of the rarer kinds were found there, as I obtained a single
female of the fine scale-breasted Ptiloris magnificus. I was
told at Ternate of a bird that is certainly not yet known
in Europe, a black King Paradise Bird, with the curled
tail and beautiful side plumes of the common species, but
all the rest of the plumage glossy black. The people of
Dorey knew nothing about this, although they recognised
by description most of the other species.
When the ^teamer left, I was suffering from a severe
attack of fever. In about a week I got over this, but it
was followed by such a soreness of the whole inside of the
mouth, tongue, and gums, that for many days I could put
nothing solid between my lips, but was obliged to subsist
entirely on slops, although in other respects very well. At
the same time two of my men again fell ill, one with fever,
the other with dysentery, and both got very bad. I did
what I could for them with my small stock of medicines,
but they lingered on for some weeks, till on June 26th
poor Jumaat died. He was about eighteen years of age, a
native, I believe, of Bouton, and a quiet lad, not very
active, but doing his work pretty steadily, and as well as
he was able. As my men were all Mahometans, I let
them bury him in their own fashion, giving them some
new cotton cloth for a shroud.
On July 6 th the steamer returned from the eastward.
The weather was still terribly wet, when, according to rule,
it should have been fine and dry. We had scarcely anything
to eat, and were all of us ill. Fevers, colds, and
dysentery were continually attacking us, and made me long
to get away from New Guinea, as much as ever I had
longed to come there. The captain of the Etna paid me
a visit, and gave me a very interesting account of his trip.
They had stayed at Humboldt Bay several days, and found
it a much more beautiful and more interesting place than
Dorey, as well as a better harbour. The natives were
quite unsophisticated, being rarely visited except by stray
whalers, and they were superior to the Dorey people,
morally and physically. They went quite naked. Their
houses were some in the water and some inland, and were
all neatly and well b u ilt; their fields were well cultivated,
and the paths to them kept clear and open, in which
respects Dorey is abominable. They were shy at first,
and opposed the boats with hostile demonstrations, bending
their bows, and intimating that they would shoot if
an attempt was made to land. ■ Very judiciously the
captain gave way, but threw on shore a few presents, and
after two or three trials they were permitted to land, and
to go about and see the country, and were supplied with
fruits and vegetables. All communication was carried on
with them by signs—the Dorey interpreter, who accompanied
the steamer, being unable to understand a word of
their language. No new birds or animals were obtained,
Y 2