TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION E. 667 



MOXBAY, SEPTEMBER ]6. 

 The following Papers were read : — 

 1. The Present and FtUure of Queensland. By Carl LrjiHOLTZ, M.A. 



The author pointed out that Queensland, the youngest of the Australian colonies, 

 is three times as large as France, and nearly six times as large as the United King- 

 dom, yet contains a population of less than 400,000. The progress of settlement 

 from the year 1859, when Queensland, separating from the mother colony of New 

 South Wales, became independent, was mentioned, and the question raised whether 

 in the future there will not be a northern colony devoted to tropical agriculture, 

 with coolie labour legalised and recognised. It was shown that the western interior, 

 which used to be considered as a howling wilderness, has in comparatively recent 

 times been proved to be prairie-land abounding in the richest natural herbage 

 growing out of deep chocolate-coloured or black virgin soil. The capabilities of 

 the colony for tropical, semi-tropical, and European products in agriculture were 

 mentioned, and the necessity of an artificial system of irrigation enjoined. The 

 author's residence among the uncivilised aborigines of the Herbert Kiver in 

 North-Eastern Queensland was described, with particulars of their modes of life. 

 He found them to be undoubted cannibals, and shares with other travellers the 

 belief that the Australian native, like the Tasmanian, soon will vanish before the 

 advance of civilisation. The Australian aborigine may still be said to be in the 

 palaeolithic age. 



In the whole history of man a more sudden revolution is not known than that 

 wliich happened in Australia during this century ; and Queensland, with its semi- 

 tropical and tropical riches, with its ability to produce sugar of high quality and 

 in any quantity, with its extraordinary yield of precious minerals, such as that 

 which makes Mount Morgan gold mine one of the wonders of the world, with its 

 seaboard of 2,500 miles, with its healthy climate, with its free institutions, is nobly 

 fulfilling the aspirations which have made the Anglo-Saxon the most successful 

 colonists of all the ages. 



2. Notes on the recent Development, Exploration, and Commercial Geography 

 of British North Borneo. By Alexander Cook. 



This paper traced in detail the development of North Borneo under the action of 

 the British company under whose care it is placed. The author described the 

 various natural and introduced products, and adduced data to prove how rapidly the 

 commerce of the region has developed. 



3. Recent Explorations in Peru and Bolivia. By H, Guillatjme. 



This paper described the efforts which have been made by Peruvian and Bolivian 

 explorers and traders to open up the rivers and the dense forest country lying be- 

 tween them. Colonel Labre since 1872 has been endeavouring to open communica- 

 Ition from the Purus to the Beni. He explored the river Itury and its affluents 

 several times, as to the character and navigability of which he has contributed much 

 lew information. Padre Nicolas Anuentia explored the Madro de Dios in 1885, 

 md resided for some time in the country of the Araonas Indians. From its mouth 

 for 280 miles the river receives no important tributary ; the Padre believes it has a 

 navigable course of 400 miles for steamers. Mr. Guillaume described in detail the 

 jold-bearing region at the source of the ^Nladre de Dios. He then referred in detail 

 to the explorations of Senor Carlos Fry on the Ucayli and its tributary the 

 lUrubamba. 



