Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
14. Ptiloris paradiseus (The Rifle Bird). East Australia.
15. Ptiloris victoriæ (The Victorian Rifle Bird). North-East Australia.
16. Astrapia nigra (The Paradise Pie). New Guinea.
17. Paradigalla carunculata (The Carunculated Paradise Pie). New Guinea.
18. (?) Sericulus aureus (The Paradise Oriole). New Guinea, Salwatty.
We see, therefore, that of the eighteen species which seem to deserve a place among the
Birds of Paradise, eleven are known to inhabit the great island of New Guinea, eight of
which are entirely confined to it and the hardly separated island of Salwatty. But if we con-
sider those islands which are now united to New Guinea by a shallow sea to really form a
part of it, we shall find that fourteen of the Paradise Birds belong to that country, while three
inhabit the northern and eastern parts of Australia, and one the Moluccas. All the more ex-
traordinary and magnificent species are, however, entirely confined to the Papuan region.
Although I devoted so much time to a search after these wonderful birds, I only suc-
ceeded myself in obtaining five species during a residence of many months in the Aru Is-
lands, New Guinea, and Waigiou. Mr. Allen's voyage to Mysol did not procure a single ad-
ditional species, but we both heard of a place called Sorong, on the mainland of New
Guinea, near Salwatty, where we were told that all the kinds we desired could be obtained.
We therefore determined that he should visit this place, and endeavour to penetrate into the
interior among the natives, who actually shoot and skin the Birds of Paradise. He went in
the small prau I had fitted up at Goram, and through the kind assistance of the Dutch Resid-
ent at Ternate, a lieutenant and two soldiers were sent by the Sultan of Tidore to accompany
and protect him, and to assist him in getting men and in visiting the interior.
Notwithstanding these precautions, Mr. Allen met with difficulties in this voyage which
we had neither of us encountered before. To understand these, it is necessary to consider that
the Birds of Paradise are an article of commerce, and are the monopoly of the chiefs of the
coast villages, who obtain them at a low rate from the mountaineers, and sell them to the
Bugis traders. A portion is also paid every year as tribute to the Sultan of Tidore. The nat-
ives are therefore very jealous of a stranger, especially a European, interfering in their trade,
and above all of going into the interior to deal with the mountaineers themselves. They of
course think he will raise the prices in the interior, and lessen the supply on the coast,
greatly to their disadvantage; they also think their tribute will be raised if a European takes
back a quantity of the rare sorts; and they have besides a vague and very natural dread of
some ulterior object in a white man's coming at so much trouble and expense to their coun-
try only to get Birds of Paradise, of which they know he can buy plenty(of the common yel-
low ones which alone they value) at Ternate, Macassar, or Singapore.
