Glimpses of the Eastern Archipelago; Ethnographical, Geographical, Historical

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1894 Excerpt: ... THE WESTERN AND NORTHERN COASTS Of NETHERLANDS NEW GUINEA. The North Coast, east of Cape D'Urville. north coast of Netherlands New Guinea, situate between about 137 30' N., or the eastern entrance to Geelvink Bay, and the 141st meridian, being the boundary of the German territory, forms, as it were, a separate whole, in so far namely, that the Papuans of this portion of the coast, with a slight exception, have no connection whatever with the races living more westerly; and there is, from Waropen, in an easterly direction, no junction; and if from here the very sparsely populated banks of the Mamberamo are now and then visited along the Mainai river, the incentive to penetrate further into these solitary regions remains from the nature of the thing, very slight. Apart from the great distance that prevents the distinction of land along the horizon with the naked eye, the seafaring inhabitants of the western islands also, found as little inducement to extend their journeys on unknown territory to the eastward; and if this did happen once, the meeting of tribes that spoke quite another language, and that differed remarkably from themselves in manners and customs, was no encouragement for them to venture so far again. On the other hand, the inhabitants of these parts had no reason to cross the inhospitable tract of land that separated them from the others, and each remained in his own territory where he could provide for himself the best. Deterred by what they heard of the country and its inhabitants, native traders also refrained from all endeavours to push further eastward; and although a single European vessel may have latterly done so, it is still very rare, and the travels of officials in war vessels and Government steamers, are about the only ones by which ...