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one which, owing to its far-away position, to its trying climate, 

 and to the wild character of its natives, has been far less seen than 

 any other. Mew Guinea, or Papua — as it is henceforth to be called 

 — is the largest and is one of the most beautiful islands in the world ; 

 yet up to within the last few years it was a "terra incognita." Its 

 position was described, and its first discovery was said to have been 

 claimed both by the Portuguese and the Spaniards. It was called 

 " Nueva Guinea" by the Spanish commander, Ortez de Retez, from 

 the supposed resemblance of its inhabitants to those on the African 

 Guinea coast. The Malays and the natives of other islands called 

 it " Tanna Pua-pua," or " the land of the frizzly-haired people," and 

 the term " Papua " is a corruption of this. 



Dampier, the great maritime adventurer, voyaging in quest of 

 new lands, sighted New Guinea, and never left it till he had sailed 

 completely round it. He wrote a very racy account of the country 

 and people, which was probably read by Defoe before he wrote 

 " Robinson Crusoe." 



The area of New Guinea is about 342,000 square miles, of 

 which about 90,000 square miles is British territory, the Germans 

 possess some 70,000 square miles and the remainder belongs to the 

 Netherlands. The population of British New Guinea is estimated 

 to be about 500,000, of the German portion about 220,000, and of 

 the Dutch about 200,000. 



British New Guinea was formally annexed in 1888, and in 1901 

 it became a dependency of the Australian Commonwealth. 



Regarding its physical features, it is a country with magnificent 

 mountain ranges ; these mountains and by far the larger portion of 

 the lower country are covered with forest. From the mountain 

 ranges come sweeping down to the coast large and numerous rivers, 

 chief of which is the great Fly River, the largest south of the Line, 

 and the main highway into the interior. These great rivers and 

 innumerable smaller streams cut their way from the uplands across 

 wide plains that stretch to the sea, covered with vegetation of 

 tropical luxuriance so closely grown as to be almost impenetrable. 



There are no great beasts of prey in the country. The largest 

 indigenous animal is the wild boar. During recent years consider- 

 able explorations have been made, but there still remain large areas 

 in the interior that have not yet been reached — the great mountain 

 ranges doubtless contain many hitherto undiscovered treasures. 



The difficulties attending travel in New Guinea are, however, 

 many and great. First, as regards the wild rocky coast, which is 

 subject to the force of strong and continuous monsoons during 

 nearly the whole of the year. There are in consequence terrific seas 

 to encounter, the breakers being usually so heavy that launching or 

 landing are alike extremely dangerous, and it is almost impossible 

 to do either without a thorough drenching. And travelling inland 

 is not much better, for there are no roads. Anyone desiring to 

 proceed from one district to another must tramp on loot under the 

 blazing sun of the tropics, along the sea-shore, or through the bush, 



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