I 



Nov.] NEW-GUINEA. 459 



found the natives black, with short curled hair, and going entirely 

 naked. But their civilization, even then, he says, far exceeded that 

 of the most of the present natives of Australasia ; for they had not 

 only swords of iron, but other arms of the same metal. 



In the year 1543, Ruy Lopez de Villalobos ranged along the same 

 coasts, and being ignorant of the country's having been previously 

 visited by Europeans, he conferred upon it the name of New-Guinea. 

 He represents the country as having an inviting appearance ; and he 

 anchored in several ports, where he obtained wood and water. Sev- 

 enty-three years afterward this country was visited by two skilful 

 navigators, Le Maire and Schouten, who anchored in a bay where 

 two villages stood on the shore, and had different interviews with the 

 natives, from whom they obtained small quantities of provisions. 

 They represent the natives as being all afflicted with disease or some 

 personal defect, such as lameness, blindness, &c. " These people," 

 say they, "are the true Papoos, with black, short, and curled hair; 

 wearing rings in their ears and noses, and necklaces of hogs' tusks ; 

 a wild, strange, and absurd people, curious to see every thing, and 

 active as monkeys." 



I have introduced the foregoing particulars in this place, because 

 the reader is now to be informed, that on the 12th of November, at 

 live, P. M., the Antarctic was on her way to this coast, from Dampier's 

 Island, sailing at the rate of thirteen miles an hour, on a sea which 

 was smooth as a mill-pond, rendered so by the current that set through 

 the strait towards the north-west, at the rate of four miles an hour. 

 At six, P. M. we were within one mile of the north shore of Long 

 Island, which is about the same size as the one we had just left, Dam- 

 pier's Island, but not so much elevated. We saw a few scattering 

 huts along the banks of the seacoast, and a number of natives about 

 them, who made signals for the vessel to stop. But the wind coming 

 off from the land in strong gusts, and wishing to get clear of the 

 island before dark, we continued on our course to the westward, until 

 we had cleared the western end of Long Island; when we imme- 

 diately hauled in to the south, for the north-east coast of New-Guinea, 

 or the island of Papua. 



I feel it a duty in this place to put mariners on their guard, by 

 stating that there are many dangerous coral reefs around the two last- 

 mentioned islands ; some of which extend several miles into the sea. 

 There is also a dangerous reef running off in a northerly direction 

 from Cape Gloster, about six miles. The reader has already been 

 apprized that this cape is the north-west extremity of the island of 

 New-Britain. In cruising among these islands and seas, the lead and 

 line are of no use, as all the shoals and reefs are formed of coral, 

 and rise from the unfathomable depths of the ocean, almost as perpen- 

 dicular as a stone wall. The only safeguard against such dangers 

 is a good look-out from the mast-head. 



November 12th. — At four, A. M., on the following morning, it being 

 Friday, the 12th, we were, to appearance, right under the towering 

 mountains which distinguish the north-east extremity of the island of 

 New-Guinea, and which seemed to be actually hanging over the deck 



