Report of a Journey Around tlic World. 191 



and well mounted on tablets set in black border. Of course the 

 ethnological collection claimed our chief attention and we found 

 the portion already on exhibition was, as we expected, very rich 

 in New Guinea specimens. The Government expeditions in British 

 New Guinea have deposited their collections in the Brisbane 

 Museum, both for study and distribution to other museums in ex- 

 change, but hitherto neither of these objects has been attained. 

 The prospects are now very encouraging that much and good work 

 will be done under Dr. Hamlyn-Harris, and the rich treasures now 

 in his charge will be made accessible to all students of ethnology 

 both by publication and exhibition. We have had to go as far 

 afield as German)' to study the implements of Queensland's near 

 neighbor. The two decorated mummies from Torres Strait, of 

 which we have photographs, are in good order, the original waist 

 garb or ornamentation having been replaced. There were also 

 huddled mummies which are to be described soon.' The decorated 

 shields and the stone knives of Australia were especially fine. 

 Among the unarranged specimens we noticed many good things 

 from the Solomon group. It was impossible in our short visit to 

 even look over all the extensive collections, but we got a fair idea 

 of the material the Director is arranging, and we laid plans for a 

 closer connection between this and our own museum . We resumed 

 our ride to the Botanical Garden which we found very dry and 

 rather a playground than a garden. On our return to the steamer 

 we found that we had driven more than thirty-two miles. We 

 sailed at six, taking with us Mr. Wansey. The land between 

 Brisbane and the sea is low and mangrove-fringed. 



Sunday, Oct. 20. Fair weather and we were off the Sydney 

 Heads about 2 P.M. As it was a holiday we had to wait for the 

 doctor. When we at last steamed up the harbor I noticed a great 

 increase of the littoral houses on both sides. At 4 P.M. we landed, 

 and as the absurd local laws do not allow our Chinese stewards to 

 work in Australia we had the choice of either carrying our hand 

 luggage ashore ourselves or waiting until two very slow "white" 

 laborers could do it for us. The sole inspector did his disagreeable 

 work thoroughly, perhaps because awakened from his afternoon 

 nap, and put one of our trunks through a stricter search than we 

 had found anywhere in Europe. At last we saw our traps loaded 



x Memoirs of tht Queensland ffuseum, \>>\. I. pi. Papuan Mummification. 



I 339 I 



