Geographical Notes

Abstract

THE death is announced of Nicholas von Miklucho-Maclay, at the age of forty-two years. M. Maclay's name must be familiar to our readers in connection with New Guinea explorations. He was the son of a Russian nobleman, and studied medicine and natural science at St. Petersburg and at several Dutch Universities. In 1866 he accompanied Prof. Haeckel to Madeira; in 1867 he visited the Canary Islands, and, in 1869, Morocco. He then made preparations for an extended exploration among the Pacific Islands, and especially in New Guinea. He went by South America, Tahiti, and Samoa to New Guinea, and remained for over a year, 1871–72, on its north-west coast, afterwards exploring the south-west coast to the south of Geelvink Bay. In 1874–75 he visited Further India, and especially Malacca, where he explored several districts in the interior, and obtained important results. After visiting the Pelew, Admiralty, and other island groups, Maclay again went to New Guinea (1876–78), devoting himself to the north coast, where he was now well known, and was on friendly terms with several Papuan tribes. Maclay then went to Singapore and Sydney to restore his shattered health, but was in New Guinea again in 1879, afterwards visiting several Pacific islands and going on to Sydney once more. He returned to Russia in 1882, bringing with him rich collections in ethnography and in natural history. M. Maclay afterwards resided for some time in Sydney, where he founded a biological station. He recently returned to Russia, and at the time of his death, we understand, was preparing for publication a complete account of his many years' work. At present the records of his travels, with their rich anthropological results, are to be found mainly in the Proceedings of the Batavia Society and the Russian Geographical Society.