Mr. Marspen’s Notice respecting the Natives of New Guinea. 129 
of Islam, and the language of the Malays is familiar to them* The Papuah 
people of the coast nearest to this island of Onin are subject to its raja. 
They resemble the natives of Braow in person, complexion, and frizzled 
hair ; but speak a different dialect, and do not eat human flesh. 
By the interference of this raja it was that our prisoners, after a deten- 
tion of about six months, obtained their release ; but in what mode, whether 
by ransom or intimidation, I could not satisfactorily learn from my in- 
formants, who probably had not themselves much knowledge of the nego- 
ciation. ‘ As the Braou people (said one of them) did not require us to 
work, and we were only a burthen to them, I do not know with what view 
they kept us; unless it were to make a meal of us one day or another.” 
But their own previous statement of the native customs shews that such an 
apprehension (however natural in their predicament) was groundless, and 
the more obvious motive for the detention of the prisoners was the chance 
of their being ransomed. Be this as it may, it appears that this remnant 
of the sufferers was picked up at one of the islands by another India ship 
(the Queen, I believe) and conveyed to Canton.t 
Such is the limited extent of the information obtained from these Indian 
sailors, through the medium of a language with which they were not per- 
and others of these eastern islands. These seem to be the chief; for besides them we saw also 
shock, curl-pated, New-Guinea Negroes; many of which are slaves to the others, but I think 
notall. . . . They have large boats and go over to New Guinea, where they get slaves, 
fine parrots, &c., which they carry to Goram.” 
* Their language, as appears from scanty specimens, is a dialect of the Polynesian, or 
general language of the eastern islands, of which the Malayan itself is a cultivated dialect. 
+ Captain Henry Wilson, in the East-India Company’s packet-ship Antelope, was on the 
north-eastern coast of New Guinea, near Schouten’s Island, about the time of the Northumber- 
land's accident on the north-western side. The country thereabouts he described to me as 
being remarkably populous. Upwards of fifty canoes came off to the ship, and many of the natives 
were allowed to come on board, who returned to the shore in a peaceable manner. By means 
of Captain Forrest's short Vocabulary of Papiah words (collected by him at Dory Harbour, 
but differing from those spoken at Braou), he managed to make himself pretty well understood. 
Upon the third day, however, they came off in such multitudes, and with an appearance so 
evidently hostile, that he found it necessary to repulse them with his small arms. Much had 
been previously said by them about a large ship, the purport of which he did not comprehend 
until his arrival in China, where he found the Northumberland and was informed of her disaster. 
The Antelope sailed from Canton in June, and in August 1783 was wrecked on one of the 
Pelew (Pilz) islands. 
Vor. III. S 
