N. New Guinea offered the most promising field, the Dutch, from their base 

 in the Moluccas, again holding most of the trumps. All navigation or 

 detailed survey of the N.W. coasts of the country, with investigation into 

 the numbers and condition of the inhabitants, dates from this period about 

 the 18th century. 



In j-ecent years, thanks to the dictates of fashion and enhanced value, the 

 volume of the trade in Birds-of-Paradise has again enormously increased, 

 regulated, however, in the Dutch Possessions by most adequate measures, 

 stringently enforced, for the protection of these beautiful creatures. 



All intercourse in N.W. New Guinea during the open season is dependent 

 on this trade. Thanks to the enterprise of Tidorese, Malay, Arab, and 

 Chinese traders, in whose hands it is chiefly concentrated, the coast Papuans 

 have been brought more or less into contact with the outside world. This 

 has resulted in a certain amount of intermarriage, as a ready means of con- 

 solidating and extending trade relations in the chief centres of distribution, 

 and also in spreading a knowledge of Malay, even in remoter communities. 

 In the season the chief trading-stations swarm with the miscellaneous agents 

 engaged in this lucrative business, whilst the Papuans are occupied in hunting 

 in the interior on their own account, or for the various Ternate traders or 

 agents, so that it is next to impossible to obtain quarters or procure native 

 hunters or carriers. It is advisable to take this fact into consideration in 

 connection with biological work in this part of the country. 



2. SUMMARY OF PREVIOUS WORK. 



Geelvink Bay was first discovered and mapped out in 1705 (21, i. 

 138-152) by Jacob Weyland, who commanded the ships 'Geelvink' and 

 ' Nova Guinea/ In the course of his work he touched at Dorei Bay, 

 situated to the N.W. of Geelvink Bay. 



In 1775 Forrest (1, 95-114) in the 'Tartar,' a 10-ton ship, in which 

 he had sailed from Balambangan to obtain nutmeg and clove trees for 

 the purpose of introducing them into that island, l spent part of January 

 and February at Dorei, enjoying fine weather all the time, and his 

 excellent straightforward account is quite one of the best relating to this 

 place. The 'Tartar' lay off Wousi, where Forrest describes the whaleback 

 Papuan houses spreading over the water, as they are still to be seen at the 

 present day, and also the Arfak Mountains rising below Dorei. He even 

 mentions Oranswari and Wariap as two inhabited places along the coast 

 to the south, and notes the correct time to reach them by fast sailing in a 

 favourable wind. He states that the people had many prnus, and were said 



1 Off N. Borneo. 



