8 AUGUST 1885, Page 25

Our Cruise to New Guinea. By Arthur Kayser. (W. Ridgway.)

—Mr. Kayser went in the Nelson ' on the voyage which it made from Sydney to New Guinea last autumn, for the purpose of pro- claiming a Protectorate over New Guinea. And he gives us in this volume—which, besides other merits, has the virtue of being one of the most reasonably brief books of travel in existence—an account of his experiences on that occasion. Here is a picture of a chief :— " His face was painted bright yellow, picked out with black, while on his head were spread the plumes of at least three birds of paradise in regular tiers, like halos about his lengthy hair, a long stick through his nose, with earrings and necklaces of sharks' and dogs' teeth, together with lockets of tusks and shells, adorned his upper person ; while round his waist was a broad belt, painted red, drawn so tight that the flesh bulged out on either side."