460 NEW-GUINEA. [1830. 



of the Antarctic, although we were, at that time, full five miles from 

 the land. When daylight appeared, and dispersed the gloomy shades 

 of night, we found that we were in front of a very deep and spacious 

 bay, to which I have given the name of Dekay's Bay, in honour of that 

 highly distinguished and scientific ornament of the medical profession, 

 Dr. James E. Dekay, of the city of New- York. The centre of the 

 entrance to this bay is in latitude 5° 39' S., long. 146° 2' E. 



There are many Indian villages around the shores of Dekay's Bay, 

 and the inhabitants are quite numerous. Many of them came off to 

 the vessel in several large canoes, with the usual articles of barter, 

 cocoanuts, bread-fruit, plantains, and shells. They were negroes of 

 a large stature, and some of them appeared to possess considerable 

 acuteness. Their features are coarse and ugly, and the expression 

 of their countenance is a mixture of ferocity, malevolence, and crafty 

 treachery. In one word, their visage is a true index of their char- 

 acter, and it bears the most savage, inhuman, bloodthirsty appearance 

 I have ever met with, the cannibals of the Massacre Islands when 

 most infuriated not excepted. Their complexion is of the negro 

 black ; hair short, curled, and crisp ; flat nose, thick lips, and monkey 

 chin. But they have one redeeming feature, and that is the forehead, 

 which is high, prominent, and smooth, indicating intellectual capacity, 

 penetration, and decision, in a much greater degree than is ever seen 

 in the African. Neither have they the bow shin, the flat foot, or the 

 projecting heel of the negro of the Slave Coast or the Congo River : 

 but their limbs are generally well proportioned ; being muscular, 

 strong, and active. 



Both sexes go entirely naked (apparently susceptible of no innate 

 ideas of modesty), with the exception of feather ornaments, on the 

 head and neck, which distinguish the higher ranks. They are all 

 warriors, and for desperate acts are equal, I have no doubt, to those 

 of the Massacre Islands. They use a bow of the same size, about 

 eight feet in length, with arrows of nearly five feet. Their archery 

 is superior ; frequently bringing down birds on the wing at the dis- 

 tance of seventy-five yards. Their canoes are very similar to those 

 of New-Ireland, but more ingeniously finished, with carved heads and 

 sterns, which display a great deal of natural taste and genius. Fish- 

 ing is their principal employment, and their waters abound with great 

 varieties of the finny tribes. Their fish-hooks are made of the pearl- 

 oyster shell, and tortoise-shell. Of the former they gave us to under- 

 stand there was a great plenty all over the bay ; and the latter come 

 on shore at night, on all the sand beaches, where they deposite their 

 eggs, and go to sea again before daylight. To convince us of the 

 excellence of these eggs, some of which they brought with them, they 

 ate several of them raw, with expressive indications of their being 

 highly palatable. 



We discovered, also, that the beautiful bird of paradise was to be 

 found here in immense numbers, and of a great variety of species ; 

 as many of the natives had their heads decorated with their feathers, 

 of the most rich and delicate tints. We frequently saw large flocks 

 of these birds flying from the shores of Papua, to the islands in the 



