Abstract
IN a lecture delivered at Cooktown (published in the Daily Observer of Brisbane), Mr. H. O. Forbes described his work in New Guinea during the six months he remained there. He set up his winter camp at Sogere, three days' march from the coast, though only 25 miles in a straight line, on the slope of a steep mountain. His work here was varied and important. The meteorological station which was erected was placed under the charge of Mr. Hennessy, and the observations were continued down to the end of his stay. These consisted of records of the mercurial barometer, maximum and minimum, dry- and wet-bulb thermometers, and rainfall, and were recorded without interruption six times in every twenty-four hours. The mass of observations thus accumulated will take a considerable time to tabulate, especially those referring to the atmospheric humidity. Then there was the collecting of zoological and botanical specimens. A large portion of the herbarium consists of giant trees of the forest. It contains about one thousand specimens, one set having been sent to Baron von Müller to Melbourne. A great part of Mr. Forbes's own time was devoted to the survey and delineation of the geographical features of the country. He obtained angles from about fifty different stations and established a base of several miles in length, on which he had hoped to found the triangulation of the country between Sogere and Owen Stanley, and the north-east coast. He also paid a visit to the latter place, and there, as elsewhere with a little management, found the natives extremely friendly and well-disposed. When Mr. Forbes found his funds failing, he determined, with Mr. Chalmers, on making a dash for Mount Owen Stanley, but the natives who were to have aided him fled in the night, apparently on account of the terrors inspired by the journey. He only got as far as Kaukari, a village two days' journey beyond Sogere. He says that no words can give a true idea of the break-neck, shattered, disrupted condition of the country between Sogere and the central ridges. Beyond the natural obstacles, however (and they appear to be very great), there appears no reason why British New Guinea should not be thoroughly explored, provided the natives are treated with conciliation and tact.
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Geographical Notes . Nature 34, 398–399 (1886). https://doi.org/10.1038/034398b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/034398b0