190 
MELVILLE ISLAND. 
without the insertion of authentic particulars concerning 
the natiye inhabitanta, which will enable the reader to 
judge for himself as to whether any affinity exists between 
them and tbe Papuans. 
The insularity of Jlelvillc Island was first ascertained 
by Captain Philip Parker King^ R.N.j during his cele- 
brated sur%'cy of the intertropical coasts of Australia in 
1818 to 1822, during which he tilled up tbe greater 
portion of the coast-lloe from Cape Wcssel to the North- 
west Cape, some of the prominent points only having 
been seen by former navigators. The island was found to 
consist of densely- wooded undulating land seventy miles 
in length, thirty in breadth, and to be separated from the 
main land of Australia by a strait only fifteen miles in 
width, but through which the tide ran with great rapidity, 
forming numerous eddies and tide races, which Captain 
King suggests were of too foraiidable a character to be 
naiigated with safety by the canoes of the natives. He 
found a large opening on tbe north-west side of the 
island, which be at first thought would prave to be a 
river, hut farther examination showed it to be a narrow 
navigable strait which separated Melville from Batburst 
Island I and it was on tbe shores of this strait, while 
taking observations on a hill near the sea, that he first 
met with the natives. The interview is thus described 
in Captain King's narrative * 
" Suddenly, however, but fortunately before we bad 
dispersed, we were surprised by natives, who, coming 
forward armed with spears, obliged us veiy speedily to 
* " Survey of the Intertropical CoasU of Australia," by Captain 
P. P. King, R.Jy. London, 1825. 
