420 COMPENDIUM OF GEOGRAPHY AND TKAVEL 



administered from Mabudauan, which is situated almost 

 opposite Cape York ; tha eastern from Saraarai, an island 

 in China xStrait ; and the Louisiades from Nivani, a small 

 island lying south-west of St. Aignan. At all these 

 settlements courts are held. There are also two stations 

 - — Eigo and Mekeo — under Government agents, the 

 former on the coast aljout 40 miles south of Port 



NATIVE OF BRITISH PAPUA (HEATH ISLAND). 



Moresby, the other some distance up the St. Joseph Iliver, 

 which reaches the sea in the vicinity of Yule Island. 



Broadly speaking, British New Guinea may be divided 

 into two portions, the physical characters of which are in 

 marked contrast — the M^estern low, flat, and marshy ; the 

 eastern much elevated, and exceedingly rugged. Begin- 

 ning at the western boundary, we find the former charac- 

 teristics strongly apparent. In some places the land is 



