Chapter II: Preface: vii

INTRODUCTION xix

CHAPTER I

_The British Ornithologists’ Union—Members of the
Expedition—Voyage to Java—Choice of Rivers—Prosperity
of Java—Half-castes—Obsequious Javanese—The
Rijst-tafel—Customs of the Dutch—Buitenzorg
Garden—Garoet_ 1

CHAPTER II

_Expedition leaves Java—The “Nias”—Escort—Macassar—Raja
of Goa—Amboina—Corals and Fishes—Ambonese
Christians—Dutch Clubs—Dobo_ 13

CHAPTER III

_New Guinea—Its Position and Extent—Territorial
Divisions—Mountain Ranges—Numerous Rivers—The Papuans—The
Discovery of New Guinea—Early Voyagers—Spanish and
Dutch—Jan Carstensz—First Discovery of the Snow
Mountains—William Dampier in the “Roebuck”—Captain Cook
in the “Endeavour”—Naturalists and later Explorers_ 21

CHAPTER IV

_Sail from the Aru Islands—Sight New Guinea—Distant
Mountains—Signal Fires—Natives in Canoes—A British
Flag—Natives on Board—Their Behaviour—Arrival at
Mimika River—Reception at Wakatimi—Dancing and
Weeping—Landing Stores—View of the Country—Snow
Mountains—Shark-fishing—Making the Camp—Death of W.
Stalker_ 35

CHAPTER V

_Arrival of our Ambonese—Coolie Considerations—Canoes
of the Natives—Making Canoes—Preliminary Exploration of
the Mimika—Variable Tides—Completing the Camp—A Plague
of Flies—Also of Crickets—Making “Atap”—Trading with the
Natives—Trade Goods_ 50

CHAPTER VI

_Difficulties of Food—Coolies’ Rations—Choice
of Provisions—Transporting Supplies up the
Mimika—Description of the River—A Day’s Work—Monotonous
Scenery—Crowned Pigeons—Birds of Paradise and
Others—Snakes, Bees, and other Creatures—Rapids and Clear
Water—The Seasons—Wind—Rain—Thunderstorms—Halley’s Comet_ 65

CHAPTER VII

_Exploration of the Kapare River—Obota—Native
Geography—River Obstructions—Hornbills and
Tree Ducks—Gifts of Stones—Importance of Steam
Launch—Cultivation of Tobacco—Sago Swamps—Manufacture of
Sago—Cooking of Sago—The Dutch Use of Convict Labour_ 82

CHAPTER VIII

_Description of Wakatimi—The Papuan House—Coconut
Palms—The Sugar Palm—Drunkenness of the Natives—Drunken
Vagaries—Other Cultivation—The Native Language—No
Interpreters—The Numerals—Difficulties of
Understanding—Names of Places—Local Differences of
Pronunciation_ 95

CHAPTER IX

_The Papuans of
Wakatimi—Colour—Hair—Eyes—Nose—Tattooing—Height—Dress—Widows’
Bonnets—Growth of Children—Preponderance of Men—Number
of Wives—Childhood—Swimming and other Games—Imitativeness
of Children—The Search for Food—Women as Workers—Fishing
Nets—Other Methods of Fishing—An Extract from Dampier_ 109

CHAPTER X

_Food of the Papuans—Cassowaries—The Native Dog—Question
of Cannibalism—Village Headman—The Social System of the
Papuans—The Family—Treatment of Women—Religion—Weather
Superstitions—Ceremony to avert a Flood—The Pig—A Village
Festival—Wailing at Deaths—Methods of Disposal of the
Dead—No Reverence for the Remains—Purchasing Skulls_ 124

CHAPTER XI

_Papuans’ Love of Music—Their Concerts—A Dancing
House—Carving—Papuans as Artists—Cat’s Cradle—Village
Squabbles—The Part of the Women—Wooden and Stone
Clubs—Shell Knives and Stone Axes—Bows and Arrows—Papuan
Marksmen—Spears—A most Primitive People—Disease—Prospects
of their Civilisation_ 141

CHAPTER XII

_The Camp at Parimau—A Plague of Beetles—First Discovery
of the Tapiro Pygmies—Papuans as Carriers—We visit the
Clearing of the Tapiro—Remarkable Clothing of Tapiro—Our
Relations with the Natives—System of Payment—Their
Confidence in Us—Occasional Thefts—A Customary
Peace-offering—Papuans as Naturalists_ 155

CHAPTER XIII

_Visit of Mr. Lorentz—Arrival of Steam Launch—A
Sailor Drowned—Our Second Batch of Coolies—Health of
the Gurkhas—Dayaks the Best Coolies—Sickness—Arrival
of Motor Boat—Camp under Water—Expedition moves to
Parimau—Explorations beyond the Mimika—Leeches—Floods on
the Tuaba River—Overflowing Rivers—The Wataikwa—Cutting a
Track_ 169

CHAPTER XIV

_The Camp at the Wataikwa River—Malay Coolies—“Amok”—A
Double Murder—A View of the Snow Mountains—Felling
Trees—Floods—Village washed Away—The Wettest Season—The
Effects of Floods—Beri-beri—Arrival of C. Grant—Departure
of W. Goodfellow_ 184

CHAPTER XV

_Pygmies visit Parimau—Description of Tapiro
Pygmies—Colour—Hair—Clothing—Ornaments—Netted Bags—Flint
Knives—Bone Daggers—Sleeping Mats—Fire Stick—Method
of making Fire—Cultivation of Tobacco—Manner of
Smoking—Bows and Arrows—Village of the Pygmies—Terraced
Ground—Houses on Piles—Village Headman—Our Efforts
to see the Women—Language and Voices—Their
Intelligence—Counting—Their Geographical Distribution_ 196

CHAPTER XVI

_Communication with Amboina and Merauke—Sail in the
“Valk” to the Utakwa River—Removal of the Dutch
Expedition—View of Mount Carstensz—Dugongs—Crowded
Ship—Dayaks and Live Stock—Sea-Snakes—Excitable
Convicts—The Island River—Its Great Size—Another Dutch
Expedition—Their Achievements—Houses in the Trees—Large
Village—Barn-like Houses—Naked People—Shooting Lime—Their
Skill in Paddling—Through the Marianne Straits—An
Extract from Carstensz—Merauke—Trade in Copra—Botanic
Station—The Mission—The Ké Island Boat-builders—The
Natives of Merauke described—Arrival of our Third Batch
of Coolies—The Feast of St. Nicholas—Return to Mimika_ 209

CHAPTER XVII

_Difficulty of Cross-country Travel—Expedition moves
towards the Mountains—Arrival at the Iwaka River—Changing
Scenery—The Impassable Iwaka—A Plucky Gurkha—Building a
Bridge—We start into the Mountains—Fording
Rivers—Flowers—Lack of Water on Hillside—Curious
Vegetation—Our highest Point—A wide View—Rare
Birds—Coal—Uninhabitable Country—Dreary Jungle—Rarely any
Beauty—Remarkable Trees—Occasional Compensations_ 229

CHAPTER XVIII

_Departure from Parimau—Parting Gifts—Mock
Lamentation—Rawling explores Kamura River—Start for the
Wania—Lose the Propeller—A Perilous Anchorage—Unpleasant
Night—Leave the Motor Boat—Village of Nimé—Arrival of
“Zwaan” with Dayaks—Their Departure—Waiting for the
Ship—Taking Leave of the People of Wakatimi—Sail from New
Guinea—Ké Islands—Banda—Hospitality of the Netherlands
Government—Lieutenant Cramer—Sumbawa—Bali—Return to
Singapore and England—One or two Reflexions_ 246

APPENDIX A

_Notes on the Birds collected by the B.O.U Expedition to
Dutch New Guinea. By W. R. Ogilvie-Grant_ 263

APPENDIX B

_The Pygmy Question. By Dr. A. C. Haddon, F.R.S._ 303