PA'PUA, commonly called New Guinea, is an island of great extent, situated at the junction of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is separated by Torres Strait from the northern extremity of Australia; by the Strait of Gallowa from the small island of Sallawatty, which lies farther west; and by Dampier's Strait from New Britain, which is to the east of it. It extends from 10° S. 1st. nearly to the equator. The most southern point, Cape Rodney, is in 10° 3' S. lat., and the most northern point, Cape Good Hope, in 0° 19' S. hat. From west to east it extends between and 148° 30' E. long.; the most western point, Cape Salu, on Gallows Strait, is in 130° 2' E. long., and the most eastern, Cape Rodney, in 148° 30' E. long. Its length from east south-east to west-north-west, is nearly 1300 miles. Its width varies between 500 and 18 miles. The main body of the island, cast of 135° E. long., constitutes a vast extent of continuous land, with a projecting peninsula at its eastern extremity, but between 135° and 133° E. long., a wide and opon bay enters deeply into the land. This bay is nearly 200 miles wide at its entrance, in which some islands of considerable extent are situated, and penetrates about 200 miles south ward into tho body of the island. The southern extremity of this bay is separated from the Molucca Sea by an iithtnns only about 18 miles wide. The island west of this isthmus consists of a projecting peninsula and deep inlets. According to a rough estimate, the surface of the island is about 260,000 square miles.
The surface and soil of this island are only known so far as they have been seen by navigators who have sailed along tho coast. There are few pitmen ou which Europeans have landed, and in no place have they penetrated more than a few miles inland. The south-eastern peninsula, which terminates with Cape Rodney, is formed by a con tinuous chain of high hills, extending, according to Captain 0. Stanley (in a paper road at the Geographical Society in February, 1851), for 300 miles, and of which some of the mountains attain a height of 10,000 feet, and one to as much as 12,800 feet The declivities of tho mountains are generally covered with wood, but these forests are free from underwood, which is rather a rare occurrence between the tropics.
Small rivers are numerous, and there are probably some larger streams in the wider part of the island. In some places the surface is covered with good grass. Along the northern coast the eea ie deep enough to be navigated by the largest vessels, and there area few good harbours. On the south-eastern coast Captain Stanley found a ridge of shoal water at about 6 miles from the land, with strong currents in various directions. At a distance of from 10 to 20 miles from this coast there are numerous islands, which seem to lie in a row, and among which several are of volcanic origin. Dampier noticed three active volcanoes.
Along the eouthern shores, the country west of the isthmus is like. wise mountainous, and the coast rather high and rocky, but it does not rise to any considerable elevation ou the shores of MacCluer'a Bay. The isthmus itself is formed by a chain of high hills. East of the isthmus, as far as Cape Buro (135° E. long., 4° S. lat.), the moun tains advance close to the shore, and the sea can be navigated by large vessels. Cape Buro rises to a great height close to the sea; but east of this promontory the mountains recede farther inland. They are visible from the sea as far east. as 133° K long., but appear to be a great distance from the shore, which shows that they must attain a considerable elevation. Some navigators think that they have observed snow on them. No mountains appear east of 138° till we reach the peninsula in stout 146°. The country between the sea and the mountaine, and the whole country ewe of 138°, as far as it has been seen, is very low, and covered with extensive swamps, but generally occupied by lofty trees. This low coast cannot be approached, as it is lined by a broad belt of mud-ba.nke South of 8° S. live, a wide and low promontory projects into the sea, between 138° 20' and 139° E. long. It is called Va'ache Caap (Cape False), and up to 1835 was considered a part of Papua, but in that year a Dutch vessel discovered a strait between it and the mainland of Papua. Along the low ahoree are the mouths of some considerable rivers, but they are not accessible to vessels, on account of the extensive mud-banks at their mouths.