Page:Scented isles and coral gardens- Torres Straits, German New Guinea and the Dutch East Indies, by C.D. Mackellar, 1912.pdf/170

130 good terms with them. Good colonists as they are under us or America, they have not yet—here, at least—learnt how to colonise for themselves.

Personally, no one ever resented or resents the stupidity of our Home Government more in ever making it possible for any Foreign Power to be here at all than I do, as I can foresee the trouble that will arise in the future should it long remain a German possession; but, since they are here, and legitimately here, I feel a real interest in their progress and much sympathy with their present aims and endeavours to develop this land. Of course, they have done little, wonderfully little, since they gained this new territory, but then it has all been done from Berlin, and the place has not a chance. They all know that here. As usual with Germany her colonists are officials, mere paid servants dying to get back to Germany and comfort, and often caring little about the country here. It is themselves, their interests and possible advancement, they think about mostly. Till population increases it cannot be otherwise. Fever and natives kill so many that others are not tempted to come out.

What my friend, Baroness Frieda von Bülow, has written so much about in connection with the German African colonies applies equally here. How she would stimulate and wake up these people in this colony!

We took on board the Stettin a large cargo of huge shells which go to Germany for the making of buttons. It gave me an opportunity of seeing how the Papuans worked when engaged as labourers. They entered into it with zest and apparent enjoyment, but their antics and want of method created much amusement. The noise they made was infernal; they “sang,”—how I wish you could have heard them!—chattered, and screamed in