424 
COMPENDIUM OF GEOGRAPHY AND TRAVEL 
unknown. There are no rivers of importance, and no 
settlements of any kind even on the coast except one or 
two solitary mission stations. Near the southern horn of 
Milne Bay, on Samarai, a small island in China Strait, is 
the Government station for the eastern division—an 
unhealthy and unsuitable locality which will in all prob¬ 
ability be eventually abandoned. The north-east coast 
of the possession is imperfectly known, and has no 
European settlements. It is a remarkable fact that no 
lakes are known with certainty to exist in any part of 
New Guinea, though one has been reported to lie westward 
of Mount Yule, and another in Dutch territory near Etna 
Bay. 
As yet, not much has been done in the way of agri¬ 
culture and planting by Europeans. Such trade as exists 
is almost entirely in natural products, and is carried on 
only with Cooktown and other Queensland ports. Pearl- 
shell, timber, tripang, and copra are the chief articles 
exported. In 1892 tripang to the value of £3400 passed 
the customs, and copra to £2084. The latter trade is 
capable of much development, and may possibly become 
important. A plantation of coffee in Milne Bay is 
reported to give fair promise of success. 
The population of New Guinea has been variously 
estimated at from one half to two millions, but it is 
probable that it even exceeds the latter figure. In many 
places it is very dense. The number of native inhabit¬ 
ants in British territory has been roughly placed at 
350,000. Of Europeans there are about 150. 
10. The Islands of New Guinea. 
The Dutch islands of New Guinea are numerous, and 
in some instances of considerable size. Beginning at the 
