16 
NEW GUINEA. 
given before every one Had hold of his arms (which, as 
already stated, were kept at hand), and a general dis- 
charge put the natives to flight, awimming and diving 
like ducks. Before they took to flight, however, they 
discharged several more arrows at our people, one of 
which struck Mi\ Hugenholtz in the right knee, another 
hit a sailor in the leg, while a third pierced a sailor's 
hat, and remained sticking in itj and, lastly, a Javanese 
had the handkerchief shot off hia head, but without 
receiving any personal injui'}% Four of the natives, in 
whom we had inspired so much confidence that they had 
come into the boat, sprang overboard in the greatest 
haste as soon as the attack commenced, before any of our 
people thought of securing thenu The people of the 
* Iris' (the tender to the * Triton*) saw the natives, after 
the departure of the boat, drag three of their companions 
out of the water, so that they were probably killed, or 
severely wounded. 
After the natives had taken flight, the interpreter 
got out of the boat again to pick up the arrows and 
darts that had been thrown at us, at which we were 
not altogether pleased, for we wished to return without 
giving cause for farther hostihties, as the commander 
of the ^Triton* had given orders that 'we were not 
to use the arms except in case of the most urgent 
necessity;' but more especially on account of the 
wounded, as it was feared that the arrows might be 
poisoned.* Fortunately our fears were groundless ; 
• TixQ use of poison to give greater effect to missiles does not 
seem to be known to the Papuans of New Guinea and the neigh- 
bouring islands, at least I have never heard a well-authenticated 
