea, and acquiesced in it. I was soon landed on the beach. I had brought a towel with me, intending to have a bathe, but considering I should have to leave my revolver on the beach, I postponed that luxury to some future occasion.

No sooner had I landed than they all commenced jabbering to me at the same time. I did not understand a solitary word they said, but had an idea they wished me to accompany them to the town, which was visible in the distance.

Being alone and unable to converse with them, I did not care to trust myself among a couple of thousand wild animals so far away from the cutter and with no arms but a revolver.

I shook my head as a sign that I regretted I was unable to avail myself of their polite invitation, but whether they understood my meaning or not I cannot say.

The island I found to be very low land, not a solitary hill on it, covered with light small bushes or trees, with a sandy, dry soil. Notwithstanding this, there is a plentiful supply of yams; in fact, they have plenty to spare. There would be no difficulty in obtaining a cargo of 10 to 20 tons.

All the islands of the Trobriand Group are low-lying, thickly populated, and well supplied with food. The natives of Lagrandiere are well-built, fine-looking men, dark-skinned, and are constantly on the war-path. At the time of our visit, they had just returned from one of their predatory expeditions, covered with glory, and laden with the spoils of war. They had completely routed the enemy, and had burnt their villages. We may deplore the brutality of these intertribal fights, but it is the sefights or wars that perpetuate the race by saving its members from the fatal effects of sloth, and a lack of interest in life. If in Europe even, all war or chance of war were at an end, the spirit of true manliness might in time languish, despite the duties, occupations, and generous ambitions of civilization.

A great chief, if not the greatest in New Guinea, resides in the Trobriands, and holds dominion over them.

He has a splendid house to live in, and a large retinue of slaves. He never walks a yard, but is always carried on a kind of sedan-chair or stretcher. His word is law, and his influence over the natives of his kingdom very great.

This is no romance.

He is verily a king. In most districts of New Guinea the chiefs are generally the leading men of the village, with a certain amount of influence, but not to any great extent.

In this case it is quite different. The king of the Trobriands is as much a king to his subjects as the autocratic Czar is to the serfs of Russia. I was extremely disappointed at not seeing him. Unfortunately he was absent from home, and would not be back for a week or so.

The natives took the most absorbing interest in our cutter. They gazed at it in wonder and astonishment. They felt it in their hands to make sure it was a reality and not an empty delusion. We steered by a wheel. The wheel seemed to take their fancy immensely. Every now and then, when something fresh attracted their notice, they would rend the skies with their shouts, their mouths wide open with astonishment and admiration. We were no less surprised at the beautiful construction of their canoes, but did not exhibit our feelings in so marked a manner. They stayed by us from sunrise to sunset. They ought to have felt tired, as they never stopped talking, and stood up most of the time.

At sundown they left us in peace, and sailed back to their town, which was glistening in the distance. It was a moving sight. Here were we three, over a hundred miles from the nearest white man, calmly sitting on deck, watching a large fleet of canoes full of wild and treacherous savages wending their way homewards. What a relief to be rid of them. There is nothing so tiring and trying to the system as being continuously, for hours together, on the watch lest you be taken suddenly by surprise and cruelly murdered. We felt thoroughly wearied out, and longed to get away from their unceasing attentions. We knew they would not visit us again until the first thing in the morning, so we took the opportunity to discuss our future plans.

We decided to leave for the Duke of York Islands at break of day.

Not having been there before, we got out a general chart, which we studied with great interest. We carried a sextant and compass, so we entertained no difficulty in reaching our destination. We had no "sheet charts," but that was of no great moment. The south-east "trades" were still blowing, and we hoped they would hold with us until we commenced our return voyage, when we trusted to be favoured with the north-west monsoon, as the winds generally veer to that quarter towards the end of December.

Having obtained a plentiful supply of yams, and a couple of bags of Bêche-de-mer, we took farewell of "Lagrandiere," steering our course due north.

We passed through a perfect archipelago of islands, and on the second day rounded Jurien. Although we did not land, I took a great interest in this island. Several years ago the schooner Kate Kearney left Queensland for New Guinea, for the purpose of engaging in the Bêche-de-mer fishery. On board of her was a great friend of mine, named McDonnell. She was successful in obtaining a large quantity of fish, but through a series of gales she found herself at Jurien Island almost dismasted, and minus sails, etc. Here she had perforce to remain at anchor for six months. The anchorage is in a narrow passage between Jurien and a smaller island, and completely hidden from passing vessels. They were obliged to remain prisoners here until the change of the monsoon to the north-west, as without a favourable wind in their then disabled state, it would have been impossible for them to have reached a port. From their isolated position, and the fact of being right out of the track of any vessels, not a word of their fate reached Queensland. They were six months overdue, during which time nothing had been seen or heard of them. The vessel and her crew had long been given up as lost.

McDonnell's family, who lived in Brisbane, having hoped against hope, reluctantly numbered their son with the dead. They went into mourning, stricken with grief at the untimely fate of their cherished offspring. Imagine their intense joy and surprise upon receiving a telegram from their long-lost son, who had arrived safely in the Kate Kearney at Cooktown, safe and sound. The meeting that took place, when so many emotions must have contended for the mastery, is not mine to describe.

It may be of interest to relate that about a year afterwards the Kate Kearney was wrecked during a flood off the mouth of the Endeavour River.

After leaving North Island, which is the outermost one of the Trobriand group, we were soon in mid-ocean, steering a direct course for the Duke of York Islands. The wind holding good, we presently made St. George's Channel, the coast of New Ireland close on our starboard, and the island of New Britain on our port.

We were now within 70 miles of our destination, "Mioko." The channel is about 15 miles broad, the soundings deep, and the coast "steep to."

No sooner had we got into mid-channel than we were treated to a succession of thunderstorms, with the rain pouring down in torrents, accompanied by violent gusts of wind. It is only in the tropics that such rain can be seen. Although well provided with oilskins, we were literally drenched to the skin. There was evidently a terrible leak in the heavens above.

A few hours later a grand sight enthralled us. A magnificent waterspout appeared not a mile to windward of us, doubtless evolved by the recent heavy rain-pour. The surface of the sea had become an active fountain surmounted by a vast funnel-shaped column reaching to the clouds above. It was travelling in a southerly direction in dangerous proximity to our vessel. We deemed it prudent to "keep her away" a couple of points, when shortly we had the satisfaction of seeing it burst and vanish into thin air. Had this waterspout struck our little craft, this narrative would never have been written, for the writer of it would have been quietly resting in the bed of St. George's Channel.

We were hugging the coast of New Ireland when, rather to our surprise, a group of low islands, one of them conspicuous from a solitary tree standing out in bold relief on it, hove in sight. Making sure that these must be the Duke of York Islands, we slightly altered our course, and after a smart run of three hours, entered the passage, which is close to the island with the above-mentioned tree, and anchored in the lovely harbour of "Mioko," within a few yards of the shore.

CHAPTER VII.

BISMARCK ARCHIPELAGO.

Leaving our "Dwarf" in charge of the cutter, we paid a visit to Mr. H——r, the manager of the "Mioko" plantation. "Mioko" is one of the Hamburg Plantation Company's branches.

They have large plantations in "Samoa," and their operations are most extensive. Mr. H——r and his assistant, both of them Germans, were the sole representatives of the white race in the Duke of York group.

The manager's house, which is situated a few yards from the beach, presented a most picturesque appearance. It was built entirely of bamboo, with a roof of shingles; and, being lined with bamboo, was, notwithstanding the tropical heat, always cool inside. They gave us a hearty welcome although we were perfect strangers. To their delight they discovered in one of us a countryman of theirs, whilst S——g was a Norwegian, and I an Englishman.

The Germans had the advantage, being in the majority. The different buildings of the plantation gave it the appearance of a township. A substantial wharf extended from the beach, alongside of which a vessel could lie and discharge her cargo. Connecting the wharf with the large copra house were tram lines, over which the produce was conveyed in trucks to the vessel and thence into the hold. Next to the copra house, which was capable of storing 200 tons of copra, was a fine iron building used as a "store," where the different articles of trade were kept and in which were the offices of the manager. There were numerous out-buildings of every description, all of them kept in excellent order. At the time of our visit, the copra house contained over 100 tons of copra awaiting shipment.

Made fast to the wharf was the cutter Atafu, which was owned by the plantation and was used principally for obtaining labour recruits from the South Seas, and for visiting the different out-stations of the company in New Ireland, supplying them with "trade" and bringing back to "Mioko" the copra, etc., obtained.

The manager, whose dwelling was surrounded by a pretty garden kept in scrupulous order, pressed us to be his guests for a couple of days, and we gladly accepted. Accustomed to the wilds of New Guinea, this place seemed to us like an "oasis" in the desert.

He kindly sent on board our craft a couple of natives whom he could trust, telling them to look after her and keep strangers away. The harbour is completely land-locked, being hemmed in by numerous islands, and protected from the south-east winds by the island of "Mioko."

The captain and mate of the Atafu were invited to meet us at dinner, thus increasing our number to seven. The captain was a German, and the mate a Yankee, so that the various nationalities were well represented. A smart native youth, specially trained by Mr. H——r, waited at table. He would have put to shame many a waiter at a first-rate London club. The dinner was an excellent one, and our host full of good spirits.

After doing full justice to the good things provided, the bottle was passed round, toasts were drunk and jokes cracked. In such a varied assembly the fund of anecdote was inexhaustible. Everyone was enjoying himself to the top of his bent, when unfortunately one of my mates, in pure joke, made some mal apropos remark to our host. He very foolishly took it up in the wrong light, considered it an insult, jumped up from his seat and rushed round to my friend, challenging him to fight. It was a most unfortunate contretemps.

Had not my friend been a man of equable temperament, and with great power of self-control, the result would have been most disastrous, and in all likelihood Mr. H——r would have been annihilated. He had evidently partaken too freely of the juice of the grape; or was it, being a German, he was unable to understand a jest? However, my friend wisely kept his temper, the storm-cloud passed over, and all was harmony again. We learnt afterwards that our host was naturally of a most excitable nature and was of a pugnacious disposition.

Fortunately for him, my friend, like the British lion, was not easily roused. Like that noble animal, he was possessed of great strength, and in a combat would have easily vanquished his antagonist. What with singing and playing on the piano and violin, we spent a most enjoyable evening, and did not retire to rest until the small hours.

One of us occupied the only bedroom in the house, another slept on the sofa, whilst I camped in a hammock on the verandah.

Notwithstanding the lateness of the hour at which we retired to rest, we were all up at six o'clock. Coffee was then served, the most delicious coffee I had tasted for many a month. It was grown on the plantation and was properly made. How different it tasted from the coffee one gets in an hotel!

We had a refreshing swim in the bay, heedless of the sharks, and returned to the house ready to tackle a substantial breakfast. Breakfast over, by desire of Mr. H——r, we hailed our seaman-in-charge, viz., "Tokaiakus" the dwarf, to come on shore. He immediately responded, and great was the astonishment on his landing on the beach. Numbers of natives were strolling about, and they soon gathered round, gaping with wonder at our New Guinea representative.

"Tokaiakus" was no less astonished at them, and evidently considered his race far superior to theirs. When asked his opinion of the "Mioko" natives, he replied, "They are no good, they go about naked, New Guinea man he wear clothes." Different people have different opinions.

Although our dwarf was more decently dressed than they, he was not overburdened with garments, being covered by a palm leaf. Nevertheless, clothing has its degrees, and his was a comparative one.

In company with the manager we went over the different buildings and inspected the various improvements. Everything was of a substantial character, and the manager informed us that the profits of the Mioko Branch for the year 1887 were £1,300, which, in our opinion, was very good.

We paid a visit to the cutter, Atafu, and were invited by her captain to stay to lunch. She is 37 tons register and a very smart-looking craft, indeed we could hardly realise we were on a trading vessel, for she had more the appearance of a gentleman's yacht. The hold was empty, and had just been white-washed. A great bell, which rang at 9 a.m. every day, was a signal for certain natives to proceed on board and wash down decks.

Everything on board was scrupulously clean, and, as on board a man-of-war, in its proper place. The captain received £12 a month and his food, and, with such a vessel under him, I consider his lot a happy one.

In the afternoon we strolled round the plantation. The land here is fertile, and a large area of it is owned by the Hamburg Company. Mr. H——r purposed going to the "Fatherland" shortly, when the managership would fall to his assistant, and, if I may venture the remark, the change would be a beneficial one.

Copra is the principal industry carried on, though coffee is grown to some extent. The latter product pays well, therefore I wonder there is not more attention paid to its cultivation.

The natives' canoes are much lighter built than those of New Guinea, and do not carry a sail. They are used for paddling only, and never venture out of sight of land. The natives themselves are quite distinct from the Papuans of New Guinea, being lighter in colour and actively made, but decidedly a lower type of humanity. The men wear no clothing whatever, but the women have an apology for a grass petticoat. It cannot, strictly speaking, be called a petticoat. However, they are not quite nude.

In the evening, the conversation turning on boats, we did not fail to sound the praises of our little craft, that had carried us so far and so safely. The others, on the other hand, did not forget to crack up the merits of the Atafu. After a lot of bragging on both sides it was decided to settle the differences of opinion by a race between the rival vessels. We, I may say in passing, were merely chaffing, but the others were evidently in grim earnest. The race was fixed to take place in the morning at 10.30, the course from Mioko to Ralume, New Britain. The distance was 20 miles, and our vessel being only one-third the size of the Atafu, we received half an hour start. The stakes were £5 a side, but two or three private bets were made in addition. The rules to be observed during the race were taken down in writing by the manager and his assistant. One of the rules was "that no oar was to be used throughout the race."

Great interest was evinced by them in the approaching contest, and the conditions were duly signed by both parties. The captain and owners of the Atafu were quite confident of victory, and ridiculed the idea of our having the ghost of a chance. It must be recollected that our cutter was but 12 tons, and what chance would she have against one of 37 tons? We still believed it was simply chaff, and that no race was intended, but the following morning they soon disabused us of that idea. Seeing that active preparations for the match were taking place on board the Atafu, it behoved us to be on the alert. We went on board the S——l, got all the sails and sheets in good order, rigged up an awning as a square sail, set our topsail, and by a little after 10 o'clock had everything ready for a start. Now that we were in for it we determined to do our best and see if, notwithstanding our insignificant appearance, we could not lower the "Mioko" flag, and lessen their conceit.

A fresh south-easter was blowing, but happily not too strong to prevent us crowding every stitch of canvas on her. The land of New Britain was dimly visible in the distance, and a dewy freshness filled the air. Had we made it, the weather could not have been more propitious. Our British ensign was run up to the masthead, the anchor hoisted in, and precisely at 10.30 Mr. H——r, having taken up a position on the wharf, fired his revolver as a signal to be off. We were close in to the shore, and as there was no room to manœuvre, our skipper, S——g, sang out, "Get out an oar and pull the bows round."

The command was promptly executed, her head paid round, the oars were thrown down the hold, and like a greyhound from the leash she bounded forth, straining every nerve and sinew to be first in at the "death."

The Atafu, in full sail, soon appeared in sight, and great was our anxiety to discover whether she gained on us.

We held our lead, however, and at 1.30 p.m. dropped anchor off Ralume, within a few yards of a reef. We had the sails furled, the ropes coiled, and the "Billy" boiled, when the Atafu "came to" abreast of us, 35 minutes behind.

We lost no time in boarding her in order to sympathise with them in their defeat. To our surprise they would not acknowledge that they had been beaten. Upon our demanding an explanation, they stated that, in consequence of our having used an oar at the commencement of the race, we had lost. We had used the oar thoughtlessly, but, as they evidently wished to make some money out of us, we promptly paid them the stakes, which, however, they refused in the end to accept. Practically speaking, they had been beaten on their own merits, and evidently did not relish the fact. They had come specially from "Mioko" for the race, and returned home the same day, considerably crestfallen and with a higher opinion of our little craft than they had had hitherto.

"Ralume" boasts of a splendid plantation, the property of Mrs. F——h, who is one of the best business women I have ever met. She does all the correspondence, keeps the accounts, and personally superintends the work of the plantation. Of course she has a manager, and a very capable one too, but still she believes in having an eye over all. She has been established in Ralume for ten years, and during that period has worked wonders. They have 500 acres under cultivation, with any amount of back country attached. The land is undulating, and the soil, which is very rich, is cultivated right down to the sea. There is a good deal of limestone in the neighbourhood, and the appearance of the country for miles along the coast is very beautiful. The land is not rugged, like that of New Ireland, but has more the appearance of an English park.

Twenty miles from the coast there is a range of mountains, the country beyond which is supposed by the natives to be inhabited by a race of dwarfs. This, however, has been proved to be a myth. Cotton, coffee, and coco-nuts are grown extensively on the plantation. There are six cotton gins working every day, and they are worked by black labourers, imported from the South Seas. I inspected several bales of cotton which were ready for shipment. They appeared of very good quality, and the manager, Mr. P——, told me it realized from 1s. to 1s. 3d. per pound in Sydney.

There are over 150 labourers working on the plantation, most of them from the Solomon Islands and the remainder from New Ireland. Not a single native of New Britain was among the number, as they will not work except when away from their own country.

Occasionally some of the New Ireland boys attempt to escape and return to their homes. These however are the exceptions, as the majority appeared satisfied with their lot. They were evidently well cared for, as those that I saw were in first-rate condition, and as jolly as sandboys.

The Stars and Stripes were flying at the peak of the flagstaff in front of Mrs. F——h's house, in honour of her late husband, who was an American. She herself is a half-caste Samoan, and as intelligent and accomplished a woman as any European.

The house is situated on the top of a high cliff, commanding a magnificent view, with Blanche Bay a few miles to the north-west, the Duke of York Islands in the distance, and to the eastward loomed the towering mountains of New Ireland.

On the far side of Blanche Bay, the eye is arrested by two mountains named respectively the "Mother" and "Daughter," conspicuous from their peculiar formation.

The "Daughter" is the smaller of the two, and is apparently nestling by the side of the other. Hence no doubt their names.

There is considerable volcanic activity in this neighbourhood. Close by the mountains mentioned above, a cloud of smoke, distinctly visible, is to be seen issuing from a fissure, which is sufficient evidence of volcanic disturbance.

For my part I should not be surprised at any time to read in the news of the day that an eruption or earthquake had taken place on the shores of Blanche Bay.

Should that day come, which I trust will never be the case, then adieu to fair "Ralume" and its fair inhabitants, good-bye to "Matupi" and its living occupants. Blanche Bay would be no more. Who can foresee the wondrous changes in the configuration of the land that would be wrought by such a convulsion of nature?

God forbid that it should ever occur, but those living in the vicinity of Blanche Bay cannot but remember the terrible upheavals that took place only a few years ago on the north-east coast of New Ireland. They say "sufficient for the day is the evil thereof," but I must confess I should hesitate before purchasing a 999 or even a 99 years' lease of land in that part of New Britain.

Ascending a steep path, we soon arrived at the Homestead, and were fortunate in finding Mrs. F——h at home.

She had been much surprised at the sight of our cutter flying the British flag, and was most curious to learn from what country we had come or whether we had dropped from the clouds. We willingly satisfied her curiosity, and told her that we had come on a piratical expedition and in search of any adventures that might befall us.

The house was the model of a planter's home, and everything about it bore the mark of refinement.

The arrangement of the rooms, the garden, the flowers, the ornaments, the piano with its tomes of music and song, the books, indicative of the reader's taste, all told us that.

To us three, who were used to rough companions, and had not seen the face of a woman, save in New Guinea, for many months, it was most refreshing to meet Mrs. F——h. We felt we had reached the borders of Paradise, and our only regret was that our stay must necessarily be a short one.

We were all seated on the verandah, including Mrs. F——h, and enjoying our cigarettes and lager beer, when one of the "Houris" of Paradise arrived on the scene, and was formally introduced to us by the hostess as Miss G——e. Her appearance completely took our breath away. My friend, S——g was struck dumb with admiration, and no wonder, for she was a girl of transcendent beauty. I had often read of "Houris," but had never, until now, seen one in the flesh!

Can I describe her?

I fear not with justice. There is as much difference between my description and the girl herself as there is between a corpse and one who is alive.

To begin with, she had just reached her nineteenth year. She was of medium height, having an oval face with beautiful soft dark eyes guarded by long dark eyelashes; a clear olive complexion, with the bust of a Venus, and with supple limbs like alabaster. Draped in a simple morning gown, which showed to advantage the graceful outlines of her voluptuous figure, she stepped forth like one fresh from the Garden of Eden, and held out her hand to greet us. Was it to be wondered at that my friend was enchanted by the vision, when two such hard-hearted mortals as K——h and I were sensibly affected?

Mrs. F——h pioneered us over the plantation, and explained to us everything of interest. She took great pride in her property, and well she might. She thoroughly understood the management of a plantation, as she had had experience of such matters in Samoa, where many years ago her father had been a planter.

We met here Count Pfeil, a German in the service of the Government, who acted as Customs House officer, etc. He and the Judge lived on a small island not far from "Mioko." He had the use of a good whale-boat, in which he visited the different plantations, etc., to collect the taxes imposed by the German Government. He was a young man of about 28 years of age, very handsome and with an erect carriage. He was of high birth, but poor, so had accepted a Government berth in the Bismarck Archipelago, receiving as salary £500 per annum.

He was well-known as an explorer, and not long ago, at the head of 100 blacks, had penetrated some distance into the interior of New Ireland.

He found the natives most hostile. They attacked his rear column, killing several of his men. He attempted to retaliate, but they out-manœuvred him. He spoke of the country as very mountainous and rugged, with good indications of minerals. He expressed his astonishment at our not having anchored off his island and reported ourselves to the representatives of the Government. We assumed child-like ignorance of such things; the truth was we had purposely passed the place, as the anchorage there is bad, and furthermore, it was rather out of our way. He was very gentlemanly, but informed us that he would have to impose a fine for our breach of etiquette, and that he would board our vessel on the morrow. We thanked him and he departed.

The manager of the plantation, Mr. P——, lived in a pretty little house, 100 yards or so beyond the owner's.

Both he and his wife were most hospitable. They had two dear little children, a boy and a girl, with whom the New Britain climate seemed to agree uncommonly well. Both children were born on the plantation. A well-kept lawn adorned the front of the house, and beds of gorgeous flowers and shrubs, and trees of all kinds enhanced the beauty of the surroundings. A delicious scent pervaded the atmosphere. Nature is nowhere so lavish as in the tropics. There is such a wealth of foliage, such a variety of colour, such a cloudless atmosphere—three things so foreign to colder latitudes. In the words of the poet, Milton, it was "Paradise Regained."

Just as we had worked ourselves into a sentimental mood, in keeping with the time and place, dinner was announced. Sentiment fled, and the practical side of life presented itself to us. To live, we must eat; so, nothing loth, we repaired to the dining-room, where dinner awaited us.

I had the distinguished honour of sitting on the right hand of the fair Hebe, Miss G——e, whilst my friend, to his disappointment, was placed next to the hostess.

My companion was charming, not only on account of her loveliness and natural grace, but also because of her animation and conversational powers.

She had received a first-rate education at one of the leading schools in Sydney, and had left it a year ago. She knew German thoroughly, was an accomplished musician, and had the voice of a nightingale. And yet she was a half-caste Samoan.

Three lightly-clad—I might say, very lightly-clad—young waitresses were in attendance at dinner. Two of them were natives of New Ireland, the third, a native of the Admiralty Islands. They had been with our hostess for two years, and had to remain for three years longer. They were comely to look upon, and made excellent domestics.

They say—"After dinner, smoke awhile,"—so we lit our cigars and cigarettes and burnt a sacrifice to our patron saint, St. Nicotine. Later on in the evening, Mrs. P——n, the manager's wife, put in an appearance; and as there were now three ladies, dancing was suggested. Mrs. F——h kindly played on the piano, whilst we danced on the verandah with the others.

Seeing that my friend was quite overcome by the charms of the belle of the evening, I only danced with her once, devoting most of my attention to Mrs. P——.

We had songs, both German and English; solos, duets, trios and quartettes.

What a night we had! At midnight, I suggested the expediency of going on board our cutter; but, no, my friend would not hear of it. He was utterly infatuated. Ten minutes more, and he would come—but the ten minutes developed into sixty—until at last I managed to drag him away from the alluring spot.

The three of us then regretfully bade our friends good-night, and repaired on board the cutter.

Arrived at the jetty, we hailed, in loud tones, Tokaiakus, the Dwarf—who was supposed to be in charge of the vessel. Not a sound came in response. We hailed him again—and again no answer.

Our dinghy was alongside the cutter, so we could not reach her without swimming.

After shouting ourselves hoarse, and consigning the dwarf to warmer regions, his ugly head appeared above the bulwarks, and he came in the dinghy—into which we gladly stepped—and were quickly rowed on board.

We felt rather tired, and soon sought our couches—each of us dreaming that he was in Paradise, attended by a bevy of Samoan damsels.

In the morning we received a visit from Count Pfeil.

He examined our "papers" and inquired what firearms we had on board, and if we carried dynamite. Having given satisfactory answers to his several queries he stated that he had decided to impose on us a fine of £1 that being the lowest amount he could inflict for our evasion of the German regulations.

We paid the fine and were invited to visit him on our departure from New Britain. We politely accepted his invitation, but did not give him a call, as it would have been too far out of our track. I have met, at one time or another, a good many Germans, official and otherwise, but for gentlemanly bearing and courtesy of manner, I unhesitatingly give the palm to Count Pfeil.