Moresby. — Lecture on New Guinea. Ixxxi 



Abstract of Lecture on New Guinea. By Captain Moresby, R.N., of 



H.M.S. "Basilisk." 

 [Read before the New Zealand Institute, 20th September, 1873.] 

 The lecturer first pointed out that though New Guinea had been discovered 

 prior to any other island in the Australasian seas — no less than 347 years ago 

 ■ — yet it still remained almost the only terra incognita of the inhabited world, 

 and said he should show geographical features and national characteristics 

 wholly at variance with all preconceived opinions of the shores and people of 

 that great island. He then gave an historical sketch of the different visits 

 made to New Guinea from the year 1526 to the present time, including an 

 outline of the encroachments of the Dutch on the western shores, and 

 illustrated, by an account of the cruel massacre of the crew of the German 

 schooner Franz in last March by the natives imder the Dutch rule, how little 

 that nation had done to civilize the western races of New Guinea. Before 

 describing the cruise of the " Basilisk," the lecturer called attention to the 

 fact that two distinct races inhabit the southern shores of New Guinea — the 

 black Papuans and the light-coloured Malay race. The former occupy the 

 low, swampy, malarious coast from the head of the Gulf of Papua for nearly 

 1,000 miles to the west. They are perfect savages, the males going entirely 

 naked, and are only elevated above the degraded Australian natives in having 

 fixed homes and in slightly cultivating the land. The latter occupy the 

 southern shores from the head of the same gulf to the extreme east, and are 

 much higher in the scale of civilization, being all decently clothed, good 

 agriculturists, and well acquainted with the art of rude pottery. 



The " Basilisk" left Sydney in December, 1872, for the purpose of 

 suppressing the illegal practices against the Polynesians on the pearl shell and 

 beche-de-mer fisheries in Torres Strait. Having made prizes of several vessels 

 which had taken natives from the Polynesian Islands without a license, she 

 proceeded to the S.E. coast of New Guinea, the first point touched at being 

 Yule Island. Between Yule Island and Hood Point — 120 miles- — the whole 

 of the coast line was laid down by Captain Stanley, of H.M.S. " Rattlesnake," 

 in 1849 ; but the only point landed on was Redscar Bay, where, after a very 

 brief intercoui'se with the natives, hostilities were anticipated, and the party 

 at once returned to the ship. 



When about twenty-five miles E.N.E. of Yule Island, the " Basilisk " 

 found herself, at daylight, ofi" a vast extent of drift-wood and ujorooted trees of 

 great size. They were first reported as i;eefs, causing considerable anxiety 

 until daylight revealed their real nature. This led them to suppose that 

 inside Yule Island they would find a large river which might prove a road to 



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