The Land of the Hibiscus Blossom

LAST year, while travelling over Australasia collecting material for
a work then being prepared, I thought to score a point for my firm
while up in Northern Queensland by visiting that as yet considerably
dark island, New Guinea.

The Melbourne editor and agent at once consented to my proposal and
considered with me that it would be of great advantage to the work
if I could make my notes and sketches from the savages and their land
direct, if I thought it was worth risking my life for; but was it
after all worth the risk?

In Australia, New Guinea is a name to inspire fear and trembling;
they are much nearer to the dreaded cannibals, and hear more of their
deeds of atrocity than we in England are and do. Tales of death from
fever to those who luckily escape the spears and poisoned arrows float
down monthly.

"God help you if you go to that fever-stricken land," wrote a
Victorian friend, by way of farewell.

I considered it worth the risk, and as I had in former years lived
with the cannibals of New Zealand besides having had some distant
relations wolfed amongst them in the good old days, I did not feel
quite the same shrinking as a new chum might.

It was rather amusing to hear the sad forebodings of casual friends
whom I picked up as I progressed towards my destination; the nearer I
drew to it, the sadder became the gloomy farewells.

"You are too plump to escape the natives."

"Just the temperament to catch the fever quickly." And so on.

I made friends at Thursday Island, and was fortunate enough to find
the mail-steamer going, not only to Moresby, but round the coast as
far as Teste Island; so Mr. Vivian Bowden the plucky manager of the
enterprising firm of Messrs. Burns, Philip, and Co., made up his mind
to take a little holiday and accompany me on the voyage round the
British part of the island.

I am indebted to his kindness in many ways; not less to his great
patience allowing me to use their vessel pretty much as I liked, but
in giving me time to take as many sketches as I wished, besides
introducing me to the genial and generous traders throughout the
islands of the Torres Straits, and where they had ventured to
establish stations in New Guinea.

I met with no mishaps from natives, nor did I catch the fever.
Everywhere I was cordially received and overpowered with kindness: by
the Governor, his Excellency Sir John Douglas, the missionaries, white
and coloured, the traders, and those splendid man-eaters, the natives;
so that now I can hardly know which to admire or regret the most,
since fate has forced me to say "adieu."