308 NEJF GUINEA. [chap, xxxiv. 



thatch, and a large window, looking over the sea, at which 

 I fixed my table, and close beside it my bed, within a little 

 partition. I bought a number of very large palm-leaf mats 

 of the natives, whicb made excellent walls ; while the mats 

 I had brought myself were used on the roof, and were 

 covered over with attaps as soon as we could get them 

 made. Outside, and rather behind, was a little hut, used 

 for cooking, and a bench, roofed over, where my men could 

 sit to skin birds and animals. When all was finished, 

 I had my goods and stores brought up, arranged them 

 conveniently inside, and then paid my Papuans with 

 knives and choppers, and sent them away. The next day 

 our schooner left for the more eastern islands, and I found 

 myself fairly established as the only European inhabitant 

 of the vast island of New Guinea. 



As we had some doubt about the natives, we slept 

 at first with loaded guns beside us and a watch set ; but 

 after a few days, finding the people friendly, and feeling 

 sure that they would not venture to attack five well-armed 

 men, we took no further precautions. We had still a day 

 or two's work in finishing up the house, stopping leaks, 

 putting up our hanging shelves for drying specimens 

 inside and out, and making the path down to the water, 

 and a clear dry space in front of the house. 



On the 17th, the steamer not having arrived, the coal- 

 ship left, having lain here a month, according to her con- 



