Page:Scented isles and coral gardens- Torres Straits, German New Guinea and the Dutch East Indies, by C.D. Mackellar, 1912.pdf/185

Rh is perfectly capable, I am sure, of ruling all New Guinea, and doing it well—in fact, I believe it would be the making of the country to let her do it.

[I am told, 1910, that all the property and plantations of Queen Emma and her company are valued now at over £150,000, and are for sale. These royal possessions are situated in many desirable spots on various islands, and well worth a large sum, as their value must increase with population. It is probable that rubber will become here, as elsewhere, a source of revenue.]

The young New Zealander—a quiet, gentlemanly, nice-looking youth—I felt quite sorry for. He was just a paid employee in the store. He suffered terribly from the fever and the climate, and was sick to death of New Britain and his life, longing to get back amongst his own countrymen again, but saw no chance of it. I invited him to visit me on the ship for dinner and a chat, and he accepted eagerly, but never turned up, and some one told me afterwards that I had made him feel more homesick than ever. I could understand that.

Mr. Forsayth then took me to his own house near by, and introduced me to his wife and children. The lady was pleasant and good-looking, also with a strain of Samoan blood in her. In the dining-room were many beautiful native curiosities well arranged. The dining- and billiard-rooms are in a separate house, as all the staff dine with them. It is pretty and well laid out, with flower-beds amidst the palms. How the Germans can see all this, and not make Herbertshöhe better, is curious. A young German who was there took me back to the ship; I forget his name, but he is engaged to one of the Miss Parkinsons, a niece of Queen Emma.