422 COMPENDIUM OF GEOGRAPHY AND TRAVEL 



southern outlying ranges of the Victor Emmanuel Moun- 

 tains. Though affording an excellent waterway to the 

 heart of the country, this fine stream is not of such 

 value as might be expected, for the land it traverses is 

 almost everywhere unfitted for cultivation, and probably 

 very unhealthy. Many of the tribes appear to be of 

 nomad habits, perhaps for this reason, and those of the 

 upper part of the river are not much given to agriculture, 

 living on sago and the produce of their bows and nets. 

 In this part gold was discovered by the Administrator's 

 expedition, but nowhere in payable quantity. 



Beyond the mouth of the Fly the coast of the Gulf of 

 Papua appears to be a dead level for a vast distance, 

 intersected by innumerable mangrove creeks and laby- 

 rinthine delta-channels of small rivers. The land then 

 rises rapidly as we proceed eastward, until we find our- 

 selves in the high and exceedingly rugged portion of the 

 possession of which mention has already been made. The 

 greater part of the interior of the south-eastern part of 

 the island may be described as mountainous, a more or 

 less continuous range forming the backbone of the 

 country from Mount Yule to Milne Bay, and to this the 

 name of Owen Stanley Eange was given by the officers 

 of H.M.S. Battlcsnake} The most northern peak of any 

 importance is Mount Yule (10,046 feet), a more or less 

 isolated mass, of volcanic formation, whence the St. 

 Joseph Elver takes its rise. To it succeeds the group of 

 which Mount Owen Stanley — the highest peak of British 

 jSTew Guinea — is the highest summit.^ These form a 



' The extent of this range lias been wrongly limited by some writers 

 and cartographers to the mountain mass of which Mount Owen Stanley 

 forms the highest point. 



- Sir William Macgregor's new name for this peak (Mount Victoria) 

 cannot be retained, the mountain he ascended being without doubt identi- 

 cal with the Mount Owen Stanley of the Eattlcsnalce survey. 



