BIRDS THAT NO WHITE MAN HAS SEEN. 49 



could only procure a few specimens during a resi- 

 dence of many months on the islands. 



An attempt was made to penetrate into the 

 unknown districts of New Guinea, in order to find 

 some -of the species I have named, and which have 

 never been seen alive by the white man. But 

 the dangers were very great. The natives of the 

 coast declared that the people of the interior 

 would kill any stranger who made his appearance 

 amongst them. And when the naturalist* did 

 arrive at a place where some of the birds were 

 said to be found, he had not a single guide or 

 interpreter. He remained there a month without 

 being able to understand a word that was said, 

 and had to make signs for what he wanted. 



Nor did he succeed in h'is purpose. The birds 

 were still many miles distant, and he found it 

 impossible to penetrate further into such a bar- 

 barous and inaccessible country. 



But in these very districts, remote and peopled 

 with savages, has Nature stored up her choicest 

 productions. They are not accessible to any but 



* Mr. Allen. 

 (393) - 



