420 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION E. 



initial point of his administrative labours. The gold ob- 

 tained on Sud-estand St. Aignan was alluvial in character. 

 The various islands grouped in this part of New Guinea 

 waters were found to be of a mountainous character, in some 

 places bold and precipitous, in other parts rugged and broken. 

 Most of the hills, which consist of limestone and slate, 

 appeared to have been early associated with volcanic action. 

 On most of the larger islands traces of gold were found, and 

 some of the creek beds and mountain faces showed strata of 

 quartz and porphyry, and on Normanby Island this forma- 

 tion appeared to be associated with tin deposits. On Fer- 

 guson Island important discoveries were made. These 

 consisted chiefly of thermal springs, saline lakes, sulphur 

 vents, and subterranean channels, occupied by drainage 

 water. In some of these cavities the stalactite formations 

 were observed to be very beautiful. 



The soil on most of these islands is very rich and fertile. 

 Excepting that cleared by natives for planting purposes, the 

 surface areas are clothed with forest and dense vegetation of 

 less proportions. In several parts the native plantations 

 occupied the steep faces of convenient hills and ranges, 

 where regular terraces were cultivated for this purpose. 

 Some of these were subdivided by saplings into small family 

 allotments, great care and attention being bestowed upon 

 their cultivation. The cultivated products consist chiefly of 

 yams, taro, bananas, breadfruit, sugar cane, and sweet 

 potatoes. It was on the island of Normanby that the 

 Chinese banana was for the first time seen growing, as also 

 the sweet potato. Besides ornamenting themselves the 

 natives beautify their dwelhng-houses by the cultivation of 

 ornamental plants that grow in the villages. On the whole, 

 these island inhabitants ai'e remarkably healthy. A number 

 of the adult population suffer from the usual forms of ring- 

 worm, and yaws are not uncommon amongst the children, 

 but the more mahgnant forms of diseases, such as leprosy, 

 phthisis, fever, ophthalmia, and elephantiasis do not appa- 

 rently claim asylum with the islanders. 



The garment of the sterner sex varies little in design and 

 substance from that adopted by most of the savage races in- 

 habiting the islands of the Pacific ; their everyday toilet is 

 not an elaborate one, and their wardrobe is stocked with the 

 long narrow leaf of the pandanus, that is manufactured 

 into a girdle which is fastened to the waist of the wearer by 

 a cord, sometimes composed of human hair. It was common 



