Page:Scented isles and coral gardens- Torres Straits, German New Guinea and the Dutch East Indies, by C.D. Mackellar, 1912.pdf/150

112 foundation for this tale. [I think it was Professor David of the Sydney University—that member of Sir Ernest Shackleton's expedition who led a party to the South Magnetic Pole— whom I heard state that he had been informed by some person connected with British New Guinea that he had seen the spoor of some such huge animal. Dr. H. A. Lorentz—the well known Dutch explorer says that he had in his possession for a time the foot of some huge creature.]

Of the birds of paradise and the beautiful blue crown pigeons it is as unnecessary to speak as it is of the exquisite butterflies and beetles.

The natives have well-defined rights in the land, and have evolved for themselves a wonderful system of social government with the strictest laws, the infringement of some of which means death. They are very treacherous, and murders of whites are frequent, but on the coast are often provoked by interference with their women. As there are countless hordes of the natives, the few Europeans are in constant danger. The natives, however, cannot be judged as others; they do not understand our ideas, and naturally resent the intrusion of the white man into their tropical paradise, and his constant endeavours to rob them of what they consider theirs. They are, of course, nearly all cannibals. Just lately the Governor was in a room at Herbertshöhe with various others when suddenly his own boy—native servant— drew a revolver, fired at him, but missed him, though the bullet grazed Queen Emma's arm. You never know at what moment such things may occur. It is with their spears and axes they attack the whites, and these are formidable weapons.

Herr Walin and others had just returned with