214 NATIVES OF NEW GUINEA. 



Erroob. They resembled the people of Erroob a 

 good deal, and I think had the same mark on the 

 shoulder ; but one or two of them had their heads 

 shaved, which I never saw among men in the islands. 

 One of our men being alongside in the Midge's 

 dingy, was sent to communicate with them. He got 

 alongside the largest canoe, and gave them a hatchet, 

 for which he got a bow and arrow, some cocoa-nuts, 

 and a small turtle, but he began to behave rather 

 roughly towards them, and they became alarmed, 

 and paddled off. In approaching, they held up 

 green boughs, and seemed, in most respects, to re- 

 semble the Erroobians. They were all quite naked. 

 On the south-west coast of New Guinea also, I be- 

 lieve, the natives have ragged, torn ears, and pierced 

 noses, like those of Erroob and Murray Islands. 

 This afternoon, on getting under weigh to proceed 

 to the northward, we came on to a great mud bank, 

 with a depth of only three fathoms on it, at a dis- 

 tance of six and even eight miles from the land. 

 When immediately opposite the great opening seen 

 this morning we found the water alongside the ship, 

 during the ebb tide, very muddy, and on dipping 

 some up and tasting it, it was found to be only 

 slightly brackish, just enough to be unpleasant to 

 drink. This was at a distance often miles from the 

 shore, and confirmed us in our opinion of the open- 

 ing being the mouth of a large river. 



April 29. — Captain Blackwood and Lieut. Incc 

 went away in the first gig to examine this river, 



