NEW GUINEA AND THE PAPUANS 
389 
mountain masses of the Bismarck and Finisterre ranges, 
which intervene between the two ports; and Hatzfeldt- 
hafen, still farther west, is protected in like manner. 
Ivonstantinhafen has an annual rainfall of about 120 
inches, which exceeds considerably that of the other 
German settlements. At Port Moresby the mean is 72 
inches. Xo European settlements exist in Dutch terri¬ 
tory, and we have thus no records, but the rainfall of 
Dorei and the north-western peninsula most probably 
exceeds any of these figures. 
At Port Moresby the grand mean temperature in 
1892 was found to be 83° Fahr., the highest maximum 
96°, and the lowest minimum 72°. In the German 
territory temperature is lower, the mean annual of Hatz- 
feldthafen being registered at 78°, and the lowest mini¬ 
mum at 66° Fahr., but the north-west extremity is no 
doubt the hottest, as well as the wettest, portion of the 
island. Although these recorded temperatures are greatly 
exceeded in many parts of Australia, the heat of Xew 
Guinea, owing to the superabundance of moisture, is far 
more trying to Europeans, and the climate cannot be 
regarded as otherwise than very unhealthy. Xor is this 
unhealthiness confined to Europeans. Between the years 
1873 and 1887, 201 Polynesian teachers were employed 
in the various missions in British territory, and of these 
no less than 9 5 died. The chief disorders affecting 
foreigners are the various forms of malarial fever and 
ulcers of the leg. Elephantiasis and leprosy are common 
among the natives, but still commoner is a form of ring¬ 
worm, which, though found in many islands from the 
Moluccas far into the Pacific, has its chief focus in Xew 
Guinea. Spreading from various centres, it covers the 
skin with circles of curious accuracy of outline. In time 
these meet, and the whole body may become covered 
