10.2 Letters, Aiiiiouncei/ients, &;c. 



leaving Sydney on the 15tli of August, arrived at Port 

 Moresby on the 28th. Some delay was necessary for final 

 despatches, and for assisting Mr. H. O. Forbes, so well known 

 for his explorations in the Malay Archipelago, in his pro- 

 posed journey to New Guinea. The passage from Cooktown 

 was finished in thirty-eight hours, the fastest on record over 

 this unfrequented sea. 



" The harbour of Port Moresby may claim its name from 

 the protection of the barrier-reef, which prevents any heavy 

 seas doing damage. Even with this safeguard, however, it 

 may more truly be called a roadstead, the inner, or Fairfax 

 harbour, being the real haven. But at present the inner 

 harbour is seldom used, for the outer harbour answers general 

 purposes and boasts of the chief settlement. Two long 

 tongues of land almost encircle it, the hills rising up tier 

 upon tier, like an amphitheatre, from a narrow belt of man- 

 grove trees. The hilly nature of the country will always be 

 a great hindrance to the advance of Port Moresby. For 

 many miles inland the whole land is covered with barren sun- 

 burnt hills, sparsely covered with a few gum-trees and occa- 

 sional patches of grass or miserable plantations of bananas. 

 Sucli poor soil can never be valuable for grazing or cultiva- 

 tion, and, except as an outlet for pi'oduce of the interior. Port 

 Moresby can never be a great centre. 



'' Mr. Forbes is going to attempt to reach the summit of 

 Mount Owen Stanley, 13,205 feet high, and hitherto un- 

 trodden by the foot of man. He was unfortunate in losing- 

 many stores and damaging instruments by the sinking of a 

 lighter at Thursday Island, which delayed his arrival for 

 some time. Sir Peter brought him over to New Guinea, and 

 his carriers, thirty Malays, are following in the ' Herbert.' 

 Mr. Forbes will form a depot-camp at Sogeri, twenty-five 

 miles inland, and survey, collect specimens, &c., in the neigh- 

 bourhood of the lower ranges. Next spring, when the 

 weather will be suitable, he will make the attempt to climb 

 to the higliest point. He may spend several years in New 

 Guinea, for his wife is following him, and his heart is 

 thoroughlv in his Avork." 



