NEW GUINEA*EXPEDITION.

Otago Witness, Issue 1382, 25 May 1878, Page 4

NEW GUINEA*EXPEDITION.

The following letter received by Mr M'Lean, J.P., of Sydney, from Mr John Hanran, one of the passengers by the Colonist, dated Cooktown, April 17th, 1878, will, no doubt, be read with interest :—: —

"Dear M'Lean — We arrived here on the evening of the 13th instant. We had head winds for the first six days, but after we passed Clarence Heads we got fair winds, and did not anchor till we arrived at Fitzroy Island at 5 o'clock on the evening of the 11th instant. We went ashore on that island, and found a quantity of pumpkins. I believe they were planted by the Chinese when quartered on that island. We weighed anchor on the following morning at 7 o'clock, and at 6 o'clock in the evening, as we rounded Hope Island (which is 19 miles from Cooktown) to anchor for the night, we Trent on a sandbank. On the following morning at 4 o'clock Are got off. The passengers worked well, especially Messrs Jones, Kinchela, and Brown, who are first- class seamen, and we arrived here on the 13th instant, at 5 o'clock p.m. We had a pleasant passage. I never travelled with a more agreeable and jolly party of men, although the beef sent on board for us by that Sussex-etreet butcher was enough to make any party sad and sick ; fully two-thirds of it waß thrown overboard, and it would be much cheaper for the owner to furnish good beef. Captain Borstel ia a careful and good officer — he mostly sails the vessel himself in the night-time; and so is the chief officer. We only received an addition of seven passengers to the expedition here. We could get more, but men will not go without horses ; the Sydney men having the preference shipped all the horses the vessel could conveniently carry. We sail in the morning for our destination with 24 passengers, well provided with six months' provisions, and nine pack-horses well fitted out. We will appoint our captain and organise before we land at New Guinea. I think Mr Frank Jones will be our leader. He is a man that hat had a great deal of experience in prospecting in the North, and I think will give New Guinea a fair trial for the precious metal It is my intention to give a fair and impartial report of our proceedings in New Guinea — that is, when I am at liberty to do so. You will please have this letter published in Sydney, so as to publicly inform our friends that we are well, cheerful, and hopeful of success. We will endeavour, with the help of God, to go through New Guinea without shedding human blood, or doing anything to disgrace this expedition. Hoping I have not trespassed too much. — I amj dear iir, very truly, John HjLNBAN."