Page:Scented isles and coral gardens- Torres Straits, German New Guinea and the Dutch East Indies, by C.D. Mackellar, 1912.pdf/158

118 same time she gave a binding undertaking when she acquired her possessions in these seas to afford British subjects all the trading and other facilities her own people had, and which we so freely accord to any one. What, then, does Germany expect? Is it to be supposed when she pursues the policy she does that she can have the sympathy or friendship of any one?

There are a certain number of traders, British, Scandinavians, and so on, scattered amongst these isles. Most of these men live alone at their station, often a small isle, and frequently have a regular native harem, besides the other natives who work for them. Each is a little king, but his life is in daily danger. The natives of the Solomons have always been notorious as head-hunters and cannibals, and are the same to-day—they go one hundred miles for heads. Bougainville, the largest and most northern of the isles, is 120 miles long by 30 wide, has a range of mountains several thousand feet high, and an active volcano. There are alligators, turtle, and wild boar in the isles; but, on account of the natives, they are not yet explored. Rubiana is a headquarter for British traders, and the largest British isles are New Georgia, Guadalcanar, Malaita, and San Christoval.

Nothing can be more interesting than to picture the early endeavours of the Spaniards in these seas, as related in the MS. of Hernando Gallego, 1566, a copy of which is in the British Museum. Don Philip II of Spain ordered Lope Garcio de Castro to equip two ships and set out from Peru to “discover a continent” and Christianise it. I like the large order—“just go and find a continent”; but they were elated with their conquest of Peru.

On the 19th November 1566 they left Callao