June 27, 1859.] VOYAGE TO NEW GUINEA. 361 



seems but fair that they should obtain the credit and also the profit (if there 

 be a profit, which I much doubt) of its possession. 



Mb. Crawfurd. — I should like to say a few words in reply to the gentleman 

 who has just spoken. Perhaps he is not aware that there are two distinct 

 classes of monsoons. The south-east monsoon and the north-west monsoon, 

 which blow to the south of the equator, are totally difierent from the monsoons 

 with which we are better acquainted, namely, the north-east or monsoon of 

 the winter solstice, and the south-west or monsoon of the summer solstice. 

 The first are the monsoons that prevail in New Guinea, and I believe that they 

 are perfectly regular : there is no irregularity at all that I have heard of, any 

 more than in those which prevail north of the equator. With respect to an 

 agricultural people inhabiting New Guinea, I have never heard of them or of 

 any kind of agriculture beyond the poor one described by Mr. Wallace. I 

 believe no agricultural people to exist in the island, and that its inhabitants 

 throughout are rank barbarians and savages. Dr. Kinkel must not suppose 

 that New Guinea is the only island inhabited by negroes : there are several 

 others exclusively inhabited by this race. New Caledonia, for example, is 

 entirely inhabited by a robust race of negroes ; New Ireland is inhabited solely 

 by them. With respect to the discoveries of the Dutch, I ought to mention 

 that they have in recent times made very considerable ones. The original 

 discoverers of New Guinea, however, were not the Dutch : the island was dis- 

 covered nearly 100 years before the Dutch had even made their appearance in 

 India. The original discoverers were the Portuguese, and a very considerable 

 portion of the island was after them discovered by our own truly illustrious 

 countryman Dampier. The more modern discoverers are certainly the Dutch ; 

 they made three distinct voyages to that country. They discovered Prince 

 Frederick Island, which had previously been supposed to be a headland. Their 

 first voyage was made, I think, in 1828, and their last in 1835, when they 

 attempted to form a settlement ; but they found the country so unhealthy, so 

 rude, and so sterile, that they were obliged to give up the settlement. With 

 respect to their claim to half the island, the Dutch are perfectly welcome to every 

 inch of it. No Englishman would dispute it with them or think of forming a 

 settlement in a land so unpromising : 1 wish the Dutch well, and therefore I 

 wish them safe away from New Guinea. 



Mr. T. Saunders. — The discussion having been directed to New Guinea at 

 large, I think allusion should be made to the recent discovery on this island of 

 the great river Rechussen or Ambernoh entering the sea by an immense deltoid 

 mouth on the north-east of Geelvink Bay, nor in speaking of recent discoveries 

 ought we to forget the share the English have had in them towards the south- 

 east, where mountains, rising in some cases more than 13,000 feet above the 

 sea, have been measured in altitude by our own nautical surveyors. 



It may be added that the north coast of New Guinea was not long since 

 examined by Sir Edward Belcher, in H.M.S. ScQnarang^ and the present 

 Curator of the Society, Mr. George, was in charge of tlie observatory. The 

 proximity of New Guinea to Northern Australia, and the extension of the 

 Australian settlements in that direction, may also be alluded to as a probable 

 means of increasing our knowledge of the unknown interior of New Guinea. 



The President. — In proposing a vote of thanks to Mr. Wallace for his very 

 interesting Paper, I would only say that I think the glimpse which we have 

 had of the geography and natural features of New Guinea must leave an im- 

 pression upon our minds that it is very desirable to have more information in 

 reference to that island ; and I venture to express a hope that Mr. Wallace 

 will renew his explorations in that country, and may be able to favour us at 

 some future period with further information respecting it. 



