NEW GUINKA AND THE PAPUANS 423 



wide mass of mountain and ravine, which is described as 

 bristling with peaks and pinnacle-like rocks, and contain- 

 ing hundreds of inaccessible crags and precipices. The 

 most important secondary heights are Mount Albert 

 Edward (12,550 feet). Mount Scratchley (12,250 feet), 

 Winter Height (11,882 feet), Mount Douglas (11,796 

 feet), and Mount Knutsford (11,157 feet). The whole 

 of this range was explored and Mount Owen Stanley 

 (13,121 feet) ascended by Sir William Macgregor in 

 1889. This portion of the country is drained by the 

 Vanapa Eiver, across which suspension-bridges of rattan 

 and bamboo, beautifully constructed and of considerable 

 length, are built by the natives. The remaining im- 

 portant peaks of the Owen Stanley range are Mounts 

 Obree (10,246 feet), Brown (7947 feet), Clarence (6330 

 feet). Suckling (11,226 feet), Dayman (9167 feet), and 

 Simpson (9972 feet). 



About 25 miles south of the Vanapa Eiver, which 

 discharges its waters into Eedscar Bay, is Port Moresby, 

 the capital and seat of Government, and the head- 

 quarters of the London Missionary Society. It has been 

 established since 1873, but is still a very small settle- 

 ment, containing few European houses except those of 

 the Mission, the Government offices, the jail, printing- 

 office, etc. It is fairly healthy, but the land around is 

 treeless and barren. The rains fall from January to 

 March, but the rest of the year is very dry. From May 

 to October the south-east winds blow strong and regu- 

 larly, and durmg this period the Owen Stanley range is 

 generally obscured by cloud. East of Port JMoresby, and 

 between the Goldie and Kemp -Welch rivers, lies a 

 broken mountainous country unconnected with the main 

 range, and apparently of volcanic formation. From here 

 almost to the end of the island the interior is practically 



