Eastern Islands.] ORIENTAL COMMERCE. 



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coarse cutlery, looking-glasses, lead, and tin, which the natives greatly 

 value, and convert into ear-rings, &c. 



Provisions and Refreshments. — There are no cattle to be procured ; 

 but wild hogs, deer, and poultry are in abundance. Some presents are 

 necessary to the Rajahs and principal men at the different places, for per- 

 mission to trade, or to obtain refreshments. 



MYSOL. — This island is about 15 leagues N. E. of Ceram ; it extends 

 E. and W., about 14 leagues. On the S. side, in latitude 2" 19! S., and 

 longitude 127° E., is the harbour of Efbe, formed by an island of the same 

 name, and the coast of Mysol. The village of Efbe is small, and the houses 

 are all built upon posts in the water. Presents are necessary to the Rajah, 

 in the event of a vessel touching here for refreshments. Fresh water may 

 be had on the island, or from a small river opposite it, on MysoL 



The N. W. point of New Guinea is about 25 leagues from Mysol. 

 To the N. are several islands, the principal of which are Salwatty, Ba- 

 tanta, and Wavoiou. There are several harbours and bays which have 

 been occasionally visited by European vessels ; but not affording articles of 

 trade, are but imperfectly known. 



Trade. — The inhabitants of New Guinea, and the neighbouring islands, 

 who are called Papuans, carry on a trade in their own boats with the Spice 

 Islands, conveying their own produce, which consists of ambergris, beech 

 de mer, birds of Paradise, Missoy bark, pearls, pearl shells, slaves, tor- 

 toise-shell, and many kinds of curious birds, which the Papuans have a 

 particular way of drying ; for which they receive in return, beads, China- 

 ware, brass-wire, coarse piece-goods, cutlery, gold and silver lace, iron in 

 bars, and looking-glasses. 



Birds of Paradise. — These birds are valuable, and extremely well 

 suited for an ornament of dress, both by their lightness and beauty ; they 

 are employed for the same purposes as the feathers of the ostrich. There 

 are seven species. 



I. The large Bird, commonly two feet four inches in length ; the 

 head small, the bill hard and long, of a pale colour. The head and back of 

 the neck is lemon-coloured, but about its little eyes black ; about the neck, 

 the bird is of a bright gloss emerald green, and soft like velvet, as is the 

 breast, which is black or wolf-coloured. The wings are large and chestnut ; 

 the back part of the body is covered with long straight narrow feathers, of 

 a pale brown colour, similar to the plumes of the ostrich. These feathers 

 are spread when the bird is on the wing, which is the cause that he can keep 

 very long in the air. On both sides of the belly are two tufts of stiff 



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