Page:Scented isles and coral gardens- Torres Straits, German New Guinea and the Dutch East Indies, by C.D. Mackellar, 1912.pdf/130

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GERMAN NEW GUINEA

it is well thought out. It is so stimulating and encouraging to people to know that, though what they may do may escape public notice or recognition, yet their Emperor, who belongs to each one individually, may hear of it and appreciate it. Every German in the East heard of and took note of this little incident connected with Captain Niedermayer, and you may be sure it stirred them up to do anything they could to foster their country’s interests. No one cares what those toadying, place-hunting brewers, grocers, and the like at home get—they give out of their millions a sum here or there to advertise themselves for reasons of personal ambition, and get paid in return by a baronetcy or a C.B. or something. That is all very well; it no doubt encourages the next rich aspirant to go and do likewise, but it has nothing to do with one’s country or stimulating people to patriotic enterprise.

They cannot understand how the Emperor knows of or hears of the things he. does out here in the East, but undoubtedly he knows well when and where to give the vivifying touch that is necessary and so doubly useful and welcome when it comes unsolicited.

At nine o’clock at night, after a struggle, we made the anchorage at Herbertshohe, the settle- ment on the great island of New Britain, which with New Ireland, New Hanover, and many others forms the Bismarck Archipelago. Little was to be seen at that hour, as the gale continued and the Stettin tore at and struggled with her anchors and see-sawed about like a madthing. Though not the mainland, actual New Guinea, these islands are part of that land, and I felt with joy that I had at last accomplished one of the desires of my life, and when daylight came would set eyes on the Desirable Land. I sat up late so as “to push