14 ADMIRALTY INSTRUCTIONS. 



though your boats should always be completely 

 armed, you will carefully avoid any conflict where 

 the ignorant or misguided natives may presume on 

 your pacific appearance, or on the disparity of your 

 numbers. 



" You will then turn to the westward, and 

 pursue this part of the survey, so as to determine 

 the breadth of the foul ground off the coast of New 

 Guinea, and the continuity or interrupted form of 

 that coast ; and you will establish certain positions 

 on the main land, (if the adjacent sea be navigable, 

 and if not on the several advancing islands) which 

 may serve as useful land-falls for vessels coming 

 from the Indian Seas, or for points of departure for 

 those who have passed through any of these straits. 

 You will thus continue a general examination of 

 this hitherto unexplored coast as far as Cape 

 Valsche, which is now said to be only the termi- 

 nating point of a chain of large islands, and then 

 across to the Arrou Islands, which are supposed to 

 be remarkablv fertile, to abound with resources and 

 refreshments, and to be peopled by a harmless and 

 industrious race, but which do not appear to have 

 been visited by any of his Majesty's ships. 



*' The length of time which may be required for 

 the due execution of all the foregoing objects cannot 

 be foreseen. It may exceed that for which your 

 supplies are calculated, or, on the other hand, a 

 less degree of the supposed complexity in the 

 ground you will have traversed, along with the 



