CAPTAIN P. P. BLACKWOOD. 179 



During- his survey of the northern and eastern 

 entrances of Torres Strait, Captain F. P. Black- 

 wood, in H.M.S. Fly, spent two months in 1845, 

 upon the south-east coast of New Guinea, 140 miles 

 of which, including- that part seen by Bampton and 

 Alt in 1793, was surveyed as completely as the 

 time and means would permit. This country pre- 

 sented a great sameness of aspect; low muddy 

 shores covered at first with mangroves, and, further 

 back, with dense forests, were found to be intersected 

 by numerous channels of fresh water, the mouths, 

 there is reason to suppose, of one or more larg-e 

 rivers, of which this g-reat extent of country is the 

 delta. Great mud banks, extending fi-om ten to 

 twenty miles out to sea, prevented approach except 

 in the boats. Several of these channels were entered 

 by the surveying- parties, and one (Aird River), was 

 ascended by Captain Blackwood to the distance of 

 twenty miles from its mouth. Many villag-es were 

 seen scattered along the coast and on the river 

 banks. The natives, apparently closely resembling- 

 the Torres Strait Islanders, appeared to be a savage 

 and A^'arlike race, and refused to have any friendly 

 intercourse with the white men, whose boats they 

 attempted to cut off on various occasions. They 

 seemed to be perfectly naked, and their principal 



L' Astrolabe et la Zelee pendant les annees 1837-1840. Sous le 

 commandement de M. J. Dumont d'Urville. Histoire du 

 Voyage, torn, ix, p. 208 — 215. Atlas Ilydrographique, PI. 1. 



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