Chapter XVIII.
The Solomon Islands; New Britain; New Ireland; New Hanover; and the Admiralty Islands.

makira harbour, san christoval, solomon islands.

The Solomon or Salomon Islands are a long chain of considerable size and extent, stretching in a north-west and south-east direction, between the parallels of 5° and 11° south of the equator, and page 362155° to 163° east longitude. To the north-west of them lie the large islands of New Britain and New Georgia; to the south the Louisiade Archipelago; and further east the great land of New Guinea, from which they are separated by the Sea of Albion, which contains many small islands.

They are said to have been discovered, in the year 1567, by Alvero de Mendāna, the celebrated Spanish navigator who sailed from Callao, in Peru, on a voyage of discovery across the Pacific Ocean. He anchored in a port on the island Ysabel, where he remained some time, and built a brigantine, with which to prosecute further researches amongst the intricate reefs and shallow waters surrounding these islands. In these investigations he was particularly successful, "having," as the account says, "fallen in with no fewer than thirty-three islands of very fine prospect." When the voyage of Mendāna was published in Spain, the name of the Solomon Islands was given to the entire group, "to the end, that the Spaniards, supposing them to be those isles from whence Solomon fetched gold to adorn the temple at Jerusalem, might be the more desirous to go and inhabit the same." On a second voyage of discovery to the Solomon Islands, Mendāna returned without being able to find them; and it is a singular fact that these islands, whose name was sufficient to tempt adventurers, were lost to Europeans for two centuries after their discovery, and that we know at present but very little more about them than what Mendāna has given to the world in the earliest extant account of his voyages, printed at Madrid page 363in 1613. Bougainville revisited them in 1768; M. Surville in 1769, on a mercantile expedition from Pondicherry; and Lieutenant Shortland, of the British navy, in 1788. More recently, they have been touched at by war vessels of various nations cruising in the Pacific; and only fifteen years ago, the island of Guadalcanar was the scene of the massacre of Mr. Benjamin Boyd, of Sydney, who visited the Solomon group in his yacht the "Wanderer," and was cut off by the natives whilst on shore shooting pigeons.

At San Christoval the French missionaries formed an establishment at Makira Bay; but they were compelled to abandon it in consequence of some of their party being murdered by the ferocious inhabitants. For a considerable period the Solomon Archipelago has been the resort of small vessels from Australia, and American whalers, for the purpose of procuring tortoise-shell, which is found there in abundance, and which the traders purchase of the natives in exchange for beads, tomahawks, knives, red cloth, empty bottles, and other similar articles. These exchanges are effected in the following manner, as it is not considered safe for any of the crew to land. The natives bring off the tortoise-shell and other produce in their canoes, and lie alongside the ship, a certain number only being allowed to approach at the same time. Each piece of shell is bargained for separately; and none but the head chief is allowed on board, the bulwarks being protected to a considerable height by what are called "hammocknettings," so as to prevent the natives boarding the page 364vessel in case of a sudden attack. Such precautions are always necessary, as many vessels have fallen into the hands of these savages, and their crews been murdered, and afterwards eaten by them.

The principal islands of the Solomon group are, Bougainville, New Georgia (which consists of a number of islands, with wide channels between them, although it is laid down on the charts as one large island), Ysabel, Malaita, or Malanta, Guadalcanar, and St. Christoval, which is the most southerly of the chain. Besides these are many smaller islands, such as Bouka, the Murray Islands, Eddystone Island, Florida Island, and Sesarga, on which is a volcano, continually emitting smoke.

According to the accounts of the various navigators who have visited the Solomon Islands, they are surrounded by reefs and coral banks, which, like those of New Caledonia, render the navigation very dangerous. They are remarkably fertile, with a humid, oppressive climate, and are covered, for the most part, with dense, dank forests, even to the tops of the highest mountains.

San Christoval is an island of large extent, being seventy miles in length and about twenty in breadth. It is mountainous and densely wooded, and has a good harbour on the east side.

Guadalcanar is also a considerable island, about fifty miles long and twelve broad, with a good harbour, named by the Spaniards Port de la Cruz. There is a broad deep river, called De Ortega, flowing into one of the harbours. The island is populous, and'contains several large villages. page 365Malaita is about the same size as Guadalcanal, and is separated from it by Indispensable Straits. Near its eastern extremity is the island of Sesarga, about twenty-four miles in circumference. It is high, round, and well inhabited. It produces yams and bread-fruit in great plenty; and in the middle is an active volcano.

West from Malaita is the island of Florida, nearly seventy miles in circumference.

Ysabel is a fine island, nearly eighty miles long, having a good harbour at Estrella Bay. Bougainville Island, which is still larger, lies, together with the smaller island of Bouka, to the north of the group. South of it are the Treasury Islands. All these are well peopled, but little is known of their general aspect and productions.

New Georgia is a cluster of large islands, intersected by broad channels of the sea; the reefs around it produce beche-de-mer of the finest quality; and sandal-wood grows on some of the islands, as well as excellent ginger. Eddystone Island, lying south from New Georgia is a small island of volcanic formation. It is well wooded, but very rocky and mountainous on its west side. Large quantities of sulphur occur on the slopes of the central mountain, at the summit of which is an extinct volcano; and near the beach are several hot springs. The inhabitants are more friendly towards Europeans than those of any other of the Solomon Islands; hence it is made by the traders the channel of communication with the larger islands of New Georgia.

The natives of the Solomon Islands generally page 366resemble somewhat the Papuans of New Guinea, and evidently belong to the same race. Their complexion is quite black, and their hair crisp and woolly. The chiefs and great warriors wear a number of rings on each arm, made from a gigantic shell found on the reefs. These rings are so highly prized, and so difficult to be obtained, as often to occasion war between the different tribes; and human life is so little valued by the natives of this archipelago, that one of these rings can command the head of any individual. The lobes of the ears are perforated, and distended to such an immense size that round blocks of painted wood more than three inches in diameter are inserted into them. When at war, they paint their faces and breasts with a white pigment, which gives them a horrible appearance. They all chew the betel-nut, and their teeth are quite black in consequence. They use an aromatic leaf and lime as condiments, similarly to the Malays.

The Solomon Islanders are regarded as the. most treacherous and bloodthirsty race in the Pacific, and are notorious for their cannibalism. They are so addicted to it that at many of the islands, Captain Cheyne tells, human flesh actually forms their chief article of diet. He says, "I have been most disgusted, on visiting some of their houses, to observe human heads, arms, and legs suspended from the rafters."

Their houses are built with a gable roof, thatched with palm leaves, and somewhat resemble those of the New Zealanders. The posts are carved with page 367grotesque human figures; and skulls, and other ornaments are hung about the rafters.

Their principal weapons are heavy clubs, spears, and bows and arrows, the latter tipped with the sharp bones of a fish; and when meeting for war, they collect the people together by the sound of conch-shells.

The natives of New Georgia came off in large canoes, and attacked Bougainville's vessel at Choiseul Bay, but were soon driven back by the discharge of fire-arms, and two of their canoes captured. The account given of their canoes by that navigator is as follows:—"They are long and well wrought, their head and stern very much raised, to shelter the people against arrows, by turning either end of the boat towards the enemy. On the prow of one of these canoes they had carved the head of a man; the eyes were of mother-of-pearl; the ears of tortoise-shell; and the whole figure resembled a mask with a long beard. The lips were painted of a bright red. In their canoes which we captured we found bows and arrows in great quantity, lances, shields, cocoa-nuts, and other fruits, some nets very well knit, and the jaw of a man, half broiled."

These islanders are described by Bougainville as being black, with crisp, curly hair, which they dye white, yellow or red. They are naked except a piece of mat round the loins, and wear large flat ornaments of pearl and tortoise-shell on their heads and round their necks. Their shields are oval, and made of rushes twisted above each other and very well constructed so as to be impenetrable to their ordinary arrows.

The natives of Ysabel are described as worshipping serpents, toads, and similar creatures. At the time of Mendāna's visit, it is recorded "that the chief sent to him a present of a quarter of a boy, with the hand and arm." Mendāna ordered this present to be buried in the presence of those who brought it, which gave great offence to the natives.

Between New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, and lying north-west from the latter, are the large and imperfectly-known islands of New Britain and New Ireland. They are separated from each other by St. George's Channel, and form a kind of semicircle of which New Ireland constitutes the northern portion. Dampier's Straits divide New Britain from New Guinea. At the north-western extremity of New Ireland is the smaller island of New Hanover.

The archipelago of New Britain was long supposed to be a portion of New Guinea, until Dampier was, in the year 1700, the first to prove it to be distinct. Before this separation was known, Lemaire and Tasman had coasted a part of the archipelago, and particularly New Ireland. Carteret examined New Hanover, and D'Entrecasteaux examined the north coast of New Britain. Many smaller islands, such as the French Islands, Williams' Islands, Fisher Island, Duke of York's Island, &c., belong to New Britain. The entire group occupies a space between 2º 30' and 6º south latitude, and 149º and 153º east longitude.

The nature of the soil and the character of the productions resemble those of New Guinea and the adjacent lands. Dampier, who anchored in a bay page 369on the southern coast of New Britain, which he called Port Montagu, describes the country as mountainous and wooded, containing fertile valleys and large rivers. It also appeared to him to be very populous; and he makes mention of several volcanoes both in New Britain and the neighbouring islands.

In the vicinity of Carteret Harbour, in New Ireland, there are some steep mountains, which stretch away into the interior; they appear to be upwards of 8000 feet in height, and are covered with tall trees to their very summits. The vegetation is magnificent in the extreme. The Barringtonia, the pandanus, and the fig, attracted by the humidity of the ocean, wave their broad branches over the sea; and the forests abound with palms, one of which, a species of areca, is 150 feet in height. The sago-palm, the nutmeg-tree, and the ginger-plant are also abundant; whilst thick groves of cocoa-nuts skirt all the low parts of the coast.

New Hanover is but little known. It is separated from New Holland by a channel much obstructed with reefs, and scattered here and there with small islands.

The little island called the Duke of York's, in St. George's Channel, appeared to Captain Hunter like a large garden, its plantations being so regular and so near together. The inhabitants brought fruits, which they piled up in pyramidal heaps, on the top of which they placed little dogs with their feet tied together.

The area of New Britain may be roughly estimated at about 24,000 square miles; New Ireland is described as 170 miles long by 12 wide; and page 370New Hanover is 30 miles in extent from east to west.

St. George's Channel, dividing New Britain from New Ireland, is spoken of as being very beautiful. The hills on either side are lofty, and their descent to the sea gentle and regular. The forests are of the most massive growth, and greatly diversified by various kinds of trees, intermingled with luxuriant flowers and pleasant fruits. The air, as the voyager sails along, is aromatic with the nutmeg and other spicy groves; and the woods resound with the melodious notes of birds of brilliant plumage.

The scenery of the east coast of New Ireland, as viewed from the sea, is thus described by Dr. Coulter. He says, "the land in the interior seemed very high, mountain after mountain of every shape and form towering over each other; the deep gorges and hillsides densely wooded; the shore all along high, bold, and rocky; a magnificent surf dashing up against the more prominent bluffs; and the silvery path of many a mountain torrent was distinctly visible as it quivered down through the ravines, and threw its broad sheet of water over some high cliff into the sea." The interior of the country is a paradise of beauty and fertility. Dr. Coulter, who landed in New Ireland under the protection of a chief, and was kindly received by the natives, tells us, the palm, nutmeg, cocoa-nut, magnolia, and other trees were rich and magnificent in appearance; they grew well apart and open, except in some isolated spots, where the wild vine and a dense growth of shrubs formed a perfect network of vege-page 371tation. The banks of the river, which was of crystalline clearness, were in some places covered with cane-brakes; in others, shining, rugged rocks formed the embankment, with here and there a huge tree throwing its dark shadow over the rippled surface of the stream, in which were shoals of mullet and handsome gold-fish. What gave a peculiar effect to the scene was the existence of gigantic white rocks that reared themselves high up out of the luxuriant forest foliage, having the appearance of spires and domes, so that from a distance one might suppose a magnificent city lay beyond, partly concealed by a bed of tropical foliage. Variously-coloured parroquets were so numerous that they literally covered the smaller bushes; and doves were walking about on the grass in astonishing numbers." He goes on to say, "At an elevation of about nine hundred feet, the whole face of the country, as far as the eye could reach, appeared undulating. Wave after wave of land, covered with grass of a lively green colour; clumps of trees of different sizes, at irregular distances from each other; lakes of various extent; and shining streams, winding their snake-like course through the landscape—all combined to cause me to imagine for the moment I was gazing on a scientifically-arranged park on a large scale."

Near Port Praslin, a harbour at the south-eastern extremity of New Ireland, where Bougainville anchored, is an enormous cascade of surpassing magnificence and grandeur, falling some hundreds of feet amidst an assemblage of rocks, in a series of page 372almost regular gradations, and forming all around hundreds of basins of limpid water, the whole shaded by trees of immense height, intermingled with the most exquisite palms and ferns; this waterfall presents a scene of unequalled beauty, amidst the dense and reeking forests of New Britain.

The rains during the wet season appear to be very heavy and constant in these regions so close to the equator. Bougainville says of New Britain, after mentioning the successive shocks of earthquakes they experienced, "Here one tempest comes on before the other is gone off; it thunders continually, and the nights are fit to convey an idea of chaotic darkness.

The people of New Ireland and New Britain are black, with crisp, woolly hair, and good figures and features. They paint their cheeks with streaks of white, and dye their hair and beards with lime. Their only clothing consists of a small mat round the loins, ornamented, in the case of the chiefs, with feathers. They are described by Carteret as a very warlike race; and carry slings and spears armed with flints. Polygamy is constant among them. They practise cannibalism to a certain extent, eating their enemies taken in battle. Their canoes are sometimes ninety feet long, with outriggers, and these they manage with much skill and dexterity; and the paddles are handsomely carved. The chiefs wear large circular badges of carved mother-of-pearl round their necks, as an emblem of rank, and also necklaces and armlets of bone and shell.

Their villages are built on cleared spaces of ground, having in the centre a large circular council or meeting-house, with a low thatched roof, supported by pillars stained red. From the top of the roof several tall poles project, on the pointed ends of each of which are fixed dried human skulls. The floor is covered with fine matting, stained yellow with turmeric, having birds' feathers of various colours interwoven here and there in a sort of emblematic design. The ordinary dwellings are square, and formed partly under ground, for the sake of coolness; they are thatched with branches of palm-trees or coarse flags, which, in most instances, are rendered fireproof with a thick layer of well-wrought mud, plastered down by the aid of a wooden trowel. They are divided into many tribes, who are constantly at war with each other; and "look-outs" or scouts are posted in various commanding positions near their villages, to give notice of the approach of an enemy, so as to prevent the inmates being taken by surprise. The power of the chiefs is absolute, they holding the life or death of their subjects in their hands. When the warriors move from station to station, as they do periodically, they are accompanied by their wives and children; and the chiefs, who are a sort of magistrates for consultation on any matters affecting the tribe, see that these families are properly cared for. Should a man neglect his family, a mode of punishment very similar to one practised by school-boys amongst civilized nations is adopted. A double row of men, women, and children—the whole popu-page 374lation of the village—armed with stiff birches, is formed; and, at a signal from the chief the delinquent is obliged to run a certain number of times through the line, and receive a sound castigation from the rods of the villagers. They construct large wooden images of their gods, some of which are ten feet high; these are placed in isolated situations about the country, and are surrounded with heaps of offerings of pork, fowls, fruit, and other food, the rapid decomposition of which fills the atmosphere about these idols with an intolerable stench.

West from New Hanover nearly 200 miles, and north-east about the same distance from New Guinea, lie the Admiralty Islands. They consist of a central island of considerable size, covered with beautiful verdure, and cultivated to its very summit. This is surrounded by about thirty smaller islands, together with a chain of islets and coral reefs in various stages of formation.

The natives of the Admiralty Islands have black complexions, though not so dark as those of the people of New Ireland; their physiognomy is agreeable, and their features good, and not unlike those of Europeans. Their hair is black and curly. They paint themselves red with ochre mixed with oil; and carry spears tipped with flint. The only covering of the men is a shell—the ovulum ovum. The women wear a bandage round the waist. They have numerous large villages surrounded with cocoanut trees; and exhibit generally a higher degree of civilization than their southern neighbours. They page 375use earthen vessels, and chew the betel-leaf with chunam or lime.

The Exchequer and Hermit Islands are similar in character to those of the Admiralty group, and are populated with a gentler and more peaceful race of natives. They produce excellent fruit, and lie to the north-west of the Admiralty Islands.