414 COMPENDIUM OF GEOGEArHY AND TRAVEL 



trees, presenting the appearance of an English park. 

 The settlement itself, which is far from healthy, shows 

 evidence of much care and order in its well-kept paths 

 and pretty gardens. There are horses, cows, fowls, 

 turkeys, pigs, and many sorts of European vegetables, 

 and all produce is to be had at cheaper rates than in 

 Australia. A hospital, shops, a small police force, and 

 other elements of civilisation exist, and there is steam 

 communication with the other stations. At one time 

 the Queensland steamers ran to Finschhafen, but the 

 Australian immigrants having declined to settle under 

 the Company's laws, they have been taken off". Fever is 

 very prevalent here, and mosquitoes and flies are in 

 some seasons almost a plague. Earthquakes, which are 

 numerous, form another drawback. The natives are 

 friendly, and now that the aims of the Company are 

 better understood, are ready to embrace the trade 

 advantages thus brought to their door. They are essen- 

 tially an agricultural people, and great numbers of coco- 

 palms are grown. North- westwards from Finschhafen 

 to Cape King William, a distance of 30 or 40 miles, a 

 beautiful series of terraces extend, which are specially 

 suited for cultivation. These are three in number, and 

 are remarkably regular in appearance. They are 

 upraised coral beaches, but nevertheless run no risk of 

 drought, the land being irrigated by countless streams of 

 excellent water. Large native plantations of bananas 

 and yams exist at Fortification Point and other places, 

 and Mr. Wilfrid Powell considers that no better place for 

 a settlement could be found in the tropics than Cape 

 King William. The natives are very clever at irrigation, 

 using bamboo tubes joined with resin, and the houses 

 are built with sides of pandanus - leaf mats, which are 

 rolled up to let in the air and light as the occupier 



