PREFACE 
THis record of two years’ scientific work in the only 
country of the globe that has still escaped exploration 
purposely avoids the dry detail of a Natural History 
Report, such as might properly be submitted to a learned 
society, and is intended rather to set forth to the 
general reader the vicissitudes of the traveller's daily 
life in unknown New Guinea, or Papua as I prefer to 
call it. Every hour brought a new interest, and it 
was with the intention of trying to communicate 
some impression of that wonderful land in which we 
sojourned, that the present account has been under- 
taken. If the result is disappointing to the reader, 
the fault must lie with the writer and not with Papua. 
During my brief residences in the known parts of 
New Guinea, I received much kind assistance and 
furtherance in my marches into the wilds from 
officials, missionaries, and settlers, and I would here 
especially acknowledge my indebtedness to his 
Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor, Mr. G. Ruthven 
Le Hunte, Mr. A. Musgrave, C.B., Captain Barton, 
the Hon. D. Ballantine, Mr. Robert Hislop, and 
Mr. James Wood; His Grace Archbishop Navarre, 
Coadjutor Bishop de Boismenu, both of the Sacred 
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