Nov. 20, 1879] 



NATURE 



65 



thus in its note come very near its more distant ally, 

 the Rifle Bird of Cape York and New Guinea (Ptilorhis). 

 As the small boat returned to the steamer it was greeted 

 by the sweet strains of a "barrel-organ," brought in the 

 hope that it "might please some of the natives." It is 

 really appalling to realise that a "barrel-organ" has 

 penetrated sixty-four miles up a river in New Guinea ; and 

 though we heartily wish the organs and their grinders 

 were all in New Guinea, yet, did we regard matters from 

 a missionary and philanthropical point of view, we should 



ng pottery in Anuapat; 



have thought twice before attempting to demoralise the 

 musical ears of the poor Papuans with such an instru- 

 ment ; or, perhaps, knowing the high ability of the 

 Papuan race, we should have expected such a course to 

 evoke hostility rather than to conciliate. But the mis- 

 sionary charm did not work ; the natives kept well away 

 from the barrel-organ : only one was sighted, and he 

 promptly fled. 



After a return to Cape York, Mr. Stone, with three 

 assistant natural history collectors, Messrs. Hargrave, 



Fig. 3.— Trading 



Petterd, and Broadbent, proceeded again to New Guinea 

 in the Ellengowanj and after touching on the way at 

 Roro or Yule Island, where the natives cultivate fields of 

 from five to thirty acres in extent, inclosed by fences six 

 feet high ; and at Purok on the main land, where the 

 natives have a large circular market-place cleared of 

 grass and trees, and periodically used by surrounding 

 tribes, arrived at Anuapata (Port Moresby) amongst 

 the Motu people on October 29, 1875. The arrival 

 of the white men was not greeted with pleasure by 

 the natives, because many of them had lately died 



of the measles introduced by the missionaries. The 

 party at once erected their tent, and, proud of their 

 nationality, and apparently taking a leaf out of Mr. 

 Stanley's book, hoisted a union-jack at each end of the 

 roof, and on a pole in front a banner with "Excelsior" 

 upon it, thus apparently intimating that they intended to 

 climb the neighbouring mountains if they could. They 

 were soon betet by the natives, whose constant cry, 

 corresponding to that of " bacshish," or the Fuegian 

 " yammerschooner," is " kuku lasi" — "Won't you give 

 me some tobacco?" The Motu people have an in- 

 satiable appetite for trade tobacco. In the evening 

 there was a tremendous hubbub round the tent, and a 

 hostile demonstration caused partly by a Polynesian 

 Christian teacher, who, left in charge of the tent, had 

 pointed a gun at would-be intruders, but also partly 

 because the natives were not pleased at the white men 

 persisting in remaining in their country contrary to their 

 wish, and very naturally so, after the experience of the 

 measles. But the natives were luckily afraid of the dark, 

 and were frightened into submission by a display of 

 rockets and of the power of dynamite. As a sort of set-off 

 for thus frightening them almost out of their lives, great 

 care was taken that they should not be corrupted by 

 Sunday trading. 



The natives have dogs which, like the Australian dingo, 

 do not bark. The author wishes he had had a bulldog 

 with him, for he describes the natives as " expert thieves, 

 inveterate liars, and confirmed beggars," and feels sure 



Fig. 4. — Native cradle. 



that a dog which could bark would frighten them out o 

 their wits. They ran away from a sheep landed from the 

 Ellengowaii. They have strict commercial instincts, and 

 would " see you starve before they gave you food." 

 Everything has to be bought with " trade gear." The 

 natives are not cannibals, but were evidently acquainted 

 with cannibalism, for, being firmly persuaded that all the 

 tinned meats consumed by the white men consisted of 

 human flesh, they expressed great disgust at the cannibal 

 practices of their visitors. It is delightful to find the 

 Papuan thus turning the tables on the pioneers of 

 civilisation. 



The Motu people seem on the whole very much bored 

 by the presence of the missionaries, excepting when a 

 chapel is formally opened, and there is a big feast in 

 consequence. As they cannot dispose of their teachers 

 in the usual way, perhaps in secret they pray for help to the 

 cassowaries of which the author saw the foot-prints in the 

 neighbourhood, for these voracious birds are, as the 

 naturalist knows, far more at home in New Guinea than 

 at Timbuctoo ; but possibly even New Guinea cassowaries 

 would require the traditional condiment, and matters have 

 not as yet reached the hymn-book stage in Papua. A 

 very amusing account is given of a missionary religious 

 service at Anuapata. It appears that there are bold and 

 contumacious sceptics amongst the Motu people who 

 refuse to assimilate the Jewish cosmogony, and do not 

 mind expressing their opinions freely in public. 



"The service was held beneath a roof thatched with 

 grass, supported on posts, open on each side, and fitted 

 at one end with a low stage and reading-desk. Previously 



