NEW GUINEA AND Till-: PAPUANS 389 



mountain masses of the Bismarck and Finisterre ranges, 

 which intervene between tlie two ports ; and Hatzfeldt- 

 hafen, still farther west, is protected in lilce manner. 

 Konstantinhafen has an annual rainfall of about 120 

 inches, which exceeds considerably that of the other 

 German settlements. At Port Moresby the mean is 72 

 inches. No European settlements exist in Dutch terri- 

 tory, and we have thus no records, but the rainfall of 

 Dorei and the north-western peninsula most prol)ably 

 exceeds any of these figures. 



At Port Moresby the grand mean temperature in 

 1<S92 was found to be 83° Fahr., the highest maximum 

 96°, and the lowest minimum 72°. In the German 

 territory temperature is lower, the mean annual of Hatz- 

 feldthafen being registered at 78°, and the lowest mini- 

 mum at 66° Fahr., but the north-west extremity is no 

 doubt the hottest, as well as the wettest, portion of the 

 island. Although these recorded temperatures are greatly 

 exceeded in many parts of Australia, the heat of New 

 Guinea, owing to the superabundance of moisture, is far 

 more trying to Europeans, and the climate cannot be 

 regarded as otherwise than very unhealthy. Nor is this 

 unhealthiness confined to Europeans. Between the years 

 1873 and 1887, 201 Polynesian teachers were employed 

 in tlie various missions in British territory, and of these 

 no less than 95 died. The chief disorders affecting 

 foreigners are the various forms of malarial fever and 

 ulcers of the leg. Elephantiasis and leprosy are common 

 among the natives, but still commoner is a form of ring- 

 worm, which, though found in many islands from the 

 ^Moluccas far into the Pacific, has its chief focus in New 

 Guinea. Spreading from various centres, it covers the 

 skin with circles of curious accuracy of outline. In time 

 these meet, and the whole body may become covered 



