THE NETHERLANDS-EAST-INDIES. 17 



Celebes horses may be used for riding and for carrying goods. 



New Guinea, is of all islands of the Dutch Indies, undeniably 

 among the least accessible. Moreover it is much farther away from 

 Java than the others, so that communication with the rest of the 

 world, opportunity for new supplies etc, is much more troublesome 

 than in the other parts of the archipelago. Of late 2 stations for 

 wireless telegraphy have been built on the North coast. 



In this island the traveller meets with a difficulty, which is not 

 at all or but little to be taken into account in other parts of the 

 archipelago. This is namely the fact that the attitude of the natives 

 is not always friendly. Unless confined to the coastal fringe explo- 

 ration is only possible for large expeditions with very ample 

 resources, supported by the Government with military help. 



Starting from the South-coast the inland can be reached compa- 

 ratively easily for a long distance along the numerous rivers. On 

 the North-coast one river only, the Mamberamo, forms the chief 

 way of entrance. This river however requires particularly strong 

 launches because of its uncommonly strong current. 



Remaining islands. Only a few of the remaining islands are so 

 large that traversing them requires several days. As to roads most 

 of them are still in a rather primitive stage, though of late great 

 improvements have been made. 



Travellers, who wish to visit several islands in the eastern part 

 of the archipelago but can only spend a limited time to the study 

 of each one, and consequently have to make repeated sea-voyages, 

 should take into account the monsoon-wind and the currents, which 

 are often very strong (see sub climate), because if they have 

 not a sufficiently strong steamer at their disposal they will have 

 much difficulty and danger during the windy season. Landing is es- 

 pecially dangerous on most of the coast during times of strong winds. 



Hence before undertaking such voyages very reliable information 

 should be taken (as to the best season Navy-office, Packet Company). 



The Southern islands are sparsely wooded and can therefore be 

 more easily crossed than the Northern ones, beside horse-traffic is 

 frequently available there (Soemba, Timor). 



5. INTERCOURSE WITH NATIVES. 



a. with the carriers and the workmen. It is only in a few parts 

 that the ordinary native can understand some Malay, but even in 

 such favourable cases the traveller had better give his orders through 

 a Malay-speaking mandor (overseer), because as a rule he has more 



