NEW GUINEA AND THE I'ArUANS 427 



shells, tripang, and tortoiseshell are the most iinp(»rliiiit, 

 witli edible birds' nests, pearls, birds-of-paradise, and 

 ornamental timber in smaller quantities. The return of 

 the praus is determined by the advent of the east mon- 

 soon. The trade many years ago was estimated at 

 £18,000 per annum, and is now probably much greater, 

 and during the height of the season there are between 

 4000 and 5000 people collected, representing all the 

 chief races of the archipelago. The Dutch are repre- 

 sented by a Postholder here, but no other European 

 resides on the islands, which are remarkable for their 

 unhealthiness. 



Misol is the next island we come to, lying 50 miles 

 north of Ceram, but divided from that island by a very 

 deep sea, while, though almost as far distant from New 

 Guinea, the intervening water is very shallow. It is of 

 a compact sub-triangular form, about 50 miles long by 

 20 wide, mountainous and forest-covered. It contains 

 kangaroos and birds-of-paradise, and the usual charac- 

 teristic Papuan fauna. The inhabitants of the interior 

 are true Papuans, but on the coast are a mixed Malayo- 

 Papuan race, who are Mohammedans, and are ruled over 

 by a raja tributary to the Sultan of Tidor. This island is 

 seldom visited, and very little is known about it. 



Salwatti, Batanta, and Waigiu are three large islands 

 off' the north-west extremity of New Guinea. Salwatti, 

 of a roundish form, and about 3 miles across, is separated 

 from the mainland by the narrow Galewo Straits. 

 Batanta, divided from the last-named island by Pitt 

 Strait, is long, narrow, and mountainous. Thirty miles 

 northward we come to Waigiu, nearly 80 miles long by 

 20 wide, but much cut up by deep inlets, which pene- 

 trate from the south almost to the north coast. This 

 island is very rugged and hilly, but with no very lofty 



