170 REPORT — 1873. 



rocks. The dwellings composing the village of Katau are but few in number, but 

 of immense length. They are built on piles, with end verandahs, and thatched 

 with the leaves of the sago-palm. In one village we entered a dwelling with 

 sleeping accommodation for upwards of sixty couples ! Tobacco is largely culti- 

 vated. The pipe was 33 inches in length, consisting of a piece of bamboo with a 

 movable bowl. The fumes are inhaled. Our interpreters secured a good reception 

 for us wherever we went. 



A second or eastern mouth of the Katau river was discovered as we pressed on 

 to the village of Torotoram, which is larger than the village we had left. To get 

 to it we had to wade more than half a mile over a bank of fine black sand. On 

 our arrival we found that the entire population had tied into the bush with all 

 their valuables, excepting four or five men, who stood doubtfully in front of a house 

 watching the movements of the strangers. As soon, however, as it became evident 

 to these scouts that no hostility was intended, the whole male population returned. 

 Not a woman, a child, or a decrepit man was seen during our visit. 



This part of New Guinea, from the western limits of the Katau district to Bris- 

 towe Island, is called Mauat by the natives and by the Torres-Strait Islanders. 

 Opposite Bristowe Island is a deep navigable river, half a mile across, supposed to 

 be a branch of the Fly. The aborigines of this part of New Guinea call their great 

 island Daudai. Torres-Strait Islanders corrupt this into Daudi. Australia is 

 known as Great Daudai, New Guinea as Little Daudai. Although upwards of 

 seven weeks were spent in New Guinea waters, never once did we hear this famous 

 island called "Papua." 



Two small rivers empty themselves into the Straits opposite to two islets not 

 marked on any chart. 



' A second visit was paid to Mauat about a week afterwards. The same feeling 

 of cordiality prevailed as at the first. One of our party walked into the bush for 

 two miles amongst luxuriant plantations of bananas and taro. The country was a 

 dead level, the soil of the richest description. The bread-fruit-tree grows luxu- 

 riantly. Kangaroos, a peculiar species of hog (<S'«s 2m2ntensis), dingos, opossums, 

 and cassowaries abound. At first sight we mistook several highly polished leg- 

 bones of the "Samu" (cassowary), used for hu.sking cocoa-nuts, for human bones. 



Some miles to the west of Mauat lies Baigo, or Talbot Island. The inhabitants 

 of the mainland near Baigo are numerous, but by no means to be trusted. 



On the 19th of November, 1872, we started from Mer for the eastern peninsula 

 of New Guinea. We sailed through Flinder's Passage into the open Gulf of 

 Papua, thus leaving awhile the most extensive coral-reef in the world, inside of 

 which we had been sailing for two months. Two days afterwards we sighted the 

 lofty mountain-range which forms the backbone of the peninsula, affording a 

 striking contrast to the low south-western coast. A great number of palms were 

 seen drifting with the current, the stems and fronds covered with sea-birds. The 

 appearance of Yule Island was very park-like, clear grassy spots alternating with 

 picturesque clumps of trees. The island is 4 milss in length, and of considerable 

 height. Early on the following morning we anchored in Redscar Bay, close to the 

 islet of Varivara (the Parivara of the charts). 



The inhabitants of the little hamlet of Kido were timid, but very pacifically 

 inclined. On the following day we discovered the river and village of Manumanu. 

 The village consists of ninety-four houses, with a population of about 1000. The 

 houses are two-storied, and are all built on high stakes. The women are exqui- 

 sitely tattooed, but the men not so extensively. The complexion of these people is 

 nearly the same as that of the Samoans and Rarotongans, but in stature and 

 physical strength they are much inferior. Many words are identical in all three 

 dialects, proving them to be essentially one. It is impossible for any one who has 

 seen these pleasant, gentle, light-skinned natives of Manumanu to doubt that they 

 are of Malay origin. 



Manumanu river (erroneously called the "Towtou" in the charts) is over a 

 mile across at its mouth in the driest month of the year. We ascended the river 

 to a distance of 7 miles, but found the country everywhere to be an immense 

 swamp. Just beyond is the first interior native village, named Koitapii. 



A most interesting fact is now for the first time ascertained, viz. that Mantcmanu 



