Building my House. 501 



what similar to this, and almost as abundant, is found among 

 the half-breeds between the Indian and Negro in South Amer- 

 ica. Can this be an indication that the Papuans are a mixed 

 race ? 



For the first three days after our arrival I was fully occu- 

 pied from morning to night building a house, with the assist- 

 ance of a dozen Papuans and ray own men. It was immense 

 trouble to get our laborers to work, as scarcely one of them 

 could speak a word of Malay ; and it was only by the most 

 energetic gesticulations, and going through a regular panto- 

 mime of what was wanted, that we could get them to do any 

 thing. If we made them understand that a few more poles 

 were required, which two could have easily cut, six or eight 

 would insist upon going together, although we needed their 

 assistance in other things. One morning ten of them came to 

 work, bringing only one chojjper between them, although they 

 knew I had none ready for use. I chose a place about two 

 hundred yards from the beach, on an elevated ground, by the 

 side of the chief path from the village of Dorey to the pro- 

 vision-grounds and the forest. Within twenty yards was a 

 little stream, which furnished us with excellent water and a 

 nice place to bathe. There was only low underwood to clear 

 away, while some fine forest-trees stood at a short distance, 

 and we cut down the wood for about twenty yards round to 

 give us light and air. The house, about twenty feet by fifteen, 

 was built entirely of wood, with a bamboo floor, a single door 

 of thatch, and a large window, looking over the sea, at which 

 I fixed my table, and close beside it my bed, within a little 

 partition, I bought a number of very large palm-leaf mats of 

 the natives, which made excellent walls ; while the mats I had 

 brought myself were used on the roof, and were covered over 

 with attaps as soon as we could get them made. Outside, and 

 rather behind, was a little hut, used for cooking, and a bench, 

 roofed over, where my men could sit to skin birds and ani- 

 mals. When all was finished, I had my goods and stores 

 brought up, arranged them conveniently inside, and then paid 

 my Papuans with knives and choppers, and sent them away. 

 The next day our schooner left for the more eastern islands, 

 and I found myself fairly established as the only European in- 

 habitant of the vast island of New Guinea. 



