iw DoDU, ^ Naturalist in New Guinea. rA.X''^'; 



Nat. 

 XXXV. 



who from here numbered about twenty-two men, women, and 

 two httle children, these few scattered white people being 

 surrounded by the recruited blacks and the wilder and more 

 independent members of the liill tribes — over 500 of the former 

 and doubtless several hundred of the latter. Nearly all 

 the natives are fairly honest and reliable, many being as 

 gentle in manner, looks, and speech as women, and often 

 extremel}^ good-looking, but, of course, there arc exceptions. 

 Their wants are few, and the plantation blacks are happy enough, 

 judging by their drumming and singing — on Saturday nights 

 kept up for hours. As Mr. Lawson, the missionary, said, they 

 are but as children, and should be treated as such, and reason- 

 able allowance made for their faults. Some of the western men 

 are hatchet-faced, villainous-looking rascals, but their looks 

 are not to be taken as a fair guide. However, I had no time 

 to interest myself deeply in the dark people ; naturally, I came 

 much in contact with them, and merely record my impressions. 

 I shall mention them again in these notes. 



We crossed a good bridge over the Laloki, then began the 

 ascent, the valley being on the right. Half-way up the range 

 was a fairly extensive scrub, and down to it my son often came 

 during our stay above at the rest-house, nearly two miles away, 

 and many an interesting capture he made. Up to and past 

 the scrub /:. platyphyUa continued, but a different Angophora 

 accompanied it to the top of the range, and, quite on the 

 summit, what I took to be a Casuarina occurred. Eucalyptus 

 tereticornis, a small-leaved Melaleuca, and a Banksia were also 

 present. From above this scrul) the Rona Falls, at the head 

 of the Laloki valley, came into view. Though three miles awa3% 

 they stood out very distinctly, and from our camp, further 

 away, we could hear their roar very often. Accounts differ 

 as to the height of the falls, but 400 feet appears about correct : 

 the water has a sheer drop to a large rock, seeminglj^ half-way 

 down, parting and passing evenly on each side of the rock. 

 They are not easy of access, and but few appear to have closely 

 approached them. The view is said to be very line, l)ut we 

 were too busy to attempt to reach them. More water flows 

 in the dry season than over the Barron Falls, but less during 

 the wet season. The river takes its rise about twenty-five 

 miles further back, and in the direction we were to go later. 

 Over to the left of our rest-house another scrub occurred, but, 

 outside these masses of vegetation, the country was uninteresting 

 and unproductive. To get about in the open was difficult, 

 the long tangled grasses impeding one's movements and con- 

 cealing stumps, fallen timber, and rocks, so that much net work 

 was impossible. The scruljs, with masses of shrubby under- 

 growth, overrun with thin ropy creepers, were not ideal 



