The Great Barrier Reef. 313 



insensible to the attractions of nicely-cooked human 

 flesh. 



At Somerset I had the pleasure of meeting the Rev. Mr. 

 Macfarlane, of the London Missionary Society. He is a 

 missionary ; he is also an explorer ; and if ever we are to 

 know much about New Guinea I believe it will be from 

 him. Riding at her anchor in the sandy cove was his little 

 steamer, the Ellangowan, presented to his mission by Miss 

 Baxter, of Dundee, and sent out for the express purpose of 

 civilizing the Papuan savages. In his last trip to New 

 Guinea Mr. Macfarlane and his party were attacked by the 

 natives, who, though probably they had never before seen a 

 ship, much less a steamer, in their river, rushed into the 

 water, and, with incredible fury, hurled their spears and 

 launched thefr arrows at the exploring party. 



Periodically, Mr. Macfarlane steams round to visit the 

 native teachers he has planted here and there, to leave them 

 supplies and give encouragement. The big-booted pearl 

 shellers have all a kind word to say of this devoted gentle- 

 man, whose burly form and open countenance are of more 

 consequence to them, I expect, than his clerical position. 



" Mr. Macfarlane is the missionary, is he not?" I asked a 

 man who boarded the steamer. 



" Dunno about that," the fellow replied, " but by G he's 

 a man every inch of him." 



I can answer for it there was one passenger on board the 

 R.M. steamer who, amidst the rude tempest which ushered 

 us into the next phase of the voyage, wished Mr. Macfarlane 

 and his pretty little mission steamer a hearty " God-speed." 



That next phase of our voyage was the Great Barrier Reef 

 of Australia. Roughly speaking this is a wall of coral reefs 

 extending some 1300 miles, from the coast of New Guinea 

 dnwn to the shores of Queensland, and running so parallel 



