diff options
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 3 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 17694-h.zip | bin | 0 -> 1752614 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 17694-h/17694-h.htm | 4461 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 17694-h/images/101b.jpg | bin | 0 -> 473337 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 17694-h/images/101s.jpg | bin | 0 -> 80075 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 17694-h/images/167b.jpg | bin | 0 -> 203356 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 17694-h/images/167s.jpg | bin | 0 -> 34800 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 17694-h/images/175b.jpg | bin | 0 -> 172970 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 17694-h/images/175s.jpg | bin | 0 -> 24001 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 17694-h/images/19b.jpg | bin | 0 -> 152854 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 17694-h/images/19s.jpg | bin | 0 -> 20698 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 17694-h/images/59b.jpg | bin | 0 -> 239652 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 17694-h/images/59s.jpg | bin | 0 -> 40398 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 17694-h/images/titleb.jpg | bin | 0 -> 143731 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 17694-h/images/titles.jpg | bin | 0 -> 75109 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 17694.txt | 4505 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 17694.zip | bin | 0 -> 102983 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 |
19 files changed, 8982 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/17694-h.zip b/17694-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..2c8cc57 --- /dev/null +++ b/17694-h.zip diff --git a/17694-h/17694-h.htm b/17694-h/17694-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..fafec18 --- /dev/null +++ b/17694-h/17694-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,4461 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII" /> +<title>Adventures in New Guinea</title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + P { margin-top: .75em; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + H1, H2 { + text-align: center; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + } + H3, H4 { + text-align: left; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + } + BODY{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + .blkquot {margin-left: 4em; margin-right: 4em;} /* block indent */ + + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + .pagenum {position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + color: gray;} + + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> +</head> +<body> +<h2> +<a href="#startoftext">Adventures in New Guinea, by James Chalmers</a> +</h2> +<pre> +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Adventures in New Guinea, by James Chalmers + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Adventures in New Guinea + + +Author: James Chalmers + + + +Release Date: February 6, 2006 [eBook #17694] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ADVENTURES IN NEW GUINEA*** +</pre> +<p><a name="startoftext"></a></p> +<p>Transcribed from the 1886 Religious Tract Society edition by David +Price, email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk</p> +<p>THE R. T. S. LIBRARY—ILLUSTRATED</p> +<h1>ADVENTURES IN NEW GUINEA<br /> +by<br /> +JAMES CHALMERS<br /> +of port moresby</h1> +<p>WITH SIX ILLUSTRATIONS</p> +<p>THE RELIGIOUS TRACT SOCIETY<br /> +<span class="smcap">56, Paternoster Row; 65, St. Paul’s Churchyard;<br /> +and 164, Piccadilly<br /> +</span>1886.</p> +<p><!-- page 4--><a name="page4"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 4</span><span class="smcap">london:<br /> +printed by william clowes and sons, limited,<br /> +stamford street and charing cross</span>.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"> +<a href="images/titleb.jpg"> +<img alt="Port Moresby" src="images/titles.jpg" /> +</a></p> +<h2><!-- page 7--><a name="page7"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 7</span>INTRODUCTION.</h2> +<p>Public attention has been repeatedly and prominently directed to +New Guinea during the last few months. The name often appears +in our newspapers and missionary reports, and bids fair to take a somewhat +prominent place in our blue-books. Yet very few general readers +possess accurate information about the island itself, about the work +of English missionaries there, or about the part New Guinea seems destined +to play in Australian politics. Hence a brief sketch indicating +the present state of knowledge on these points will be a fitting introduction +to the narratives of exploration, of adventure, and of Christian work +contained in this volume.</p> +<p>New Guinea, if we may take Australia as a continent, is the largest +island in the world, being, roughly speaking, about 1400 miles long, +and 490 broad at its widest point. Its northernmost coast nearly +touches the equator, and its southernmost stretches down to 11° +south latitude. Little more than the fringe or coastline of the +island has been at all carefully explored, but it is known to possess +magnificent mountain ranges, vast stretches of beautiful scenery, much +land that is fruitful, even under native cultivation, and mighty rivers +that take their rise far inland. Its savage <!-- page 8--><a name="page8"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 8</span>inhabitants +have aroused powerfully the interest and sympathy alike of Christian +Polynesians and English missionaries, who, taking their lives in their +hands, have, in not a few instances, laid them down in the effort to +win New Guinea for Christ.</p> +<p>At some remote period of the past, New Guinea, in all probability, +formed a part of Australia. Torres Strait itself is only about +sixty miles wide; the water is shallow; shoals and reefs abound, giving +the sailor who threads the intricate and dangerous navigation the impression +that he is sailing over what was once solid earth.</p> +<p>The first European sailor who sighted the island was D’Abreu, +in 1511; the honour of being first to land belongs most probably to +the Portuguese explorer, Don Jorge De Meneses, in 1526, on his way from +Malacca to the Moluccas.</p> +<p>Into the somewhat intricate history of the connection of the Dutch +with the north-west coast of New Guinea we cannot here enter. +As suzerain nominally under the Sultan of Tidore, they claim possession +of the western part of the island as far east as Lat. 141° 47' E. +The trade they carry on is said to be worth about 20,000<i>l</i>. a +year. Dutch missionaries have for many years been stationed around +the coast of Geelvink Bay.</p> +<p>In 1770, Captain Cook visited the south-west coast, and in 1775, +an English officer, Forrest by name, spent some months on the north-east +coast in search of spices. In 1793, New Guinea was annexed by +two of the East <!-- page 9--><a name="page9"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 9</span>India +Company’s commanders, and an island in Geelvink Bay, Manasvari +by name, was for a time held by their troops.</p> +<p>Partial surveys of the south coast were made in 1845 by Captain Blackwood, +who discovered the Fly River; by Lieutenant Yule, in 1846, who journeyed +east as far as the island to which he has given his name; and in 1848 +by Captain Owen Stanley, who made a fairly accurate survey of the south-east +coast.</p> +<p>The most important survey work along the coast of New Guinea was +done in 1873 by H.M. ship <i>Basilisk</i>, under the command of Captain +Moresby. He discovered the now-famous harbour, Port Moresby; he +laid down the true eastern coastline of the island, discovering the +China Straits, and exploring the north-east coast as far west as Huon +Gulf.</p> +<p>In many parts of the world Christian missionaries have been the first +to get on friendly terms with the natives, and thus to pave the way +for developing the resources of a savage country and leading its inhabitants +in the paths of progress and civilization. Pre-eminently has this +been the case in South-eastern New Guinea. White men had landed +before them, it is true; but for the most part only to benefit themselves, +and not unfrequently to murder the natives or to entrap them into slavery. +Christianity has won great victories in Polynesia, but no part of the +globe has witnessed fouler crimes or more atrocious wickedness on the +part of white men towards savage races.</p> +<p><!-- page 10--><a name="page10"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 10</span>The +history of the work done by members of the London Missionary Society +is already a long one. As far back as 1871, the Revs. A. W. Murray +and S. McFarlane sailed from Maré, one of the Loyalty Islands, +with eight native teachers, inhabitants of that group, with whom to +begin the campaign against sin, superstition, and savagery in New Guinea. +The first station occupied was Darnley Island, and Mr. Murray gives +an incident that well illustrates the spirit in which these men, themselves +trophies of missionary success, entered upon their work. Speaking +about another island, the natives, in the hope of intimidating the teachers, +said, “There are alligators there, and snakes, and centipedes.” +“Hold,” said the teacher, “are there men there?” +“Oh yes,” was the reply, “there are men; but they +are such dreadful savages that it is no use your thinking of living +among them.” “That will do,” replied the teacher. +“Wherever there are men, missionaries are bound to go.” +Teachers were stationed at the islands of Tauan and Sabaii. Later +on, Yule Island and Redscar Bay were visited, and the missionaries returned +to Lifu.</p> +<p>In 1872, Mr. Murray returned in the <i>John Williams</i> with thirteen +additional teachers, and for the next two years superintended the mission +from Cape York. In 1874, he was joined by the Revs. S. McFarlane +and W. G. Lawes—who have both ever since that time laboured hard +and successfully on behalf of the natives—and the steamer <i>Ellengowan</i> +was placed at the service <!-- page 11--><a name="page11"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 11</span>of +the mission by the liberality of the late Miss Baxter, of Dundee. +The native teachers experienced many vicissitudes. Some died from +inability to stand the climate, some were massacred by the men they +were striving to bless; but the gaps were filled up as speedily as possible, +and the map recently issued (Jan. 1885) by the Directors of the Society +shows that on the south-eastern coast of New Guinea, from Motumotu to +East Cape, no less than <i>thirty-two native teachers</i>, some of them +New Guinea converts, are now toiling in the service of the Gospel.</p> +<p>In 1877, the Rev. James Chalmers joined the mission, and it is hardly +too much to say that his arrival formed an epoch in its history. +He is wonderfully equipped for the work to which he has, under God’s +Providence, put his hand, and is the white man best known to all the +natives along the south coast. From the first he has gone among +them unarmed, and though not unfrequently in imminent peril, has been +marvellously preserved. He has combined the qualities of missionary +and explorer in a very high degree, and while beloved as “Tamate” +(Teacher) by the natives, has added enormously to the stock of our geographical +knowledge of New Guinea, and to our accurate acquaintance with the ways +of thinking, the habits, superstitions, and mode of life of the various +tribes of natives.</p> +<p>Notwithstanding various expensive expeditions for the exploration +of New Guinea, he has travelled the farthest yet into the interior. +He has been as far as <!-- page 12--><a name="page12"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 12</span>Lat. +S. 9° 2' and Long. E. 147° 42½'. The farthest point +reached by Captain Armit was about Lat. S. 9° 35' and Long. E. 147° +38'. Mr. Morrison merely reached a point on the Goldie River, +when he was attacked and wounded by the natives. This compelled +the party to return to Port Moresby.</p> +<p>Mr. Chalmers is still actively engaged in his work on the great island, +and he has placed many of his journals and papers at the disposal of +the Religious Tract Society, in the hope that their publication may +increase the general store of knowledge about New Guinea, and may also +give true ideas about the natives, the kind of Christian work that is +being done in their midst, and the progress in it that is being made.</p> +<p>The prominence which New Guinea has assumed in the public mind lately +is due much more to political than to religious reasons. England +is a Christian nation, and there are numbers who rejoice in New Guinea +as a signal proof of the regenerating power of the Gospel of Christ. +Yet, to the Christian man, it is somewhat humiliating to find how deeply +the press of our country is stirred by the statement that Germany has +annexed the north coast of New Guinea, while it has hardly been touched +by the thrilling story of the introduction of Christianity all along +the south coast. The public mind is much exercised in discussing +whether Her Majesty’s Government should annex the whole rather +than proclaim a protectorate over a part; it hardly cares to remember +the names of those who <!-- page 13--><a name="page13"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 13</span>have +died in trying to make known to the fierce Papuans our common brotherhood +in Christ Jesus. One can understand that this is natural; still +it will be an augury of good for the future of the English people, when, +without losing any of their legitimate interest in public affairs, they +care more for the victories won by faith alone, over ignorance, vice, +and barbarism, than for the victories won by the rifle and sword, however +just the cause may be in which these weapons are used.</p> +<p>For years past the idea has been gaining force in the public mind, +both in the colonies and at home, that ultimately England would annex +New Guinea. To any careful student of our history for the last +century, it may appear strange that we have not done so long before. +Our practice in the past has been to annex first, and to find reasons +for it afterwards. To others, the very fact that even now the +extremest step is only to proclaim a protectorate over a part, may appear +to indicate that we are not quite so sure as we have been that annexation +is wholly a blessing either to us or to the land annexed.</p> +<p>As already noted, in 1873, Captain Moresby did good service by accurately +laying down the coastline of Eastern New Guinea. In accomplishing +this, he discovered that there were several beautiful islands that had +hitherto been considered part of the mainland. It is best perhaps +to give what followed in his own words:—</p> +<blockquote><p>“The importance of our discoveries led me to <!-- page 14--><a name="page14"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 14</span>consider +their bearing on Imperial and Australian interests. There lay +the vast island of New Guinea, dominating the shores of Northern Australia, +separated at one point by only twenty miles of coral reef from British +possessions, commanding the Torres Straits route, commanding the increasing +pearl-shell fisheries, and also the <i>bêche-de-mer</i> fishery. +It was also improved by the richness and beauty, and the number of their +fine vegetable products—fine timber, the cocoanut, the sago palm, +sugar-cane, maize, jute, and various vegetable fibres, fruits and rich +grasses—and my conclusion, after weighing all the considerations +involved, was, that it was my duty to take formal possession of our +discoveries in the name of Her Majesty. Such a course secured +a postponement of occupation by any Power till our Government could +consider its own interests, and whilst the acquisition of these islands +might commend itself, and my act result in annexation on the one hand, +it might be negatived on the other with easy simplicity, by a neglect +to confirm it.”</p> +</blockquote> +<p>Accordingly, a cocoanut tree was transformed into a flagstaff, the +British flag was run up, and duly saluted with cheers and volleys, and +a picture of the proceeding adorns the captain’s book as frontispiece.</p> +<p>Ever since that time events have tended in the direction of bringing +New Guinea into closer relations with England. On the one hand, +there has been the conviction that if we do not annex it some other +country will, and thus threaten Australia. Then many <!-- page 15--><a name="page15"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 15</span>Australians +have looked upon New Guinea as a possible paradise for colonists, and +have been eager to establish themselves securely upon its soil. +The attempts in this direction have produced little but disaster to +all concerned.</p> +<p>On the other hand, missionaries feel that there is much to be said +on the same side. Perhaps the opinion of no one man deserves more +weight than that of Mr. Chalmers. We give his views, as he expressed +them before the protectorate was proclaimed.</p> +<p>“This question of the annexation of New Guinea is still creating +a good deal of interest, and although at present the Imperial Government, +through Lord Derby, has given its decision against annexation, yet the +whole matter must, I have no doubt, be reconsidered, and the island +be eventually annexed. It is to be hoped the country is not to +become part of the Australian colonies—a labour land, and a land +where loose money in the hands of a few capitalists is to enter in and +make enormous fortunes, sacrificing the natives and everything else. +If the Imperial Government is afraid of the expense, I think that can +easily be avoided. Annex New Guinea, and save it from another +power, who might harass our Australian colonies; administer it for the +natives, and the whole machinery of government can be maintained by +New Guinea, and allow a large overplus. We have all the experience +of the Dutch in Java; I say, accept and improve.</p> +<p>“It will be said that, as a nation, Britain has never <!-- page 16--><a name="page16"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 16</span>tried +to govern commercially, or has not yet made money out of her governing; +and why should she now? She does not want New Guinea. Why +should she go to the expense of governing? Her colonies may be +unsafe with a country of splendid harbours so near in the hands of a +foreign power, and the people of that country need a strong, friendly, +and just power over them, to save them from themselves and from the +white man—whose gods are gold and land, and to whom the black +man is a nuisance to be got rid of as soon as possible. Let Britain +for these reasons annex, and from the day of annexation New Guinea will +pay all her own expenses; the expenses of the first three years to be +paid with compound interest at the end of that period.</p> +<p>“Let us begin by recognizing all native rights, and letting +it be distinctly understood that we govern for the native races, not +the white men, that we are determined to civilize and raise to a higher +level of humanity those whom we govern, that our aim will be to do all +to defend them and save them from extermination by just humanitarian +laws—not the laws of the British nation—but the laws suited +for them. It will not take long for the natives to learn that +not only are we great and powerful, but we are just and merciful, and +we seek their good.</p> +<p>“That established, I would suggest appointing officers in every +district, whose duty it would be to govern through the native chief, +and see that every <!-- page 17--><a name="page17"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 17</span>native +attended to plantations. A native planting tea, sugar, coffee, +maize, cinchona, etc., to be allowed a bounty, and when returns arrived +to be allowed so much per pound sterling. All these things to +be superintended by the said officer.</p> +<p>“Traders would soon swarm, but no one should be allowed to +trade with natives directly, but only through the Government.</p> +<p>“All unoccupied land to belong to the Government, and to be +leased to those wishing land. No native should be allowed to part +with land, and if desirous to sell, then only to the Government, who +would allow him a reasonable price. Every land transaction to +be made through Government; no land to be sold, only leased.</p> +<p>“The land revenue will be immense, and after paying all expenses, +will leave much for improvements and the education of the people. +Stringent laws passed directly annexation takes place to prevent importation +of arms and spirits will be a true safeguard for the natives.</p> +<p>“As a nation, let Britain, in the zenith of her power and greatness, +think kindly of the native races, and now for once in her history rule +this great island for right and righteousness, in justice and mercy, +and not for self and pelf in unrighteousness, blood, and falsehood. +It is to be hoped that future generations of New Guinea natives will +not rise up to condemn her, as the New Zealanders have done, and to +claim <!-- page 18--><a name="page18"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 18</span>their +ancient rights with tears now unheeded. I can see along the vista +of the future, truth and righteousness in Britain’s hands, and +the inhabitants of New Guinea yet unborn blessing her for her rule; +if otherwise, God help the British meanness, for they will rise to pronounce +a curse on her for ever!”</p> +<p>In 1883, the Queensland Government <i>did</i> formally annex their +huge neighbour; but this act was subsequently repudiated by the Home +Government. Towards the end of 1884, it was decided to announce +a formal protectorate over a large portion of the southern shores of +New Guinea.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"> +<a href="images/19b.jpg"> +<img alt="Boevagi. Chief of Port Moresby" src="images/19s.jpg" /> +</a></p> +<p>The official ceremony took place on Nov. 6th, 1884, at Port Moresby. +Five ships of war at once gave dignity to the proceeding by their presence, +and astonished the natives by their salutes. About fifty chiefs +were brought on board the Commodore’s ship, the <i>Nelson</i>, +by the Rev. W. G. Lawes. To Boevagi, the chief of the Port Moresby +tribe, was entrusted the responsibility of upholding the authority and +dignity of England in the island. He was presented with an ebony +stick, into the top of which had been let a florin, with the Queen’s +head uppermost. Mr. Lawes conveyed to Boevagi the meaning of the +Commodore’s words when he gave the stick. “I present +you with this stick, which is to be an emblem of your authority; and +all the tribes who are represented by the chiefs here are to look to +the holder of this stick. Boevagi, this stick represents the Queen +of England, <!-- page 21--><a name="page21"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 21</span>and +if at any time any of the people of these tribes have any grievance +or anything to say, they are, through the holder of this stick, to make +it known to the Queen’s officers, in order that it may be inquired +into.”</p> +<p>The formal protectorate was announced in the following terms:—</p> +<p>“To all to whom these presents shall come, greeting:—Whereas +it has become essential for the lives and properties of the native inhabitants +of New Guinea, and for the purpose of preventing the occupation of portions +of that country by persons whose proceedings, unsanctioned by any lawful +authority, might tend to injustice, strife, and bloodshed, and who, +under the pretence of legitimate trade and intercourse, might endanger +the liberties and possess themselves of the lands of such native inhabitants, +that a British protectorate should be established over a certain portion +of such country and the islands adjacent thereto; and whereas Her Majesty, +having taken into her gracious consideration the urgent necessity of +her protection to such inhabitants, has directed me to proclaim such +protection in a formal manner at this place,—now I, James Elphinstone +Erskine, Captain in the Royal Navy and Commodore of the Australian Station, +one of Her Majesty’s naval aides-de-camp, do hereby, in the name +of Her Most Gracious Majesty, declare and proclaim the establishment +of such protectorate over such portions of the coast and the adjacent +islands as is more particularly <!-- page 22--><a name="page22"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 22</span>described +in the schedule hereunto annexed; and I hereby proclaim and declare +that no acquisition of land, whensoever or howsoever acquired, within +the limits of the protectorate hereby established will be recognized +by Her Majesty; and I do hereby, on behalf of Her Majesty, command and +enjoin all persons whom it may concern to take notice of this proclamation.</p> +<blockquote><p>“<span class="smcap">Schedule</span>.</p> +<p>“All that portion of the southern shores of New Guinea commencing +from the boundary of that portion of the country claimed by the Government +of the Netherlands on the 141st meridian of east longitude to East Cape, +with all the islands adjacent thereto south of East Cape to Kosmann +Island inclusive, together with the islands in the Goschen Straits.</p> +<p>“Given on board Her Majesty’s ship <i>Nelson</i>, at +the harbour of Port Moresby, on the 6th day of November, 1884.”</p> +</blockquote> +<p>The die has thus been cast. Already rumours that seem to have +some foundation are in the air that the protectorate is soon to become +annexation. It should be the aim of all to see that, by the force +of public opinion, the last portion of the heathen world that has come +under English protection shall have, as the years pass, many and solid +reasons for thanking God that He has so guided its destinies as to unite +them to our great Empire.</p> +<h2><!-- page 23--><a name="page23"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 23</span>CHAPTER +I. EARLY EXPERIENCES.</h2> +<p>Somerset—Murray Island—Darnley Island—Boera—Moresby—Trip +inland—Sunday at Port Moresby—Native funeral ceremonies—Tupuselei—Round +Head—Native salutations—Kerepunu—Teste Island—Hoop-iron +as an article of commerce—Two teachers landed—A tabooed +place—Moresby and Basilisk Islands—South Cape—House +building—Difficulties with the natives—An anxious moment—Thefts—Dancing +and cooking—Visit to a native village—Native shot on the +Mayri—Mr. and Mrs. Chalmers in danger—Arrival of the <i>Ellengowan</i>.</p> +<p>Towards the close of 1877, Mr. Chalmers and Mr. McFarlane visited +New Guinea for the purpose of exploring the coast, landing native teachers +at suitable spots, and thus opening the way for future missionary effort. +What follows is given in Mr. Chalmers’s words:—</p> +<p>We left Sydney by the Dutch steamer <i>William M’Kinnon</i>, +on September 20th, 1877, for Somerset. The sail inside the Barrier +Reef is most enjoyable. The numerous islands passed, and the varied +coast scenery make the voyage a very pleasant one—especially <!-- page 24--><a name="page24"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 24</span>with +such men as our captain and mates. On Sunday, the 30th, we reached +Somerset, where we were met by the <i>Bertha</i>, with Mr. McFarlane +on board of her. Mr. McFarlane was soon on board of the steamer +to welcome us, and remained with us till the evening. There was +very little of the Sabbath observed that day—all was bustle and +confusion. Quite a number of the pearl-shelling boats were at +Somerset awaiting the arrival of the steamer, and the masters of these +boats were soon on and around the steamer receiving their goods.</p> +<p>On Tuesday, October 2nd, we left Somerset in the <i>Bertha</i>, for +Murray Island, anchoring that night off Albany. On Wednesday night, +we anchored off a sandbank, and on Thursday, off a miserable-looking +island, called Village Island. On Friday, we came to York Island, +where we went ashore and saw only four natives—one man and three +boys. At eleven p.m. on Saturday, we anchored at Darnley Island. +This is a fine island, and more suitable for vessels and landing goods +than Murray, but supposed to be not so healthy. The island is +about five hundred feet in height, in some parts thickly wooded, in +others bare. It was here the natives cut off a boat’s crew +about thirty years ago, for which they suffered—the captain landing +with part of his crew, well-armed, killing many and chasing them right +round the island. They never again attempted anything of the kind. +As a native of the island expressed himself on the subject:—<!-- page 25--><a name="page25"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 25</span>“White +fellow, he too much make fright, man he all run away, no want see white +fellow gun no more.” In 1871, the first teachers were landed +here.</p> +<p>The Sunday morning was fine, and we resolved to spend a quiet forenoon +on shore. We landed after breakfast, and walked through what must +be in wet weather a deep swamp, to the mission house on the hill. +Gucheng, the Loyalty islander, who is teacher here, looks a good determined +fellow. The people seem to live not far from the mission house, +so did not take long to assemble. There were about eighty at the +service, including a few Australians employed by one of the white men +on the island to fish for trepang. The Darnley islanders appear +a much more interesting people than the Australians. Many of those +present at the service were clothed. They sang very well indeed +such hymns as “Come to Jesus,” “Canaan, bright Canaan,” +which, with some others, have been translated into their language. +Mr. McFarlane addressed them, through the teacher, and the people seemed +to attend to what was said.</p> +<p>Because of a strong head wind, we could not leave the next day, so +Mr. McFarlane and I returned to the shore. We found the children +collected in Gucheng’s house, learning to write the letters on +slates. There were very few girls present—indeed, there +are not many girls on the island, so many have been destroyed by their +fathers at birth. We strolled about and visited the large cocoanut +plantation belonging <!-- page 26--><a name="page26"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 26</span>to +the society. On our return we found the teacher and a number of +natives collected near the beach. They had just buried a man who +had died the night before—so Christian burial has begun. +Formerly, the body would have been hung up and tapped, to allow the +juices to run out, which would have been drunk by the friends. +We returned to the mission house for dinner. I was glad to find +so many boys living with Gucheng. They were bright, happy little +fellows, romping about, enjoying themselves.</p> +<p>We did not get away from Darnley Island till the morning of Wednesday, +the 10th. The navigation between Darnley and Murray Islands is +difficult, arising from various reefs and currents. Although only +twenty-seven miles separate the two, it was Friday night before we anchored +at Murray Island. We went ashore the same night.</p> +<p>On Saturday, we climbed to the highest point of the island, seven +hundred feet high. There seems to be no lack of food, chiefly +grown inland. From the long drought, the island presented in many +places a parched look, and lacked that luxuriance of vegetation to which +we had been so long accustomed on Rarotonga.</p> +<p>At the forenoon meeting on Sunday there were nearly two hundred present. +Mr. McFarlane preached. A few had a little clothing on them; some +seemed attentive, but the most seemed to consider the occasion a fit +time for relating the week’s news, or of <!-- page 27--><a name="page27"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 27</span>commenting +on the strangers present. The Sabbath is observed by church attendance +and a cessation from work. There is not much thieving on the island; +they are an indolent people. The school is well attended by old +and young, and Josiah, the teacher, has quite a number of children living +with him. They sing very well.</p> +<p>Several of the old men here wear wigs. It seems when grey hairs +appear they are carefully pulled out; as time moves on they increase +so fast that they would require to shave the head often, so, to cover +their shame, they take to wigs, which represent them as having long, +flowing, curly hair, as in youth. Wigs would not astonish the +Murray islanders, as Mr. Nott’s did the Tahitians after his return +from England. They soon spread the news round the island that +their missionary had had his head newly thatched, and looked a young +man again.</p> +<p>On Monday, the teachers’ goods and mission supplies were put +on board the <i>Bertha</i>. On Tuesday afternoon, after everything +was on board, a farewell service was held with the teachers, and early +on Wednesday morning we left Murray Island for New Guinea. On +Friday, we made New Guinea, off Yule Island, and about sunset on October +21st we anchored about five miles off Boera. Near to the place +where we anchored was a low swampy ground covered with mangrove. +We could see Lealea, where there has been so much sickness. It +presented the same low, <!-- page 28--><a name="page28"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 28</span>swampy, +unhealthy appearance. Soon after we anchored a canoe came alongside +with Mr. Lawes and Piri on board. Mr. Lawes did not seem so strong +as I remembered him eleven years ago, yet he looked better than I had +expected to see him. He has suffered greatly from the climate. +Piri is a strong, hearty fellow; the climate seems to have had little +effect on him. They remained some time on board, when they went +ashore in the vessel’s boat—Piri taking the teachers and +their wives ashore with him. The wind was ahead, and too strong +for the canoe, so the men who came off in her with Mr. Lawes and Piri +remained on board the <i>Bertha</i> till midnight, when the wind abated. +When the boat was leaving, they shouted to Mr. Lawes to tell us not +to be afraid, as they would not steal anything. They remained +quietly on board till two a.m.</p> +<p>Mr. McFarlane and I went ashore in the morning. The country +looked bare and not at all inviting. This is now the most western +mission station on New Guinea proper. Piri has a very comfortable +house, with a plantation near to it. The chapel, built principally +by himself and wife, is small, but comfortable, and well suited for +the climate. The children meet in it for school. The village +has a very dirty, tumbledown appearance.</p> +<p>The widows of two teachers who died last year shortly after their +arrival in the mission were living with Piri. We took them on +board, with their things, <!-- page 29--><a name="page29"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 29</span>to +accompany us to the new mission. I returned ashore with the boat +to fetch away the remainder of the things and teachers who were ashore, +and when ready to return found the vessel too far off to fetch her, +so, after pulling for some time, we up sail and away for Port Moresby. +Piri and his wife came with us in their large canoe. We saw several +dugongs on the way, which some esteem extra good food. Tom, one +of the Loyalty Island teachers, who was in the boat with us, expressed +their edible qualities thus: “You know, sir, pig, he good.” +“Yes, Tom, it is very good.” “Ah, he no good; +dugong, he much good.” It must be good when a native pronounces +it to be better than pork.</p> +<p>We arrived at Port Moresby about six o’clock. I cannot +say I was much charmed with the place, it had such a burnt-up, barren +appearance. Close to the village is a mangrove swamp, and the +whole bay is enclosed with high hills. At the back of the mission +premises, and close to them, is a large swampy place, which in wet weather +is full of water. There can be no doubt about Port Moresby being +a very unhealthy place. We went ashore for breakfast next day, +and in the afternoon visited the school; about forty children were present—an +unusually large number. Many of the children know the alphabet, +and a few can spell words of two or three letters. In walking +through the village in the afternoon we saw the women making their crockery +pots, preparing for the men’s return <!-- page 30--><a name="page30"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 30</span>from +the Gulf, the next north-west season, with large quantities of sago. +We visited the graves of the teachers, which are kept in good order. +They are all enclosed by a good fence. Within the same enclosure +is one little grave that will bind New Guinea close to the hearts of +Mr. and Mrs. Lawes. Over them all may be written—“For +Christ’s sake.”</p> +<p>In returning from the graves, we met a man in mourning, whose wife +had been killed in a canoe by natives about Round Head. He and +his friends had resolved to retaliate, but through the influence of +the teachers they did not do so. The teachers from the villages +to the east of Port Moresby came in this afternoon, looking well and +hearty. Some of them have suffered a good deal from fever and +ague, but are now becoming acclimatized. The natives of the various +villages are not now afraid of one another, but accompany their teachers +from place to place. Men, women, and children smoke, and will +do anything for tobacco. The best present you can give them is +tobacco; it is the one thing for which they beg.</p> +<p>As it was decided that the vessel should not leave before Tuesday +of the next week, Mr. McFarlane and I took a trip inland. I was +anxious to see for myself if anything could be done for the natives +living in the mountains. Mr. Goldie, a naturalist, with his party, +was about ten miles inland. He himself had been at Port Moresby +for some days, and, on hearing of our plans, he joined us, and we proceeded +first to his camp. <!-- page 31--><a name="page31"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 31</span>We +left Port Moresby about half-past five on Thursday morning, and crossed +the low ground at the back of the mission house. We ascended the +hill which runs all along the coast in this district at a part about +three hundred feet high, and then descended into a great plain. +At present the plain is dry and hard, from the long drought, and very +little of anything green is to be seen. There are a few small +gum-trees, and great herds of wallabies were jumping about. The +greater part of this plain is under water in the wet seasons. +We walked about ten miles in an east-north-east direction, keeping the +Astrolabe Range to our right, when we came to the camp, close by a large +river—the Laroki. Being afraid of alligators, we preferred +having water poured over us to bathing in the river.</p> +<p>Our party was a tolerably large one—Ruatoka (the Port Moresby +teacher), some Port Moresby natives, and four Loyalty Island teachers, +on their way to East Cape. We did not see a strange native all +the way. We had our hammocks made fast in the bush by the river +side, and rested until three p.m., when we started for another part +of the river about seven miles off, in a south-east direction. +Mr. Goldie also shifted his camp. After sunset we reached the +point where the river was to be crossed, and there we meant to remain +for the night.</p> +<p>We had a bath, then supper, and evening prayers; after which we slung +our hammocks to the trees, in which we rested well. It was a strangely +weird-looking <!-- page 32--><a name="page32"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 32</span>sight, +and the noises were of a strange kind—wallabies leaping past, +and strange birds overhead. Mr. Goldie’s Maré men +joined with their countrymen, the teachers, in singing some of Sankey’s +hymns in English. Soon sleep came, and all seemed quiet.</p> +<p>At three a.m. of the 26th we struck camp, and after morning prayers +we began to cross the river, which was not over four feet in the deepest +part. It was here Mr. Lawes crossed when he first visited the +inland tribes; so now, led by Ruatoka, we were on his track. The +moon was often hidden by dark clouds, so we had some difficulty in keeping +to the path. We pressed on, as we were anxious to get to a deserted +village which Mr. Goldie knew to breakfast. We reached the village +about six, and after we had partaken of breakfast we set off for the +mountains. When we had gone about four miles the road became more +uneven. Wallabies were not to be seen, and soon we were in a valley +close by the river, which we followed for a long way, and then began +to ascend. We climbed it under a burning sun, Ruatoka calling +out, <i>Tepiake</i>, <i>tepiake</i>, <i>tepiake</i> (Friends, friends, +friends). Armed natives soon appeared on the ridge, shouting, +<i>Misi Lao</i>, <i>Misi Lao</i>. Ruatoka called back, <i>Misi +Lao</i> (Mr. Lawes), and all was right—spears were put away and +they came to meet us, escorting us to a sort of reception-room, where +we all squatted, glad to get in the shade from the sun. We were +now about 1100 feet above the sea level. <!-- page 33--><a name="page33"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 33</span>We +were surprised to see their houses built on the highest tree-tops they +could find on the top of the ridge. One of the teachers remarked, +“Queer fellows these; not only do they live on the mountain tops, +but they must select the highest trees they can find for their houses.” +We were very soon friends; they seemed at ease, some smoking tobacco, +others chewing betel-nuts. I changed my shirt, and when those +near me saw my white skin they raised a shout that soon brought the +others round. Bartering soon began—taro, sugar-cane, sweet +yams, and water were got in exchange for tobacco, beads, and cloth.</p> +<p>After resting about two hours, we proceeded to the next village, +five miles further along the ridge. Some of our party were too +tired to accompany us; they remained where we expected to camp for the +night. After walking some miles, we came unexpectedly on some +natives. As soon as they saw us they rushed for their spears, +and seemed determined to dispute our way. By a number of signs—touching +our chins with our right hands, etc.—they understood we were not +foes, so they soon became friendly. They had their faces blackened +with soot, plumbago, and gum, and then sprinkled over with white; their +mouths and teeth were in a terrible mess from chewing the betel-nut. +On our leaving them, they shouted on to the next village. An old +man lay outside on the platform of the next house we came to; he looked +terribly frightened as we approached him, but as, instead of <!-- page 34--><a name="page34"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 34</span>injuring +him, we gave him a present, he soon rallied, and got us water to drink. +By-and-by a few gathered round. We understood them to say the +most of the people were away on the plains hunting for wallabies. +One young woman had a net over her shoulders and covering her breasts, +as a token of mourning—an improvement on their ordinary attire, +which is simply a short grass petticoat—the men <i>nil</i>.</p> +<p>After a short stay, we returned to where we thought of camping for +the night, but for want of water we went on to the village we had visited +in the forenoon. We slung our hammocks in the reception room, +had supper, and turned in for the night. It felt bleak and cold, +and the narrowness of the ridge made us careful, even in our sleep, +lest we should fall out and over. On coming across the highest +peak in the afternoon, we had a magnificent view of Mount Owen Stanley, +with his two peaks rising far away above the other mountains by which +he is surrounded. It must have been about thirty miles off, and, +I should think, impossible to reach from where we were. We were +entirely surrounded by mountains: mountains north, east, south, and +west—above us and below us. I question if it will ever be +a country worth settling in.</p> +<p>We were anxious to spend the Sabbath at Port Moresby, so, leaving +the most of our party, who were too tired to come with us, to rest till +Monday, Mr. McFarlane, Ruatoka, and I set off on our return very <!-- page 35--><a name="page35"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 35</span>early +on Saturday morning, and had strangely difficult work in getting down +the mountain side and along the river. Fireflies danced all round +in hundreds, and we awakened many strange birds before their time, which +gave forth a note or two, only to sleep again. Before daylight, +we were at Mr. Goldie’s camp, where we had breakfast, and hurried +on for the river. We rested a short time there, and then away +over plains to Port Moresby, which we reached about midday, tired indeed +and very footsore. Oh, that shoemakers had only to wear the boots +they send to missionaries!</p> +<p>Early on Sunday morning, a great many natives went out with their +spears, nets, and dogs, to hunt wallabies. A goodly number attended +the forenoon service, when Mr. Lawes preached. A good many strangers +were present from an inland village on the Astrolabe side. There +is not yet much observance of the Sabbath. Poi, one of the chief +men of the place, is very friendly: he kept quite a party of his inland +friends from hunting, and brought them to the services. Mr. Lawes +preached again in the afternoon. As we went to church in the afternoon +the hunters were returning: they had evidently had a successful day’s +hunting. During the day a canoe came in from Hula, laden with +old cocoanuts, which were traded for pottery.</p> +<p>In the evening, an old sorceress died, and great was the wailing +over her body. She was buried on the <!-- page 36--><a name="page36"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 36</span>Monday +morning, just opposite the house in which she had lived. A grave +was dug two feet deep, and spread over with mats, on which the corpse +was laid. Her husband lay on the body, in the grave, for some +time, and, after some talking to the departed spirit, got up, and lay +down by the side of the grave, covered with a mat. About midday, +the grave was covered over with the earth, and friends sat on it weeping. +The relatives of the dead put on mourning by blackening their bodies +all over, and besmearing them with ashes.</p> +<p>On the 31st, the <i>Bertha</i> left for Kerepunu. As I was +anxious to see all the mission stations along the coast between Port +Moresby and Kerepunu, I remained, to accompany Mr. Lawes in the small +schooner <i>Mayri</i>. We left on the following day, and sailed +down the coast inside the reef. We arrived at Tupuselei about +midday. There were two teachers here, and Mr. Lawes having decided +to remove one, we got him on board, and sailed for Kaili. The +villages of Tupuselei and Kaili are quite in the sea. I fear they +are very unhealthy—mangroves and low swampy ground abound. +The Astrolabe Range is not far from the shore we were sailing along +all day. There is a fine bold coast line, with many bays.</p> +<p>In the early morning, our small vessel of only seven tons was crowded +with natives. We left the vessel about nine a.m. for a walk inland, +accompanied by a number of natives, who all went to their houses for +<!-- page 37--><a name="page37"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 37</span>their +arms before they would leave their village. They have no faith +whatever in one another. We passed through a large swamp covered +with mangroves—then into a dense tropical bush, passing through +an extensive grove of sago palms and good-sized mango trees. The +mangoes were small—about the size of a plum—and very sweet. +At some distance inland I took up a peculiar-looking seed; one of the +natives, thinking I was going to eat it, very earnestly urged me to +throw it away, and with signs gave me to understand that if I ate it +I should swell out to an enormous size, and die.</p> +<p>We walked about seven miles through bush, and then began the ascent +of one of the spurs of the Astrolabe. On nearing the inland village +for which we were bound, the natives became somewhat afraid, and the +leader stopped, and, turning to Mr. Lawes, asked him if he would indeed +not kill any of the people. He was assured all was right, and +then he moved on a few paces, to stop again, and re-inquire if all was +right. When reassured, we all went on, not a word spoken by any +one, and so in silence we entered the village. When we were observed, +spears began rattling in the houses; but our party shouted, <i>Maino</i>, +<i>maino</i> (Peace, peace), <i>Misi Lao</i>, <i>Misi Lao</i>. +The women escaped through the trap-doors in the floors of their houses, +and away down the side of the hill into the bush. We reached the +chief’s house, and there remained.</p> +<p><!-- page 38--><a name="page38"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 38</span>The +people soon regained confidence, and came round us, wondering greatly +at the first white men they had ever seen in their village. The +women returned from their flight, and began to cook food, which, when +ready, they brought to us, and of which we all heartily partook. +We gave them presents, and they would not suffer us to depart till they +had brought us a return present of uncooked food. They are a fine, +healthy-looking people, lighter than those on the coast. Many +were in deep mourning, and frightfully besmeared. There are a +number of villages close by, on the various ridges. We returned +by a different way, following the bed of what must be in the rainy season +a large river. The banks were in many places from eight to nine +feet high.</p> +<p>On the following morning, November 3rd, we weighed anchor and set +sail, passing Kapakapa, a double village in the sea. The houses +are large and well built. There are numerous villages on the hills +at the back of it, and not too far away to be visited. We anchored +off Round Head, which does not, as represented on the charts, rise boldly +from the sea. There is a plain between two and three miles broad +between the sea and the hill called Round Head. There are many +villages on the hills along this part of the coast. We anchored +close to the shore. A number of natives were on the beach, but +could not be induced to visit us on board. We went ashore to them +after dinner. They knew Mr. Lawes by name <!-- page 39--><a name="page39"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 39</span>only, +and became more easy when he assured them that he was really and truly +<i>Misi Lao</i>. They professed friendship by calling out, <i>Maino</i>, +<i>maino</i>, catching hold of their noses, and pointing to their stomachs. +After a little time, two ventured to accompany Mr. Lawes on board, and +received presents. I remained ashore astonishing others by striking +matches, and showing off my arms and chest. The women were so +frightened that they all kept at a respectful distance. These +are the natives from an inland village that killed a Port Moresby native +about the beginning of the year. When those who accompanied Mr. +Lawes on board the <i>Mayri</i> returned to the shore, they were instantly +surrounded by their friends, who seized the presents and made off. +They had received fish, biscuit, and taro. The taro and fish were +smelt all over, and carefully examined before eaten. The biscuit +was wrapped up again in the paper.</p> +<p>On Sunday, the 4th, we were beating down through innumerable reefs, +and at eight p.m. we anchored about three miles from Hula. The +following morning we went up to the village, the <i>Mayri</i> anchoring +close by the houses. The country about here looks fine and green, +a very striking contrast to that around Port Moresby. The further +east we get from Port Moresby, the finer the country looks. The +people are also superior—finer-made men and women, and really +pretty boys and girls—more, altogether, like our eastern South +Sea Islanders. The married women <!-- page 40--><a name="page40"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 40</span>spoil +their looks by keeping their heads shaved. They seem fond of their +children: men and women nurse them. They were busy preparing their +large canoes to visit Port Moresby, on the return of the Port Moresby +canoes from the west with sago.</p> +<p>About three in the afternoon, an old woman made her appearance at +the door of the mission house, bawling out, “Well, what liars +these Hula people are; some of them were inland this morning, and the +chief asked them if <i>Misi Lao</i> had come, and they said no.” +The chief, who saw the vessel from the hill top where his village is, +thought it strange the vessel should be there without <i>Misi Lao</i>, +so sent this woman to learn the truth. She received a present +for herself and the chief, and went away quite happy.</p> +<p>Next morning, November 6th, we left Hula with a fair wind, and were +anchored close to Kerepunu by nine o’clock. The <i>Bertha</i> +was anchored fully two miles off. Kerepunu is a magnificent place, +and its people are very fine-looking. It is one large town of +seven districts, with fine houses, all arranged in streets, crotons +and other plants growing about, and cockatoos perching in front of nearly +every house. One part of the population plant, another fish, and +the planters buy the fish with their produce. Men, women, and +children are all workers; they go to their plantations in the morning +and return to their homes in the evening, only sick ones remaining at +home; thus accounting for the number of scrofulous people we saw going +<!-- page 41--><a name="page41"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 41</span>about +when we first landed. They have a rule, to which they strictly +adhere all the year round, of working for two days and resting the third.</p> +<p>The <i>Bertha</i> arrived here on Friday evening. Mrs. Chalmers +was at the forenoon service on the Sunday, and found there a large congregation. +The service was held on the platform of one of the largest houses. +Anedered preached, a number sitting on the platform, others in the house, +others on the ground all round, and many at the doors of their own houses, +where they could hear all that was said.</p> +<p>Mr. Lawes decided to remain at Kerepunu to revise for the press a +small book Anedered has been preparing, and to follow us to Teste Island +in the <i>Ellengowan</i>. We left Kerepunu on the morning of November +8th, the <i>Mayri</i> leaving at the same time, to sail down inside +the surf. We went right out to sea, so as to beat down, had fine +weather, and were off Teste Island by the 16th. After dinner we +took the boat, and with the captain went in on the east side of the +island through the reef, to sound and find anchorage.</p> +<p>When we reached the lagoon, a catamaran with three natives on it +came off to us. We asked for Koitan, the chief, which at once +gave them confidence in us, so that they came alongside, one getting +into the boat. He expressed his friendship to us in the usual +way, viz. by touching his nose and stomach, and, being very much excited, +seized hold of Mr. <!-- page 42--><a name="page42"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 42</span>McFarlane +and rubbed noses with him, doing the same to me. He received a +present of a piece of hoop-iron and some red braid, which greatly pleased +him. We found the water was deep enough over the reef for the +vessel, and good anchorage inside. We went on to the village, +to see about the supply of water.</p> +<p>The people were very friendly, and crowded round us. We were +led up to a platform in front of one of their large houses, and there +seated and regaled with cocoanuts. The natives here are much darker +than are those at Kerepunu; most of them suffer from a very offensive-looking +skin disease, which causes the skin to peel off in scales. In +their conversation with one another I recognized several Polynesian +words. The water is obtained by digging in the sand, and is very +brackish.</p> +<p>We came to anchor next morning, and soon were surrounded with canoes, +and our deck swarmed with natives trading their curios, yams, cocoanuts, +and fish for beads and hoop-iron. Many were swearing friendship, +and exchanging names with us, in hopes of getting hoop-iron. There +is as great a demand for hoop-iron here as for tobacco at Port Moresby. +They told us they disliked fighting, but delighted in the dance, betel-nut, +and sleep. The majority have jet black teeth, which they consider +very beautiful, and all have their noses and ears pierced, with various +sorts of nose and ear rings, chiefly made from shell, <!-- page 43--><a name="page43"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 43</span>inserted. +A crown piece could easily be put through the lobe of their ears.</p> +<p>We went ashore in the afternoon. There are three villages, +all close to one another. Their houses are built on poles, and +are shaped like a canoe turned bottom upwards, others like one in the +water. They ornament their houses on the outside with cocoanuts +and shells. The nabobs of the place had skulls on the posts of +their houses, which they said belonged to the enemies they had killed +and eaten. One skull was very much fractured; they told us it +was done with a stone axe, and showed us how they used these weapons.</p> +<p>We tried to explain to them that no one was to come to the vessel +the next day, as it was a sacred day. In the early morning, some +canoes came off to trade, but we sent them ashore; a few more followed +about breakfast-time, which were also sent ashore. In the afternoon, +our old friend of the preceding day came off, with his wife and two +sons. He called out that he did not wish to come on board, but +that he had brought some cooked food. We accepted his present, +and he remained with his family in his canoe alongside the vessel for +some time, and then went quietly ashore. We had three services +on board, one in the forenoon in Lifuan, in the afternoon in Rarotongan, +and in the evening in English.</p> +<p>As Teste Island is about twenty miles from the mainland, with a dead +beat to it, I decided to seek <!-- page 44--><a name="page44"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 44</span>for +a position more accessible to New Guinea, and as I had not a teacher +to spare for this little island, Mr. McFarlane decided to leave two +of the Loyalty Island teachers here. It is fertile, and appears +healthy, is two and a half miles long, and half a mile broad. +A ridge of hills runs right through its centre from east-north-east +to west-south-west. The natives have some fine plantations on +the north side, and on the south and east sides they have yam plantations +to the very tops of the hills. There are plantations and fruit-trees +all round the island.</p> +<p>On Monday, I accompanied Mr. McFarlane when he went ashore to make +arrangements to land his teachers and secure a house for them. +The people seemed pleased that some of our party would remain with them. +Mr. McFarlane at once chose a house on a point of land a good way from +our landing-place, and at the end of the most distant village. +The owner was willing to give up the house until the teachers could +build one for themselves, so it was at once taken and paid for. +We came along to our old friend’s place near the landing, when +we were told that the house taken was a very bad one. In the first +place, the position was unhealthy; in the second, that was the point +where their enemies from Basilaki (Moresby Island) always landed when +they came to fight, and the people could not protect the teachers if +so far off when their foes came. All agreed in this, and a fine +new house which had never been occupied <!-- page 45--><a name="page45"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 45</span>was +offered and taken, the same price being paid for it as for the other +one. This house is close to the landing-place, and in the midst +of the people. The owner of the first house offered to return +the things, but we thought it would not be ruinous to let him keep them, +their English value being about ten shillings.</p> +<p>We passed a tabooed place, or rather would have done so had we not +been forced to take a circuitous path to the bush. None of the +natives spoke as we passed the place, nor till we were clear of it; +they made signs also to us to be silent. A woman had died there +lately, and the friends were still mourning. There had been no +dancing in the settlement since the death, nor would there be any for +some days to come.</p> +<p>I think women are more respected here than they are in some other +heathen lands. They seem to keep fast hold of their own possessions. +A man stole an ornament belonging to his wife, and sold it for hoop-iron +on board the <i>Bertha</i>. When he went ashore he was met on +the beach by his spouse, who had in the meantime missed her trinket; +she assailed him with tongue, stick, and stone, and demanded the hoop-iron.</p> +<p>The teachers were landed in the afternoon, and were well received. +The natives all promised to care for them, and treat them kindly. +There are about two hundred and fifty natives on the island. No +<i>Ellengowan</i> appearing, we determined to leave this on <!-- page 46--><a name="page46"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 46</span>Wednesday, +the 21st, and to proceed to Moresby Island. Next morning we left, +but, owing to light winds, we did not anchor in Hoop-Iron Bay, off Moresby +Island, till the morning of the 22nd. The anchorage here is in +an open roadstead. It is a very fine island—the vegetation +from the water’s edge right up to the mountain tops. Plantations +are to be seen all round. The people live in small detached companies, +and are not so pleasant and friendly-looking a people as are the Teste +islanders. This is the great Basilaki, and the natives are apparently +the deadly foes of all the islanders round. Before we anchored, +we were surrounded by catamarans (three small logs lashed together) +and canoes—spears in them all.</p> +<p>Mr. McFarlane decided, as soon as we came to the island, that he +would not land his teachers here; and I did not consider it a suitable +place as a head station for New Guinea. We left Moresby Island +at six a.m. on the 23rd inst., and beat through Fortescue Straits, between +Moresby and Basilisk Islands. The scenery was grand—everything +looked so fresh and green, very different from the deathlike appearance +of Port Moresby and vicinity. The four teachers were close behind +us, in their large whale-boat, with part of their things. On getting +out of the Straits, we saw East Cape; but, as there was no anchorage +there, we made for Killerton Island, about ten miles from the Cape. +The wind being very light, it was eight p.m. before we anchored: the +boat got up an hour after <!-- page 47--><a name="page47"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 47</span>us. +There was apparently great excitement ashore; lights were moving about +in all directions, but none came to us. In the morning, a catamaran +with two boys ventured alongside of us; they got a present, and went +away shouting. Soon we were surrounded with catamarans and canoes, +with three or four natives in each. They had no spears with them, +nor did they kill a dog on our quarter-deck, as they did on that of +the <i>Basilisk</i>. They appeared quite friendly, and free from +shyness. They brought their curios to barter for beads, red cloth, +and the much-valued hoop-iron. The whole country looked productive +and beautiful. After breakfast, we went ashore, and were led through +swampy ground to see the water. On our return to the shore, we +went in search of a position for the mission settlement, but could not +get one far enough away from the swamp, so we took the boat and sailed +a mile or two nearer the Cape, where we found an excellent position +near a river. Mr. McFarlane obtained a fine new house for the +teachers, in which they are to remain till they get a house built. +We took all the teachers’ goods ashore, which the natives helped +to carry to the house. One man, who considered himself well dressed, +kept near us all day. He had a pair of trousers, minus a leg: +he fastened the body of the trousers round his head, and let the leg +fall gracefully down his back.</p> +<p>On the following morning, two large canoes—twenty <!-- page 48--><a name="page48"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 48</span>paddles +in each—came in from somewhere about Milne Bay. They remained +for some time near the shore, getting all the news they could about +us from the shore-folk; then the leader amongst them stood up and caught +his nose, and pointed to his stomach—we doing the same. +The large canoes went ashore, and the chief came off to us in a small +one. We gave him a present, which greatly pleased him. After +breakfast, we went ashore to hold a service with the teachers. +We met under a large tree, near their house. About six hundred +natives were about us, and all round outside of the crowd were men armed +with spears and clubs. Mr. McFarlane preached. When the +first hymn was being sung, a number of women and children got up and +ran into the bush. The service was short; at its close we sat +down and sang hymns, which seemed to amuse them greatly. The painted +and armed men were not at all pleasant-looking fellows.</p> +<p>At two in the morning (Monday), we weighed anchor and returned to +Moresby Island. The wind was very light, and we had to anchor +at the entrance to Fortescue Straits. Next morning, we sailed +through the Straits, and, on coming out on the opposite side, we were +glad to see the <i>Bertha</i> beating about there. By noon we +were on board the <i>Bertha</i>, and off for South Cape, the <i>Mayri</i> +going to Teste Island with a letter, telling the captain of the <i>Ellengowan</i> +to follow us, and also to see if the teachers were all right.</p> +<p><!-- page 49--><a name="page49"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 49</span>By +evening we were well up to South Cape. The captain did not care +to get too near that night, and stood away till morning. About +ten next morning I accompanied the captain in the boat, to sound and +look for anchorage, which we found in twenty-two fathoms, near South-West +Point. By half-past fire that evening we anchored. The excitement +ashore was great, and before the anchor was really down we were surrounded +by canoes. As a people, they are small and puny, and much darker +than the Eastern Polynesians. They were greatly excited over Pi’s +baby, a fine plump little fellow, seven months old, who, beside them, +seemed a white child. Indeed, all they saw greatly astonished +them. Canoes came off to us very early in the morning. About +half-past seven, when we were ready to go ashore, there arose great +consternation amongst the natives. Three large war canoes, with +conch-shells blowing, appeared off the mainland and paddled across the +Mayri Straits. Soon a large war canoe appeared near the vessel. +A great many small canoes from various parts of the mainland were ordered +off by those on whose side we were anchored. They had to leave. +On their departure a great shout was raised by the victorious party, +and in a short time all returned quietly to their bartering. It +seemed that the Stacy Islanders wished to keep all the bartering to +themselves. They did not wish the rest to obtain hoop-iron or +any other foreign wealth. They are at feud with one <!-- page 50--><a name="page50"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 50</span>party +on the mainland, and I suppose in their late contests have been victorious, +for they told us with great exultation that they had lately killed and +eaten ten of their enemies from the mainland.</p> +<p>About nine, we went ashore near the anchorage. I crossed the +island to the village, but did not feel satisfied as to the position. +One of our guides to the village wore, as an armlet, the jawbone of +a man from the mainland he had killed and eaten; others strutted about +with human bones dangling from their hair, and about their necks. +It is only the village Tepauri on the mainland with which they are unfriendly. +We returned to the boat, and sailed along the coast. On turning +a cape, we came to a pretty village, on a well-wooded point. The +people were friendly, and led us to see the water, of which there is +a good supply. This is the spot for which we have been in search +as a station for beginning work. We can go anywhere from here, +and are surrounded by villages. The mainland is not more than +a gunshot across. God has led us. We made arrangements for +a house for the teachers; then returned to the vessel.</p> +<p>In the afternoon, I landed the teachers, their wives, and part of +their goods—the people helping to carry the stuff to the house. +The house in which the teachers are to reside till our own is finished +is the largest in the place, but they can only get the use of one end +of it—the owner, who considers himself the chief man of the place, +requiring the other end for <!-- page 51--><a name="page51"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 51</span>himself +and family. The partition between the two ends is only two feet +high. Skulls, shells, and cocoanuts are hung all about the house; +the skulls are those of the enemies he and his people have eaten. +Inside the house, hung up on the wall, is a very large collection of +human bones, bones of animals and of fish.</p> +<p>I selected a spot for our house on the point of land nearest the +mainland. It is a large sand hill, and well wooded at the back. +We have a good piece of land, with bread-fruit and other fruit trees +on it, which I hope soon to have cleared and planted with food, for +the benefit of the teachers who may be here awaiting their stations, +as well as for the teacher for the place. The frontage is the +Straits, with the mainland right opposite. There is a fine anchorage +close to the house for vessels of any size.</p> +<p>Early next morning there was great excitement ashore. The large +war canoe came off, with drums beating and men dancing. They came +alongside the <i>Bertha</i>, and presented us with a small pig and food. +Then the men came on board and danced. The captain gave them a +return present. Mr. McFarlane and I went ashore immediately after +breakfast, and found that the teachers had been kindly treated. +We gave some natives a few axes, who at once set off to cut wood for +the house, and before we returned to the vessel in the evening two posts +were up. As the <i>Bertha’s</i> time was up, and the season +for the trade winds closing, everything was done to get on with <!-- page 52--><a name="page52"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 52</span>the +house. Mr. McFarlane worked well. Two men from the <i>Bertha</i>, +and two from the <i>Mayri</i> joined with the four teachers in the work, +and by Tuesday the framework was nearly up. We landed our things +that day, and immediately after breakfast on Wednesday, December 5th, +we went ashore to reside; and about ten a.m. the <i>Bertha</i> left. +On the Tuesday, Mr. McFarlane and I visited several villages on the +mainland: three in a deep bay, which must be very unhealthy, from the +many swamps and high mountains around. The people appeared friendly, +and got very excited over the presents we gave them.</p> +<p>We got an old foretopsail from the captain, which we rigged up as +a tent, in which the teachers slept, we occupying their quarters. +We enjoyed a good night’s rest. In early morning the house +was surrounded with natives, many of whom were armed. They must +wonder at our staying here: they consider our goods to consist entirely +of hoop-iron, axes, knives, and arrowroot. About eleven a.m. the +war canoes were launched on the opposite side of the water. The +excitement here was then great. I met a lad running with painted +skulls to the war canoe of the village. Soon it was decorated +with skulls, shells, cocoanuts, and streamers, and launched. Those +on the opposite side came out into the deep bay; ours remained stationary +till the afternoon, when about thirty men got into her, and away towards +Farm Bay to trade their hoop-iron for sago.</p> +<p><!-- page 53--><a name="page53"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 53</span>On +Sunday, we met for our usual public services under a large tree, and +a number of natives attended, who of course could not make out what +was said, as they were conducted in Rarotongan. At our morning +and evening prayers numbers are always about who seem to enjoy the singing. +We see quite a number of strangers every day—some from Brumer +Island, Tissot, Teste, China Straits, Catamaran Bay, Farm Bay, and other +places. Those from Vakavaka—a place over by China Straits—are +lighter and better-looking than those here. The women there do +not seem to tattoo themselves. Here they tattoo themselves all +over their faces and bodies, and make themselves look very ugly. +I have not seen one large man or woman amongst them all.</p> +<p>We had much difficulty in getting a sufficient supply of plaited +cocoanut leaves for the walls and roof of our house. By the 14th, +we had the walls and roof finished, when all our party moved into it. +We had a curtain of unbleached calico put up between the teachers’ +end and ours, and curtains for doors and windows, but were glad to get +into it in that unfinished state: the weather was breaking, and we felt +anxious about the teachers sleeping in the tent when it rained, and +we had no privacy at all where we were, and were tired of squatting +on the ground, for we could not get a chair in our part of the house; +indeed, the flooring was of such a construction that the legs of a chair +or table would have <!-- page 54--><a name="page54"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 54</span>soon +gone through it. On the 13th, we were busy getting the wood we +had cut for the flooring of our house into the sea to be rafted along; +got ten large pieces into the water by breakfast-time.</p> +<p>After breakfast, Mrs. Chalmers and I were at the new house, with +the captain of the <i>Mayri</i>, when we heard a noise like quarrelling. +On looking out, I saw the natives very excited, and many of them running +with spears and clubs towards the house where Mrs. Chalmers, about five +minutes before, had left the teachers rising from breakfast. I +hastened over, and pushed my way amongst the natives till I got to the +front, when, to my horror, I was right in front of a gun aimed by one +of the <i>Mayri’s</i> crew (who had been helping us with the house) +at a young man brandishing a spear. The aim was perfect: had the +gun been fired—as it would have been had I not arrived in time—the +native would have been shot dead. I pushed the native aside, and +ordered the gun to be put down, and turned to the natives, shouting, +<i>Besi</i>, <i>besi</i>! (Enough, enough!). Some of them returned +their spears and clubs, but others remained threatening. I spoke +to our party against using firearms, and then I caught the youth who +was flourishing his spear, and with difficulty got it from him. +Poor fellow, he cried with rage, yet he did me no harm. I clapped +him, and got him to go away. All day he sat under a tree, which +we had frequently to pass, but he would have nothing to say to us. +It seems a knife <!-- page 55--><a name="page55"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 55</span>had +been stolen, and he being the only one about the house when it was missed, +was accused of taking it. One of the teachers was winding line, +and he caught the young fellow by the arm to inquire about the knife. +The lad thought he was going to be tied up with the line; he struggled, +got free, and raised the alarm.</p> +<p>Only the night before I had to warn the teachers against using firearms +to alarm or threaten the natives. An axe was stolen; every place +about was searched for it, and for some time without its being found. +At last, a native found it buried in the sand near where it was last +used. It had evidently been hidden there till a favourable opportunity +should occur of taking it away. During the search, the owner of +the axe (one of the teachers) ran off for his gun, and came rushing +over with it. I ordered him to take it back, and in the evening +told them it was only in New Guinea that guns were used by missionaries. +It was not so in any other mission I knew of, and if we could not live +amongst the natives without arms, we had better remain at home; and +if I saw arms used again by them for anything, except birds, or the +like, I should have the whole of them thrown into the sea.</p> +<p>In the afternoon of the 14th, I went over to the house in which we +had been staying, to stir up the teachers to get the things over more +quickly; Mrs. Chalmers remaining at the new house to look after the +things there, as, without doors or flooring, everything <!-- page 56--><a name="page56"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 56</span>was +exposed. I went to the seaside to call to the captain of the <i>Mayri</i> +to send us the boat ashore, when, on looking towards my left, I saw +twenty armed natives hurrying along. Though painted, I recognized +some of them as those who were very friendly on board the <i>Bertha</i>, +and spoke to them; but they hurried past, frowning and saying something +I did not understand. They went straight on to the chief’s +house, and surrounded our party. I passed through, and stood in +front of them. One very ugly-looking customer was brandishing +his spear close by me. It was an anxious moment, and one in which +I am sure many would have used firearms. I called out to the teachers, +“Remain quiet.” Our chief sprung out on to the platform +in front of the house and harangued. He was very excited. +Shortly he called to the teachers, in signs and words, to bring out +their guns and fire. They refused. He then rushed into the +house and seized a gun, and was making off with it, when one of the +teachers caught hold of him. I, seeing the teacher with the chief, +thought something was wrong, and went to them. We quieted him, +and did our best to explain to him that we were no fighters, but men +of peace. The babel all round us was terrible. By-and-by +a request was made to me to give the chief from the other side a present, +and get him away. I said, “No; had he come in peace, and +as a chief, I would have given him a present, but I will not do so now.” +They retired to deliberate, and sent <!-- page 57--><a name="page57"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 57</span>another +request for a present. “No; no presents to men in arms. +If the chief returns to-morrow unarmed, he will get a present.” +It seems they are vexed with our living here instead of with them, because +they find those here are getting what they consider very rich by our +living with them. When quiet was restored, we returned to the +carrying of our things. When we came to the last few things, our +chief objected to their removal until he got a farewell present. +He had been paid for the use of the house before any of us entered it; +but we gave him another present, and so finished the business.</p> +<p>Our large cross-cut saw was stolen during the hubbub. It belonged +to the teachers of East Cape. It had only been lent to us, so +we had to get it back. The next morning the chief from the other +side came to see me. He received a present, and looked particularly +sheepish when I tried to explain to him that we did not like fighting. +All day I took care to show that I was very displeased at the loss of +the saw, and by the evening I was told that it had been taken by those +on the other side; and offers of returning it were made, but I saw I +was expected to buy it from them. I said, “No; I will not +buy what was stolen from me; the saw must be returned, and I will give +an axe to the one who goes for it, and fetches it to me.”</p> +<p>The following day, Sunday, the 15th, we held the usual services under +a large tree near the mission house; a great many strangers present; +the latter were <!-- page 58--><a name="page58"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 58</span>very +troublesome. On Monday afternoon the saw was returned. The +<i>Mayri</i> left us that day, to visit the teachers at East Cape. +The people are getting quieter. At present they are chiefly interested +in the sawing of the wood for the flooring of the house. They +work willingly for a piece of hoop-iron and a few beads, but cannot +do much continuously. They seem to have no kind of worship, and +their sports are few. The children swing, bathe, and sail small +canoes. The grown-up people have their dance—a very poor +sort of thing. A band of youths, with drums, stand close together, +and in a most monotonous tone sing whilst they beat the drums. +The dancers dance round the men once or twice, and all stop to rest +a bit. I have been twice present when only the women danced. +They bury their dead, and place houses over the graves, which they fence +round, planting crotons, bananas, etc., inside. They do their +cooking inside their houses. It was very hot and uncomfortable +when we were in the native house. The master being a sort of chief, +and having a large household, a great deal of cooking was required. +Three large fires were generally burning in their end of the house for +the greater part of the day. The heat and smoke from these fires +were not nice. Indeed, they generally had one or two burning all +night, to serve for blankets, I suppose.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"> +<a href="images/59b.jpg"> +<img alt="Natives of South-Eastern New Guinea" src="images/59s.jpg" /> +</a></p> +<p>We went on with our work about the place, getting on well with the +natives and with those from other parts. We became so friendly +with the natives that I <!-- page 61--><a name="page61"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 61</span>had +hoped to go about with them in their canoes. Several natives from +one of the settlements invited me to visit their place, and said if +I went with them in their canoe they would return me. I went with +them, and was well received by all the people at the settlement, where +I spent some hours. On the 21st of December, the <i>Mayri</i> +returned from East Cape, and reported that all were sick, but that the +people were very friendly and kind to teachers. Anxious to keep +the vessel employed, and to prepare the way for landing teachers, I +resolved to visit a settlement on the mainland at deadly feud with this +people. The people here tried hard to dissuade me from going, +telling me that, as I stayed with them, my head would be cut off. +Seeing me determined to go, they brought skulls, saying, mine would +be like that, to adorn their enemies’ war canoe, or hang outside +the chief’s house. Feeling sure that they did not wish me +to go because they were afraid the hoop-iron, the knives, axes, beads, +and cloth might also be distributed on the other side, I told them I +must go; so they left me to my fate.</p> +<p>I took the teacher with me that I hoped to leave there. We +were received very kindly by the people. They led us inland, to +show us there was water, and when we got back to the seaside they regaled +us with sugar-cane and cocoanuts. They then told us that they +did not live at the village, but at the next, and merely came here for +food. We then got into a canoe, and were paddled up to the other +village, where a great <!-- page 62--><a name="page62"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 62</span>crowd +assembled, and where we publicly gave the chiefs our presents. +They danced with delight, and told the teacher not to be long until +he came to reside with them.</p> +<p>On our return we thought our friends seemed disappointed. We +had suffered no harm; however, as I had been unwell for some days, and +felt worse on the day following my trip, they felt comforted, and assured +me it was because of our visiting Tepauri. We had several things +stolen, and amongst other things a camp oven, which we miss much. +Yet these are things which must be borne, and we can hope that some +day their stealing propensities will change. From a very unexpected +source, and in a very unexpected manner, the whole prospects of this +eastern mission seemed all at once to be upset. I do not think +I can do better than extract my journal for the next few days.</p> +<p><i>December</i> 29<i>th</i>.—About twelve o’clock three +lads from the <i>Mayri</i> came ashore to cut firewood. One of +them came to me, saying, “I ’fraid, sir, our captain he +too fast with natives. One big fellow he come on board, and he +sit down below. Captain he tell him get up; he no get up. +Captain he get sword, and he tell him, s’pose he no get up he +cut head off; he get up, go ashore. I fear he no all right.” +They left me and went towards the sawpit. Some men were clearing +at the back of my house, some were putting up a cook-house, and the +teachers were sawing wood. On the cook-house being finished, I +was paying the men, when, on <!-- page 63--><a name="page63"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 63</span>hearing +a great noise, I rose up and saw those who were at the sawpit running +away and leaping the fence, and heard firing as if from the vessel. +I rushed into the house with my bag, and then out to see what it was. +I saw natives on board the <i>Mayri</i>, and some in canoes; they were +getting the hawser ashore, and pulling up the anchor, no doubt to take +the vessel. Everywhere natives were appearing, some armed, and +others unarmed. Two of the lads from the vessel, wishing to get +on board, went to their boat, but found the natives would not let it +go. I shouted to the natives detaining it to let it go, which +they did. Had I not been near, they would certainly have been +fired upon by the two lads, who were armed with muskets. Before +the boat got to the vessel I saw natives jump overboard, and soon the +firing became brisker. I rushed along the beach, calling upon +the natives to get into the bush, and to those on board to cease firing. +Firing ceased, and soon I heard great wailing at the chief’s house, +where I was pressed to go. A man was shot through the leg and +arm. On running through the village to the house, to get something +for the wounded man, I was stopped to see a young man bleeding profusely, +shot through the left arm, the bullet entering the chest. I got +some medicine and applied it to both.</p> +<p>When I reached the house, I found Mrs. Chalmers the only calm person +there. Natives were all around armed. When at the chief’s +house with medicine I was told there was still another, and he was on +board. <!-- page 64--><a name="page64"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 64</span>They +kept shouting “Bocasi, Bocasi,” the name of the man who +was on board in the morning. I found a small canoe all over blood, +and two natives paddled me off. On getting alongside, I saw the +captain sitting on deck, looking very white, and blood all about him. +I asked, “Is there still a man on board?” Answer: +“Yes.” “Is he shot?” “Yes.” +“Dead?” “Yes.” He was dead, and +lying below. I was afraid to remain long on board, and would not +risk landing with the body; nor would it do for the body to be landed +before me, as then I might be prevented from landing at all; so I got +into the canoe, in which one native was sitting. The other was +getting the body to place in the canoe; but I said, “Not in this +one, but a larger one.” So ashore I went, and hastened to +the house. I understood the captain to say that they attempted +to take his life, and this big man, armed with a large sugar-cane knife, +was coming close up, and he shot him dead. The captain’s +foot was frightfully cut. He had a spear-head in his side, and +several other wounds.</p> +<p>The principal people seemed friendly, and kept assuring us that all +was right, we should not be harmed. Great was the wailing when +the body was landed, and arms were up and down pretty frequently. +Canoes began to crowd in from the regions around. A man who has +all along been very friendly and kept close by us advised us strongly +to leave during the night, as, assuredly, when the war canoes from the +<!-- page 65--><a name="page65"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 65</span>different +parts came in, we should be murdered. Mrs. Chalmers decidedly +opposed our leaving. God would protect us. The vessel was +too small, and not provisioned, and to leave would be losing our position +as well as endangering Teste and East Cape. We came here for Christ’s +work, and He would protect us.</p> +<p>In the dusk, one of the crew came ashore, saying that the captain +was very ill, and wanted to go off to Murray Island. I could not +go on board, and leave them here. We consented to the vessel’s +leaving, and I gave the lad some medicine for the captain, and asked +him to send on shore all he could spare in the way of beads, etc. +I took all that was necessary, and about half-past seven the vessel +left. We were told we should have to pay something to smooth over +the trouble, which we were quite willing to do. Late at night +we had things ready. We had our evening prayers in Rarotongan, +reading Psalm xlvi., and feeling that God was truly our refuge.</p> +<p>People were early about on the 30th. We gave the things which +were prepared, and they were accepted. The people from the settlement +to which the man belonged who was shot came to attack us, but the people +here ordered them back. Many people came in from islands and mainland. +A number of so-called chiefs tell us no one will injure us, and that +we can go on with our work. We thought it not well to have services +out of doors to-day, so held prayer-meetings in the house.</p> +<p><!-- page 66--><a name="page66"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 66</span>Great +crowds came in from all round on the 31st, and many war canoes. +The people were extremely impudent, jumping the fence, and taking no +heed of what we said. One of the chief men of the settlement to +which the man who was shot belongs returned from Vaare (Teste Island). +He seemed friendly, and I gave him a present.</p> +<p>I had an invitation to attend a cannibal feast at one of the settlements. +Some said it would consist of two men and a child, others of five and +a child.</p> +<p>The people continued troublesome all day, and seemed to think we +had nothing else to do than attend to their demands.</p> +<p><i>January</i> 1<i>st</i>, 1878.—We were told we might be attacked. +There was a great wailing assembly at the other village. A canoe +from Tanosine, with a great many ugly-looking men, passed, and our friends +here seemed to fear they would attack us. We thought everything +settled, and that we should have no more to pay. The warp belonging +to the <i>Mayri</i> was carried past to-day and offered for sale; but +I would have nothing to do with it. We have tried the meek and +quiet up till now, and they only become more impudent and threatening.</p> +<p>Having tried the peaceful and pleasant, we determined to show the +natives that we were not afraid, and resisted every demand, and insisted +that there should be no more leaping the fence. On demands being +made, I shouted, “No more; wait, and when <!-- page 67--><a name="page67"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 67</span>Beritama +fighting canoe comes, then make your demands.” They seemed +afraid, and became less troublesome.</p> +<p>In the afternoon of January 2nd, the parties who have the hawser +brought it to me; but I would have nothing to do with it. I told +them if Pouairo, the settlement of the man who was shot, determines +to attack us, let them come, we, too, can fight. One of the teachers +fired off his gun at some distance from a bread-fruit tree, and the +bullet went clean through a limb of it; it caused great exclamations, +and crowds went to look at it.</p> +<p>The hawser was returned and left outside. We took no notice +of it. The people were much quieter, and no demands were made. +The cannibal feast was held. Some of our friends appeared with +pieces of human flesh dangling from their neck and arms. The child +was spared for a future time, it being considered too small. Amidst +all the troubles Mrs. Chalmers was the only one who kept calm and well.</p> +<p>The <i>Ellengowan</i> arrived on January 20th. The natives +were beginning to think no vessel would come; but when it arrived, they +were frightened, and willing to forget the <i>Mayri</i> affair. +A few days before she arrived some of our friends warned us against +going too far away from the house. After her arrival we were able +to go about among the people again.</p> +<h2><!-- page 68--><a name="page68"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 68</span>CHAPTER +II. A FEW TRIP INCIDENTS.</h2> +<p>Start eastwards from Heath Island—Naroopoo—Trading with +Natives—Landing at Roux Island—Interview with the Chief—The +Man with the club—Effect of a gunshot on the natives—Ellengowan +Bay—Narrow Escape—The steam-whistle useful—Attempt +to go inland unsuccessful—Amazons—Women chief instigators +of quarrels—Toulon Island—The real “Amazons’ +Land”—How the report arose—Cloudy Bay—Interview +with the Chief—Sandbank Bay—A hurried time—Dufaure +Island—Attack on Mr. Chalmers by Aroma natives—Defended +by some of the natives—Attack due to evil conduct of white men—Intentions +of the natives—Heathen customs—Pigs—Planting—Trading—Sickness.</p> +<p>The <i>Ellengowan</i> had been thoroughly refitted at Sydney; and +in the spring of 1878, accompanied by my wife, I embarked on a cruise +from east to west along the south coast of New Guinea. The little +steamer was commanded by Captain Dudfield, and manned by an efficient +native crew. Communication was held with some two hundred villages, +one hundred and five were personally visited, and ninety for the first +time by a white man. Several bays, harbours, rivers, and islands +were discovered and named; the country between Meikle and Orangerie +Bays, together with that lying at the back of Kerepunu was explored, +<!-- page 69--><a name="page69"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 69</span>and +the entire coast line from Keppel Point to McFarlane Harbour, traversed +on foot.</p> +<p>In travelling through a new country, it is impossible not to have +many experiences that may interest those at home, although to the traveller +they may seem of little moment. In May, 1878, I began my journeys +on New Guinea, in parts hereto unknown, and amongst tribes supposed +to be hostile. I resolved, come what might, to travel unarmed, +trusting to Him in whose work I was engaged, and feeling that no harm +could come to me while in His care.</p> +<p>On leaving Heath Island, we really began on new and little-known +seas and country, and we first anchored in a bay we called Inverary +Bay. On landing, we were met by a few men, the others coming out +with goods and chattels. We steamed round by the Leocadie, through +what forms a good harbour for small vessels, and over by the sandbanks +in Catamaran Bay. We called at Tanosina, to the east of the Leocadie, +landing with caution, as these people had been rather troublesome on +our first arrival at South Cape, and were very anxious to avenge the +man shot on board the <i>Mayri</i>. They did not receive us heartily, +and seemed inclined to be impudent, so I thought it best, after giving +one or two presents, to get quietly to the boat and away. I may +here say that in after-times these people were very friendly, and helped +us much in our work. We visited all round the bay, returning to +South Cape.</p> +<p><!-- page 70--><a name="page70"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 70</span>After +getting a supply of water and fuel on board, we started again, going +east round Rugged Head to Farm Bay, and well up to the head of the bay, +anchoring opposite to Naroopoo. I landed, and soon had an admiring +crowd round me. I was dressed in white, with black leather boots. +Sitting on a verandah, some, more daring than others, would come up, +touch my shirt and trousers, bite their fingers, and run away. +Again and again this was done by the bold ones, who always eyed my boots. +After consultation, one old woman mustered courage, came up, touched +my trousers, and finally my boots. She was trembling all over, +but horror of horrors, to add to her fear, lifting my foot, I pulled +my boot off; she screamed and ran, some others setting out with her, +and did not stop until quite out of sight.</p> +<p>After visiting several villages, and finding that the bay was thickly +populated, I went on board. The following morning many canoes +came alongside, and on our getting up steam were much afraid. +It was evident they wanted to show us that they had confidence in us, +but it was difficult with the steam up, the snorting and general commotion +on board being so great. We warned them on getting up anchor to +clear off. Why should they? There was no sail, nor were +we going to move. A commotion aft, canoes with crews clearing +away to a very safe distance. One canoe hanging on is pulled under, +a wild shout, a moment’s silence, and then there is a loud roar +of <!-- page 71--><a name="page71"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 71</span>laughter, +when they see canoe and paddlers appear astern at some distance. +We rounded One Tree Point and could see no entrance to a bay, just a +few miles beyond, but since explored and named Lawes Bay. Keeping +on, we anchored outside of the Roux Islands, in a fine safe harbour. +Before leaving our friends at South Cape, they were boasting of having +visited some place on the coast, where, on showing their large knives, +the natives all left, they helping themselves to a good many things.</p> +<p>We had some difficulty in getting a canoe to come alongside, and +it was not until we had fastened a piece of red cloth to a stick and +floated it astern, that the first canoe would come near. The natives +approached, picked up the red cloth, and in showing them pieces of hoop-iron, +they gradually came near enough to take hold of a piece, look well at +it, and finally decide to come alongside. Once alongside we were +soon fraternizing, and on seeing this other canoes came off, and trading +for curios began. Asking the captain to keep on trading as long +as possible, I hastened ashore, to see the chief of one of the villages. +As long as trading canoes remain alongside, the parties landing are +perfectly safe; care should be taken to get away as soon as possible +after the canoes leave the vessel.</p> +<p>The tide was far out when our boat touched the beach. A crowd +met us, and in every hand was a club or spear. I went on to the +bow, to spring ashore, <!-- page 72--><a name="page72"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 72</span>but +was warned not to land. I told them I had come to see the chief, +had a present for him, and must see him.</p> +<p>“Give us your present, and we will give it to him, but you +must not land.”</p> +<p>“I am Tamate, from Suau, and have come as a friend to visit +your old chief, and I must land.”</p> +<p>An elderly woman came close up to the boat, saying, “You must +not land, but I will take the present, or,” pointing to a young +man close by, “he will take it for his father,” he being +the chief’s son.</p> +<p>“No; I must see the chief for myself; but the son I should +also like to know, and will give him a present too.”</p> +<p>Springing ashore, followed by the mate, a fine, daring fellow, much +accustomed to roughing it on the diggings, and not the least afraid +of natives, I walked up the long beach to the village, to the chief’s +house. The old man was seated on the platform in front of the +house, and did not even deign to rise to receive us. I told him +who I was, and the object of my coming. He heard me through, and +treated the whole as stale news. I placed my present on the platform +in front of him, and waited for some word of satisfaction; but none +escaped the stern old chieftain. Presents of beads were handed +to little children in arms, but indignantly returned. Loud laughing +in the outskirts of crowd and little jostling.</p> +<p>“Gould,” said I to the mate, “I think we had <!-- page 73--><a name="page73"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 73</span>better +get away from here; keep eyes all round, and let us make quietly to +the beach.”</p> +<p>To the chief I said, “Friend, I am going; you stay.” +Lifting his eyebrows, he said, “Go.”</p> +<p>We were followed by the crowd, one man with a large round club walking +behind me, and uncomfortably near. Had I that club in my hand, +I should feel a little more comfortable. When on the beach we +saw the canoes had left the vessel, and were hurrying ashore; our boat +was soon afloat, still, we had some distance to go. I must have +that club, or I fear that club will have me. I had a large piece +of hoop-iron, such as is highly prized by the natives, in my satchel; +taking it, I wheeled quickly round, presented it to the savage, whose +eyes were dazzled as with a bar of gold. With my left hand I caught +the club, and before he became conscious of what was done I was heading +the procession, armed as a savage, and a good deal more comfortable. +We got safely away.</p> +<p>From Fyfe Bay we went round to Meikle Bay, where I visited all the +villages, and was well received. Before landing I decided to walk +inland, and see for myself if there was no arm of the sea running up +at the back. The charts showed no such thing, but I felt sure, +from the formation of the land and the manner of clouds hanging over +it, that there must be a lake or some large sheet of water, and that +there must be considerable streams carrying off the water of the Lorne +Range and Cloudy Mountains, as no stream <!-- page 74--><a name="page74"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 74</span>of +any size came to the sea on the coast-side. I got the chief of +the village at the head of the bay and a large following to show us +the way. We travelled for some miles through good country, and +at last came out opposite a large sheet of water, stretching well up +towards Cloudy Mountain and away towards the head of Milne Bay. +Seeing the Stirling Range, I was able to take a few positions.</p> +<p>Our mate, who had his fowling-piece with him, saw a very pretty parrot +on a cocoanut tree. He approached until close under—the +natives, about forty in number, standing breathlessly round, and wondering +what was going to happen. Bang! Down dropped the parrot; +a wail, hands to ears, a shout, and we were left alone with the chief, +who happened to be standing close by me. Those natives only ceased +running when they reached their homes.</p> +<p>We visited several villages, and at sundown returned. In the +dark we travelled along the bed of a creek, passing small villages, +whose inhabitants were terribly alarmed, but none more so than our chief. +Poor fellow, he <i>was</i> frightened. How nimbly he ascended +his platform on our arrival at his house, where his two wives were crying, +but now rejoiced to see him in the body. Long ago the escort had +returned with a terrible tale, and they feared whether their husband +could have lived through it all. But he was now considered a veritable +hero, to be sung in song and shouted in dance. Friends gather +round; <!-- page 75--><a name="page75"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 75</span>he +tells his tale; presents the bird; the wives examine it, then the crowd +of relatives. He afraid! oh dear no! But he looked pale +for a native, and no quantity of hoop-iron would induce him to move +from that platform and the side of those dear wives that night. +Enough for one day, one month, one year, so, “Good-bye, Tamate; +I shall be off in the morning to see you.” Arriving on board +late, we were welcome: they feared we had been spirited away.</p> +<p>The following day we got round to Ellengowan Bay. After visiting +all the villages, I went right up to the head of the bay to see Silo +and its chief. The tide was very low, and after pulling the boat +some distance through mud we left her in charge of the two rowers, the +mate and I going to the village. He had hoop-iron cut in seven-inch +lengths in his pockets. The old chief received us graciously, +and began giving me a long story of what he wished to do in the way +of pigs and food, if I would only stay two days. It was a sickly +looking hole, and not being quite rid of fever, I hoped to get on board +and away in an hour. A large crowd gathered round, all under arms, +very noisy, and certainly not gentle. A slight scuffle took place, +but was soon over. The mate missed some of his hoop-iron, caught +one young man with a piece, and took it from him. The crowd increased. +I told the chief I should prefer his people unarmed, and not so noisy. +He spoke to them, some put down their clubs and spears; but they were +hidden in the bush <!-- page 76--><a name="page76"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 76</span>close +by. We bade the chief good-bye, but he expressed a great wish +to see me in the boat. Apparently with great carelessness, we +made towards the beach, attended by a noisy crowd, all arms now picked +up. Remembering the difficulty we had in landing, and knowing +savages preferred killing out of their own villages, hospitality having +ended when friends left the precincts, I determined not to have that +crowd near the boat. I asked the chief to send them back; but +to him they would not listen, and still the noisy crowd followed on. +I shouted to them to return, and not come troubling us, as we were getting +into the boat. No use; on they followed, and the boat they meant +to visit. I stood still, and not feeling particularly cheerful, +I told them to go on, and go off to the vessel—that I should wait +and return to the village. Stamping my foot, as if in a towering +passion, I told the chief, “Go with all your people to the boat; +as for me, I shall return.” It had the desired effect. +The people fled, and the few who remained listened to the old man, and +came no further. We got to the boat and away, glad to escape without +any unpleasantness.</p> +<p>Entering Orangerie Bay, we anchored off the village of Daunai, from +which the whole district takes its name. When here, our Chinese +cook lost his knife, and, spotting the thief, determined to have it; +but our captain prevented him from jumping into one of the canoes, and +so avoided trouble. There were over <!-- page 77--><a name="page77"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 77</span>one +hundred canoes round the vessel, and altogether over four hundred men.</p> +<p>We stopped all trading, and frightened the canoes away by blowing +the steam whistle—they were much afraid of it, and kept at a very +respectful distance.</p> +<p>We went up the long sheet of water we saw when we crossed Meikle +Bay, finding it in every way suited to its native name, Paroai, or piggish +water, and quite useless as a harbour for anything larger than an ordinary +boat. I went ashore in one of the canoes, to be landed at Bootu, +and walk across to Milne Bay. Before leaving the vessel I engaged +with the natives to take me right away to the head of the lagoon, and +when I had seen Milne Bay, to return me to the vessel, when they would +be paid for all their trouble. So with our bags and a few eatables, +we started; when about a mile away from the vessel, they headed the +canoe more in towards the right shore, and no amount of talk in calmness +or wrath would get them to do otherwise. We touched at a place +not far from a village we visited overland—some left us, and we +were certainly now too weak to proceed. We ran down to the village, +where we landed with my bag, and away went my native canoe men. +Love or money would not move the villagers, and they were exceedingly +impudent, knowing well that we were quite in their hands. My friend +the mate, who insisted on accompanying me, agreed with me that things +were rather out of the common with us, and that a sharp eye, and <!-- page 78--><a name="page78"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 78</span>quick +ear, and quick action were of some importance. They at once went +to get their clubs and spears, and begged and insisted on presents; +but they were astonished, I doubt not, to find their begging of little +avail.</p> +<p>“Go to the vessel, if you want presents.”</p> +<p>“Why are you anchored so far off?”</p> +<p>“Can’t get nearer, and only wish you would show me the +way in close to here.”</p> +<p>Pointing to a passage close in shore, I suggested they had better +take us off, and we would try and get her round when the tide rose; +but to this they objected, and instead of becoming more friendly, it +seemed to us they were just going the other way; but that may have been +merely as we thought, looking at them through coloured glasses, suspicion, +and a certain mixture of doubt if ever we should again see the vessel. +A few men came running along the beach. I met them, and hurriedly +asked them to take us off when they would have hoop-iron and beads.</p> +<p>“Yes.”</p> +<p>“Quick! do not let them think! Into the nearest canoe.”</p> +<p>Away in the distance those in the village were shouting and gesticulating.</p> +<p>“Come back! Come back, at once.”</p> +<p>“Oh no, my friends; pull, you must pull!” and while they +are discussing we are paddling. I tell them it would be dangerous +to attempt going back. <!-- page 79--><a name="page79"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 79</span>On +we go, beyond small islands in sight of vessel, and now they give up +speaking of returning. We got off, and I paid the fellows well. +Anxious to get in, we tried in many places at high tide to enter the +shore channel, but all was useless. For several miles we were +sailing deep in mud, unable to work the engine. A canoe came near, +and I told them to inform those ashore that we could not get in.</p> +<p>At Port Glasgow, the people cleared out, bag and baggage, leaving +us in quiet possession. At Port Moresby, I had heard of a woman’s +land, a land where only women—perfect Amazons—lived and +ruled. These ladies were reported to be excellent tillers of the +soil, splendid canoeists in sailing or paddling, and quite able to hold +their own against attacks of the sterner sex, who sometimes tried to +invade their country. At the East End they knew nothing of this +woman’s land, and nowhere east of Hula have I ever heard it spoken +of.</p> +<p>To find so interesting a community was of great moment, and everywhere +we went we inquired, but only to be laughed at by the natives; sometimes +asked by them, “How do they continue to exist?” But +that, too, puzzled us. As no part of the coast from East Cape +to Port Moresby would be left unvisited by us, we were certain to come +across the Amazonian settlement, and when we did, it would be useful +to keep a sharp look-out, as I have noticed that the instigators of +nearly all quarrels are the women. <!-- page 80--><a name="page80"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 80</span>I +have seen at South Cape, when the men were inclined to remain quiet, +the women rush out, and, as if filled with devils, incite them. +Just after the attack on the <i>Mayri</i>, and when I was going about +the settlement attending to the wounded, I heard the women call loudly +for vengeance, and, because the men would not at once heed them, throw +their shields on the ground and batter them with stones, then pull their +hair, and tell the men they were only poor weak cowards.</p> +<p>We heard that Mailiukolo (Toulon) canoes with women were more numerous, +and some very large ones with women alone. In the early morning +we were off the island, and soon ready to land. On crossing the +reef we met two canoes, one with men and one with women. We signed +to them to go to the vessel, whilst we pulled up to the large village +on the north side. As the boat touched the fine hard sandy beach, +a man, the only being in sight, ran down and stood in front. I +went forward to spring ashore, but he said I must not. Finding +he knew the Daunai dialect, I said to him, I must land; that I was a +friend, and gave him my name, which he already knew from the east. +I gave him a strip of red cloth and stepped ashore, when he ran away +into the bush. At our first approach I could only see this one +man, but now I saw hundreds of grass petticoats on women standing under +the houses. I could not see the upper parts of their bodies, only +the petticoats <!-- page 81--><a name="page81"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 81</span>and +feet. They were indeed quiet until I advanced nearer, when one +wild scream was given that would try stronger nerves than mine, and +signs to keep away. It required more inquisitiveness than I possessed +to proceed. I retired a few paces, warning the boat’s crew +to keep a good look-out, and especially from the bush end of the village, +where the man ran to. I invited the dusky damsels to come to me, +if they objected to my visiting them; but no, I must return whence I +came; they had seen me, that was enough.</p> +<p>“No, my friends; we must meet, and you will have some presents.”</p> +<p>I held up beads and red cloth, but, strange to say, they seemed to +have no effect on that curious crowd. I never saw so many women +together. How were we to meet? was now the question; to be baulked +by them would never do. I threw on the beach a piece of red cloth +and a few beads; walked away quite carelessly, and apparently not noticing +what was taking place. A girl steals out from the crowd, stops, +turns, eyes fixed on me; advances, stops, crosses her hands, pressing +her breast. Poor thing! not courage enough; so, lightning speed, +back. It is evident the old ladies object to the younger ones +attempting, and they are themselves too frightened. Another young +damsel about nine or ten years old comes out, runs, halts, walks cat-like, +lest the touch of her feet on the sand should waken me from my reverie; +another halt, holds her chest, lest the spirit should take its flight +<!-- page 82--><a name="page82"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 82</span>or +the pattering heart jump right out. I fear it was beyond the slight +patter then, and had reached the stentorian thump of serious times. +On; a rush; well done! She picks cloth and beads up.</p> +<p>I have gained my point, and will soon have the crowds—no need +to wait so long to have the baits picked up now, and, after a few more +such temptings, it is done. I am besieged by the noisest crowd +I have ever met, and am truly glad to escape on board the boat. +We went to the vessel, and brought her round to the west side, where +we anchored, and I again landed. Crowds met me on the beach, but +no men. I gave my beads indiscriminately, and soon there was a +quarrel between the old ladies and young ones. The latter were +ordered off, and, because they would not go, I must go. The old +ladies insisted on my getting into the boat, and, being now assisted +by the few men we met in the canoe, I thought it better to comply. +Long after we left the beach we heard those old cracked, crabbed voices +anathematizing the younger members of that community. I suppose +I was the first white mortal to land on that sacred shore, and I must +have been to them a strange object indeed.</p> +<p>I am fully convinced that this is the Woman’s Land, and can +easily account for its being called so by stray canoes from the westward.</p> +<p>After leaving the island, we steamed round to the westward of the +small islands in Amazon Bay, where we intended to spend a quiet Sabbath +after a hard <!-- page 83--><a name="page83"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 83</span>week’s +work, and previous to beginning another. After anchoring, canoes +with men and boys kept crossing from the mainland, and all day Sunday +it was the same. They halted at the islands, and with the next +tide went on to Toulon. Landing on the Saturday evening to shoot +pigeons, we met several natives, and learned that their plantations +were on the mainland, and that they crossed to plant and fight, taking +their boys with them. Afterwards at Aroma, they told me they left +their wives and daughters at home in charge of a few men, whilst the +majority crossed to the main, and stayed away for some time, returning +with food, to spend a few days at home on the island. During their +absence, the women sail about and trade, going as far as Dedele in Cloudy +Bay, being one and the same people. Canoes from the westward might +have called at Toulon when the men were on the mainland fighting and +planting, and seeing only women, would soon report a woman’s land. +Many years ago an Elema canoe was carried away there. They were +kindly treated by the Amazons, but at Dedele on returning, were attacked +and several killed; they naturally reported a woman’s land too.</p> +<p>The following week we visited Dedele in Cloudy Bay, which had been +visited two years previously by Messrs. Lawes and McFarlane. The +village was barricaded with high and thick mangrove sticks, with a narrow +opening to the sea. They objected to my landing, and formed a +crescent in front of the boat. <!-- page 84--><a name="page84"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 84</span>I +sprung ashore and asked for the chief. I held out a piece of hoop-iron, +and a rather short, well-built man, dressed with boar’s tusks +and other ornaments, stepped forward and took my present. He took +me by the hand, and led me to the village, just allowing me to peep +in at the opening. I could see the women rushing out by an opening +at the other side; pigs, dogs, nets, and other valuables were being +carried off; they were rushing off wildly away into the bush. +I was very anxious to get right in, and meant to before I went to the +boat. My beads were all done up in small parcels, so I could throw +them about easily. A poor old woman was sitting under the nearest +house, bewailing her sad lot, with an infant, the mother of which had +very likely gone off to the bush to hide the valuables and to return +for the child, or perhaps she was upstairs packing up. I threw +the poor old dame a packet of beads for herself and another for the +child. Spying another old lady close by on the opposite side, +I threw her one. It had the desired effect; my friend, the chief, +who stood guard at the opening, now conceived the “happy thought” +that something could be made out of me.</p> +<p>“Would you like to walk round and look at the village?”</p> +<p>“Yes, I should.”</p> +<p>“Come, then;” and, giving me his hand, he led me, attended +by an armed crowd, to every house, on the verandahs of which I deposited +a packet of beads. <!-- page 85--><a name="page85"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 85</span>He +was the chief, and was named Gidage. When going round he said—</p> +<p>“You are no longer Tamate, you are Gidage.”</p> +<p>“Right, my friend; you are no longer Gidage, you are Tamate.”</p> +<p>I gave him an extra present, and he gave me a return one, saying, +“Gidage, we are friends; stay, and I, Tamate, will kill you a +pig.”</p> +<p>“No, Tamate. Gidage must go; but hopes to re-return, +and will then eat Tamate’s pig.”</p> +<p>“No, stay now; we are friends, and you must be fed!”</p> +<p>“No, I cannot stay; but when I return, then pig-eating”—not +a very pleasant employment when, other things can be had.</p> +<p>Pigs are very valuable animals here, and much thought of, and only +true friends can be regaled with them. The women nurse the pig. +I have seen a woman suckling a child at one breast and a small pig at +the other; that was at South Cape. I have seen it also at Hula +and Aroma. Proceeding to the beach, we parted, old and well-known +friends.</p> +<p>“Gidage, must you go?”</p> +<p>“Yes; I cannot now stay, Tamate.”</p> +<p>“Go, Gidage; how many moons until you return?”</p> +<p>“Tamate, I cannot say; but hope to return.”</p> +<p>“<i>Kaione</i> (good-bye), Tamate.”</p> +<p>“<i>Kaione</i>, Gidage;” and away he started, leaving +Tamate on the beach, surrounded by an interesting crowd of natives.</p> +<p><!-- page 86--><a name="page86"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 86</span>It +was near here, a few years after, that a <i>bêche-de-mer</i> party +of seven were murdered; and on the opposite side of the bay two cedar-seekers +were waylaid, and lost their lives. We went into Sandbank Bay, +and I landed at the village of Domara. What a scene it was! +The women rushed into the long grass, and I was led, after a good deal +of talk, up to the village—only to see, at the other end, grass +petticoats disappearing, the wearers hidden by the quantity of stuff +they were carrying. One poor woman, heavily laden with treasures, +had perched above all her child, and away she, too, was flying. +Never had white man landed there before, and who knows what he may be +up to?</p> +<p>The following incident illustrates the shocks a traveller must put +up with in New Guinea.</p> +<p>It was resting-day at a village, far away from the coast, and, spreading +my chart out on the middle of the floor in the small native house in +which we were camping, several sitting round, I was tracing our journey +done, and the probable one to do, when strange drops were falling around, +a few on the chart. They came from a bulky parcel overhead. +Jumping up quickly, I discovered that they were grandmother’s +remains being dried. Our chart was placed on the fire, and the +owner was called lustily, who hurriedly entered and walked away with +the parcel. It was altogether a hurried time, and spoiled our +dinner. Feeling convinced that a suitable locality for the <!-- page 87--><a name="page87"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 87</span>settlement +of teachers might be found in the neighbourhood of Orangerie Bay, I +resolved on returning thither, and we anchored at Kuragori, on the east +side of Dufaure Island, on April 25th, 1879. I went ashore, and +found the people delighted to meet me. The chief, Tutuaunei, seems +a fine young fellow. The people are good-looking, clear-skinned, +and very few suffering from skin disease. They were quite at home +with us, and a number accompanied me inland. In strong trade winds, +the vessel could lie under the lee of the mainland opposite. We +got on board, and steamed round to the north side, anchoring off Bonabona.</p> +<p>I went ashore, and was met on the beach by Meaudi, the chief. +He is the chief of four villages, some distance from one another, and +all a good size. I visited all four. They have good houses, +and all looks clean. I saw no mangroves whatever, and no appearance +of swamp. The villages are on the beach, and I believe in good +healthy positions. We walked from Bonabona to Sigokoiro, followed +by a large number of men, women, and children, who were much interested +in my boots, clothes, and hat. The chief lives in Gokora, and +when on the platform in front of his fine large house I gave the present, +and we exchanged names. By adopting his name, it meant I was to +visit all his very special friends, and give them also presents. +I called an old woman sitting by to come to me. Very hesitatingly +she came, and <!-- page 88--><a name="page88"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 88</span>stretched +forth her arm to receive a present. I asked her to come nearer, +which she did, when assured by the chief it was all right, and I put +her present of beads round her neck. Then all the people shouted, +clapped their hands, and danced with delight. After that, all +the old women were produced. We were well known by report to them, +and so Tamate passed as a great <i>taubada</i> (chief).</p> +<p>Dufaure is a fine island, quite equal to any I have seen in the South +Pacific—plantations on all sides, right up to the mountain tops. +They know nothing of firearms, for, on inquiring if there were birds +on the island, they asked if I had a sling. The people are a much +finer race, and freer than any I have seen further east. The two +races seem to meet here—that from the Kerepunu side, and that +from the east. We are anchored some distance from the shore in +three fathoms, and further out it is shallower. The opposite shore +on mainland looks low and unhealthy.</p> +<p>There are ten villages on the island, five of which we have visited.</p> +<p>After visiting the Keakaro and Aroma districts, our journeyings were +nearly brought to a sudden termination. When we got halfway between +the point next to McFarlane Harbour, and Mailu, where there is a boat +entrance, we saw the boat, and waved to them to approach. They +came near to the surf, but not near enough for us to get on board. +The native of Hula, from Maopa, got on board. The Hula boy <!-- page 89--><a name="page89"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 89</span>got +on board early in the day, leaving us to go on alone. I called +out to them to proceed to the boat entrance at Mailu. Great numbers +of natives were with us; we saw, in the distance, numbers more sitting +on the beach, and armed. Some of those following us were armed. +When within two miles of where the boat was to await us, we came upon +a crowd of men and women; the former carried spears, clubs, or pieces +of hard wood, used in opening cocoa nuts; the women had clubs. +Some time before this, I said to the teacher and Loyalty islander, “Keep +a good look-out; I fear there is mischief here.” When we +came upon the last group, I asked for a cocoanut in exchange for beads; +the man was giving it to me, when a young man stepped forward and sent +him back. We hastened our steps, so as to get to the village, +where the strangers from Mailukolo and Kapumari might help us. +The teacher heard them discussing as to the best place for the attack; +and, not knowing that he knew what they said, he heard much that left +no doubt in our minds that murder was meant. I carried a satchel, +which had beads and hoop-iron in it; they tried to get it. I gave +presents of beads; some were indignantly returned. I was in front, +between two men with clubs, who kept telling me I was a bad man. +I held their hands, and kept them so that they could not use their clubs. +The Loyalty islander had a fowling-piece—thinking we might be +away some days, and we might have to shoot our <!-- page 90--><a name="page90"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 90</span>dinners. +They tried hard to get him to fire it off, and twice tried to wrest +it from him. They know what guns are, and with reason. They +tried to trip us<span class="smcap">;</span> they jostled us. +On we went.</p> +<p>Two men, when near the village, came close up behind me with large +wooden clubs, which were taken from them by two women, who ran off to +the village. Things looked black, and each of us prayed in silence +to Him who rules over the heathen. Soon a man came rushing along, +seized the club, and took it from the man on my left, and threw it in +the sea. He tried to do the same with the one on my right; but +he was too light a man, and did not succeed. An old woman, when +at the point, came out and asked them what they meant, and followed +us, talking to them all the way, so dividing their thoughts. An +old chief, whom we saw on our way up, came hurriedly along to meet us, +calling out, “Mine is the peace! What have these foreigners +done that you want to kill them?” He closed up to the teacher, +and took him by the hand. Another chief walked close behind me. +They began to talk loudly amongst themselves. Some were finding +fault that we should have been allowed to get near the village, and +others that there was yet time. The boat was anchored some distance +off: we got her nearer; and, when ready to move off to the boat, I opened +my satchel, gave hoop-iron to our friends the chiefs, and threw beads +amongst the crowd. I shouted for Kapumari, <!-- page 91--><a name="page91"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 91</span>and +a sturdy young fellow fought his way through the crowd. I gave +him a piece of hoop-iron, and, with our friendly chiefs, he forced the +crowd back, calling on us to be quick, and follow. So into the +water we got, the chiefs calling, “Go quick; go quick!” +We got on board; our Chinamen got flustered, and very nearly let the +boat drift broadside on the beach; we, with poles and oars, got her +round and off, sails set, and away for Kerepunu. Before changing +clothes, we thanked God our Father for His protection and care over +us. We felt He alone did all; unsettled their thoughts as to who +first, where, and when; and it was He who gave us friends.</p> +<p>Why should they want to kill us? It was surely never for the +small satchel I carried. I believe it was revenge. Some +years ago, a vessel called off Aroma; trading for food was done on board; +thieving went on; food was sold twice; revolvers and rifles were brought +out; the natives were fired on, several were wounded, and very likely +some were killed. Natives on the beach were fired upon, and some +were wounded who were hiding in the bush close by. We land—the +first foreigners to visit them—and on us they will be revenged. +What a pity that the same foreigners who fire on the natives do not +return the following week, and so receive their deserts! The wretches +steer clear of such parts. I have asked the teacher to find out, +if possible, why Aroma wished to kill Tamate and Taria.</p> +<p><!-- page 92--><a name="page92"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 92</span>When +in the boat, we asked the Hula boy why he left us and took to the boat. +He said he had heard some say we should be killed, and that we would +make a fine feast. He did not tell us, because he had not an opportunity, +and was afraid the people might hear him if he told, and so he would +be killed.</p> +<p>A week later a chief from Maopa came with a Kerepunu chief to see +me. I recognised him as the one who kept back the crowd the other +day at Aroma, and opened the way for me to get into the water, and so +into the boat. He says, from our landing in the morning they had +determined to kill us, but the suitable time did not arrive. When +we arrived at the place where the large canoes from Toulon and Daunai +were lying, it was there arranged by the Aroma people and those from +the canoes that Aroma should kill us and have all they could get, and +those from the canoes should have the bodies to eat. He says they +kept putting it off, until, finally, it was to be done when we were +at the boat, then they would have boat and all; but he and two other +chiefs arrived just in time. He says it was not revenge, and, +turning to the Kerepunu chief, he said, “You know Aroma from of +old, and how all strangers are killed.” I gave him a present, +and told him that I hoped to see him soon.</p> +<p>The inhabitants of the inland villages are probably the aborigines, +who have been driven back to the hills by the robuster race now occupying +their plantations <!-- page 93--><a name="page93"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 93</span>on +the coast. Their habits and customs are curious and interesting. +They cook the heads of their slain enemies, to secure clean skulls to +put on sacred places.</p> +<p>They have one great spirit—Palaku Bara, who dwells in the mountains. +They worship him unitedly in one place. Each family has a sacred +place, where they carry offerings to the spirits of deceased ancestors, +whom they terribly fear. Sickness in the family, death, famine, +scarcity of fish, etc.—these terrible spirits are at work and +must be propitiated.</p> +<p>Pigs are never killed but in the one place, and then they are offered +to the spirit. The blood is poured out there, and the carcase +is then carried back to the village, to be divided, cooked, and eaten.</p> +<p>Pigs’ skulls are kept and hung up in the house. Food +for a feast, such as at house-building, is placed near the post where +the skulls hang, and a prayer is said. When the centre-post is +put up, the spirits have wallaby, fish, and bananas presented to them, +and they are besought to keep that house always full of food, and that +it may not fall when the wind is strong. The great spirit causes +food to grow, and to him presentations of food are made.</p> +<p>Spirits, when they leave the body, take a canoe, cross the lagoon, +and depart to the mountains, where they remain in perfect bliss; no +work, and nothing to trouble them, with plenty of betel-nuts. +They dance all night long, and rest all day. When the natives +begin planting, they first take <!-- page 94--><a name="page94"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 94</span>a +bunch of bananas and sugar-cane, and go to the centre of the plantation, +and call over the names of the dead belonging to their family, adding, +“There is your food, your bananas and sugar-cane; let our food +grow well, and let it be plentiful. If it does not grow well and +plentiful, you all will be full of shame, and so shall we.”</p> +<p>When they go on trading expeditions, they present their food to the +spirits at the centre post of the house, and ask the spirits to go before +them and prepare the people, so that the trading may be prosperous.</p> +<p>No great work and no expedition is undertaken without offerings and +prayer.</p> +<p>When sickness is in the family, a pig is brought to the sacred place +of the great spirit, and killed. The carcase is then taken to +the sacred place of the family, and the spirits are asked to accept +it. Sins are confessed, such as bananas that are taken, or cocoanuts, +and none have been presented, and leave not given to eat them. +“There is a pig; accept, and remove the sickness.” +Death follows, and the day of burial arrives. The friends all +stand round the open grave, and the chief’s sister or cousin calls +out in a loud voice, “You have been angry with us for the bananas +we have taken (or cocoanuts, as the case may be), and you have, in your +anger, taken this child. Now let it suffice, and bury your anger.” +The body is then placed in the grave, and covered over with earth.</p> +<h2><!-- page 95--><a name="page95"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 95</span>CHAPTER +III. SKETCHES OF PAPUAN LIFE.</h2> +<p>Journey inland from Port Moresby—Evening with a chief—Savage +life—Tree houses—Uakinumu—Inland natives—Native +habits of eating—Mountain scenery—Upland natives—Return +to Uakinumu—Drinking out of a bamboo—Native conversation—Keninumu—Munikahila—Native +spiritists—Habits and influence of these men—Meroka—Kerianumu—Makapili—The +Laroki Falls—Epakari—Return to Port Moresby.</p> +<p>In 1879, I made a long journey inland, in a north-easterly direction +from Port Moresby. I visited many native villages, and explored +the mountainous country along the course of and between the Goldie and +Laroki rivers.</p> +<p>The reader will get some notion of the country, the natives, and +their customs, from the following extracts taken from a journal kept +at that time.</p> +<p><i>July</i> 15<i>th</i>, 1879.—We left Port Moresby at half-past +seven, reaching the Laroki at half-past eleven. We crossed in +shallow water near to where the Goldie joins the Laroki. We had +eighteen carriers, four of them women, who carried more than the men. +After resting awhile at the Laroki we went on about three miles farther +to Moumiri, the first village of the <!-- page 96--><a name="page96"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 96</span>Koiari +tribe of Port Moresby. On entering the village we took them by +surprise; the women shouted and the men rushed to their spears. +We called out, <i>Mai</i>, <i>mai</i>, <i>mai</i> (Peace, peace, peace), +and, on recognizing who we were, they came running towards us with both +hands outspread. We met the chief’s wife, and she led us +up the hill, where there are a number of good native houses. It +was shouted on before us that foreigners and Ruatoka had arrived, and +down the hill the youths came rushing, shaking hands, shouting, and +slapping themselves. We were received by the chief under the house, +and there we had to sit for a very long time until his wife returned +from the plantation with sugar-cane. Our carriers chewed large +quantities of sugar-cane, got a few betel-nuts, and then set off on +the return journey. We are now thirteen miles north-east from +Port Moresby, 360 feet above sea-level, the thermometer 84° in shade. +The people are small, women not good-looking, and children ill-shaped. +The Goldie runs at the base of the hill; the natives get water from +it. The houses are very similar to those inland from Kerepunu. +On the door hangs a bunch of nutshells, so that when the door is shut +or opened they make a noise. Should the occupants of the house +be asleep, and their foes come, they would, on the door being opened, +be woke up. Spears and clubs are all handy.</p> +<p>16<i>th</i>.—Ruatoka, Joe (an African), and I started at half-past +ten for Munikahila, where we hope to <!-- page 97--><a name="page97"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 97</span>get +carriers, our Moumiri friends objecting to go. The first village +we came to we found deserted, and in one old house the skeleton of a +child. We crossed to another village, and coming suddenly upon +the few who were at home, they were terribly frightened; one woman danced +up and down the village, and shouted to the people in the neighbouring +villages to come at once. We are 1170 feet above sea-level, at +a village called Keninuma. The people soon gathered round, some +with spears, clubs, and shields, others unarmed. Feeling cold +after the climb, I signed to be allowed to go into a house to change +clothing, and was given to understand that a very good place to do it +was on the verandah in front of the house, and before the assembly. +When the chief, Poroko Butoa, arrived, we were assigned a small house; +a man during the evening came rushing along with one piece of sugar-cane +and calling out for a tomahawk. A tomahawk for a piece of sugar-cane +would be throwing money to the winds. We are E.N.E. from Moumiri.</p> +<p>17<i>th</i>.—Rather cold during the night. Five natives +who slept in the house with us kept a fire burning all night. +A child sitting in front of the house has a taro in one hand, a bamboo +pipe in the other; takes a bite of the taro, then a draw from the charged +pipe, and the mixture seems to be thoroughly relished. Feeling +sure we should get carriers here, we took no supplies with us, so are +now eating the <!-- page 98--><a name="page98"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 98</span>best +we can get, doing Banting to perfection. A number of men have +been sitting all day about the house making spears, the jawbone and +tusks of the wild boar being the only implements.</p> +<p>18<i>th</i>.—Thermometer at sunrise 70°. A number +of ugly painted and feathered fellows came in this morning on their +way to the village in the valley. The people here are much darker +than the coast tribes, and their hair is woolly. Joe said on arriving +here, “Hallo, these people same as mine, hair just the same.” +They are scarcely so dark. A few are bright-coloured, but all +have the woolly hair. A goodly number suffer from sores on feet +and other parts of body. Their one want is a tomahawk. The +people seem to live in families. We had a good supper of taro +and cockatoo, the latter rather tough.</p> +<p>19<i>th</i>.—The carriers have not yet arrived. In the +evening a woman shouted and yelled; all rushed to their spears, and +there was great running, snorting, and blowing at some imaginary enemy. +After the chief came in, we lay about the fire for some time; then to +our blankets. I was beginning to nod, when some women in a neighbouring +house began giggling and laughing. Our friend wakened up and began +talking. I told him to sleep; he answered, <i>Kuku mahuta</i>, +(Smoke, then sleep). He had his smoke, and then began reciting. +I remember, as a youth, being told, when I could not sleep, to repeat +a psalm or paraphrase, or count one hundred to myself, and <!-- page 99--><a name="page99"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 99</span>I +should soon drop off. This fellow repeated aloud and he must have +been going over the mythologic lore of his family for very many generations, +and yet he did not sleep. At last, a smoke, beginning with a scream +of <i>kuku</i>. Now, surely sleep; but no, he changed to a low +monotonous chant, so grating on the sleepy man’s nervous system +that it would have driven many desperate. At last, in the morning +hours, the notes became indistinct, long pauses were observed, and, +finally, I fell asleep.</p> +<p>The women carry exceedingly heavy loads up these steep hills. +Yesterday one woman had two large kits of taro, and a child of about +two years on the top of all. Ruatoka shot eight blue pigeons and +one bird of paradise to-day: the latter must be eaten with the best +of all sauces—hunger. The natives pick up heads, legs, and +entrails, turn them on the fire and eat them.</p> +<p>20<i>th</i>.—Yesterday evening, about six, the carriers came +in with great shouting, and glad was I to see my lad and companion Maka +then. Great was the joy at the division of salt and tobacco. +Before we came here the women and children slept in the bush at night, +the men in the village. They are at enmity with the natives on +the flat across the ravine, and it seems that sometimes they get a night +visit, and may lose a man. For the last two nights the women have +been in the village, but every sound heard causes a shout. Last +night, when just getting off, they came rushing up to <!-- page 100--><a name="page100"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 100</span>our +house, and calling on us to get up with our guns, as their enemies were +coming. “Only fire off one, and it will frighten them away.” +We told them to go and sleep, and not be afraid.</p> +<p>The state of fear of one another in which the savage lives is truly +pitiful; to him every stranger seeks his life, and so does every other +savage. The falling of a dry leaf at night, the tread of a pig, +or the passage of a bird all rouse him, and he trembles with fear.</p> +<p>How they relish salt! The smallest grain is picked carefully +up. Fortunately we have a good deal of that commodity. Never +have I seen salt-eating like this; only children eating sugar corresponds +to it.</p> +<p>Here as in all other parts of New Guinea—it is not the most +powerful man who fights and kills most, but little abominable sneaks, +treacherous in the extreme. Since our arrival here we find the +thermometer from 82° to 84° during the day, and as low as 68°, +more frequently 70°, during the night. By bearings we are +only about twenty miles in straight course from Port Moresby.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"> +<a href="images/101b.jpg"> +<img alt="Tree houses" src="images/101s.jpg" /> +</a></p> +<p>21<i>st</i>.—The village is built on the ridge, the chief’s +house right on the high end and looking east, our small house close +by on the side of the others, on each side, leaving a pathway in the +centre. At the very end of the ridge is a house on a very high +tree, used as a look-out house and a refuge for women and children in +case of attack. There are quite a number of tree houses in the +various villages on the ridges seen <!-- page 103--><a name="page103"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 103</span>from +here. The people are anxious to get Maka, a light-coloured and +very fine-looking native lad, married to one of their girls and settled +down amongst them. I said to our African, “They want Maka +to marry one of their girls.” Joe, I suppose, felt slighted +that he too had not an offer, and he replied, “Well, sir, in Madagascar, +a very big chief was real anxious I marry his daughter; fine-looking +girl; he make me chief, and give me plenty land; far cleaner people +than them be.”</p> +<p>I find the people have the same sign of friendship as in the east +end of New Guinea—nose and stomach pointed to. They speak +of a land, Daui, with which they are friendly, a very long way off. +Daunai, of Orangerie Bay, is called Daui in some places. To their +tree houses they have ladders with long vines on each side to assist +ascent. Our delay here will help us to know the people. +I have just been showing them the likenesses of two young friends, and +the excitement has been great, men, women, and children crowding round, +thumb in mouth, scratching and shaking heads, and leaping and screaming, +coming again and again to have a look.</p> +<p>22<i>nd</i>.—A number of strangers slept, or rather made a +noise all night in houses close by, and amongst them a spiritist, whose +hideous singing and chanting of revelations was enough to drive one +frantic. We tried to quiet him, but it was of no use—silenced +he would not be. A man sitting by us when having morning tea <!-- page 104--><a name="page104"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 104</span>asked +for some of the salt we were using. We told him it was not salt, +but sugar. He insisted it was salt, and we gave him some on his +taro. He began eating, and the look of disgust on his face was +worth seeing; he rose up, went out, spat out what he had in his mouth, +and threw the remainder away.</p> +<p>23<i>rd</i>.—Cannot get the natives to move; they say they +are tired, and will have to rest until to-morrow morning, and they are +also afraid of their enemies. The excitement is great, but what +it all means is difficult for us to say. Noon: all have cleared +out with spears, clubs, and shields, two men having been killed in a +village near, and they have gone to get hold of the murderers if they +can. Dressed in their feathers and fighting gear, with faces streaked, +they do certainly look ugly. After being some time gone, they +returned, saying the enemy, who were from Eikiri, had gone off to the +back mountains.</p> +<p>28<i>th</i>.—Left this morning, and had to carry our things, +no natives accompanying us. When about four miles on, we met natives +who willingly took our bags and accompanied us to Uakinumu. The +travelling was not so bad—a good deal of descending and ascending. +Oriope, the old chief, was delighted to see us. His wives and +children have gone with great burdens of betel-nuts and taro to trade +at the seaside. The old fellow goes with us. We are now +1530 feet above sea-level, east-by-south from last camp—Mount +Owen Stanley due north. Oriope is Mr. Lawes’s great <!-- page 105--><a name="page105"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 105</span>friend. +He used to live in Munikahila, but trouble through marrying a wife has +sent him in here. He seems greatly attached to Ruatoka. +He is a terrible talker, long-winded and deafening.</p> +<p>29<i>th</i>.—We had a strange sort of a hut for sleeping-quarters +on the top of a rock. The house, being open all round, felt exceedingly +cold when the fire went down. The people here seem much lighter +than at the other place, and the children have a more pleasant expression. +Basaltic rocks lie scattered about in every direction. We had +our flag flying, and the admiration was great, the natives viewing it +from underneath then from a distance, and in each position noticing +something new. About half-past eleven we left. The old chief +and four carriers went with us. After crossing the head of the +Munikahila Creek we passed through fine thickly-wooded country, that +may yet become a very extensive coffee country. After travelling +for some hours, we camped 1800 feet above sea-level. On the way +the carriers struck and were for going back, but we insisted on their +going on a little further. Strange formation of country all around +here. This ridge seems alone in a large basin, one side of which +is bare perpendicular rock. There is a good quantity of cedar, +but so difficult to get away that it would never pay to work. +We are north-east from Uakinumu.</p> +<p>30<i>th</i>.—We started late, continued our journey along the +ridge, rising gradually to 2250 feet, and then along a fine level country +for some miles, when we began to <!-- page 106--><a name="page106"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 106</span>descend. +Soon our old friend began shouting, and received an answer from a village +a long way off. Close by us was a very steep descent, down which +we went till we came under the shadow of a great rock, where we rested, +and in about an hour up came ten natives unarmed, touched our chins, +and we theirs, then all squatted to smoke. One of them, some time +ago, had been to the coast, and knew Rua; his joy at now seeing him +in here was great. A shot had been fired at a cockatoo before +they heard the shouting, and they were much afraid. When all seemed +satisfied, and the crust of the news broken, I proposed a start, so +up bundles, and away we went. When having gone about two miles, +there was a halt in an open space, and we were given to understand we +must camp there. I could not agree to it, “We must go on +to the village.” “No, you must stay here.”</p> +<p>“We cannot; we must go on.”</p> +<p>“If you go on you will be devoured by the <i>boroma badababa</i> +(great pig).”</p> +<p>I insisted upon going on; they called to those in the village, and +on being answered we again went on for about half a mile, when every +bundle was put down and a halt called, and again we had to listen to +the unintelligible story of the wild animal or animals that would destroy +us. We sat down and tried to get them to see as we did, that a +house was necessary for our comfort. A thunderstorm was working +up, and soon the rain would be down on us—let us be off for <!-- page 107--><a name="page107"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 107</span>the +village. They had a long confab with those in the village on the +ridge, which, when ended, seemed favourable; and so up the steep side +of the ridge we went. When halfway up they halted, and wanted +us to camp under the shelter of a great rock. Seeing some young +men with bundles rounding the rock, I joined myself to them, and away +we went, followed by the others to the village. Under the first +house in the village sat a man, with a large pig standing by him, which +he was clapping and scratching, as if to keep it quiet; and as we went +along we saw great pigs under the houses. Certainly they were +savage-looking pigs. We were given an open house, and the rain +was coming on. I was ascending, when it became necessary to spring +from a pig that was after me. Is this Goldie’s big beast +the natives told him of? This is a fine country. We passed +through large plantations of yams, taro, sugar-cane, and bananas. +During the evening we had crowds of men and lads—no women or children—to +see us. Some are quite light copper-coloured, others are very +dark; nearly all are dressed with cassowary feathers; many with ruffs +round their necks made from these feathers. There were none very +tall, but all seem well-built men, with good muscle. They have +the same calabashes and chunam sticks for betel-chewing as at Kerepunu. +Some chunam sticks made from cassowary bones are well carved. +They are a very noisy lot; one would think they were trying to see who +could speak the <!-- page 108--><a name="page108"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 108</span>loudest. +They tell us it is impossible to cross to the other side, as further +inland the ridge ends—and there is nothing but bare broken rook—inaccessible +all round. The majority of the men are bearded and moustached, +and have cassowary feathers like a pad behind, on which they sit. +They dress with a string. The demand for salt is very great; grains +are picked up, and friends are supplied with a few grains from what +they have got for taro. The name of the place is Kenagagara, 1810 +feet above the sea-level, E.N.E. from Uakinumu.</p> +<p>31<i>st</i>.—Great crowds of people keep going and coming. +We spent a miserable night. Our old chief, Oriope, had a conclave +round the fire, and it took him all night to recount the doings of the +<i>Naos</i> (foreigners), not forgetting the toilet. At times +he waxed eloquent, and the whole gully rung again. It was useless +telling him to be quiet. All men and lads have the nose and ears +pierced. A number of women and children are about. Some +of the women are fine, tall, muscular, and clear-skinned, as light-coloured +as Eastern Polynesians. The children are lithe, blithe, and hearty—some +very dark and some very light. The women have brought large quantities +of taro for salt. Oriope is very sleepy, and I have every now +and again to wake him up, so that to-night he may sleep soundly, and +not prevent our sleeping.</p> +<p>My name here is Oieva—that of the fine-looking old father of +the village. At present I am all alone <!-- page 109--><a name="page109"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 109</span>the +others being out after birds. The natives are very friendly. +They relish salt and ginger, which I have tried with them, and which +they pronounce good. Ruatoka and Maka have returned; they shot +a pig, which the natives who accompanied them cooked and divided, to +be carried in. The excitement is great over the division, and +the whole assembly are shouting; those from the hunt recounting the +day’s proceedings, acting the shooting of the pig, to the intense +delight and amazement of the others. They eat flesh nearly raw. +A pig is put on the fire until the hair is well singed off; then division +is made, then re-divided, and eaten. They take a piece between +the teeth, hold with one hand, and with a bamboo knife cut close to +the mouth. A bird is turned on the fire a few times, then cut +up and eaten.</p> +<p><i>August</i> 1<i>st</i>.—Left this morning to look for a track. +We passed through a fine large village about one mile from here, and +were joined by sixty men, all armed with spears and clubs, and faces +painted. They accompanied us for about four miles, and then turned +away to the south. We continued on the ridge for some miles further, +until we could see that all round were great inaccessible mountains +with bare faces. It begins with the Astrolabe, extending west +until Vetura is reached, and then away east by south until the centre +of the range is reached. In some places it has a perpendicular +rock face of many hundred feet; in other places it is broken rock with +bush growth, and <!-- page 110--><a name="page110"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 110</span>only +at very long distances can tracks be found, and even then it is difficult +to get up. We descended to the river, a large one, flowing west, +through great rocks, often lost, sometimes only pools appearing here +and there until, some distance down, and when eight hundred feet above +sea-level, it comes out a fine and flowing river. We had a good +bath, and, of course, the inevitable <i>kuku</i>, and then skirted the +side of the ridge, passing close by and under great rocks and overhanging +cliffs, and up a most extraordinary steep path into splendid sugar-cane +and taro plantations. Weary, we sat down and ate sugar-cane under +the shade of a great rock. This West Indian “long breakfast” +goes well when thirsty and hungry. The natives who accompanied +us, having caught a large rat and frog, turned them on the fire and +ate them.</p> +<p>A truly wonderful country! What terrible convulsions of nature +there must have been here ere these great boulders were displaced and +rolled about like mere pebbles! The villages are so built that +they are accessible only on two sides by very narrow tracks. We +saw no game of any kind, yet the cassowary must abound somewhere near, +as every one of the natives wears great head-dresses and neck-ruffs +made from the feathers. Our highest ascent to-day was to 2360 +feet above the sea-level; we call it Mount Bellamy; it stands out alone, +and from it we saw the Astrolabe, Vetura, and Munikahila.</p> +<p>2<i>nd</i>.—We left this morning for a pig and cassowary <!-- page 111--><a name="page111"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 111</span>hunt, +but were unsuccessful. We bagged four cockatoos, one green parrot, +one brueros, and three pigeons. Of my travelling in this land, +to-day beats all; it was along mere goat tracks, on the edge of frightful +precipices, down precipitous mountain-sides and up steep ridges, on +hands and knees at times, hanging on to roots and vines, and glad when +a tree offered a little rest and support. I gave it up at last, +hungry and weary, and let the others proceed. I stayed with a +party of natives who were getting a kind of large almond with a very +thick fleshy rind, the nut inside very hard, which they broke open with +stones, filling their kits with the kernels. They call the nut +<i>okari</i>. They fed me with sugar-cane, taro, and <i>okari</i>, +and then got leaves for me to rest on. They had all their arms +handy; I was, as I am always, unarmed, and felt thoroughly comfortable +with them. Only once in New Guinea have I carried a weapon, and +then we had spears thrown at us. I consider a man safer without +than with arms. The return “home” was frightfully +steep and trying to wearied and hungry folks.</p> +<p>3<i>rd</i>.—Youths busy with feathers of cockatoos got yesterday, +making head-dresses. They take the feather, strip it down, throw +the quill away, fasten all the stripped feathers neatly together, dry +in sun, then bind round their combs. One youth is preparing a +head-covering from the bark of the mulberry: he is making native cloth +by chewing <!-- page 112--><a name="page112"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 112</span>the +bark, and no wonder he complains of his jaws being sore, for it is a +long job. I gave the children presents of beads this morning, +and some of the old gentlemen objected, saying they ought to have had +them; but I did not understand them. It is very convenient at +times not to understand what is said—it is thoroughly native. +We have been asking them if they will receive teachers, and they all +say yes, and at once, for it means tomahawks, knives, and salt. +They say, “To-morrow we’ll all go and get the two teachers +at Munikahila and bring them here now.” We here are in excellent +health and spirits; a little disappointed at not being able to cross. +Certainly we have not lived on the best, and we have camped anywhere. +I like these mountaineers—free, independent, and kind. When +they cook taro, if near, we get a hot taro to eat, and often they bring +hot taro to the house. They bring their presents of taro and sugar-cane +and at once walk away. They have very good houses, thatched with +grass, some with a verandah on two sides, and all built six feet and +more from the ground. When we were away yesterday, a wild boar +from the bush took possession of the village. Often when the natives +are in the bush they have to seek refuge in climbing trees from the +savage tuskers, especially if they have been speared, and are determined +to fight. Our flag is flying, to signify that it is “resting +day.”</p> +<p>The natives very seldom bury their dead, leaving <!-- page 113--><a name="page113"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 113</span>the +body in a house set apart for it, which they often visit. When +a number of deaths take place, they leave the village and settle somewhere +else not far off. There is one grave here, near to our house, +on which a tobacco plant is growing, a bamboo pipe, the property of +the deceased, alongside, and a few sticks on end with yams on top. +When they do bury, the body is placed standing in the grave.</p> +<p>4<i>th</i>.—We left Kenakagara this morning, accompanied by +natives. Our friends soon left us, and we lost our way, and after +some hours’ travelling found ourselves in a thick bush and surrounded +by precipices. It has been up hill and down dale with a vengeance, +trying hard to get to the south-west. At last, wet through and +thoroughly tired, we camped to have breakfast, dinner, and supper in +one. We were ten hours on the tramp, and carrying our bags, so +feel ready for a night’s rest.</p> +<p>5<i>th</i>.—We see where we are; but how to get out is the +problem to be solved. Ruatoka has gone to look for a track. +We had a fine night, a roaring fire at our feet, and so enjoyed sleep. +Camping this way is preferable to living in native huts, far more comfortable +and enjoyable; but for our work it is better for us to be with the natives. +Uakinumu bears south-west-by-west from us now, and could be reached +in a few hours, if only we could get down the precipice. Rua has +returned. When some distance off, he heard cooeying, and responded, +when our old friend, who <!-- page 114--><a name="page114"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 114</span>had +been looking for us in a great state of fear, shouted his name. +Rua told him to follow, and he did so, arriving at the camp soon after. +He was so excited he could not speak, but embraced us all round, and +then sat down.</p> +<p>After breakfast, we set off, each carrying a bundle. The travelling +was difficult, until we arrived on the path leading to the creek and +up to Uakinumu. When on the spur, the old man shouted for the +youths to come and help us; they cooeyed back, and we hoped to see them +in about an hour, or at the most two hours; after waiting and no one +coming, we descended, and when at the creek met a youth coming slowly +along and saying others were following. I felt sure they delayed +their coming to meet us until we should be near the village, where they +would take the bags and receive tobacco and salt; but they were sold; +we trudged on, and would not let them have a bag. We took no notice +of those we met, and to their solicitations asking to carry bags we +turned a deaf ear. The chief’s eldest son came along and +begged to have my bag. No, on no condition. The poor old +chief was in a sad state; but as we are likely to require their services +some future day, it is necessary to teach them that for work or service +they will be paid, but for skulking, and hoping to get tobacco and salt, +their hopes are futile. We reached the village, and Oriope did +all he possibly could to keep us. No, on we will go; his sleepy +boys may sleep on. We gave him and <!-- page 115--><a name="page115"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 115</span>his +little grandchild who accompanied him presents, bade him good-bye, and +away.</p> +<p>6<i>th</i>.—Here, and in all the villages we have been, we +have seen very few women and girls, and very few of the young men seem +to be married. Do they kill the girls when born?</p> +<p>7<i>th</i>.—Left this morning for a mountain close by, hoping +to see the windings of the Laroki from it. We had to descend 1000 +feet, and then ascend 1800. From the droppings about, I should +say the cassowary and pig abound in the gullies about this mountain. +We found on the top a deserted village and five cocoanut-trees. +We could make nothing of the Laroki, because of thick bush on top. +We saw that the Munikahila creek flows west and south, until, due north +of this, it turns sharp and flows north-by-east and falls into the Goldie. +We reached camp with thoroughly whetted appetites, and enjoyed breakfast +and dinner of pigeons and taro. We call the mountain Mount Elsie. +It is north of Vetura, and west and south of Keninumu. We have +seen four new villages close to one another where a teacher could work +well. We have now five positions for teachers, and I hope before +we have finished with this inland trip to have thirty, giving four and +five villages to each teacher. In crossing one of the spurs, a +native and his son brought us bananas, and water in a bamboo. +It is difficult to drink out of a bamboo. Place the open end to +the mouth, raise gradually, look out, here it <!-- page 116--><a name="page116"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 116</span>comes—steady. +Ah, too much raised; it is a deluge streaming over you and nearly choking +you. Try again—well, a little better, yet far from perfect. +Choking, are you? Never mind, practise, and you will soon be an +expert—a native in drinking, truly. The natives have been +having a feast. They began with boiled bananas and finished with +a large snake cooked in pots. It was cut up and divided out amongst +all—sixteen eggs were found in her, a little larger than a good-sized +fowl’s egg. They seemed to relish it much, and the gravy +was much thought of. They say pig is nothing compared to snake. +Ah, well, tastes differ.</p> +<p>9<i>th</i>.—We had a few noisy strangers in the village, and +they seemed to be anxious that all they had to say should be heard in +every house. The conversation is kept up by the inmates of the +various houses, and at times all are speaking and trying to drown one +another. A lull comes, and you fancy the turmoil is ended, and +so roll on your side for a sleep; but, alas, it was only drawing breath, +the noise being perhaps worse than before. Our chief and his wife +had a quarrel over something or other last evening. Of course +the woman had the best of it. Strange, she said very little, but +that little seemed to be to the point. Every now and again he +would shout, <i>Pirikava</i>! <i>pirikava</i>! <i>pirikava</i>! +(Dear me! dear me! dear me!), and then scream and rage. The wife +would then laugh at him, which made him worse, <!-- page 117--><a name="page117"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 117</span>screaming +and dancing more than ever. She would then say something, which +he would answer, and so quieted him down a little. All have gone +hunting to-day—men, women, and children, pigs and dogs. +Before leaving, they told us if we saw any one sneaking about, we were +to be sure to shoot them; but if they came up openly to us, and pointed +to the nose and stomach, they were friends, and had come for salt and +tobacco. We get our water in canvas bags, and teachers or missionaries +coming inland will require a set of water-bags made from the very best +canvas.</p> +<p>11<i>th</i>.—A number of natives have gone to Port Moresby, +to help Rua and Maka with tomahawks, salt, &c. After they +left, we went to the bush, and cut down a number of trees for posts +for a house. The chief, Poroko, has given us land, at an elevation +of 1260 feet; splendid view all round; and if not healthy, I know not +where to go, unless it be to the top of Mount Owen Stanley. There +will be plenty of room for taro, sugar-cane, and coffee plantations. +A woman often passes us with a frightful load of taro and sugar-cane +on her back, and on the top of all an infant in a net basket. +She goes to the next house, swings the infant kit off first, placing +it on the ground, where the infant in it kicks and rolls, but cannot +get out until the kits of taro and sugar-cane are safely housed.</p> +<p>14<i>th</i>.—This morning, after an early breakfast, we <!-- page 118--><a name="page118"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 118</span>started +with the Port Moresby natives for Munikahila, they being anxious to +secure a supply of betel-nuts to return with. Have promised our +old friend Oriope of Uakinumu, before we started on the Eikiri trip, +that if he led us across and gave us bearers, all should have tomahawks, +knives, etc. He did not carry out his part, and the bearers from +him returned, leaving us inland. I was anxious to pay them for +what they did, so we went on there with tomahawks, tobacco, and salt. +We were about two miles from the village, when we shouted, and were +replied to, and soon four young fellows came rushing along, in a great +state of perspiration and very excited, rubbing our chins and throwing +their arms around us, highly delighted that we had returned. They +were not going to serve us as they did the last time. We reached +the village, and were seated with strangers and surrounded by old friends, +when Oriope, who had been on his plantation, came along to where we +were, nearly breathless, and streaming with perspiration; he threw his +arms around me, embraced me, rubbing his dirty moist cheeks on mine, +sitting down and not speaking for some time. When he began, he +said he was afraid we were terribly offended, and would not return; +but, having returned to him, we must stay. No, we cannot; we must +return to Keninumu that night. Ah, he could manage it; he would +have us tied, and so detain us. Four coast natives who knew the +Koiari language were with us. We told our old <!-- page 119--><a name="page119"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 119</span>friend +we wanted a large quantity of betel-nuts, and that he had better set +out at once for them. Soon the women and lads were off. +We then removed to our old house on the rock, and there told him, through +the interpreter, what we had expected of him, and that he had not done +it, but that having told him we should pay them, we had come now to +do so for the journey made. We gave our tomahawks, tobacco, and +salt, and the old man was truly delighted, saying, “I and my people +will take you wherever we may go with safety.” He does not +go to sea on the other side, as Mr. Lawes supposed, and says it is impossible +to cross over unless we go up by Yule Island, and there he says it is +dangerous, because of the cannibals. In returning, I saw, for +the first time in New Guinea, a bush of the real South Sea Island <i>kava</i> +(<i>Piper methysticum</i>).</p> +<p>17<i>th</i>.—We have just had a service, and through Kena we +have told the natives the object of our coming and staying, that they +might know of the true God, and of Jesus Christ the Saviour. It +was interesting to mark the different expressions on their faces as +they heard for the first time of God—the God of love, and that +as His servants we were here. When told of the resurrection they +looked at one another; some laughed, others seemed serious. They +were very particular in their inquiries as to the name of the Great +Spirit, and of His Son—forgetting, and returning to hear it again.</p> +<p><!-- page 120--><a name="page120"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 120</span>18<i>th</i>.—Here +we are at Uakinumu for another trip; but alas, alas! cannot get carriers. +The young men are all off wallaby-hunting, so we must start. This +evening, a woman came in with several bamboos of grubs, which were cooked +in the bamboos, then spread on leaves; some salt was dissolved in the +mouth and squirted over all, and it was amusing to see the gusto with +which men, women, and children partook. Oriope is very persistent +in wanting a teacher. He was greatly delighted when I gave him +a large knife; he examined it all over, then pressed it with tender +affection to his bosom. Fearing lest some friends who are with +him at present might ask it from him, he returned it to me, requesting +me to keep it until they left.</p> +<p>20<i>th</i>.—Last night, after turning in, I heard a peculiar +noise, as of some one in great distress, then loud speaking in a falsetto +voice, and knew then what was up—we had a spiritist in the village, +and revelations were now about to be made. We were all named, +and the places we were to visit. I felt somewhat anxious as to +the revelation, for if it should be the least doubtful as to our going, +no native would stir with us. However, the revelation, on being +interpreted to us by Kena, was all right; we were good men, and kind, +and the villages would all willingly receive us. The spirit dilated +at length on the good qualities of foreign tobacco and the badness of +the native stuff, and wound up by asking for some <!-- page 121--><a name="page121"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 121</span>foreign. +Oriope at once got up and gave from his own stock what was wanted. +These native spiritists are terrible nuisances; they get whatever they +ask, and the natives believing so thoroughly in them, they have the +power of upsetting all arrangements and causing serious trouble. +This morning, I found our spirit friend to be a man who sat in our house +all day yesterday, a stranger from an inland village. He has quite +a different look from the other natives—an anxious, melancholy +expression. While at morning coffee, he came and sat down alongside +of us all right, and we learned from him that the spirit of a deceased +friend comes into him, and then things are revealed, the spirit speaking +through him. He says, when we were at Eikiri, a few weeks ago, +he knew it, and told the people of his village of it.</p> +<p>The wallaby-hunters are to come in this afternoon with great supplies. +When sitting round the fire with our old chief, we asked him if he knew +of any tailed folks about inland. “Oh dear, yes.” +And then he gave us a perfect and laughable description of what must +be some creature of the monkey tribe. It climbs, laughs, and talks +a peculiar language of its own; it scratches the head, slaps the thigh, +and sits down to eat like a man. I then said, “But they +are not really men?” “Well, not exactly, but very +near it; they are hairy all over, and some are perfectly black.” +The tail, according to his description, must be about a fathom long. +We are to see them, <!-- page 122--><a name="page122"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 122</span>and +must, he says, secure one or two, dead or alive. Our spirit is +out in his prognostications, the wallaby-hunters have not returned, +and we cannot leave to-morrow.</p> +<p>21<i>st</i>.—Our spirit friend is quite out as yet, for here +we are nursing Patience, and trying to make her a dear friend. +We are promised a start to-morrow. In the evening, the hunters +came in with large supplies of wallaby. They report innumerable +horses and foreigners as having gone to Kupele; we suppose it to be +Goldie’s party. From to-day’s shooting, the old man +got a green parrot, and devoured it raw. Oriope dressed himself +in his fighting gear, and went through a few antics; he looked a perfect +fiend. He is very proud of a stone club he possesses with a piece +broken off; he says it was broken in felling a tremendous fellow in +a neighbouring village. He killed him. “What, stand +before me!”</p> +<p>22<i>nd</i>.—I was eating a banana this morning, when I was +told not to throw the skin away, but hand it to them, which I did, when +it was passed round and kissed by all with short ejaculations. +I asked what it meant, and was told it was their manner of thanking +the spirits for ripe bananas. We started at eight a.m. with eight +carriers and our old friend, and twenty inland natives returning home +with wallaby; one poor woman had two large kits on her back, and an +infant in another, hanging in front of her. We were seven hours +on the tramp, along a good path, on <!-- page 123--><a name="page123"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 123</span>which +horses could get along well. The most difficult ascent was shortly +after we left Uakinumu; but the path was good. The last hour of +travelling was in a thunderstorm, with a regular tropical pour of rain. +When we neared the village Marivaeanumu, the men came rushing out with +their spears and shields, thinking it was an attacking party; but on +seeing Maka, who was just behind the first native, and I following up, +they shouted out, <i>Nao</i>, <i>nao</i>! (foreigners), and ran back +with their spears. The village is small, and the houses very dilapidated; +it is 1800 feet above sea-level. Maka was buying taro with salt, +and having finished, some natives noticed damp salt adhering to his +hand; they seized the hand, and in turn licked it until quite clean. +Grains of salt falling were sought for and picked up. The shields +here are the same as at Hood Bay, beautifully made. They are going +to fight soon with another district, and are making great preparations +in spears, clubs, and shields.</p> +<p>23rd.—Our spiritist gave us a very short and indistinct séance +last night. A man speared the other day in a wallaby hunt, near +the Laroki, he told us, was dead. He seemed to be raving a great +deal, and wound up the first part with, <i>Nao kuku daure</i> (Foreign +tobacco is bad). Continuing to rave and disturb sleep, I told +Oriope that, if that spirit did not at once go back where it came from, +I should certainly have to make it; he reported what I said, and the +spirit thought it advisable to leave. We started this morning +<!-- page 124--><a name="page124"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 124</span>after +a good breakfast, and had good travelling across a fine level country +E.S.E. for about four hours, crossing several times the head of the +Laroki: it is a magnificent country for horses. In somewhat thick +scrub, a youth met the first of our party, and was fraternizing very +feelingly with them: I appeared, and he took to his heels, and no calling +of friends or foreigners could bring him back. We came suddenly +upon a woman and two children, and, poor things! they went into a terrible +state; nothing would comfort them; beads, tobacco, and salt lost their +charm on them. The family pig was with them; it danced, grunted, +advanced, retired, and finally made at me. In the morning I took +a piece of plaster from my heel, and threw it into the fireplace; instant +search was made for it by about a dozen natives; it was found, and handed +back to me, they making signs that I should throw it somewhere else. +Yesterday morning I unthinkingly put the loose hair from my comb into +the fire, and great was the outcry.</p> +<p>We are now in Nameanumu, in the Sogeri district, and in a fine house +twelve feet from the ground. We are about 1530 feet above sea-level. +Teachers here need have no difficulty about food; there is a great abundance +all round of taro, banana, sugar-cane, and bread-fruit. A teacher +with some “go” in him, and a good earnest wife to help him, +would do well here. I am inclined to think an easier way here +will be from Moumiri; but we have to travel with natives <!-- page 125--><a name="page125"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 125</span>where +they can take us with safety to themselves. Sitting round the +fire a little while ago, our spirit friend having just left us, an old +woman shouted out to Oriope to look out, as the spirit was about to +go through the thatch near to where he was sitting. Instant search +was made, but nothing found. She then called out from her verandah +that it had gone, as Rua and Maka were doing something with their guns. +I may say the old woman was with us last night, and heard my threat. +We have had the description here of some other animal that is in the +Kupele and Moroka districts. It is a dangerous one to go near, +and several have lost their lives from it.</p> +<p>24<i>th</i>.—Very heavy rain. A number of people have +come in from the villages to have a look at us, so I have to go through +the process of baring arms and chest. This forenoon they described +an animal to us that I think must be the tiger—a long animal, +with a long tail and large paws, treads lightly when seeing its prey, +and then bounds upon it, tearing the bowels out first. They say +they are as long as the house—twelve feet. We are not prepared +to tackle such, customers. Our host is a quiet man, with a very +pleasing expression of countenance. I like the people much, and +pray God the day is near when they shall have the Gospel preached unto +them, and receive it, and know it to be the power of God unto salvation. +Evil spirits reign over them, and the utterance of every rascally spiritist +is thoroughly believed.</p> +<p><!-- page 126--><a name="page126"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 126</span>They +seem very much attached to their children, and in their own peculiar +way, I dare say, love their wives. Husband and wife meeting after +a separation is strange. Some who returned with us had been away +for a fortnight; their wives looked pleased when they saw them, so did +the husbands; not a word was spoken, only a look; clubs and spears were +put down, and the husbands went to where other men were sitting, the +wives to light fires and cook food; when cooked, the wife took it to +the husband, who ate a little, gave away some, and then went and sat +by his wife. I have noticed that the wives are particularly happy +when preparing this return food. Oriope’s wife, who accompanied +us, is ill with a cold; I wished her to take a dose of chlorodyne, but +she cried and hesitated much; the old man then took the cup and told +her to look; he drank some of it, said it was not bad, and then pressed +her to drink it off, which she did.</p> +<p>25<i>th</i>.—We left this morning at eight, and arrived at +Orofedabe, in the Favele district, at one p.m. The walking was +good and steady, the first few miles along the valley beneath a mountain +in the Sogeri district, which we called Mount Nisbet, and the range +near to Eikiri. We crossed the Laroki several times, and sat near +its head; then ascended an easy ridge of the Owen Stanley Range. +We travelled for about two hours along this ridge, then descended, crossing +two streams, which we suppose to be the head streams <!-- page 127--><a name="page127"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 127</span>of +the Kemp Welch, flowing into Hood Bay. There are six small villages +on ridges close by, high mountains all round, and not far off the mountain +on which the wild animal lives. They tried to persuade us that +this was Meroka, and there was no use our going further; but we could +not believe it, and I brought my compass out, and pointed to them where +Eikiri, Sogeri, Kupele, and Hapele were, and told them where I expected +to find Meroka, which cannot be very far off. When they saw I +knew something of our position, they said we could not get to Meroka, +because of rocks and wild beasts. At the village we slept the +last two nights they did all they could to detain us, because of the +salt and beads. They were assisted by Oriope, who was anxious +that all should go to his cousin and friends, with whom we were staying. +In a conversation they had under the house, shortly after we arrived, +I could hear sufficient to enable me to understand they would keep us +there, and not let other villages get salt and beads. I got thoroughly +vexed with the old man, and told him he could return home, and that +unless we saw numerous villages with plenty of people we should not +again return here. He turned right round, and told us we should +see Favele and Meroka, and many villages, only we must return to his +cousin’s; that was all right, we certainly should return. +This morning, I told him to remain and take care of his wife; that the +people here would lead us and carry our things. <!-- page 128--><a name="page128"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 128</span>He +begged of me to leave some of the things to ensure our return, and I +did so. Some of the people here are very dark and others very +light.</p> +<p>26<i>th</i>.—They tried hard to prevent our going to Meroka +this morning, saying we should be eaten by the <i>Jakoni</i> (wild beast)—and +how could they return? That would not do—go I must; so I +got the things out, and asked some Meroka natives, who had come in, +to pick them up and let us start. They refused, and joined in +with our friends, saying we had better remain. No; I must see +Meroka, and until I saw it not a taro would be bought nor a pile of +salt given. They all sat down, looking true savages. After +some time, I said, “Meroka, or we return at once.” +I got my bag and went on to the path; they got up, and called to me +to come back—they would go to Meroka, but leave the things, and +return here to sleep. No; I must have the things; I might want +to sleep at Meroka. That was terrible, the salt would be finished, +and there would be none for them here. Would I not consent to +their taro being bought, and then they would go with me? No; Meroka +first, and taro when we return.</p> +<p>Seeing there was nothing for it—that go I would—they +consented, and the Meroka folks picked up the things, and away we went. +It was a short walk across the side of a ridge, down about 600 feet +and up to 1500, and then along another ridge. We soon had crowds +to see us, men, women, and children; <!-- page 129--><a name="page129"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 129</span>and +all were delighted, for we bought their taro. The village we stayed +at was new, and they told us formerly they lived further in on the mountain, +but a man was eaten by the <i>Jakoni</i>, and they came down. +A number of natives were in mourning for the man eaten. After +some time, we got up to ascend the ridge, to have a good view of the +villages and decide on our position. They tried hard to prevent +us, but we went on, a few following to the next village. They +pretended great fear of the <i>Jakoni</i>, and at some places begged +of us to tread lightly, and not to speak. It was all a ruse to +get us back. We went on, and up to the highest village, where +we had a splendid view. We counted fourteen villages on the ridges +in the Meroka basin and on the other side of the river we had crossed, +and as many more known as Havele. I believe it would be much easier +to get here from Eikiri than from Sogeri. The natives of Oriramamo, +the highest village, told us they went from there to Eikiri in one day.</p> +<p>The people of Meroka are very mixed, some very dark, others very +light. Some of the women had quite an Eastern Polynesian look; +some of the children were well-formed, and really pretty. A few +men had light-coloured whiskers; curly heads abounded, although a number +had straight hair. They say they are not Koiari. The Koiari +comprises Munikahila, Eikiri, Sogeri, Taburi, Makapili Pakari; and Eikiri +is N.W. from Oriramamo; Mount <!-- page 130--><a name="page130"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 130</span>Bellamy +is W.N.W. A high round mountain, I have named Ben Cruachan, east; +Mount Nisbet, W.S.W. The high rock on the easterly side of Mount +Nisbet is just over the house where we slept, and will be known in future +as the Clachan. They say there are five kinds of wild animals +on the mountains at the back, and but for these they could easily cross +to Kupele. The Jakoni, Gomina, and Agila are very large and fierce. +The Papara and Gadana are small, but fierce. We were eating biscuits, +and they begged for a very small piece each, to keep as a charm to help +them catch pigs. Hairs from the beard are in great demand as charms. +Having seen all we wanted, and not being able to persuade the natives +to accompany us up to the mountain to see the wild animals, I decided +to return to Orofedabe; so we returned to the village, gave the taro +we bought to the people, paid our attendants and for the house where +our things were, and away we went. Our friends were glad to see +us, and rejoiced greatly when the taboo was taken off the salt, and +taro was bought. We are having rain and thunderstorms every afternoon.</p> +<p>27<i>th</i>.—Maka poised a stick twelve feet long on his finger; +the natives tried it and failed; again Maka did it, and all who were +looking on came to the conclusion it was very easy for him to do, as +a spirit held it for him. In each place we have been, when at +prayers, all the natives are most respectful, <!-- page 131--><a name="page131"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 131</span>keeping +perfect silence and bending their heads. We had a fine tramp back +to-day, and a refreshing bath in the Laroki after it. We have +paid our carriers, and they are rejoicing greatly. We were glad +to find our old friend and his wife well, and the things we left just +as we hung them up. They are very anxious to have teachers here. +We were telling them that we could see no people, and they have gone +and brought in great crowds, saying, “No people! what are these?” +I cut up tobacco and spread it out on a leaf in the centre of the crowd, +and called out, “For Sogeri.” One of their number +was appointed by them, and he distributed it, all sitting quietly round. +I got some salt in a paper, and did as with the tobacco. All rose, +and in order approached, took some and retired, leaving the remainder, +nearly half, for a very old man. The beads I gave to the women, +the men saying they ought to have had them too. “Come and +live with us; there is no place like Sogeri—it is good, it is +large, it is peaceful, and there is plenty of food.” So +say the Sogerians. I was sitting on the ladder of the house, the +crowd sitting round. Rua was in the bush with his gun; he fired +at a bird, and it was amusing to see the simultaneous jerk of the crowd +when they heard the shot.</p> +<p>28<i>th</i>.—Last night, a chief, Biaiori, of Eribagu, slept +in the house with us, to be ready to lead us to his village and other +villages about in the morning. We <!-- page 132--><a name="page132"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 132</span>started +about half-past seven; but it was evident at the start he had been talked +over during the night in quiet whisperings, so as not to take us anywhere +but his own village. We walked about a mile and a half, and came +to his village, in a fine dry position, much preferable to the one we +had left—good houses, one house floored with cedar slabs, and +having a fine verandah all round. I wished to see a chief I had +met yesterday, Jaroga, and was told he was at the next village, so we +up with our bundles and away for about half a mile further on, to a +nice clean village. I at once asked Jaroga to lead us to the places +he named yesterday; he was quite willing, and began pointing in the +various directions, and naming the villages, but was soon silenced by +signs and words from others; he then said he could not go; so we left +to go to Epakari; a young man very much attached to Maka, and who has +been with us for ten days, having promised yesterday to lead us there. +We had to carry our bags—not a very agreeable job. We had +great excitement at leaving, our old chief insisting on our going back +to Uakinumu; but we had discarded him, and were determined to find our +own way should Someri, Maka’s friend, fail us. I gave orders +to keep a good look-out on Someri, who was carrying a bundle, and he +was given into Maka’s care. Our young friend was very quiet, +and tried skulking behind and moving on fast ahead. When crossing +<!-- page 133--><a name="page133"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 133</span>a +ridge about three miles from the village, I was leading, when we heard +Maka calling for Someri. Rua at once returned, and found the bird +had flown, leaving the bundle, but carrying with him the camp tomahawk, +which Maka had foolishly let him have to cut a stick with. It +would be folly to return to get the tomahawk, so we kept south and west +for some distance, when we came to a deserted village; then we turned +west. We crossed the Laroki several times before we came into +the open country; at our last crossing we met a company of natives, +all armed, on watch for Makapili natives, who were expected to attack +them. They took our bundles, and led us to a small village, where +we met some of our Marivaeanumu friends, who led us to their village +and to our old house. A young child called Maka was presented +for presents, the father telling Maka he called the child after him, +because he was his friend when we were here last. We have now +the open country before us, and expect no trouble in getting along. +The natives are all unsettled at present, and every man we meet is armed. +I can see the country better to-day than when here last week. +Marivaeanumu is on a rise near the hills of Eikiri and north-north-west +from Sogeri. The latter district is in a valley between the Owen +Stanley Range and Mount Nisbet, to the south-west of it. Eribagu +would make a good station for the Sogeri district. This place +would be a suitable station being at the <!-- page 134--><a name="page134"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 134</span>head +of the plain that reaches away to the Astrolabe on the one side, and +up to Vetura and Uakinumu on the other, stretching east by Mount Nisbet, +and away east and south, by the country at the back of Mapakapa. +The Laroki rises in the Owen Stanley Range, and is the drain for the +Sogeri district and all the plain; it is very circuitous, and near here +very deep and slow, flowing west.</p> +<p>29<i>th</i>.—For nearly six hours we have been travelling with +our bags, and I can honestly say I feel tired. We are now at a +new village—the houses just going up—on the top of the high +green hill in front of Munikahila, overlooking the Kupa Moumiri valley. +The village is named Keninumu, and consists of four houses at present, +two on high trees and two on high rocks. We have pitched our tent +close by, and intend resting until Monday, when we hope to start for +the plain—a very fine country, but no natives. This part +of the plain is dry and barren, with stunted gum-trees. A party +met us when near the village, and a woman with a child on her shoulder, +I suppose seeing me look tired, insisted on my giving her my bag. +I looked at the child, and wondered how she was going to manage, but +that was soon arranged; she made the child sit on her left shoulder, +holding her by the hair; then she took my bundle, and away she went. +Some young men have come in from one of the districts we wish to visit, +and I hope to keep them until we leave; it will be a help and of great +<!-- page 135--><a name="page135"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 135</span>value +as an introduction at this time of trouble. We are 1440 feet above +sea-level.</p> +<p>A fortnight ago there was a great wallaby hunt down at Moumiri, and +natives from all the districts round were present. A native of +Munikahila speared a man from Tabori, who died soon after, so now Makipili, +Epakari, and Efari are said to have joined on with Tabori, and unitedly +mean to attack Munikahila. All the natives condemn the murder +of the man, because of the time and place.</p> +<p>31<i>st</i>.—Natives all excitement, expecting Munikahila to +be attacked. Every evening the men go armed to Munikahila, and +the women, children, dogs, and pigs to the bush. I am sorry our +Keninumu friends should consider it their duty to assist the murderers. +The natives of the district to which the murdered man belonged are quietly +biding their time, hunting wallaby close by us. The kind woman +who assisted me the other day has a son by her first husband living +at Keninumu, and for a long time she has not seen him, he being afraid +to come here. She knows that Maka was returning yesterday, and +felt sure her son would accompany him. When some distance from +here, Maka fired a shot, to let us know he was coming, to which we responded, +assuring him all was right. On hearing the shot, the poor woman +became quite excited, came and sat down by our fire, got up and got +us firewood, sat down again, telling Kena to get the taro cooked for +Maka, rose again and <!-- page 136--><a name="page136"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 136</span>fetched +more firewood, then sat down in front of the path, looking steadily +and anxiously for the travellers. Poor body! they came in sight, +but her son was not one of them. She seemed to feel it very much, +rose, went to her house, and was not seen again until this morning. +God grant the day is near when the song the heavenly host sang, “Glory +to God in the highest, peace on earth and good will toward men,” +shall be known and enjoyed here!</p> +<p><i>September</i> 1<i>st</i>.—We left this morning at seven +o’clock and drew up at Makapili at four p.m., resting by the way. +For salt, tobacco, and beads, we had help all the way. What appears +a fine level plain in the distance turns out to be a fine country, full +of ridges and luxuriant valleys, abounding in every kind of native vegetable. +From the departure this morning until our bringing-up we could have +ridden horses at a fine canter along the ridges from one to another. +This is the best country I have yet seen in New Guinea, and the natives +seem very kind and friendly. At the Laroki we had to strip, and, +just above small rapids, holding on by a long line fastened to poles +on each side, we crossed over. The natives have the line to help +them when the river is up. We called at several villages on the +ridges, passed others, some on large table-rocks. Fancy a table-rock +with twenty or thirty houses on it. At Chokinumu, a village 1600 +feet above the sea, S.E. from Marivaenumu seven miles, we alarmed the +people so that they rushed <!-- page 137--><a name="page137"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 137</span>away, +leaving us the village. Shortly a man came back, pretending to +be very unconcerned, chewing betel-nut; we soon were friends, and he +called out to the others, and they returned. We told him where +we were going, and he said he and his wife would accompany us, as we +were the first foreigners who had ever been to his village, and he would +not leave us. At other villages they also cleared out, screaming +terribly. Gimenumu, 1900 feet above sea-level, and two miles east +from Chokinumu, will make a fine mission station—a large village, +fine plantations, and plenty of water. We crossed several streams +from the Astrolabe Range, all flowing into the Laroki. The whole +drainage of the Astrolabe Range and of this country falls into the Laroki. +We are now in Vaiako, Makipili district, 2250 feet, in a really lovely +spot.</p> +<p>There are a great many natives in this district. About four +miles from here we passed a deserted village on a table-rock, at one +time the home of this people; but the Sogeri natives came over and killed +eleven of them, and the others thought it time to settle somewhere else. +We have now a splendid view of Mount Owen Stanley, due north of us, +and rising far away, clear and distinct above a thick mass of cloud. +Mount Bellamy stands alone, with a bare south-east side, and Mount Nisbet +just across from here, behind which is Sogeri, so much dreaded by this +people. On all the ridges stretching away to <!-- page 138--><a name="page138"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 138</span>the +eastward from here behind Kapakapa are natives. A woman, coming +to have a look at us, spied our black dog, Misi Dake, and off she went, +climbing a tree, kit and all, quicker than I ever saw a native climb +before. We met a fine old patriarch in a stream about two miles +from here, and the meeting with our friend from Chokinumu was most affecting, +touching chins and falling into one another’s arms weeping. +He sat down beside me with grave dignity, and the woman from Chokinumu +sat in front of him, chanting and weeping. We had strawberries +coming along, with little or none of the flavour of the home strawberry. +The raspberry bush is very abundant.</p> +<p>2<i>nd</i>.—Just after sunrise we had a great crowd up at the +tent to have a peep at us. At eight o’clock, we started +for the summit of the Astrolabe, to have a look at the sea. It +is very broken on the summit, and we had a good deal of ascending and +descending before we got over Kaili, to be disappointed in not seeing +the sea, the fog hanging thick under our feet. We returned by +a very circuitous path, passing several villages built on rocks and +trees. On one large table-rock was a snug village, and to the +east of the rock four large posts beautifully carved. On feast +days, the food is collected close to these, and a platform is fixed +to the posts, on which dancing takes place. We returned at three +p.m. The old chief soon followed us up to the camp with a large +present of food, and saying he hoped we would soon return. <!-- page 139--><a name="page139"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 139</span>I +hope the same. After some delay, so that it might not appear as +payment for the present, we gave our present to the old chief; when +he got the tomahawk, he wept for joy, looked at his friends, then at +us, pressed it to his bosom, and then kissed it. The chiefs name +is Kunia.</p> +<p>3<i>rd</i>.—We left Makipili this morning at eight o’clock, +and came along leisurely, arriving at Chokinumu at half-past ten. +The chief and his wife who accompanied us pressed us to stay a night +in their village, and, seeing it would displease them if we went on, +we consented. We had a thorough downpour of rain in the afternoon, +after a very hot sun, the thunder rolling all round us. The chief +Lohiamalaka and his wife are exceedingly kind and attentive; they have +kept close by us since we left here on Monday. I am sorry for +the Makipili people; they are so afraid of Sogeri, that they have left +their houses, and are living in the bush and under the shelter of rocks. +Sogeri, Makipili says, will listen to no conditions of peace. +Several overtures have been made, but all are useless. We were +told at several places that if we ventured to Makipili we should never +return; but we have been there, were treated kindly, and pressed to +return.</p> +<p>4<i>th</i>.—Using our blankets yesterday as a flag for our +tent, they got so wet that it required a day to dry them, so we decided +to remain here and visit the Laroki Falls. Ten days ago, we found +from the <!-- page 140--><a name="page140"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 140</span>natives +that they were near here. The native name is <i>Round</i>. +We found the falls in a deep gorge formed by the west end of Astrolabe +and east end of Vetura Range. On each side of the gorge the mountains +run sharp down, in many places precipitous rocks. The falls are +E. from Port Moresby, E.S.E. from Moumili, and S.E. from Vetura proper. +They are grand, and well worth seeing. I wish we had seen them +from below. For a long distance up there are small falls and rapids. +The water comes surging on, and then takes a fearful leap of many hundred +feet on to a ledge, and from there to the boiling cauldron below. +The noise is deafening. Where we stood, nearly level with the +water, it was 1340 feet above sea-level, and I do not think that from +there to the cauldron could be less than 900 feet. I think it +may be possible to get to them from the north side by Mangara, and then +we can rightly tell the height of the falls.</p> +<p>5<i>th</i>.—Left Chokinumu this morning at eight, and had a +pleasant walk for three hours, ascending gradually the Astrolabe until +we reached the summit at the back of Tupuselei, 2300 feet high. +We were resting before descending, when a native party appeared and +approached us, somewhat scared. They said on coming up they heard +the noise as of chopping wood (we were marking trees). They came +on, and saw through the bush a white man, and at once went back; then, +hearing as if natives were with him speaking in Koiari, they returned +and determined to <!-- page 141--><a name="page141"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 141</span>meet. +They were much pleased at receiving a present of salt. We descended +on the west side of the Astrolabe; the descent, being steep and difficult, +took us some time. In the afternoon we arrived at Janara, near +to Efari, at the back of Pyramid Point, the Astrolabe bearing north. +Our friend Lohiamalaka, the chief of Geminumu Monito, and three youths +are with us. I have never met a kinder and more friendly native +than Lohiamalaka. Janara is a good large district, and seems to +have a number of natives. The village we are in is 600 feet above +sea-level. Tupuselei is the nearest mission station, and a teacher +placed here or at Efari would have constant communication with that +place. I was the first to enter the village. They had heard +us cooeying to one another; so only saw one man, and he tried to look +very unconcerned, with a bamboo pipe, trying to light it, but too excited +to succeed. The women had shut themselves indoors with the children, +and the men had gone into the bush close by with their weapons.</p> +<p>6<i>th</i>.—From Janara to Epakari there are several steep +ridges to go up and down, and the last ascent is truly steep. +It took us three good steady hours’ walking and climbing to get +to Karikatana, the first of six villages in this district. Dawes +and Stone were at a village, I believe, on a ridge nearer to Port Moresby. +The chief, Nikanivaipua, received us graciously, and insisted on our +taking his house. We paid off our friends, and they departed well +pleased. We received <!-- page 142--><a name="page142"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 142</span>presents +of cooked food and smoked wallaby. They were prepared for us, +having been shouted to an hour before we arrived at the village by our +friend Lohiamalaka. The village looks to be in a fine healthy +position, close to the west end of the Astrolabe, the high bluff bearing +N.E. They have plenty of all kinds of food. We crossed from +the Janara, a good-sized mountain torrent flowing S.W. to Bootless Inlet. +We are 700 feet high. High bluff of Astrolabe, N.E.; Bootless +Inlet, S.S.W.; peak of Astrolabe above Kaili, E.S.E.</p> +<p>7<i>th</i>.—Our friend Lohiamalaka turned up again last evening; +he did not like leaving us. This morning he really set off, promising +to visit us at Port Moresby in October; that is, not this moon, nor +the next, but the one that follows. I asked for a little ginger +to eat, and they have brought it me in bundles. It is really good +when green, with salt. A large number of natives attended our +service, and were truly orderly—not a whisper, and during prayer +every head bent. On the Astrolabe, the other day, Lohiamalaka +said he felt anxious for us in entering Janara. Rua, through Kena, +told him not to fear anything on our account, as the Great Spirit was +with us, and no harm could come near us. Last evening, he was +telling the people here of his fears, and what Rua said, “and +how true it was the Great Spirit or something is with them.” +At all the villages Lohiamalaka repeated all he could remember of what +he had been told, and of our singing and praying. <!-- page 143--><a name="page143"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 143</span>Every +evening he would sit at the tent door and get us to sing for the benefit +of a crowd of natives outside, who, having heard from himself of our +musical powers, refused to go to their homes at sunset, and insisted +on remaining until after <i>noko</i> (singing). When the Koiari +visit the coast they go in for begging largely, and they generally get +what they ask, as the Motu people are very much afraid of their spiritual +power, they being thought to hold power over the sun, wind, and rain, +and manufacturing or withholding the latter at will. When the +Motu people hear that Koiarians are coming, they hide their valuables. +All the young swells here have head-dresses of dogs’ teeth, got +from the seaside natives. At Eikiri, they told us they got theirs +by killing and stealing. We can truly say we are under arms in +this house—sixty-two spears overhead, four shields on walls, and +two stone clubs keeping watch at the door. A Makipili woman has +been telling Kena how she happens to be here. Formerly her people +and these were at enmity. Makipili sought peace, but had no pig. +She was selected to supply want of pig, and taken with food. When +she grew up, the old man (not her husband) insisted on her living with +him.</p> +<p>8<i>th</i>.—We had six hours’ good walking, and are now +encamped under the shade of Vetura. The country from Epakari to +here is very ridgy, and, after leaving the ridges of Epakari, very barren. +Coming suddenly on a large party of men, women, and children returning +<!-- page 144--><a name="page144"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 144</span>from +a dance, they were so frightened when we called out, <i>Naimo</i>! that +they set off, kits, spears, and drums, and no fine words would bring +them back. We have seven natives with us; the old chief says he +must see us safe to Keninumu. We passed a fine village—Umiakurape—on +a ridge west of Karikatana; the chiefs name is Vaniakoeta. It +would make a splendid station. The high ridge at the back of Epakari, +along which we came, is 1000 feet high, and from it we saw Fisherman’s +Island, Redscar Bay, Bootless Inlet, and the whole coast east to Round +Head.</p> +<p>9<i>th</i>.—Arrived at Keninumu at half-past ten a.m. +Found all well. The natives are constantly on the look-out for +the Tabori attack on Munikahila. We hear the Munikahila natives +have been stealing from Goldie.</p> +<p>14<i>th</i>.—Since our return we have been house-building, +but are getting on very slowly. I fear we are six weeks too late +for the Kupele district, and shall have to leave it for another season. +It would be awkward to get in and not get back until the end of the +wet season. I find our friend the chief, Poroko, has had two wives; +one he killed lately. She was in the plantation, and some young +fellows coming along, she sat down with them to have a smoke and get +the news; Poroko heard of it, and on her coming home in the evening +he killed her. A woman at Favelle said, “Oh, the Koiari +man thinks nothing of killing his wife.” The word for “sneeze” +in Koiari is <i>akiso</i>. <!-- page 145--><a name="page145"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 145</span>When +they are leaving for a journey or going for the night they call out +<i>kiso</i>, and often from their houses they shout their good-night +to us, <i>kiso</i>. There is a woman in deep mourning for her +daughter. She has hanging round her neck all the ornaments once +the property of the deceased, and along with them the jawbone. +The headless body she visits occasionally, and rubs herself all over +with the juice from it!</p> +<p>18<i>th</i>.—We have a great crowd of natives in from Kupele, +the nearest district to Mount Owen Stanley. They are the same +race of people as at Meroka—some very dark, others very light-coloured. +Their weapons are the same as the Koiari, as also is their dress. +Two men are in mourning, and are wearing netted vests. The chief +is rather a fine-looking fellow, and dressed profusely with cassowary +feathers. They all have a wisp of grass bound tight at one end, +and hanging from a girdle behind, to be used as a seat when they sit +down. It is a stretch of imagination to say it looks like a tail. +They are very anxious we should accompany them on their return, and +say they will show us plenty of villages and people. Yesterday +we had great feasting in the villages on yams and taro. To an +Eastern Polynesian it would be ridiculous to call it a feast, seeing +there was no pig. In the evening we had a good deal of palavering +with spears and shields, fighting an imaginary foe, and at times retreating. +Their movements are swift and graceful: advance, retreat, advance, pursue, +ward off to the right, to the <!-- page 146--><a name="page146"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 146</span>left, +shield up, down, aside, struck on knee, a shout, all gone through, with +the greatest alacrity, and I am not at all astonished at so few being +killed or wounded in a fight. They value shields that bear the +marks of spears.</p> +<p>19<i>th</i>.—Our old friend Oriope came in to-day, and handed +us the tomahawk, stolen by the deserter on our last trip. He says +when he heard how Someri had served us he sent at once to Sogeri, and +got the tomahawk, telling them it was very wrong to steal from such +dear friends of his. One of the Kupele natives stole a knife, +but he had to give it up to the Keninumu friends, who returned it to +us. I should have liked to have started a station at Chokinumu, +so as to try the climate of both sides of the district this wet season.</p> +<p>23<i>rd</i>.—We find it impossible to get the men to help us +with the house whilst so many of us are here, so we return to the port, +hoping to get into Chokinumu soon. The people, seeing that we +are really going, have begged hard for Jakoba to be left, and they promise +faithfully to assist him in finishing the house. Jakoba being +anxious to remain with them, I consented.</p> +<p>24<i>th</i>.—Arrived at Moumiri about two p.m. We heard +there that Tabori and Makipili have been murdering. A number of +people from Marivaenumu were here wallaby-hunting, and on returning +were met; three women and two men were killed. They report here, +also, that Kupele proper (a small village) no <!-- page 147--><a name="page147"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 147</span>longer +exists; the Koiari to the west of us having gone over and killed all +but five, who have gone to another village.</p> +<p>26<i>th</i>.—Returned to Port Moresby to-day, and found all +well, and good news from all the stations. The services have gone +on here in Rua’s absence with great success. On two Sundays +the chief Poi conducted the services, addressing those present, and +telling them he thought that now it was time for them all to receive +the Gospel which had been so faithfully taught them during these years; +in prayer he remembered us who were inland, and asked our Father in +heaven to watch over us and bring us back safely, and to enlighten all +of them at the seaside.</p> +<h2><!-- page 148--><a name="page148"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 148</span>CHAPTER +IV. PEACE-MAKING.</h2> +<p>Mr. Chalmers asked by the natives to go to Elema—Native fears—Difficulties +at the start—Namoa—Delena—A Motumotu trading canoe—Interview +with Semese, chief of Lese—Christian natives—Friendly meeting +with a war canoe—Arrival at Motumotu—Friendly reception—Viewing +Mr. Chalmers’s feet—Natives in full dress—Sunday open-air +service—Sago as an article of commerce—Peace agreed upon—Return +to Boera.</p> +<p>When at Kabadi in 1880, the natives begged of me to endeavour to +prevent the Elema natives paying them another visit, as they were now +living in the bush near the hills. All along the coast the people +were much afraid, expecting a raid, and at last news came in from Maiva +that Motumotu and Lese were making great preparations that they would +visit Motu, kill Tamate and Ruatoka, then attack right and left. +Last year, when leaving, they said they would return and pay off accounts, +kill the foreigners first, then all the natives they could get hold +of.</p> +<p>Under these circumstances, I resolve to visit Motumotu, and beard +the lion in his den. I did not believe they would touch me, but +I feared they meant mischief to Kabadi and the coast villages. +No time could <!-- page 149--><a name="page149"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 149</span>be +lost, as we were in a bad month for rain and storms, and the coast line +is long and bad. The natives said it was too late, yet I resolved +to try it.</p> +<p>On the 5th January, 1881, we opened the new church at Port Moresby, +and baptised the first three New Guinea converts. The church was +crowded, and all seemed interested. I arranged for Piri and his +wife to accompany me to the Gulf, they taking the whale-boat. +We cannot call at Kabadi on our way down, as we must hurry on, but our +natives here were going to Kabadi, and gladly took the news.</p> +<p>On January 10, the flag flying on the boat told all that we were +to start. Our leader ran off to Kaili last night, but Huakonio, +one of the three baptised on the 5th, was willing to go. Our boat’s +crew were considered fools, rushing into the arms of death. Wives, +children, and friends were gathered round weeping. The men said, +“Cannot you see that if Tamate lives we shall live, and if he +is murdered we shall be murdered? It is all right; we are going +with him, and you will see us back all right with sago and betel-nuts.” +Huakonio told me in the boat that every means imaginable but physical +force were used to prevent their accompanying me; and he added, “We +know it is all right; the Spirit that has watched over you in the past” +(naming the various journeys) “will do so now; and if we return +safe, won’t the people be ashamed?”</p> +<p>We left Port Moresby about nine a.m. with a light <!-- page 150--><a name="page150"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 150</span>head +wind; outside found the current very strong, setting easterly. +We arrived at Boera at four p.m., and found Piri and his wife ready +to start at once. Piri has a Boera crew, and we increased ours +here by two. Here the natives did not seem at all afraid, and +many wished to accompany us.</p> +<p>On leaving Boera, it was a beautiful clear and moonlight night, and +there was a light land breeze. Pulling brought us to Varivara +Islands, in Redscar Bay, about two a.m., where we anchored until six +when we tried to make Cape Suckling. As it was blowing hard from +the north-west, we had to put into Manumanu. The Motu traders +did all they could to persuade us to give up Motumotu, and to visit +Kabadi. Both crews would gladly have given up; their friends told +them to leave us, and return in the trading canoes. They came +to me to say “the bad weather has set in, the winds and rains +are here, we cannot go on.”</p> +<p>I replied, “Think, my children, of the disgrace. We started +to go to Motumotu, and at the first breath of contrary wind we put back. +It must not be. Let us try it a little longer, and if the wind +increases we can put back, and not feel ashamed.”</p> +<p>“You are right,” they rejoined; “we will go on +with you.”</p> +<p>At sunset we all got into our boats, and were ready for a start. +A fellow who has just returned from Kabadi thought to get over me by +saying, “Tamate, <!-- page 151--><a name="page151"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 151</span>Kabadi +are looking daily for you, and they have a large present ready; feathers +in abundance and sago; your two boats cannot take half.”</p> +<p>“I am going to Motumotu, and not all the feathers in Kabadi, +nor all the sago they can prepare, will turn me now, until I have made +a fair trial, and then, if driven back, I will visit Kabadi.”</p> +<p>I believe our crew had had a talk with that man before he came to +me.</p> +<p>It was five o’clock on January 12th before we got to Namoa, +near Cape Suckling. Maiva canoes passed with wallaby from Namoa. +When ashore, cooking breakfast, Koloko and her husband, with uncles +and aunts, and men and women from the village, came down. The +two former were going to Maiva, and the crowd followed to see them embark +in one of the large Maiva canoes. After the bamboo pipe had been +passed all round, the embarkation took place, men and women weeping +as if taking a final farewell.</p> +<p>When they had gone, we told the people we wished to sleep, and they +left us undisturbed. In the afternoon we came to Delena, where +we had right hearty welcome. They are truly glad we are going +to Motumotu, as they fear an attack, and hope our visit will benefit +them. They feel sure Motumotu will receive us well, and seeing +that I specially visit them, they say it will be all right. The +crews feel encouraged, and are at present ashore feasting on dugong, +sago, and betel-nuts. Some have been off for tobacco, and are +<!-- page 152--><a name="page152"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 152</span>now +laughing at the folly of their friends. The sorcerer is not in +Delena; but even he would do nothing to prevent our going on. +We are all ready to start with a land breeze. The crews have sent +us word, “When you wish to start, call out; you will see us gladly +spring into the water.”</p> +<p>On leaving Delena with a light breeze and pulling, we reached the +Kaveri beach near Cape Possession, about eight a.m. When near +Maiva, we met a Motumotu canoe. At first they were afraid to come +alongside of us, but after a little talk we got near them, exchanged +presents, and were soon friends. They seem glad we are going to +their home; they say peace will be arranged. The Motumotu have +said that if we only were to visit them, they would gladly make peace.</p> +<p>It seems that they are very badly off for <i>uros</i> (earthenware +pots), and the native tribes along the coast to the west of them are +crying out and blaming them for the scarcity. They are certainly +blaming the right party; but for Motumotu, the Pari, Vapukori, Port +Moresby, Boliapata, and Boera trading canoes would all have been down +the coast last season. The principal man in the canoe, knowing +that all, except our boatman, Bob Samoa, had friends at Motumotu, made +friends with him, rubbing noses and handing his lime gourd, which is +to be shown on arrival, and his father and friends will receive Bob +as his friends. They go on to Lolo in quest of <i>uros</i>.</p> +<p><!-- page 153--><a name="page153"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 153</span>We +landed to cook food. On awaking from a sleep, I was astonished +to find a crowd of natives close by, and my friend the Kaveri chief, +Arana, sitting near me. Two boys, who were on the beach fishing, +seeing us land, ran inland and reported, and he, with two of his wives +carrying food, followed by men and women from the villages, came down. +His two wives are now busy cooking, and he is trying to persuade me +to call on our return and get his present of sago and food. I +could not promise, and he seemed disappointed.</p> +<p>We left the Kaveri beach and pulled round Cape Possession, passing +close in by Oiapu. A heavy sea was rolling in, and a canoe putting +off to us was swamped. People running along the beach called on +Piri and me by name to land and feast, but our crews were too frightened, +and we went on. When off Jokea, men, women, and children all came +on to the beach, and also by name begged of us to land. We would +have done so here, but the sea was too high, breaking with great force +on the fringing reef. Several canoes put off, but only one succeeded +in reaching us. They begged of us to call on our return, and let +them know the result of our visit, and said we had better also visit +Lese. They think our visit will put all straight. Motumotu, +they say, is very undecided as to what to do, but having heard that +I was to visit them, put off the decision for some time, saying, “If +he comes, it will be all right, and we shall have peace, but—” +Well, they did not know. They rub noses all round, <!-- page 154--><a name="page154"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 154</span>and +make for the shore, we for the harbour at the mouth of Coombes River, +but a very heavy sea running in, we prefer anchoring outside at midnight.</p> +<p>By five a.m. up anchor, and away to Lese. Two Naima canoes +returning from Lolo, where they had been trying to get <i>uros</i>, +passed close to us. They also are glad of the likelihood of peace +and <i>uros</i>. At seven, we got to Lese, and were met by an +excited crowd, the majority armed. We anchored a little out, and +would allow no canoes alongside. I called out for Eeka, and a +very old man walked into the sea, when I went ashore and took him by +the hand. Piri and his wife followed, with part of the crew and +the Boera and Port Moresby chiefs. We were led to the village, +the crowd increasing as we went along. Piri noticing an enclosed +place, went in to see what it was, and called me to have a look. +I went in, but no women or youths followed. Inside were two large +houses, with rows of masks and hats, the latter like small canoes, about +ten feet long, made with very light wood and native cloth. On +coming out I was seized by the hand by an elderly man, who, in a towering +passion, drew me on. All I could make out was that somebody was +a thief and a liar. The Boera chief ran up, and I asked him what +was wrong. “Oh, this is your friend, Semese, the chief you +gave the present to when you were last here, and he is angry with Eeka +for taking you away.”</p> +<p>“Tell Piri to come up quickly.”</p> +<p><!-- page 155--><a name="page155"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 155</span>“Piri, +go with Eeka as your friend; give him a present as such; it is all right. +I go with Semese.”</p> +<p>Soon squatting on the platform, wrath fled, and I had to wait to +be fed.</p> +<p>“But, Semese, I want to press on to Motumotu and see them. +I am afraid of the weather coming on bad.”</p> +<p>“Motumotu to-morrow, Lese to-day; you must have a pig.”</p> +<p>“Leave the pig for another visit.”</p> +<p>All was of no avail. A fine pig was speared, brought and laid +at my feet. Semese and the people were in the very best humour. +Eeka was delighted with Piri, and the latter had a pig presented to +him. We gave our presents, and, feeling tired, I suggested to +our friends that we had better take the pigs to the other side of the +entrance, to Macey Lagoon. Semese is quite agreeable, now the +peace is made, and it was arranged that he and his party should visit +me with sago at Port Moresby. Both pigs, ready for cooking, were +carried into the boat, and the excited crowd, this time all unarmed, +were on the shore to see us off. They promised not to molest Kabadi +again, and that they considered our visit as peace with all the coast +villages.</p> +<p>Macey Lagoon would make a splendid harbour for small vessels, very +large vessels not being able to cross the bar. On the eastern +side, a bank runs out for nearly a mile, on which the sea breaks; close +in <!-- page 156--><a name="page156"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 156</span>by +western shore is a good passage. The great work of the day was +feasting and sleeping. There were two Lese men with us, and they +said that the Motumotu have been talking of war, not of peace; but now +it may be different. To get into Motumotu in the morning, we had +come to within two miles of the village, and we anchored off. +Notwithstanding some anxiety, soon all were asleep. The natives +were astonished at the beautiful weather, and said they felt as if all +would be right—the great and good Spirit who had led us so far +and safely would not leave us now or on the morrow. At every meal +on board or ashore they asked a blessing, and our old friend Hula prayed +with real earnest feelings. He was certainly in earnest to-night +when he prayed for the Motumotuans, and that our visit might be blessed +to them. I was charmed with his simplicity, fervour, and expectancy.</p> +<p>This old man, a few weeks before, at the close of a meeting at Port +Moresby, said, addressing <i>us</i>—</p> +<p>“Listen, you think we Motumotuans are not attending to your +words; but you are mistaken. Before you came here, we were always +fighting and were a terror to all, east and west, but now it is different. +We are at peace all round; we go about unarmed, and sleep well at night. +Soon our fathers’ ancient customs will be given up, and you will +see us, old and young, coming to be taught the word of the great and +good Spirit.”</p> +<p><!-- page 157--><a name="page157"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 157</span>I +was aroused about two a.m. by shouting, and, looking over the gunwale, +saw a large double fighting canoe alongside of Piri’s boat, in +which all were sound asleep. On awaking, they were startled by +the appearance. They were asked by those on the bridge—</p> +<p>“Who are you?”</p> +<p>“Tamate and Piri going to Motumotu.”</p> +<p>Soon all were friends, chewing betel-nut and smoking tobacco. +On each canoe with paddles were over thirty men, and on the bridge adjoining +the canoes were armed men and a large supply of sago and betel-nuts. +They were going to Lese to purchase <i>uros</i>. They came alongside +of our boat, received and gave presents, and then an order was given +by one from the bridge, and away they went at full speed. It was +a pretty sight in the moonlight to see the canoe move swiftly on, when +nearly eight paddles as one touched the water. We rolled ourselves +up again for another hour or two’s sleep.</p> +<p>At sis a.m. we weighed anchor, and were off to Motumotu. There +was a great crowd on the beach; but it was all right, as boys and girls +were to be seen there, as noisy as the grown-up folks. A chief +rushed into the water, and called on us to come. “Come, +with peace from afar; come, friends, and you will meet us as friends.” +We went round and entered the river in deep water, close to eastern +bank near to the village. Until we had a talk, I would <!-- page 158--><a name="page158"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 158</span>allow +none but Piri’s friend and my friends, Semese and Rahe, near the +boats. They had been told that we were going to fight if they +visited us, and that all women and children were to be sent back to +the Keiara, and the Keiari fighting men were to be in league with all +the foreigners about. Then they heard that I had been murdered, +and were terribly sorry; but now they saw I was alive, and had come +a long way in a “moon” in which neither they nor their forefathers +had ever travelled. So now they must make peace.</p> +<p>I said, “You must not again go near Kabadi, and all along the +coast we must have peace.”</p> +<p>“It is right, we shall not again visit Kabadi. Lealea +feasted us with pigs, and pressed us to attack Kabadi, to pay off an +old attack on them. It suited us, because Kabadi thought themselves +strong; but now it is peace.”</p> +<p>I landed with them, and went up through the villages, then returning +to the boats we were told to remain there. Shortly three pigs +were brought, and our return presents of <i>uros</i>, etc., were carried +off. Bob’s calabash has brought him a host of friends. +Piri is with his friends at one end of the village, and in the opposite +I am to reside in my friend Rahe’s <i>dubu</i>. Semese is +his father, and a very old man. The number of old men and old +women and children is astonishing. No enemy dare come near their +villages, and their <!-- page 159--><a name="page159"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 159</span>houses +have never been burnt down. The Boera chief—a capital fellow +to have—speaks this dialect very fluently. Our people at +first were very much afraid, but soon settled down, and are now roving +about.</p> +<p>Suddenly the war-horn was heard blowing—not the pig-horn, so +often heard on the coast. I wondered what was up, but it turned +out to be only the youth training. Two new double canoes came +down the river with large complements of paddles, all young lads, gaily +dressed. A number of young men, painted and extravagantly dressed, +have been here; they lately killed some Moveavans, and are hence greatly +admired by old and young.</p> +<p>I had to take off my boots and socks, and allow my feet to be admired, +also to show off my chest. All shout with delight, and every new +arrival must have a look. The sun was frightfully hot. Some +men were fishing on the breakers; they had a long post, with a cross-bar, +on which they stand, fixed in the sand, head covered with native cloth, +and bow and arrow ready.</p> +<p>A number of people came in from Vailala. They wish I would +go down with them, but it is too late to go so far in an open boat. +I have had another meeting with the leading men, and I think all is +now peace. My friend Rahe seems a great personage, with relatives +innumerable. He wants to know if I would like to be alone in the +<i>dubu</i>; only say it, and all the <!-- page 160--><a name="page160"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 160</span>men +will leave. I prefer them remaining, and I will make myself comfortable +on the front platform.</p> +<p>In the evening, men and women—I suppose <i>they</i> would say +“elegantly dressed”—bodies besmeared with red pigment, +croton and <i>dracæna</i> leaves, and feathers of various birds +fixed on head, arms, and legs, paraded the villages. At present +all move about armed, and in this establishment bows, bent and unbent, +and bundles of arrows are on all sides.</p> +<p>Rahe has just been to me to ask for boat medicine.</p> +<p>“What do you mean, Rahe?”</p> +<p>“I want you to give me some of that medicine you use to make +your boat sail.”</p> +<p>“I use no medicine, only Motu strong arms.”</p> +<p>“You could never have come along now without medicine.”</p> +<p>“We use no medicine, and have come along well.”</p> +<p>I had a splendid night’s rest. My mosquito-net and blanket +caused great amusement. My attendants are innumerable and attentive, +and will allow no noise near. Our service in the morning was very +noisy—everybody anxious for quiet must needs tell his neighbour +to be quiet. Our old Port Moresby chief prayed in the Motumotu +dialect. The Boera chief translated for Piri and me. They +are very anxious to know of the resurrection and where Beritane spirits +go after death.</p> +<p>In the afternoon we held service in the main street. The singing +attracted a very large and noisy crowd <!-- page 161--><a name="page161"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 161</span>but +when our old friend began to pray it was as if a bomb-shell had exploded, +men, women, and children running as for dear life to their homes. +Another hymn brought them back, armed and unarmed. We had a long +talk on peace, and they wished I would go with them to Moveave, and +make peace. One division of these villages they have simply wiped +out. I asked them to leave Moveave alone, and when a fit season +comes I will ascend the river with them, and make peace.</p> +<p>I have visited the party who last week killed several of the Moveavans, +and they promised not to attack them again. The Kaback jewellery +is about in abundance.</p> +<p>Semese spoke nearly all the night through, exhorting all to peace, +and that now we had visited them they ought no more to go about exalting +themselves, fighting with their neighbours, and speaking evil of their +friends, the Motuans. Rahe has brought his son, whom he has named +Tamate. I have no doubt he will be an expensive honour.</p> +<p>We went up the William River to-day. At mouth, on the west +side, are two islands, viz., Iriho and Biaveveka. Between the +latter and the mainland is an entrance into Alice Meade Harbour. +The river is broad and deep. Both banks are lined with sago palms.</p> +<p>When a young man marries a young woman, the custom here is to pay +nothing for her; but for a <!-- page 162--><a name="page162"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 162</span>widow +something very great. The people live chiefly on sago. Sago +is cooked with shell-fish, boiled with bananas, roasted on stones, baked +in the ashes, tied up in leaves, and many other ways. We have +received large presents of sago, both boats bearing as much as is safe +to carry. We leave in the morning. At present a man is going +through the streets in great wrath, having been to his plantation and +missed a bunch of bananas. As he moves along he shouts out his +loss, and challenges the thief.</p> +<p>We had a gathering of old men until late into the night, and they +closed with a wail, chanted, with drums keeping time. Hours before +daylight Semese was up, waiting for me to turn out.</p> +<p>We had a fine run back to Yule, where, at sunset, we were met by +a terrific gale of wind and a thunderstorm. We had to put in close +to the land, and for four hours sit it out in a deluge of rain. +It was soon inky dark, the lightning very vivid, and the thunder deafening. +Piri’s boat anchored close alongside. On the weather clearing +up a little, we crossed Hall Sound to Delena, where we were soon met +by natives carrying torches, and were led to their houses. A change +of clothing, and we were all as comfortable as possible.</p> +<p>We spent the hour of midnight with Kone and Levas, chiefs of Delena, +telling them of our visit to the west, and its success in establishing +peace. They were greatly delighted, and will do me the honour +of <!-- page 163--><a name="page163"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 163</span>visiting +me at Port Moresby, that is, will relieve me of some tomahawks. +With a light wind and a smooth sea, we had a pleasant run to Boera, +where we arrived at sunset. There was great joy in the village +at our arrival.</p> +<p>We reached Port Moresby on the 20th, and on March 6th we baptized +Kohu and Rahela, the first two women of New Guinea converted to Christianity. +May they be kept as true ministering women for Christ!</p> +<h2><!-- page 164--><a name="page164"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 164</span>CHAPTER +V. THE KALO MASSACRE.</h2> +<p>Twelve teachers and their friends killed at Kalo in 1881—The +warning—The massacre—The fear for the teachers at Koma—Mr. +Chalmers’s views on the question—Voyage westwards in the +<i>Mayri</i>—A Sunday at Delena—Visit of Queen Koloka—Threatened +attack by Lolo natives—The fight—Peace—Miria’s +village—Bad character of the Motu natives—Visit to the chief +of Motu Lavao—Story of Dr. Thorngren’s murder—Peace +made with the village.</p> +<p>On the 7th of March, 1881, the natives of Kalo, a village at the +head of Hood Bay, near the mouth of the Kemp Welch River, massacred +their teacher, Anederea, with his wife and two children; also Materua, +teacher of Kerepunu, his wife and two children; Taria, teacher of Hula; +Matatuhi, an inland teacher; and two Hula boys—in all, twelve +persons.</p> +<p>The earliest news of the tragedy was given in the following letter +from the Rev. T. Beswick, dated Thursday Island, Torres Straits, March +24th:—</p> +<blockquote><p>On Friday, the 4th inst., Taria, our Hula teacher, left +Port Moresby with Matatuhi, an inland teacher, the latter wishing to +visit the Kalo teacher for some native medicine. Reaching Hula +on the evening of the 4th, Taria heard a rumour that the Kalo people +intended to kill their teacher and his family. Accordingly he +went thither the following day, along with <!-- page 165--><a name="page165"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 165</span>Matatuhi, +and requested the Kalo teacher and his family to leave at once. +The teacher refused to place credence in the rumour, and even questioned +his chief and pretended friend, who assured him that there was not the +slightest grain of truth in the rumour.</p> +<p>The Hula teacher returned, leaving Matatuhi behind. On Monday, +the 7th, Taria, along with five Hula boys, proceeded in a boat to Kalo +and Kerepunu, with the view of bringing the teachers and their families +to Hula, on account of the ill-health of some of the party. He +called at Kalo on the way thither, and apprised the teacher of his intention +to call on the return journey. At Kerepunu he took on board the +teacher, his wife and two children, and one native youth. The +party then proceeded to Kalo. During the interval of waiting there, +the chief and pretended friend of the Kalo teacher got into the boat +for a chat. On the arrival of Matatuhi and the Kalo teacher, along +with his wife and two children, the chief stepped out of the boat. +This was the pre-arranged signal for attack to the crowds assembled +on the bank. At the outset, the chief warned his followers not +to injure the Hula and Kerepunu boys; but such precaution did not prevent +two of the former being killed. The other four boys escaped by +swimming the river. The mission party were so cooped up in the +boat, and spears flew so thickly and fast, as to render resistance futile +and escape impossible. Taria resisted for a <!-- page 166--><a name="page166"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 166</span>time, +but a fourth spear put an end to his resistance. The others were +dispatched with little trouble. A single spear slew both mother +and babe in the case of both women. The only bodies recovered +were those of the Kerepunu teacher’s wife and her babe; the natives +of Hula and Kerepunu severally interred the two bodies. The rest +of the bodies became a prey to the alligators. For the two Hula +boys who were slain speedy compensation was made by the Kalo people. +The whale-boat, too, was recovered by the Hula natives.</p> +</blockquote> +<p style="text-align: center"> +<a href="images/167b.jpg"> +<img alt="A Hula girl" src="images/167s.jpg" /> +</a></p> +<p>The above sad intelligence reached Port Moresby at early morn of +the 11th, just as the <i>Harriet</i> was about to leave for Thursday +Island, and the <i>Mayri</i> about to take me to Hula, whilst a party +of foreigners were leaving for the East End. The news, of course, +upset all arrangements, and, after the first moments of excitement were +over, our next concern was about the safety of the two Aroma teachers. +With as little delay as possible, but with groundless forebodings of +coming evil, a large party of us left for Aroma. About ten a.m. +of the 14th, we reached there, and whilst our three boats lay off a +little, so as not to arouse suspicion, a teacher and myself went ashore. +With devout gratitude I heard that both teachers and natives were ignorant +of the massacre. In less than an hour the two teachers and their +families were safely ensconced in their whale-boat, taking along with +them but a minimum of their property, according to the orders given. +By these means the chiefs and natives <!-- page 169--><a name="page169"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 169</span>of +Aroma were left in utter ignorance as to the cause of our erratic movements, +nor did they seem to suspect anything.</p> +<p>At Kerepunu we experienced considerable noise and worry. Here, +too, we judged it prudent to remove very little belonging to the deceased +teacher. At Hula, my house had been entered, but the few things +stolen were mostly returned. Here, too, we have left goods, until +some definite course be decided upon. Strange to say, at Hula, +where we expected the least trouble and danger, there we had the greatest; +indeed, on one or two occasions, affairs assumed a rather serious aspect. +The main idea present in the native mind was to take advantage of us +in our weakness and sorrow. After a very brief stay at Hula, we +left there on the 15th, reaching Port Moresby the following day; and +on the 17th I left for Thursday Island.</p> +<p>The natives of Hood Bay attribute this massacre to the influence +of Koapina, the Aroma chief, he having assured the Kalo people that +foreigners might be massacred with impunity, citing as an illustration +the massacre at Aroma last July, and pointing out at the same time the +great fame that had thereby accrued to his own people. The Kalo +people have not been slow in acting upon his advice. I visited +Hula and Kerepunu within six weeks of the massacre, and was so impressed +with the peaceful bearing of the people in both places that I should +have been glad to have re-occupied both stations immediately.</p> +<p><!-- page 170--><a name="page170"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 170</span>I +should have visited Kalo, but was afraid of compromising the mission, +as it is possible the natives may be punished for the outrage. +I fear we are not altogether free from blame; the teachers are often +very indiscreet in their dealings with the natives, and not over-careful +in what they say; there has also, perhaps, sometimes been a niggard +regard to expense on our part. A very few pounds spent at a station +like Kalo in the first years would, I believe, prevent much trouble, +and probably murder. The Kalo natives felt that Hula and Kerepunu +got the most tobacco and tomahawks, and that their share was small indeed. +Instead of our buying all the thatch required for the other stations—only +obtainable at Kalo—we got the teachers, with their boys, to get +it. We meant it well, to save expense. My experience teaches +me to throw all I can in the way of natives not connected with our head +station. At this station—Port Moresby—for the next +few years the expenses will be considerable in buildings, laying out +the land, and in presents to the constant stream of visitors; but it +will have a Christianizing and a civilizing effect upon a large extent +of country.</p> +<p>On the 24th of May, 1881, left Port Moresby in the <i>Mayri</i>, +and, having taken on board four natives at Boera, continued a westerly +course, anchoring next day in Hall Sound, opposite Delena. Early +on the morning of May 26th, Kone and Lavao, our old friends, came off. +They say it is useless going to <!-- page 171--><a name="page171"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 171</span>Maiva, +as we cannot land; but we can go and see for ourselves, and they will +accompany us. I had to land to eat pigs, <i>i.e</i>., receive +pigs and hand them over to my followers. On landing, they led +me up the hill at the back of village, where I was astonished to find +a fine tract of land forming a splendid position for a house. +Kone at once offered me as much land as I wanted. After thinking +it over on board, I decided on building. I landed tents, and pitched +them on the rise above the village. My experience is that places +quite exposed to south-east wind are <i>more</i> unhealthy than swampy +country. On Rarotonga there were more deaths on the windward side +of the island than on the leeward.</p> +<p>On the Sunday after landing, we went down and had service in the +village. Kone interpreted into Lolo. When telling the people +we had no work for them on Sunday, Kone said: “Oh! we know, and +we, too, are going to be <i>helaka</i> (sacred) to-morrow.” +I asked him, “Come, Kone, how do you know?” “From +Boera.” I met a lad repeating the Lord’s Prayer in +Motu, and found he had been taught by Piri. The Motu tribe has +already had great influence, and will have more and more every year. +I have an interesting class of children, and hope, before we leave, +they will know their letters well.</p> +<p>What nonsense one could write of the reception here—such as +“Everybody at service this morning listened attentively; commented +on address or conversation; <!-- page 172--><a name="page172"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 172</span>children +all come to school, so intelligent, and seemingly anxious to learn; +and, altogether, prospects are bright.” At home they would +say, why, they are being converted; see the speedy triumph! Alas! +they are but savages, pure and simple, rejoicing in the prospect of +an unlimited supply of tobacco, beads, and tomahawks.</p> +<p>Paura, a chief from Motu Lavao, is in. The people, it seems, +told him, being <i>helaka</i> day, I could not meet him, and he did +not come up hill. He is rather a nice-looking fellow, with a mild, +open countenance. Kone told him to tell the Paitana natives, who +murdered James and Thorngren, that, if they wished peace and friendship, +they must come in here and sue for it; that I could not first go to +them, as they were the offenders and murderers.</p> +<p>Arrangements were at once made for erecting a wooden house at Delena, +measuring thirty-six feet by eighteen feet, material for which was easily +procurable. On the 30th of May, Queen Koloka, her husband, and +a number of men and women came in. The Prince Consort first came +up, all over smiles, followed in half an hour by his wife and maids. +After formally receiving her, I presented Mrs. Lawes’s present. +I unloosed the parcel, and turned maid-of-honour in real waiting. +Her Majesty was chewing betel-nut, but that did not prevent my putting +the dress on; first attempt all wrong, the front became the back, and +the back the front. At length I <!-- page 173--><a name="page173"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 173</span>succeeded, +and, after fastening the dress, tied a pretty kerchief round the royal +neck. There was great excitement, in every mouth a thumb, a few +moments of silence, and then every soul spoke and shouted. It +was amusing to see her husband, uncles, maids, old men and women, young +men and maidens, gather round the royal presence, wonder and admire, +and then shout, <i>Oh misi haine O</i>! (Mrs. Lawes). Ah, Koloka, +I wonder how you are going to get out of that dress to-night; will you +understand buttons, hooks, and eyes?</p> +<p>During my stay at Delena, one of those warlike incursions by hostile +tribes so common in New Guinea took place. My presence and influence +happily brought about an early and satisfactory settlement of the dispute. +I extract the following from my journal:—</p> +<p><i>June</i> 2<i>nd</i>.—Our friends seem troubled, and their +house-building earnestness is somewhat abated. I find they have +heard that the Lolo tribe intend making a raid on them. Is it +on them, or on us? Their great hope is that we shall use our guns, +and so frighten the invaders. I tell them that we cannot do this; +that we are men of peace, and have no wish to frighten any one. +It seems Maiva is very disturbed; they are fighting all round, avenging +Oa’s death, and may soon be expected here. Maiva would not +interfere with us, but Lolo I would not trust.</p> +<p>We shall have to keep a good look-out to-night. <!-- page 174--><a name="page174"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 174</span>Our +friends seem very troubled and excited. I have given warning that +any one coming near our camp must call out my name and his or her own. +No one can come near without our knowing, as my terrier Flora is a splendid +watch-dog. This evening, some women passed camp, carrying their +valuables to hide away in the bush. Bob asks, “Suppose Lolo +natives come to us, what we do?” “Of course they will +not come near to us unless they mean to attack, and then we must defend +ourselves.” The guns are ready. It is not pleasant; +but I fancy they will not molest us, so hope to sleep well, knowing +we are well cared for by Him who is never far off. Through much +trouble we get to be known, and the purpose for which we come is understood.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"> +<a href="images/175b.jpg"> +<img alt="A Hula dandy" src="images/175s.jpg" /> +</a></p> +<p>3<i>rd</i>.—Last night I slept lightly, with Flora on watch, +and Bob easily aroused. After midnight he kept watch. We +placed the lights beyond tents on each side, and so arranged that the +light would strike on any native nearing camp. About two a.m. +Lavao’s wife No. 2 came up with her grandchild, goods, and chattels +for safety. The Loloans were coming. All right; all ready. +Very loud, noisy talking in village. At four, we called out for +Kone, who came up telling us that we should be first disposed of, then +Delena. I went to the village, and saw the old friendly chief +from Lavao. I told him any Loloan coming over the brow of the +hill with weapons we should consider as coming to fight, and <!-- page 177--><a name="page177"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 177</span>we +were ready. At five, women and children crowded into camp, with +all their belongings, and asked for protection. Certainly; we +shall do what we can for them. Men are running all about, planting +arms in convenient places in the bush. We are told to keep a good +look-out—and that we shall. It is now daylight, so we do +not care much. The fight has begun in the village. Some +Loloans, running after Delena natives, rush uphill; we warn them back, +and they retire. There is a loud shout for us to go to the village +and fight. I leave Bob with guns and cartridges to keep watch +over camp. I have more confidence in the skirmish unarmed, and +have no wish for the savages to think I have come to fight. I +shout out <i>Maino</i>, and soon there is a hush in the terrible storm. +I am allowed to walk through the village, disarm one or two, and, on +my return to our friend Kone’s end of the village, he whispers +to me, “There is Arua,” understanding him to mean the chief, +or <i>vata tauna</i> (sorcerer). I recognize in him the man introduced +to me on a former visit, and who in wrath cleared out from my presence. +Now might be his time to pay me out. I take his weapons from him, +link him on to me, and walk him up the hill. I speak kindly to +him, show him flag, and tell him we are <i>maino</i>, and warn him that +his people must on no account ascend the hill. All right, he will +stop the fighting. I sit down to write this, when again they rush +up for me, saying Kone <!-- page 178--><a name="page178"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 178</span>was +to be killed. Leaving Bob with arms in charge, I go down to the +village, and without my hat. More canoes have arrived. What +a crowd of painted fiends! I get surrounded, and have no way of +escape. Sticks and spears rattle round. I get a knock on +the head, and a piece of stick falls on my hand. My old Lavao +friend gets hold of me and walks me to outskirt. Arua and Lauma +of Lolo assure me they will not ascend the hill, and we had better not +interfere with them. “Right, friend; but you must stop, +and on no account injure my friend Kone.” It would frighten +them were we to go armed to the village; but then we dare not stay here +twenty-four hours after. I can do more for the natives unarmed. +I am glad I am able to mix with both parties; it shows they mean us +no harm, and speaks well for the future. No one was killed, but +several were severely wounded, and a few houses destroyed. They +have made peace at last, and I have had a meeting in the village with +all; the Loloans have promised to be quiet. I told them we could +not stay if they were to be constantly threatening. In the afternoon +the chiefs came up, and I promised to visit them all. My head +aches a little. Had I been killed, I alone should have been to +blame, and not the natives. The Delena natives say: “Well, +Tamate, had you not been here, many of us would have been killed, and +the remainder gone to Naara, never to return.” There is +some pleasure in being of a little use even to savages.</p> +<p><!-- page 179--><a name="page179"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 179</span>The +next Sunday we had a splendid service. All the young fellows dressed +for it by painting their faces. It was amusing and interesting +to hear them interpret all I said from Motuan into Loloan; and when +I attempted to use a Lolo word, they corrected me if I wrongly pronounced +or misplaced it. After service we had all the children and young +men to school. A goodly number have got a pretty fair hold of +letters. Some would beat native cloth, and Kone grew very angry, +and, because they would not listen to him, threatened to pull up his +recently buried child. I sent word that he must on no account +do that, and must say no more to the men beating cloth; that by-and-by +the people will become enlightened, and then they will understand the +Sabbath. Poor Kone’s idea is that now and at once they should +understand.</p> +<p>On June 6th, I once more left Delena to proceed to Maiva, and, although +a heavy sea was running at the time, landed safely about eleven a.m. +at Miria’s village, on the Maiva coast. I saw a number of +people with <i>karevas</i> (long fighting sticks), and wondered what +was the matter. I said to my old friend Rua, who met me on the +beach, “Are you going to fight?” “No, no; it +is all right now.” I gave him a large axe for Meauri and +party to cut wood for a house at their village. Meauri and a number +of followers soon made their appearance: it seemed strange that they +should have come down so soon. Miria, the <!-- page 180--><a name="page180"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 180</span>chief, +being away cutting wood, went to Meauri’s village, passing through +several seaside villages. We selected a new position for the house, +at the back of a large temple; gave them tobacco and red cloth, they +promising gladly to have wood cut against my next return. Sitting +on the platform, Rua turned to me and asked, “Tamate, who is your +real Maiva friend?” Fancying there was trouble, I replied, +“Oa Maoni, who sleeps in that house in death, was my friend: Meauri, +Rua, Paru, and Aua are now my friends.” “I thought +so, and Miria has no business to build a house for you. Before +we saw the boat we were down on the beach at Miria’s village to +begin a quarrel; we saw you were coming, and we waited for you.” +“But I want a house on the coast as well as inland; Miria’s +village is small and too exposed, and I must look for another place.” +“That is all right; but this first.” “Be it +so.” After visiting three villages I had not seen before, +and going through all the inland ones, I returned to Miria’s village; +he not having returned, I went along to Ereere. After dark, Miria +came in. He felt sorry when I told him I could not put a house +up in his place, owing to its being exposed to south-east wind, and +to there not being many people. “But I have cut the wood.” +“I shall pay you for that, and the wood can remain for my return.” +I gave him tobacco for the young men and a present to himself, and all +was right.</p> +<p>A few mornings later, I found the natives sitting <!-- page 181--><a name="page181"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 181</span>round +rice; one said, “Come, we are waiting for you to bless the food.” +They have seen our boats’ crews of Botu and Boera natives always +asking a blessing. I said to them, “Cannot one of you ask +a blessing?”</p> +<p>“No; wait until we learn, and you will see.” A +good story is told by the captain of the <i>Mayri</i>. Oa their +going to Aroma to relieve the teachers after the Kalo massacre, in the +early morning they were pulling along the reef, and just as the sun +appeared over the mountains, one of the Motu crew called on all to be +quiet, rowers to lean on their oars, and then engaged in prayer, thanking +God for watching over them during the night, and praying that He would +care for them during the day, and that no unpleasantness might occur +with the Aroma natives. All along this coast, and right away down +to Elema as far as Bald Head, the Motu tribe has a wonderful influence, +and in a few years excellent pioneers may be had from it. They +must have been a terrible lot in the past. I have heard much from +themselves of piracy, murder, and robbery, and all along here they tell +terrible tales. A Motu chief in one of our meetings, speaking +of the past and the present, concluded by saying: “Since the arrival +of the foreigners (teachers), we have changed and will continue to change.”</p> +<p>An old chief, Aiio, from the Mekeo district, came in to see me, and +brought me as a present a splendid head-dress, which is hung up by Kone +in front of the <!-- page 182--><a name="page182"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 182</span>tent +for all to see. On giving him a present of salt, it was pleasant +to see the old fellow’s expression of pleasure. He is anxious +I should go inland as soon as possible; I tell him I must wait for tomahawks.</p> +<p>At seven o’clock on the morning of the 13th of June, I started +to visit Madu, the chief of the Motu Lavao. We went up from the +bight, a large saltwater creek, with dense mangrove on both banks,—a +veritable bed of fever,—and anchoring our boats, we walked through +the deserted village of Paitana and on for about a mile and a half to +Motu Lavao. The path leads along a narrow tract of good country, +with dense swamps on both sides. The village is large, with good +houses kept nice and clean; but I can conceive of no more unhealthy +locality—swamp all around. A number of people were down +with fever, some in their houses, others lying exposed to the sun. +I asked them if they had no <i>vatavata</i> (spirits) knocking around +in their district, and did they not much trouble them. “Oh, +trouble us much, very much.” I told them I thought so, and +the sooner they removed from that place the better—that they were +right in the centre of sickness and death. They said, “And +what is to become of the place of our forefathers, and the cocoanuts +they planted?” “Better leave them, or in a short time +there will be none left to remember their forefathers, or eat their +cocoanuts.” Madu was in the country, and we waited his return. +He tried hard to get me to stay over-night, but it <!-- page 183--><a name="page183"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 183</span>was +of no use. He presented me with a pig and feathers, and we concluded +friendship by my giving a return present. An old woman was presented +to me, a great sorceress; but, not liking the sisterhood, I did not +see my way clear to give her a present. Such as she keep the natives +in constant fear, do what they like, and get what they like. It +is affirmed by all that the great Lolo sorcerer, Arua, keeps snakes +in bamboos, and uses them for his nefarious purposes. Late in +the afternoon we left, accompanied by Madu and a number of youths carrying +pig, cocoanuts, and sugar-cane. When leaving, the chief said, +“Go, Tamate; we are friends.”</p> +<p>On June 14th, I had a long conference with the old Paitana chief, +Boutu, and his followers. They looked very much excited and alarmed +when I met them, but that wore away during our conversation. Boutu, +his party, and other Lolo natives assured me that the attack on Dr. +James and Mr. Thorngren was unknown to all but those in the canoe. +The excuse was that the day before they were trading on Yule Island +one young man had feathers for sale. Dr. James and Waunaea told +him to leave; they would not take his feathers because he objected to +the pearl shell produced. This, they say, was the beginning. +He tried very hard to sell his feathers, and, if possible, get a tomahawk. +Failing, he went home, quietly arranged a party, slept in the bush, +and before daylight went off to the vessel. On nearing <!-- page 184--><a name="page184"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 184</span>the +vessel, Dr. James called out—“You must not come alongside: +you are coming to kill me.” They said, “We are not +going to kill you, but want to sell yams.” The yams were +taken on board, and whilst Dr. James was counting the beads to pay for +them he was struck with a club, and afterwards speared, but not quite +disabled, as he drew his revolver and shot the man who attacked him. +Mr. Thorngren was struck at from aft, fell overboard, and was never +again seen. They say, when the people in the village heard of +it, they were very sorry, and that ever since they have been looked +upon with anger, as they have been the cause of keeping the white man +away with his tobacco, beads, and tomahawks. I asked them, “What +now?” “Let us make friends, and never again have the +like.” “But your young men could do the same again +without your knowing.” “They know better than try +it again; they are too much afraid; and they see that what was then +done has greatly injured us as well as all the other villages.” +I explained to them the object of our coming here, and that they must +not think we are to buy everything they bring, and must not be angry +when we refuse to give what they demand. We do not come to steal +their food or curios, and, if we do not want them, they can carry all +back; we are not traders. After praying with them, they said, +“Tamate, now let it be friendship; give up your intention of going +to Mekeo (inland district), and come <!-- page 185--><a name="page185"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 185</span>to-morrow, +and we shall make friends and peace.” “I shall go; +but suppose the mother of the young man who was shot begins wailing, +what then?” “She will doubtless wail, but you need +not fear; come, and you will see.” “Then to-morrow +I shall go.”</p> +<p>Next morning, the <i>Mayri</i> having arrived the evening before, +I carried into effect the intended visit. The chief of Paitana +and two followers, with my friend Lauma, of Lolo, waited to accompany +me. After breakfast we got into the boat, Lavao in charge. +We entered the same creek as for Motu Lavao, and when up it some distance +turned up another to the right, too narrow to use oars. When two +miles up we anchored boat, then walked or waded for two miles through +swamp and long grass. When near the village we heard loud wailing, +and Lavao, who was leading, thought it better we should wait for the +old chief, who was some distance behind. On coming up they spoke +in Lolo, then threw down his club, calling on one of his followers to +pick it up. He went in front, and called on me to follow close +to him, the others coming after; and so we marched into the village +and up on to his platform. Then began speechifying, presenting +cooked food, betel-nuts, pig, and feathers. When all was finished +I gave my present, and said a few words in the Motu dialect. The +uncle of the man shot by Dr. James came on to the platform, caught me +by the arm and <!-- page 186--><a name="page186"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 186</span>shouted, +<i>Maino</i>! (peace), saying that they, the chiefs, knew nothing of +the attack. The murderers lived at the other end of the village; +and thither, accompanied by a large party, I went. They gave me +a pig, and I gave them a return present. The real murderer of +Mr. Thorngren sat near me, dressed for the occasion, and four others +who were in the canoe stood near the platform. The mother and +two widows were in the house opposite, but with good sense refrained +from wailing. I spoke to them of the meanness and treachery of +attacking as they attacked Dr. James and Mr. Thorngren. They say +there were ten in the canoe—one was shot, three have since died, +and six remain. They also say they feel they have done wrong, +as they not only made the foreigners their enemies, but also all the +tribes around were angry with them. “What now, then?” +“Oh, <i>maino</i> (peace) it must be; we are friends, and so are +all foreigners now.” “I am not a trader, but have +come to teach about the only one true God and His love to us all in +the gift of His Son Jesus Christ, to proclaim peace between man and +man, and tribe and tribe.” What seemed to astonish them +most was my being alone and unarmed. After some time, our old +friend came from the other end of the village and hurried us away. +It was time to leave them, so, giving a few parting presents, we picked +up our goods and away to the boat.</p> +<h2><!-- page 187--><a name="page187"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 187</span>CHAPTER +V. EAST CAPE IN 1878 AND IN 1882</h2> +<p>Original state of the natives—War and cannibalism—How +the mission work has been carried on—A Sunday at East Cape in +1882—Twenty-one converts baptized—A blight prospect.</p> +<p>In 1878, missionary work was begun at East Capes, and four years +after the establishment of that mission, on a review of the past, what +evidences of progress were to be seen! There were signs of light +breaking in upon the long dark night of heathenism. Looking at +the condition of this people when the missionaries and teachers first +landed, what did they find? A people sunk in crime that to them +has become a custom and religion—a people in whom murder is the +finest art, and who from their earliest years study it. Disease, +sickness, and death have all to be accounted for. They know nothing +of malaria, filth, or contagion. Hence they hold that an enemy +causes these things, and friends have to see that due punishment is +made. The large night firefly helps to point in the direction +of that enemy, or the spirits of departed ones are called in through +spiritists’ influence to come and assist, and the medium pronouncing +a neighbouring tribe guilty, the time is near when that tribe will <!-- page 188--><a name="page188"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 188</span>be +visited and cruel deeds done. They know nothing of a God of Love—only +gods and spirits who are ever revengeful, and must be appeased; who +fly about in the night and disturb the peace of homes. It is gross +darkness and cruelty, brother’s hand raised against brother’s. +Great is the chief who claims many skulls; and the youth, who may wear +a jawbone as an armlet is to be admired.</p> +<p>When we first landed here, the natives lived only to fight, and the +victory was celebrated by a cannibal feast. It is painfully significant +to find that the only field in which New Guinea natives have shown much +skill and ingenuity is in the manufacture of weapons. One of these +is known as a Man-catcher, and was invented by the natives of Hood Bay, +but all over the vast island this loop of rattan cane is the constant +companion of head-hunters. The peculiarity of the weapon is the +deadly spike inserted in the handle.</p> +<p>The <i>modus operandi</i> is as follows:—The loop is thrown +over the unhappy wretch who is in retreat, and a vigorous pull from +the brawny arm of the vengeful captor jerks the victim upon the spike, +which (if the weapon be deftly handled) penetrates the body at the base +of the brain, or, if lower down, in the spine, in either case inflicting +a death-wound.</p> +<p>All these things are changed, or in process of change. For +several years there have been no cannibal ovens, no desire for skulls. +Tribes that could not formerly meet but to fight, now meet as friends, +and sit side by <!-- page 189--><a name="page189"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 189</span>side +in the same house worshipping the true God. Men and women who, +on the arrival of the mission, sought the missionaries’ lives, +are only anxious now to do what they can to assist them, even to the +washing of their feet. How the change came about is simply by +the use of the same means as those acted upon in many islands of the +Pacific. The first missionaries landed not only to preach the +Gospel of Divine love, but also to live it, and to show to the savage +a more excellent way than theirs. Learning the language, mixing +freely with them, showing kindnesses, receiving the same, travelling +with them, differing from them, making friends, assisting them in their +trading, and in every way making them feel that their good only was +sought. They thought at first that we were compelled to leave +our own land because of hunger!</p> +<p>Teachers were placed amongst the people; many sickened and died. +There was a time of great trial, but how changed is everything now! +Four years pass on, and, in 1882, we visit them. We left Port +Moresby, and arrived at East Cape on a Sunday. Morning service +was finished, and, from the vessel, we saw a number of natives well +dressed, standing near the mission house, waiting to receive us. +The teachers came off, and with them several lads, neatly dressed. +After hearing from them of the work, and of how the people were observing +the Sabbath, we landed, and were met by a quiet, orderly company of +<!-- page 190--><a name="page190"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 190</span>men, +women, and boys, who welcomed us as real friends. The first to +shake hands with us was a chief from the opposite side of the bay, who +in early days gave us much trouble, and had to be well watched. +Now he was dressed, and his appearance much altered. It was now +possible to meet him and feel he was a friend. We found Pi Vaine +very ill, and not likely to live long; yet she lived long enough to +rejoice in the glorious success of the Gospel of Christ, and to see +many of those for whom she laboured profess Christianity. We were +astonished, when we met in the afternoon, at the orderly service—the +nice well-tuned singing of hymns, translated by the teacher, and the +attention, when he read a chapter in Mark’s Gospel—translated +by him from the Rarotongan into the dialect of the place. When +he preached to them, all listened attentively, and seemed to be anxious +not to forget a single word. Two natives prayed with great earnestness +and solemnity. After service all remained, and were catechised +on the sermon, and then several present stood up and exhorted their +friends to receive the Gospel. Many strangers were present, and +they were exhorted to come as often as possible and hear the good news. +Then, again, others offered prayers. We found that numbers came +in on the Saturday with food and cooking-pots, and remained until Monday +morning. They lived with the teachers, and attended all the services, +beginning with a prayer-meeting on Saturday night.</p> +<p><!-- page 191--><a name="page191"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 191</span>During +our stay of a few days, they all remained at the station, and we saw +much of them. The teachers said there were twenty-one who professed +faith in Christ and had given up heathenism and desired baptism. +We visited further on to the east, and we were a week away on our return +to East Cape, and after close examination of each candidate we decided +to baptize them on the following Tuesday. The service was most +interesting, and well attended by persons from various places. +At night we examined the children and grown-up people who attend school, +and were much pleased with them. A few can read in the Motu dialect; +others know how to put letters together and form words. We hope +soon to have one or two books in their own dialect. Of those baptized +several are anxious to be instructed, that they may be better fitted +to do work for Christ amongst their own countrymen. Already they +hold services, and exhort in other villages, and when travelling they +do all the good they can to others.</p> +<p>We are in hopes soon to receive a number of young men and women at +Port Moresby, and begin our Institution, to be called “The New +Guinea Institution for Training Evangelists.” At present +we shall proceed quickly, building native houses for students, and a +class room to be bought in the colonies, towards which our true friends +in North Adelaide contribute largely.</p> +<p>The harvest ripens fast: where shall we look for <!-- page 192--><a name="page192"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 192</span>labourers? +The Master has said, “Pray.” May they soon be sent! +The light is shining, the darkness is breaking, and the thick clouds +are moving, and the hidden ones are being gathered in. We have +already plucked the first flowers; stern winter yields, and soon we +shall have the full spring, the singing of birds, and the trees in full +blossom. Hasten it, O Lord, we plead!</p> +<p>LONDON: PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED, STAMFORD STREET +AND CHARING CROSS.</p> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ADVENTURES IN NEW GUINEA***</p> +<pre> + + +***** This file should be named 17694-h.htm or 17694-h.zip****** + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/7/6/9/17694 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://www.gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.gutenberg.org/fundraising/pglaf. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://www.gutenberg.org/about/contact + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://www.gutenberg.org/fundraising/donate + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: +http://www.gutenberg.org/fundraising/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + +</pre></body> +</html> diff --git a/17694-h/images/101b.jpg b/17694-h/images/101b.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4609efa --- /dev/null +++ b/17694-h/images/101b.jpg diff --git a/17694-h/images/101s.jpg b/17694-h/images/101s.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..dca7a0e --- /dev/null +++ b/17694-h/images/101s.jpg diff --git a/17694-h/images/167b.jpg b/17694-h/images/167b.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..5059c89 --- /dev/null +++ b/17694-h/images/167b.jpg diff --git a/17694-h/images/167s.jpg b/17694-h/images/167s.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..8437f73 --- /dev/null +++ b/17694-h/images/167s.jpg diff --git a/17694-h/images/175b.jpg b/17694-h/images/175b.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..8ae2772 --- /dev/null +++ b/17694-h/images/175b.jpg diff --git a/17694-h/images/175s.jpg b/17694-h/images/175s.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..18d5cc7 --- /dev/null +++ b/17694-h/images/175s.jpg diff --git a/17694-h/images/19b.jpg b/17694-h/images/19b.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..d0def41 --- /dev/null +++ b/17694-h/images/19b.jpg diff --git a/17694-h/images/19s.jpg b/17694-h/images/19s.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..1165381 --- /dev/null +++ b/17694-h/images/19s.jpg diff --git a/17694-h/images/59b.jpg b/17694-h/images/59b.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..99ec836 --- /dev/null +++ b/17694-h/images/59b.jpg diff --git a/17694-h/images/59s.jpg b/17694-h/images/59s.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..839d9e2 --- /dev/null +++ b/17694-h/images/59s.jpg diff --git a/17694-h/images/titleb.jpg b/17694-h/images/titleb.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..12727d1 --- /dev/null +++ b/17694-h/images/titleb.jpg diff --git a/17694-h/images/titles.jpg b/17694-h/images/titles.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..5979f85 --- /dev/null +++ b/17694-h/images/titles.jpg diff --git a/17694.txt b/17694.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..63e3f91 --- /dev/null +++ b/17694.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4505 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Adventures in New Guinea, by James Chalmers + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Adventures in New Guinea + + +Author: James Chalmers + + + +Release Date: February 6, 2006 [eBook #17694] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ADVENTURES IN NEW GUINEA*** + + + + + + +Transcribed from the 1886 Religious Tract Society edition by David Price, +email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk + +THE R. T. S. LIBRARY--ILLUSTRATED + + + + + +ADVENTURES IN NEW GUINEA +BY +JAMES CHALMERS +OF PORT MORESBY + + +WITH SIX ILLUSTRATIONS + +THE RELIGIOUS TRACT SOCIETY +56, PATERNOSTER ROW; 65, ST. PAUL'S CHURCHYARD; +AND 164, PICCADILLY +1886. + +LONDON: +PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED, +STAMFORD STREET AND CHARING CROSS. + +[Port Moresby: title.jpg] + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + + +Public attention has been repeatedly and prominently directed to New +Guinea during the last few months. The name often appears in our +newspapers and missionary reports, and bids fair to take a somewhat +prominent place in our blue-books. Yet very few general readers possess +accurate information about the island itself, about the work of English +missionaries there, or about the part New Guinea seems destined to play +in Australian politics. Hence a brief sketch indicating the present +state of knowledge on these points will be a fitting introduction to the +narratives of exploration, of adventure, and of Christian work contained +in this volume. + +New Guinea, if we may take Australia as a continent, is the largest +island in the world, being, roughly speaking, about 1400 miles long, and +490 broad at its widest point. Its northernmost coast nearly touches the +equator, and its southernmost stretches down to 11 degrees south +latitude. Little more than the fringe or coastline of the island has +been at all carefully explored, but it is known to possess magnificent +mountain ranges, vast stretches of beautiful scenery, much land that is +fruitful, even under native cultivation, and mighty rivers that take +their rise far inland. Its savage inhabitants have aroused powerfully +the interest and sympathy alike of Christian Polynesians and English +missionaries, who, taking their lives in their hands, have, in not a few +instances, laid them down in the effort to win New Guinea for Christ. + +At some remote period of the past, New Guinea, in all probability, formed +a part of Australia. Torres Strait itself is only about sixty miles +wide; the water is shallow; shoals and reefs abound, giving the sailor +who threads the intricate and dangerous navigation the impression that he +is sailing over what was once solid earth. + +The first European sailor who sighted the island was D'Abreu, in 1511; +the honour of being first to land belongs most probably to the Portuguese +explorer, Don Jorge De Meneses, in 1526, on his way from Malacca to the +Moluccas. + +Into the somewhat intricate history of the connection of the Dutch with +the north-west coast of New Guinea we cannot here enter. As suzerain +nominally under the Sultan of Tidore, they claim possession of the +western part of the island as far east as Lat. 141 degrees 47' E. The +trade they carry on is said to be worth about 20,000_l_. a year. Dutch +missionaries have for many years been stationed around the coast of +Geelvink Bay. + +In 1770, Captain Cook visited the south-west coast, and in 1775, an +English officer, Forrest by name, spent some months on the north-east +coast in search of spices. In 1793, New Guinea was annexed by two of the +East India Company's commanders, and an island in Geelvink Bay, Manasvari +by name, was for a time held by their troops. + +Partial surveys of the south coast were made in 1845 by Captain +Blackwood, who discovered the Fly River; by Lieutenant Yule, in 1846, who +journeyed east as far as the island to which he has given his name; and +in 1848 by Captain Owen Stanley, who made a fairly accurate survey of the +south-east coast. + +The most important survey work along the coast of New Guinea was done in +1873 by H.M. ship _Basilisk_, under the command of Captain Moresby. He +discovered the now-famous harbour, Port Moresby; he laid down the true +eastern coastline of the island, discovering the China Straits, and +exploring the north-east coast as far west as Huon Gulf. + +In many parts of the world Christian missionaries have been the first to +get on friendly terms with the natives, and thus to pave the way for +developing the resources of a savage country and leading its inhabitants +in the paths of progress and civilization. Pre-eminently has this been +the case in South-eastern New Guinea. White men had landed before them, +it is true; but for the most part only to benefit themselves, and not +unfrequently to murder the natives or to entrap them into slavery. +Christianity has won great victories in Polynesia, but no part of the +globe has witnessed fouler crimes or more atrocious wickedness on the +part of white men towards savage races. + +The history of the work done by members of the London Missionary Society +is already a long one. As far back as 1871, the Revs. A. W. Murray and +S. McFarlane sailed from Mare, one of the Loyalty Islands, with eight +native teachers, inhabitants of that group, with whom to begin the +campaign against sin, superstition, and savagery in New Guinea. The +first station occupied was Darnley Island, and Mr. Murray gives an +incident that well illustrates the spirit in which these men, themselves +trophies of missionary success, entered upon their work. Speaking about +another island, the natives, in the hope of intimidating the teachers, +said, "There are alligators there, and snakes, and centipedes." "Hold," +said the teacher, "are there men there?" "Oh yes," was the reply, "there +are men; but they are such dreadful savages that it is no use your +thinking of living among them." "That will do," replied the teacher. +"Wherever there are men, missionaries are bound to go." Teachers were +stationed at the islands of Tauan and Sabaii. Later on, Yule Island and +Redscar Bay were visited, and the missionaries returned to Lifu. + +In 1872, Mr. Murray returned in the _John Williams_ with thirteen +additional teachers, and for the next two years superintended the mission +from Cape York. In 1874, he was joined by the Revs. S. McFarlane and W. +G. Lawes--who have both ever since that time laboured hard and +successfully on behalf of the natives--and the steamer _Ellengowan_ was +placed at the service of the mission by the liberality of the late Miss +Baxter, of Dundee. The native teachers experienced many vicissitudes. +Some died from inability to stand the climate, some were massacred by the +men they were striving to bless; but the gaps were filled up as speedily +as possible, and the map recently issued (Jan. 1885) by the Directors of +the Society shows that on the south-eastern coast of New Guinea, from +Motumotu to East Cape, no less than _thirty-two native teachers_, some of +them New Guinea converts, are now toiling in the service of the Gospel. + +In 1877, the Rev. James Chalmers joined the mission, and it is hardly too +much to say that his arrival formed an epoch in its history. He is +wonderfully equipped for the work to which he has, under God's +Providence, put his hand, and is the white man best known to all the +natives along the south coast. From the first he has gone among them +unarmed, and though not unfrequently in imminent peril, has been +marvellously preserved. He has combined the qualities of missionary and +explorer in a very high degree, and while beloved as "Tamate" (Teacher) +by the natives, has added enormously to the stock of our geographical +knowledge of New Guinea, and to our accurate acquaintance with the ways +of thinking, the habits, superstitions, and mode of life of the various +tribes of natives. + +Notwithstanding various expensive expeditions for the exploration of New +Guinea, he has travelled the farthest yet into the interior. He has been +as far as Lat. S. 9 degrees 2' and Long. E. 147 degrees 42.5'. The +farthest point reached by Captain Armit was about Lat. S. 9 degrees 35' +and Long. E. 147 degrees 38'. Mr. Morrison merely reached a point on the +Goldie River, when he was attacked and wounded by the natives. This +compelled the party to return to Port Moresby. + +Mr. Chalmers is still actively engaged in his work on the great island, +and he has placed many of his journals and papers at the disposal of the +Religious Tract Society, in the hope that their publication may increase +the general store of knowledge about New Guinea, and may also give true +ideas about the natives, the kind of Christian work that is being done in +their midst, and the progress in it that is being made. + +The prominence which New Guinea has assumed in the public mind lately is +due much more to political than to religious reasons. England is a +Christian nation, and there are numbers who rejoice in New Guinea as a +signal proof of the regenerating power of the Gospel of Christ. Yet, to +the Christian man, it is somewhat humiliating to find how deeply the +press of our country is stirred by the statement that Germany has annexed +the north coast of New Guinea, while it has hardly been touched by the +thrilling story of the introduction of Christianity all along the south +coast. The public mind is much exercised in discussing whether Her +Majesty's Government should annex the whole rather than proclaim a +protectorate over a part; it hardly cares to remember the names of those +who have died in trying to make known to the fierce Papuans our common +brotherhood in Christ Jesus. One can understand that this is natural; +still it will be an augury of good for the future of the English people, +when, without losing any of their legitimate interest in public affairs, +they care more for the victories won by faith alone, over ignorance, +vice, and barbarism, than for the victories won by the rifle and sword, +however just the cause may be in which these weapons are used. + +For years past the idea has been gaining force in the public mind, both +in the colonies and at home, that ultimately England would annex New +Guinea. To any careful student of our history for the last century, it +may appear strange that we have not done so long before. Our practice in +the past has been to annex first, and to find reasons for it afterwards. +To others, the very fact that even now the extremest step is only to +proclaim a protectorate over a part, may appear to indicate that we are +not quite so sure as we have been that annexation is wholly a blessing +either to us or to the land annexed. + +As already noted, in 1873, Captain Moresby did good service by accurately +laying down the coastline of Eastern New Guinea. In accomplishing this, +he discovered that there were several beautiful islands that had hitherto +been considered part of the mainland. It is best perhaps to give what +followed in his own words:-- + + "The importance of our discoveries led me to consider their bearing on + Imperial and Australian interests. There lay the vast island of New + Guinea, dominating the shores of Northern Australia, separated at one + point by only twenty miles of coral reef from British possessions, + commanding the Torres Straits route, commanding the increasing pearl- + shell fisheries, and also the _beche-de-mer_ fishery. It was also + improved by the richness and beauty, and the number of their fine + vegetable products--fine timber, the cocoanut, the sago palm, sugar- + cane, maize, jute, and various vegetable fibres, fruits and rich + grasses--and my conclusion, after weighing all the considerations + involved, was, that it was my duty to take formal possession of our + discoveries in the name of Her Majesty. Such a course secured a + postponement of occupation by any Power till our Government could + consider its own interests, and whilst the acquisition of these + islands might commend itself, and my act result in annexation on the + one hand, it might be negatived on the other with easy simplicity, by + a neglect to confirm it." + +Accordingly, a cocoanut tree was transformed into a flagstaff, the +British flag was run up, and duly saluted with cheers and volleys, and a +picture of the proceeding adorns the captain's book as frontispiece. + +Ever since that time events have tended in the direction of bringing New +Guinea into closer relations with England. On the one hand, there has +been the conviction that if we do not annex it some other country will, +and thus threaten Australia. Then many Australians have looked upon New +Guinea as a possible paradise for colonists, and have been eager to +establish themselves securely upon its soil. The attempts in this +direction have produced little but disaster to all concerned. + +On the other hand, missionaries feel that there is much to be said on the +same side. Perhaps the opinion of no one man deserves more weight than +that of Mr. Chalmers. We give his views, as he expressed them before the +protectorate was proclaimed. + +"This question of the annexation of New Guinea is still creating a good +deal of interest, and although at present the Imperial Government, +through Lord Derby, has given its decision against annexation, yet the +whole matter must, I have no doubt, be reconsidered, and the island be +eventually annexed. It is to be hoped the country is not to become part +of the Australian colonies--a labour land, and a land where loose money +in the hands of a few capitalists is to enter in and make enormous +fortunes, sacrificing the natives and everything else. If the Imperial +Government is afraid of the expense, I think that can easily be avoided. +Annex New Guinea, and save it from another power, who might harass our +Australian colonies; administer it for the natives, and the whole +machinery of government can be maintained by New Guinea, and allow a +large overplus. We have all the experience of the Dutch in Java; I say, +accept and improve. + +"It will be said that, as a nation, Britain has never tried to govern +commercially, or has not yet made money out of her governing; and why +should she now? She does not want New Guinea. Why should she go to the +expense of governing? Her colonies may be unsafe with a country of +splendid harbours so near in the hands of a foreign power, and the people +of that country need a strong, friendly, and just power over them, to +save them from themselves and from the white man--whose gods are gold and +land, and to whom the black man is a nuisance to be got rid of as soon as +possible. Let Britain for these reasons annex, and from the day of +annexation New Guinea will pay all her own expenses; the expenses of the +first three years to be paid with compound interest at the end of that +period. + +"Let us begin by recognizing all native rights, and letting it be +distinctly understood that we govern for the native races, not the white +men, that we are determined to civilize and raise to a higher level of +humanity those whom we govern, that our aim will be to do all to defend +them and save them from extermination by just humanitarian laws--not the +laws of the British nation--but the laws suited for them. It will not +take long for the natives to learn that not only are we great and +powerful, but we are just and merciful, and we seek their good. + +"That established, I would suggest appointing officers in every district, +whose duty it would be to govern through the native chief, and see that +every native attended to plantations. A native planting tea, sugar, +coffee, maize, cinchona, etc., to be allowed a bounty, and when returns +arrived to be allowed so much per pound sterling. All these things to be +superintended by the said officer. + +"Traders would soon swarm, but no one should be allowed to trade with +natives directly, but only through the Government. + +"All unoccupied land to belong to the Government, and to be leased to +those wishing land. No native should be allowed to part with land, and +if desirous to sell, then only to the Government, who would allow him a +reasonable price. Every land transaction to be made through Government; +no land to be sold, only leased. + +"The land revenue will be immense, and after paying all expenses, will +leave much for improvements and the education of the people. Stringent +laws passed directly annexation takes place to prevent importation of +arms and spirits will be a true safeguard for the natives. + +"As a nation, let Britain, in the zenith of her power and greatness, +think kindly of the native races, and now for once in her history rule +this great island for right and righteousness, in justice and mercy, and +not for self and pelf in unrighteousness, blood, and falsehood. It is to +be hoped that future generations of New Guinea natives will not rise up +to condemn her, as the New Zealanders have done, and to claim their +ancient rights with tears now unheeded. I can see along the vista of the +future, truth and righteousness in Britain's hands, and the inhabitants +of New Guinea yet unborn blessing her for her rule; if otherwise, God +help the British meanness, for they will rise to pronounce a curse on her +for ever!" + +In 1883, the Queensland Government _did_ formally annex their huge +neighbour; but this act was subsequently repudiated by the Home +Government. Towards the end of 1884, it was decided to announce a formal +protectorate over a large portion of the southern shores of New Guinea. + +[Boevagi. Chief of Port Moresby: 19.jpg] + +The official ceremony took place on Nov. 6th, 1884, at Port Moresby. Five +ships of war at once gave dignity to the proceeding by their presence, +and astonished the natives by their salutes. About fifty chiefs were +brought on board the Commodore's ship, the _Nelson_, by the Rev. W. G. +Lawes. To Boevagi, the chief of the Port Moresby tribe, was entrusted +the responsibility of upholding the authority and dignity of England in +the island. He was presented with an ebony stick, into the top of which +had been let a florin, with the Queen's head uppermost. Mr. Lawes +conveyed to Boevagi the meaning of the Commodore's words when he gave the +stick. "I present you with this stick, which is to be an emblem of your +authority; and all the tribes who are represented by the chiefs here are +to look to the holder of this stick. Boevagi, this stick represents the +Queen of England, and if at any time any of the people of these tribes +have any grievance or anything to say, they are, through the holder of +this stick, to make it known to the Queen's officers, in order that it +may be inquired into." + +The formal protectorate was announced in the following terms:-- + +"To all to whom these presents shall come, greeting:--Whereas it has +become essential for the lives and properties of the native inhabitants +of New Guinea, and for the purpose of preventing the occupation of +portions of that country by persons whose proceedings, unsanctioned by +any lawful authority, might tend to injustice, strife, and bloodshed, and +who, under the pretence of legitimate trade and intercourse, might +endanger the liberties and possess themselves of the lands of such native +inhabitants, that a British protectorate should be established over a +certain portion of such country and the islands adjacent thereto; and +whereas Her Majesty, having taken into her gracious consideration the +urgent necessity of her protection to such inhabitants, has directed me +to proclaim such protection in a formal manner at this place,--now I, +James Elphinstone Erskine, Captain in the Royal Navy and Commodore of the +Australian Station, one of Her Majesty's naval aides-de-camp, do hereby, +in the name of Her Most Gracious Majesty, declare and proclaim the +establishment of such protectorate over such portions of the coast and +the adjacent islands as is more particularly described in the schedule +hereunto annexed; and I hereby proclaim and declare that no acquisition +of land, whensoever or howsoever acquired, within the limits of the +protectorate hereby established will be recognized by Her Majesty; and I +do hereby, on behalf of Her Majesty, command and enjoin all persons whom +it may concern to take notice of this proclamation. + + "SCHEDULE. + + "All that portion of the southern shores of New Guinea commencing from + the boundary of that portion of the country claimed by the Government + of the Netherlands on the 141st meridian of east longitude to East + Cape, with all the islands adjacent thereto south of East Cape to + Kosmann Island inclusive, together with the islands in the Goschen + Straits. + + "Given on board Her Majesty's ship _Nelson_, at the harbour of Port + Moresby, on the 6th day of November, 1884." + +The die has thus been cast. Already rumours that seem to have some +foundation are in the air that the protectorate is soon to become +annexation. It should be the aim of all to see that, by the force of +public opinion, the last portion of the heathen world that has come under +English protection shall have, as the years pass, many and solid reasons +for thanking God that He has so guided its destinies as to unite them to +our great Empire. + + + + +CHAPTER I. EARLY EXPERIENCES. + + +Somerset--Murray Island--Darnley Island--Boera--Moresby--Trip +inland--Sunday at Port Moresby--Native funeral ceremonies--Tupuselei--Round +Head--Native salutations--Kerepunu--Teste Island--Hoop-iron as an article +of commerce--Two teachers landed--A tabooed place--Moresby and Basilisk +Islands--South Cape--House building--Difficulties with the natives--An +anxious moment--Thefts--Dancing and cooking--Visit to a native +village--Native shot on the Mayri--Mr. and Mrs. Chalmers in +danger--Arrival of the _Ellengowan_. + +Towards the close of 1877, Mr. Chalmers and Mr. McFarlane visited New +Guinea for the purpose of exploring the coast, landing native teachers at +suitable spots, and thus opening the way for future missionary effort. +What follows is given in Mr. Chalmers's words:-- + +We left Sydney by the Dutch steamer _William M'Kinnon_, on September +20th, 1877, for Somerset. The sail inside the Barrier Reef is most +enjoyable. The numerous islands passed, and the varied coast scenery +make the voyage a very pleasant one--especially with such men as our +captain and mates. On Sunday, the 30th, we reached Somerset, where we +were met by the _Bertha_, with Mr. McFarlane on board of her. Mr. +McFarlane was soon on board of the steamer to welcome us, and remained +with us till the evening. There was very little of the Sabbath observed +that day--all was bustle and confusion. Quite a number of the +pearl-shelling boats were at Somerset awaiting the arrival of the +steamer, and the masters of these boats were soon on and around the +steamer receiving their goods. + +On Tuesday, October 2nd, we left Somerset in the _Bertha_, for Murray +Island, anchoring that night off Albany. On Wednesday night, we anchored +off a sandbank, and on Thursday, off a miserable-looking island, called +Village Island. On Friday, we came to York Island, where we went ashore +and saw only four natives--one man and three boys. At eleven p.m. on +Saturday, we anchored at Darnley Island. This is a fine island, and more +suitable for vessels and landing goods than Murray, but supposed to be +not so healthy. The island is about five hundred feet in height, in some +parts thickly wooded, in others bare. It was here the natives cut off a +boat's crew about thirty years ago, for which they suffered--the captain +landing with part of his crew, well-armed, killing many and chasing them +right round the island. They never again attempted anything of the kind. +As a native of the island expressed himself on the subject:--"White +fellow, he too much make fright, man he all run away, no want see white +fellow gun no more." In 1871, the first teachers were landed here. + +The Sunday morning was fine, and we resolved to spend a quiet forenoon on +shore. We landed after breakfast, and walked through what must be in wet +weather a deep swamp, to the mission house on the hill. Gucheng, the +Loyalty islander, who is teacher here, looks a good determined fellow. +The people seem to live not far from the mission house, so did not take +long to assemble. There were about eighty at the service, including a +few Australians employed by one of the white men on the island to fish +for trepang. The Darnley islanders appear a much more interesting people +than the Australians. Many of those present at the service were clothed. +They sang very well indeed such hymns as "Come to Jesus," "Canaan, bright +Canaan," which, with some others, have been translated into their +language. Mr. McFarlane addressed them, through the teacher, and the +people seemed to attend to what was said. + +Because of a strong head wind, we could not leave the next day, so Mr. +McFarlane and I returned to the shore. We found the children collected +in Gucheng's house, learning to write the letters on slates. There were +very few girls present--indeed, there are not many girls on the island, +so many have been destroyed by their fathers at birth. We strolled about +and visited the large cocoanut plantation belonging to the society. On +our return we found the teacher and a number of natives collected near +the beach. They had just buried a man who had died the night before--so +Christian burial has begun. Formerly, the body would have been hung up +and tapped, to allow the juices to run out, which would have been drunk +by the friends. We returned to the mission house for dinner. I was glad +to find so many boys living with Gucheng. They were bright, happy little +fellows, romping about, enjoying themselves. + +We did not get away from Darnley Island till the morning of Wednesday, +the 10th. The navigation between Darnley and Murray Islands is +difficult, arising from various reefs and currents. Although only twenty- +seven miles separate the two, it was Friday night before we anchored at +Murray Island. We went ashore the same night. + +On Saturday, we climbed to the highest point of the island, seven hundred +feet high. There seems to be no lack of food, chiefly grown inland. From +the long drought, the island presented in many places a parched look, and +lacked that luxuriance of vegetation to which we had been so long +accustomed on Rarotonga. + +At the forenoon meeting on Sunday there were nearly two hundred present. +Mr. McFarlane preached. A few had a little clothing on them; some seemed +attentive, but the most seemed to consider the occasion a fit time for +relating the week's news, or of commenting on the strangers present. The +Sabbath is observed by church attendance and a cessation from work. There +is not much thieving on the island; they are an indolent people. The +school is well attended by old and young, and Josiah, the teacher, has +quite a number of children living with him. They sing very well. + +Several of the old men here wear wigs. It seems when grey hairs appear +they are carefully pulled out; as time moves on they increase so fast +that they would require to shave the head often, so, to cover their +shame, they take to wigs, which represent them as having long, flowing, +curly hair, as in youth. Wigs would not astonish the Murray islanders, +as Mr. Nott's did the Tahitians after his return from England. They soon +spread the news round the island that their missionary had had his head +newly thatched, and looked a young man again. + +On Monday, the teachers' goods and mission supplies were put on board the +_Bertha_. On Tuesday afternoon, after everything was on board, a +farewell service was held with the teachers, and early on Wednesday +morning we left Murray Island for New Guinea. On Friday, we made New +Guinea, off Yule Island, and about sunset on October 21st we anchored +about five miles off Boera. Near to the place where we anchored was a +low swampy ground covered with mangrove. We could see Lealea, where +there has been so much sickness. It presented the same low, swampy, +unhealthy appearance. Soon after we anchored a canoe came alongside with +Mr. Lawes and Piri on board. Mr. Lawes did not seem so strong as I +remembered him eleven years ago, yet he looked better than I had expected +to see him. He has suffered greatly from the climate. Piri is a strong, +hearty fellow; the climate seems to have had little effect on him. They +remained some time on board, when they went ashore in the vessel's +boat--Piri taking the teachers and their wives ashore with him. The wind +was ahead, and too strong for the canoe, so the men who came off in her +with Mr. Lawes and Piri remained on board the _Bertha_ till midnight, +when the wind abated. When the boat was leaving, they shouted to Mr. +Lawes to tell us not to be afraid, as they would not steal anything. They +remained quietly on board till two a.m. + +Mr. McFarlane and I went ashore in the morning. The country looked bare +and not at all inviting. This is now the most western mission station on +New Guinea proper. Piri has a very comfortable house, with a plantation +near to it. The chapel, built principally by himself and wife, is small, +but comfortable, and well suited for the climate. The children meet in +it for school. The village has a very dirty, tumbledown appearance. + +The widows of two teachers who died last year shortly after their arrival +in the mission were living with Piri. We took them on board, with their +things, to accompany us to the new mission. I returned ashore with the +boat to fetch away the remainder of the things and teachers who were +ashore, and when ready to return found the vessel too far off to fetch +her, so, after pulling for some time, we up sail and away for Port +Moresby. Piri and his wife came with us in their large canoe. We saw +several dugongs on the way, which some esteem extra good food. Tom, one +of the Loyalty Island teachers, who was in the boat with us, expressed +their edible qualities thus: "You know, sir, pig, he good." "Yes, Tom, +it is very good." "Ah, he no good; dugong, he much good." It must be +good when a native pronounces it to be better than pork. + +We arrived at Port Moresby about six o'clock. I cannot say I was much +charmed with the place, it had such a burnt-up, barren appearance. Close +to the village is a mangrove swamp, and the whole bay is enclosed with +high hills. At the back of the mission premises, and close to them, is a +large swampy place, which in wet weather is full of water. There can be +no doubt about Port Moresby being a very unhealthy place. We went ashore +for breakfast next day, and in the afternoon visited the school; about +forty children were present--an unusually large number. Many of the +children know the alphabet, and a few can spell words of two or three +letters. In walking through the village in the afternoon we saw the +women making their crockery pots, preparing for the men's return from the +Gulf, the next north-west season, with large quantities of sago. We +visited the graves of the teachers, which are kept in good order. They +are all enclosed by a good fence. Within the same enclosure is one +little grave that will bind New Guinea close to the hearts of Mr. and +Mrs. Lawes. Over them all may be written--"For Christ's sake." + +In returning from the graves, we met a man in mourning, whose wife had +been killed in a canoe by natives about Round Head. He and his friends +had resolved to retaliate, but through the influence of the teachers they +did not do so. The teachers from the villages to the east of Port +Moresby came in this afternoon, looking well and hearty. Some of them +have suffered a good deal from fever and ague, but are now becoming +acclimatized. The natives of the various villages are not now afraid of +one another, but accompany their teachers from place to place. Men, +women, and children smoke, and will do anything for tobacco. The best +present you can give them is tobacco; it is the one thing for which they +beg. + +As it was decided that the vessel should not leave before Tuesday of the +next week, Mr. McFarlane and I took a trip inland. I was anxious to see +for myself if anything could be done for the natives living in the +mountains. Mr. Goldie, a naturalist, with his party, was about ten miles +inland. He himself had been at Port Moresby for some days, and, on +hearing of our plans, he joined us, and we proceeded first to his camp. +We left Port Moresby about half-past five on Thursday morning, and +crossed the low ground at the back of the mission house. We ascended the +hill which runs all along the coast in this district at a part about +three hundred feet high, and then descended into a great plain. At +present the plain is dry and hard, from the long drought, and very little +of anything green is to be seen. There are a few small gum-trees, and +great herds of wallabies were jumping about. The greater part of this +plain is under water in the wet seasons. We walked about ten miles in an +east-north-east direction, keeping the Astrolabe Range to our right, when +we came to the camp, close by a large river--the Laroki. Being afraid of +alligators, we preferred having water poured over us to bathing in the +river. + +Our party was a tolerably large one--Ruatoka (the Port Moresby teacher), +some Port Moresby natives, and four Loyalty Island teachers, on their way +to East Cape. We did not see a strange native all the way. We had our +hammocks made fast in the bush by the river side, and rested until three +p.m., when we started for another part of the river about seven miles +off, in a south-east direction. Mr. Goldie also shifted his camp. After +sunset we reached the point where the river was to be crossed, and there +we meant to remain for the night. + +We had a bath, then supper, and evening prayers; after which we slung our +hammocks to the trees, in which we rested well. It was a strangely weird- +looking sight, and the noises were of a strange kind--wallabies leaping +past, and strange birds overhead. Mr. Goldie's Mare men joined with +their countrymen, the teachers, in singing some of Sankey's hymns in +English. Soon sleep came, and all seemed quiet. + +At three a.m. of the 26th we struck camp, and after morning prayers we +began to cross the river, which was not over four feet in the deepest +part. It was here Mr. Lawes crossed when he first visited the inland +tribes; so now, led by Ruatoka, we were on his track. The moon was often +hidden by dark clouds, so we had some difficulty in keeping to the path. +We pressed on, as we were anxious to get to a deserted village which Mr. +Goldie knew to breakfast. We reached the village about six, and after we +had partaken of breakfast we set off for the mountains. When we had gone +about four miles the road became more uneven. Wallabies were not to be +seen, and soon we were in a valley close by the river, which we followed +for a long way, and then began to ascend. We climbed it under a burning +sun, Ruatoka calling out, _Tepiake_, _tepiake_, _tepiake_ (Friends, +friends, friends). Armed natives soon appeared on the ridge, shouting, +_Misi Lao_, _Misi Lao_. Ruatoka called back, _Misi Lao_ (Mr. Lawes), and +all was right--spears were put away and they came to meet us, escorting +us to a sort of reception-room, where we all squatted, glad to get in the +shade from the sun. We were now about 1100 feet above the sea level. We +were surprised to see their houses built on the highest tree-tops they +could find on the top of the ridge. One of the teachers remarked, "Queer +fellows these; not only do they live on the mountain tops, but they must +select the highest trees they can find for their houses." We were very +soon friends; they seemed at ease, some smoking tobacco, others chewing +betel-nuts. I changed my shirt, and when those near me saw my white skin +they raised a shout that soon brought the others round. Bartering soon +began--taro, sugar-cane, sweet yams, and water were got in exchange for +tobacco, beads, and cloth. + +After resting about two hours, we proceeded to the next village, five +miles further along the ridge. Some of our party were too tired to +accompany us; they remained where we expected to camp for the night. +After walking some miles, we came unexpectedly on some natives. As soon +as they saw us they rushed for their spears, and seemed determined to +dispute our way. By a number of signs--touching our chins with our right +hands, etc.--they understood we were not foes, so they soon became +friendly. They had their faces blackened with soot, plumbago, and gum, +and then sprinkled over with white; their mouths and teeth were in a +terrible mess from chewing the betel-nut. On our leaving them, they +shouted on to the next village. An old man lay outside on the platform +of the next house we came to; he looked terribly frightened as we +approached him, but as, instead of injuring him, we gave him a present, +he soon rallied, and got us water to drink. By-and-by a few gathered +round. We understood them to say the most of the people were away on the +plains hunting for wallabies. One young woman had a net over her +shoulders and covering her breasts, as a token of mourning--an +improvement on their ordinary attire, which is simply a short grass +petticoat--the men _nil_. + +After a short stay, we returned to where we thought of camping for the +night, but for want of water we went on to the village we had visited in +the forenoon. We slung our hammocks in the reception room, had supper, +and turned in for the night. It felt bleak and cold, and the narrowness +of the ridge made us careful, even in our sleep, lest we should fall out +and over. On coming across the highest peak in the afternoon, we had a +magnificent view of Mount Owen Stanley, with his two peaks rising far +away above the other mountains by which he is surrounded. It must have +been about thirty miles off, and, I should think, impossible to reach +from where we were. We were entirely surrounded by mountains: mountains +north, east, south, and west--above us and below us. I question if it +will ever be a country worth settling in. + +We were anxious to spend the Sabbath at Port Moresby, so, leaving the +most of our party, who were too tired to come with us, to rest till +Monday, Mr. McFarlane, Ruatoka, and I set off on our return very early on +Saturday morning, and had strangely difficult work in getting down the +mountain side and along the river. Fireflies danced all round in +hundreds, and we awakened many strange birds before their time, which +gave forth a note or two, only to sleep again. Before daylight, we were +at Mr. Goldie's camp, where we had breakfast, and hurried on for the +river. We rested a short time there, and then away over plains to Port +Moresby, which we reached about midday, tired indeed and very footsore. +Oh, that shoemakers had only to wear the boots they send to missionaries! + +Early on Sunday morning, a great many natives went out with their spears, +nets, and dogs, to hunt wallabies. A goodly number attended the forenoon +service, when Mr. Lawes preached. A good many strangers were present +from an inland village on the Astrolabe side. There is not yet much +observance of the Sabbath. Poi, one of the chief men of the place, is +very friendly: he kept quite a party of his inland friends from hunting, +and brought them to the services. Mr. Lawes preached again in the +afternoon. As we went to church in the afternoon the hunters were +returning: they had evidently had a successful day's hunting. During the +day a canoe came in from Hula, laden with old cocoanuts, which were +traded for pottery. + +In the evening, an old sorceress died, and great was the wailing over her +body. She was buried on the Monday morning, just opposite the house in +which she had lived. A grave was dug two feet deep, and spread over with +mats, on which the corpse was laid. Her husband lay on the body, in the +grave, for some time, and, after some talking to the departed spirit, got +up, and lay down by the side of the grave, covered with a mat. About +midday, the grave was covered over with the earth, and friends sat on it +weeping. The relatives of the dead put on mourning by blackening their +bodies all over, and besmearing them with ashes. + +On the 31st, the _Bertha_ left for Kerepunu. As I was anxious to see all +the mission stations along the coast between Port Moresby and Kerepunu, I +remained, to accompany Mr. Lawes in the small schooner _Mayri_. We left +on the following day, and sailed down the coast inside the reef. We +arrived at Tupuselei about midday. There were two teachers here, and Mr. +Lawes having decided to remove one, we got him on board, and sailed for +Kaili. The villages of Tupuselei and Kaili are quite in the sea. I fear +they are very unhealthy--mangroves and low swampy ground abound. The +Astrolabe Range is not far from the shore we were sailing along all day. +There is a fine bold coast line, with many bays. + +In the early morning, our small vessel of only seven tons was crowded +with natives. We left the vessel about nine a.m. for a walk inland, +accompanied by a number of natives, who all went to their houses for +their arms before they would leave their village. They have no faith +whatever in one another. We passed through a large swamp covered with +mangroves--then into a dense tropical bush, passing through an extensive +grove of sago palms and good-sized mango trees. The mangoes were +small--about the size of a plum--and very sweet. At some distance inland +I took up a peculiar-looking seed; one of the natives, thinking I was +going to eat it, very earnestly urged me to throw it away, and with signs +gave me to understand that if I ate it I should swell out to an enormous +size, and die. + +We walked about seven miles through bush, and then began the ascent of +one of the spurs of the Astrolabe. On nearing the inland village for +which we were bound, the natives became somewhat afraid, and the leader +stopped, and, turning to Mr. Lawes, asked him if he would indeed not kill +any of the people. He was assured all was right, and then he moved on a +few paces, to stop again, and re-inquire if all was right. When +reassured, we all went on, not a word spoken by any one, and so in +silence we entered the village. When we were observed, spears began +rattling in the houses; but our party shouted, _Maino_, _maino_ (Peace, +peace), _Misi Lao_, _Misi Lao_. The women escaped through the trap-doors +in the floors of their houses, and away down the side of the hill into +the bush. We reached the chief's house, and there remained. + +The people soon regained confidence, and came round us, wondering greatly +at the first white men they had ever seen in their village. The women +returned from their flight, and began to cook food, which, when ready, +they brought to us, and of which we all heartily partook. We gave them +presents, and they would not suffer us to depart till they had brought us +a return present of uncooked food. They are a fine, healthy-looking +people, lighter than those on the coast. Many were in deep mourning, and +frightfully besmeared. There are a number of villages close by, on the +various ridges. We returned by a different way, following the bed of +what must be in the rainy season a large river. The banks were in many +places from eight to nine feet high. + +On the following morning, November 3rd, we weighed anchor and set sail, +passing Kapakapa, a double village in the sea. The houses are large and +well built. There are numerous villages on the hills at the back of it, +and not too far away to be visited. We anchored off Round Head, which +does not, as represented on the charts, rise boldly from the sea. There +is a plain between two and three miles broad between the sea and the hill +called Round Head. There are many villages on the hills along this part +of the coast. We anchored close to the shore. A number of natives were +on the beach, but could not be induced to visit us on board. We went +ashore to them after dinner. They knew Mr. Lawes by name only, and +became more easy when he assured them that he was really and truly _Misi +Lao_. They professed friendship by calling out, _Maino_, _maino_, +catching hold of their noses, and pointing to their stomachs. After a +little time, two ventured to accompany Mr. Lawes on board, and received +presents. I remained ashore astonishing others by striking matches, and +showing off my arms and chest. The women were so frightened that they +all kept at a respectful distance. These are the natives from an inland +village that killed a Port Moresby native about the beginning of the +year. When those who accompanied Mr. Lawes on board the _Mayri_ returned +to the shore, they were instantly surrounded by their friends, who seized +the presents and made off. They had received fish, biscuit, and taro. +The taro and fish were smelt all over, and carefully examined before +eaten. The biscuit was wrapped up again in the paper. + +On Sunday, the 4th, we were beating down through innumerable reefs, and +at eight p.m. we anchored about three miles from Hula. The following +morning we went up to the village, the _Mayri_ anchoring close by the +houses. The country about here looks fine and green, a very striking +contrast to that around Port Moresby. The further east we get from Port +Moresby, the finer the country looks. The people are also superior--finer- +made men and women, and really pretty boys and girls--more, altogether, +like our eastern South Sea Islanders. The married women spoil their +looks by keeping their heads shaved. They seem fond of their children: +men and women nurse them. They were busy preparing their large canoes to +visit Port Moresby, on the return of the Port Moresby canoes from the +west with sago. + +About three in the afternoon, an old woman made her appearance at the +door of the mission house, bawling out, "Well, what liars these Hula +people are; some of them were inland this morning, and the chief asked +them if _Misi Lao_ had come, and they said no." The chief, who saw the +vessel from the hill top where his village is, thought it strange the +vessel should be there without _Misi Lao_, so sent this woman to learn +the truth. She received a present for herself and the chief, and went +away quite happy. + +Next morning, November 6th, we left Hula with a fair wind, and were +anchored close to Kerepunu by nine o'clock. The _Bertha_ was anchored +fully two miles off. Kerepunu is a magnificent place, and its people are +very fine-looking. It is one large town of seven districts, with fine +houses, all arranged in streets, crotons and other plants growing about, +and cockatoos perching in front of nearly every house. One part of the +population plant, another fish, and the planters buy the fish with their +produce. Men, women, and children are all workers; they go to their +plantations in the morning and return to their homes in the evening, only +sick ones remaining at home; thus accounting for the number of scrofulous +people we saw going about when we first landed. They have a rule, to +which they strictly adhere all the year round, of working for two days +and resting the third. + +The _Bertha_ arrived here on Friday evening. Mrs. Chalmers was at the +forenoon service on the Sunday, and found there a large congregation. The +service was held on the platform of one of the largest houses. Anedered +preached, a number sitting on the platform, others in the house, others +on the ground all round, and many at the doors of their own houses, where +they could hear all that was said. + +Mr. Lawes decided to remain at Kerepunu to revise for the press a small +book Anedered has been preparing, and to follow us to Teste Island in the +_Ellengowan_. We left Kerepunu on the morning of November 8th, the +_Mayri_ leaving at the same time, to sail down inside the surf. We went +right out to sea, so as to beat down, had fine weather, and were off +Teste Island by the 16th. After dinner we took the boat, and with the +captain went in on the east side of the island through the reef, to sound +and find anchorage. + +When we reached the lagoon, a catamaran with three natives on it came off +to us. We asked for Koitan, the chief, which at once gave them +confidence in us, so that they came alongside, one getting into the boat. +He expressed his friendship to us in the usual way, viz. by touching his +nose and stomach, and, being very much excited, seized hold of Mr. +McFarlane and rubbed noses with him, doing the same to me. He received a +present of a piece of hoop-iron and some red braid, which greatly pleased +him. We found the water was deep enough over the reef for the vessel, +and good anchorage inside. We went on to the village, to see about the +supply of water. + +The people were very friendly, and crowded round us. We were led up to a +platform in front of one of their large houses, and there seated and +regaled with cocoanuts. The natives here are much darker than are those +at Kerepunu; most of them suffer from a very offensive-looking skin +disease, which causes the skin to peel off in scales. In their +conversation with one another I recognized several Polynesian words. The +water is obtained by digging in the sand, and is very brackish. + +We came to anchor next morning, and soon were surrounded with canoes, and +our deck swarmed with natives trading their curios, yams, cocoanuts, and +fish for beads and hoop-iron. Many were swearing friendship, and +exchanging names with us, in hopes of getting hoop-iron. There is as +great a demand for hoop-iron here as for tobacco at Port Moresby. They +told us they disliked fighting, but delighted in the dance, betel-nut, +and sleep. The majority have jet black teeth, which they consider very +beautiful, and all have their noses and ears pierced, with various sorts +of nose and ear rings, chiefly made from shell, inserted. A crown piece +could easily be put through the lobe of their ears. + +We went ashore in the afternoon. There are three villages, all close to +one another. Their houses are built on poles, and are shaped like a +canoe turned bottom upwards, others like one in the water. They ornament +their houses on the outside with cocoanuts and shells. The nabobs of the +place had skulls on the posts of their houses, which they said belonged +to the enemies they had killed and eaten. One skull was very much +fractured; they told us it was done with a stone axe, and showed us how +they used these weapons. + +We tried to explain to them that no one was to come to the vessel the +next day, as it was a sacred day. In the early morning, some canoes came +off to trade, but we sent them ashore; a few more followed about +breakfast-time, which were also sent ashore. In the afternoon, our old +friend of the preceding day came off, with his wife and two sons. He +called out that he did not wish to come on board, but that he had brought +some cooked food. We accepted his present, and he remained with his +family in his canoe alongside the vessel for some time, and then went +quietly ashore. We had three services on board, one in the forenoon in +Lifuan, in the afternoon in Rarotongan, and in the evening in English. + +As Teste Island is about twenty miles from the mainland, with a dead beat +to it, I decided to seek for a position more accessible to New Guinea, +and as I had not a teacher to spare for this little island, Mr. McFarlane +decided to leave two of the Loyalty Island teachers here. It is fertile, +and appears healthy, is two and a half miles long, and half a mile broad. +A ridge of hills runs right through its centre from east-north-east to +west-south-west. The natives have some fine plantations on the north +side, and on the south and east sides they have yam plantations to the +very tops of the hills. There are plantations and fruit-trees all round +the island. + +On Monday, I accompanied Mr. McFarlane when he went ashore to make +arrangements to land his teachers and secure a house for them. The +people seemed pleased that some of our party would remain with them. Mr. +McFarlane at once chose a house on a point of land a good way from our +landing-place, and at the end of the most distant village. The owner was +willing to give up the house until the teachers could build one for +themselves, so it was at once taken and paid for. We came along to our +old friend's place near the landing, when we were told that the house +taken was a very bad one. In the first place, the position was +unhealthy; in the second, that was the point where their enemies from +Basilaki (Moresby Island) always landed when they came to fight, and the +people could not protect the teachers if so far off when their foes came. +All agreed in this, and a fine new house which had never been occupied +was offered and taken, the same price being paid for it as for the other +one. This house is close to the landing-place, and in the midst of the +people. The owner of the first house offered to return the things, but +we thought it would not be ruinous to let him keep them, their English +value being about ten shillings. + +We passed a tabooed place, or rather would have done so had we not been +forced to take a circuitous path to the bush. None of the natives spoke +as we passed the place, nor till we were clear of it; they made signs +also to us to be silent. A woman had died there lately, and the friends +were still mourning. There had been no dancing in the settlement since +the death, nor would there be any for some days to come. + +I think women are more respected here than they are in some other heathen +lands. They seem to keep fast hold of their own possessions. A man +stole an ornament belonging to his wife, and sold it for hoop-iron on +board the _Bertha_. When he went ashore he was met on the beach by his +spouse, who had in the meantime missed her trinket; she assailed him with +tongue, stick, and stone, and demanded the hoop-iron. + +The teachers were landed in the afternoon, and were well received. The +natives all promised to care for them, and treat them kindly. There are +about two hundred and fifty natives on the island. No _Ellengowan_ +appearing, we determined to leave this on Wednesday, the 21st, and to +proceed to Moresby Island. Next morning we left, but, owing to light +winds, we did not anchor in Hoop-Iron Bay, off Moresby Island, till the +morning of the 22nd. The anchorage here is in an open roadstead. It is +a very fine island--the vegetation from the water's edge right up to the +mountain tops. Plantations are to be seen all round. The people live in +small detached companies, and are not so pleasant and friendly-looking a +people as are the Teste islanders. This is the great Basilaki, and the +natives are apparently the deadly foes of all the islanders round. Before +we anchored, we were surrounded by catamarans (three small logs lashed +together) and canoes--spears in them all. + +Mr. McFarlane decided, as soon as we came to the island, that he would +not land his teachers here; and I did not consider it a suitable place as +a head station for New Guinea. We left Moresby Island at six a.m. on the +23rd inst., and beat through Fortescue Straits, between Moresby and +Basilisk Islands. The scenery was grand--everything looked so fresh and +green, very different from the deathlike appearance of Port Moresby and +vicinity. The four teachers were close behind us, in their large whale- +boat, with part of their things. On getting out of the Straits, we saw +East Cape; but, as there was no anchorage there, we made for Killerton +Island, about ten miles from the Cape. The wind being very light, it was +eight p.m. before we anchored: the boat got up an hour after us. There +was apparently great excitement ashore; lights were moving about in all +directions, but none came to us. In the morning, a catamaran with two +boys ventured alongside of us; they got a present, and went away +shouting. Soon we were surrounded with catamarans and canoes, with three +or four natives in each. They had no spears with them, nor did they kill +a dog on our quarter-deck, as they did on that of the _Basilisk_. They +appeared quite friendly, and free from shyness. They brought their +curios to barter for beads, red cloth, and the much-valued hoop-iron. The +whole country looked productive and beautiful. After breakfast, we went +ashore, and were led through swampy ground to see the water. On our +return to the shore, we went in search of a position for the mission +settlement, but could not get one far enough away from the swamp, so we +took the boat and sailed a mile or two nearer the Cape, where we found an +excellent position near a river. Mr. McFarlane obtained a fine new house +for the teachers, in which they are to remain till they get a house +built. We took all the teachers' goods ashore, which the natives helped +to carry to the house. One man, who considered himself well dressed, +kept near us all day. He had a pair of trousers, minus a leg: he +fastened the body of the trousers round his head, and let the leg fall +gracefully down his back. + +On the following morning, two large canoes--twenty paddles in each--came +in from somewhere about Milne Bay. They remained for some time near the +shore, getting all the news they could about us from the shore-folk; then +the leader amongst them stood up and caught his nose, and pointed to his +stomach--we doing the same. The large canoes went ashore, and the chief +came off to us in a small one. We gave him a present, which greatly +pleased him. After breakfast, we went ashore to hold a service with the +teachers. We met under a large tree, near their house. About six +hundred natives were about us, and all round outside of the crowd were +men armed with spears and clubs. Mr. McFarlane preached. When the first +hymn was being sung, a number of women and children got up and ran into +the bush. The service was short; at its close we sat down and sang +hymns, which seemed to amuse them greatly. The painted and armed men +were not at all pleasant-looking fellows. + +At two in the morning (Monday), we weighed anchor and returned to Moresby +Island. The wind was very light, and we had to anchor at the entrance to +Fortescue Straits. Next morning, we sailed through the Straits, and, on +coming out on the opposite side, we were glad to see the _Bertha_ beating +about there. By noon we were on board the _Bertha_, and off for South +Cape, the _Mayri_ going to Teste Island with a letter, telling the +captain of the _Ellengowan_ to follow us, and also to see if the teachers +were all right. + +By evening we were well up to South Cape. The captain did not care to +get too near that night, and stood away till morning. About ten next +morning I accompanied the captain in the boat, to sound and look for +anchorage, which we found in twenty-two fathoms, near South-West Point. +By half-past fire that evening we anchored. The excitement ashore was +great, and before the anchor was really down we were surrounded by +canoes. As a people, they are small and puny, and much darker than the +Eastern Polynesians. They were greatly excited over Pi's baby, a fine +plump little fellow, seven months old, who, beside them, seemed a white +child. Indeed, all they saw greatly astonished them. Canoes came off to +us very early in the morning. About half-past seven, when we were ready +to go ashore, there arose great consternation amongst the natives. Three +large war canoes, with conch-shells blowing, appeared off the mainland +and paddled across the Mayri Straits. Soon a large war canoe appeared +near the vessel. A great many small canoes from various parts of the +mainland were ordered off by those on whose side we were anchored. They +had to leave. On their departure a great shout was raised by the +victorious party, and in a short time all returned quietly to their +bartering. It seemed that the Stacy Islanders wished to keep all the +bartering to themselves. They did not wish the rest to obtain hoop-iron +or any other foreign wealth. They are at feud with one party on the +mainland, and I suppose in their late contests have been victorious, for +they told us with great exultation that they had lately killed and eaten +ten of their enemies from the mainland. + +About nine, we went ashore near the anchorage. I crossed the island to +the village, but did not feel satisfied as to the position. One of our +guides to the village wore, as an armlet, the jawbone of a man from the +mainland he had killed and eaten; others strutted about with human bones +dangling from their hair, and about their necks. It is only the village +Tepauri on the mainland with which they are unfriendly. We returned to +the boat, and sailed along the coast. On turning a cape, we came to a +pretty village, on a well-wooded point. The people were friendly, and +led us to see the water, of which there is a good supply. This is the +spot for which we have been in search as a station for beginning work. We +can go anywhere from here, and are surrounded by villages. The mainland +is not more than a gunshot across. God has led us. We made arrangements +for a house for the teachers; then returned to the vessel. + +In the afternoon, I landed the teachers, their wives, and part of their +goods--the people helping to carry the stuff to the house. The house in +which the teachers are to reside till our own is finished is the largest +in the place, but they can only get the use of one end of it--the owner, +who considers himself the chief man of the place, requiring the other end +for himself and family. The partition between the two ends is only two +feet high. Skulls, shells, and cocoanuts are hung all about the house; +the skulls are those of the enemies he and his people have eaten. Inside +the house, hung up on the wall, is a very large collection of human +bones, bones of animals and of fish. + +I selected a spot for our house on the point of land nearest the +mainland. It is a large sand hill, and well wooded at the back. We have +a good piece of land, with bread-fruit and other fruit trees on it, which +I hope soon to have cleared and planted with food, for the benefit of the +teachers who may be here awaiting their stations, as well as for the +teacher for the place. The frontage is the Straits, with the mainland +right opposite. There is a fine anchorage close to the house for vessels +of any size. + +Early next morning there was great excitement ashore. The large war +canoe came off, with drums beating and men dancing. They came alongside +the _Bertha_, and presented us with a small pig and food. Then the men +came on board and danced. The captain gave them a return present. Mr. +McFarlane and I went ashore immediately after breakfast, and found that +the teachers had been kindly treated. We gave some natives a few axes, +who at once set off to cut wood for the house, and before we returned to +the vessel in the evening two posts were up. As the _Bertha's_ time was +up, and the season for the trade winds closing, everything was done to +get on with the house. Mr. McFarlane worked well. Two men from the +_Bertha_, and two from the _Mayri_ joined with the four teachers in the +work, and by Tuesday the framework was nearly up. We landed our things +that day, and immediately after breakfast on Wednesday, December 5th, we +went ashore to reside; and about ten a.m. the _Bertha_ left. On the +Tuesday, Mr. McFarlane and I visited several villages on the mainland: +three in a deep bay, which must be very unhealthy, from the many swamps +and high mountains around. The people appeared friendly, and got very +excited over the presents we gave them. + +We got an old foretopsail from the captain, which we rigged up as a tent, +in which the teachers slept, we occupying their quarters. We enjoyed a +good night's rest. In early morning the house was surrounded with +natives, many of whom were armed. They must wonder at our staying here: +they consider our goods to consist entirely of hoop-iron, axes, knives, +and arrowroot. About eleven a.m. the war canoes were launched on the +opposite side of the water. The excitement here was then great. I met a +lad running with painted skulls to the war canoe of the village. Soon it +was decorated with skulls, shells, cocoanuts, and streamers, and +launched. Those on the opposite side came out into the deep bay; ours +remained stationary till the afternoon, when about thirty men got into +her, and away towards Farm Bay to trade their hoop-iron for sago. + +On Sunday, we met for our usual public services under a large tree, and a +number of natives attended, who of course could not make out what was +said, as they were conducted in Rarotongan. At our morning and evening +prayers numbers are always about who seem to enjoy the singing. We see +quite a number of strangers every day--some from Brumer Island, Tissot, +Teste, China Straits, Catamaran Bay, Farm Bay, and other places. Those +from Vakavaka--a place over by China Straits--are lighter and +better-looking than those here. The women there do not seem to tattoo +themselves. Here they tattoo themselves all over their faces and bodies, +and make themselves look very ugly. I have not seen one large man or +woman amongst them all. + +We had much difficulty in getting a sufficient supply of plaited cocoanut +leaves for the walls and roof of our house. By the 14th, we had the +walls and roof finished, when all our party moved into it. We had a +curtain of unbleached calico put up between the teachers' end and ours, +and curtains for doors and windows, but were glad to get into it in that +unfinished state: the weather was breaking, and we felt anxious about the +teachers sleeping in the tent when it rained, and we had no privacy at +all where we were, and were tired of squatting on the ground, for we +could not get a chair in our part of the house; indeed, the flooring was +of such a construction that the legs of a chair or table would have soon +gone through it. On the 13th, we were busy getting the wood we had cut +for the flooring of our house into the sea to be rafted along; got ten +large pieces into the water by breakfast-time. + +After breakfast, Mrs. Chalmers and I were at the new house, with the +captain of the _Mayri_, when we heard a noise like quarrelling. On +looking out, I saw the natives very excited, and many of them running +with spears and clubs towards the house where Mrs. Chalmers, about five +minutes before, had left the teachers rising from breakfast. I hastened +over, and pushed my way amongst the natives till I got to the front, +when, to my horror, I was right in front of a gun aimed by one of the +_Mayri's_ crew (who had been helping us with the house) at a young man +brandishing a spear. The aim was perfect: had the gun been fired--as it +would have been had I not arrived in time--the native would have been +shot dead. I pushed the native aside, and ordered the gun to be put +down, and turned to the natives, shouting, _Besi_, _besi_! (Enough, +enough!). Some of them returned their spears and clubs, but others +remained threatening. I spoke to our party against using firearms, and +then I caught the youth who was flourishing his spear, and with +difficulty got it from him. Poor fellow, he cried with rage, yet he did +me no harm. I clapped him, and got him to go away. All day he sat under +a tree, which we had frequently to pass, but he would have nothing to say +to us. It seems a knife had been stolen, and he being the only one about +the house when it was missed, was accused of taking it. One of the +teachers was winding line, and he caught the young fellow by the arm to +inquire about the knife. The lad thought he was going to be tied up with +the line; he struggled, got free, and raised the alarm. + +Only the night before I had to warn the teachers against using firearms +to alarm or threaten the natives. An axe was stolen; every place about +was searched for it, and for some time without its being found. At last, +a native found it buried in the sand near where it was last used. It had +evidently been hidden there till a favourable opportunity should occur of +taking it away. During the search, the owner of the axe (one of the +teachers) ran off for his gun, and came rushing over with it. I ordered +him to take it back, and in the evening told them it was only in New +Guinea that guns were used by missionaries. It was not so in any other +mission I knew of, and if we could not live amongst the natives without +arms, we had better remain at home; and if I saw arms used again by them +for anything, except birds, or the like, I should have the whole of them +thrown into the sea. + +In the afternoon of the 14th, I went over to the house in which we had +been staying, to stir up the teachers to get the things over more +quickly; Mrs. Chalmers remaining at the new house to look after the +things there, as, without doors or flooring, everything was exposed. I +went to the seaside to call to the captain of the _Mayri_ to send us the +boat ashore, when, on looking towards my left, I saw twenty armed natives +hurrying along. Though painted, I recognized some of them as those who +were very friendly on board the _Bertha_, and spoke to them; but they +hurried past, frowning and saying something I did not understand. They +went straight on to the chief's house, and surrounded our party. I +passed through, and stood in front of them. One very ugly-looking +customer was brandishing his spear close by me. It was an anxious +moment, and one in which I am sure many would have used firearms. I +called out to the teachers, "Remain quiet." Our chief sprung out on to +the platform in front of the house and harangued. He was very excited. +Shortly he called to the teachers, in signs and words, to bring out their +guns and fire. They refused. He then rushed into the house and seized a +gun, and was making off with it, when one of the teachers caught hold of +him. I, seeing the teacher with the chief, thought something was wrong, +and went to them. We quieted him, and did our best to explain to him +that we were no fighters, but men of peace. The babel all round us was +terrible. By-and-by a request was made to me to give the chief from the +other side a present, and get him away. I said, "No; had he come in +peace, and as a chief, I would have given him a present, but I will not +do so now." They retired to deliberate, and sent another request for a +present. "No; no presents to men in arms. If the chief returns +to-morrow unarmed, he will get a present." It seems they are vexed with +our living here instead of with them, because they find those here are +getting what they consider very rich by our living with them. When quiet +was restored, we returned to the carrying of our things. When we came to +the last few things, our chief objected to their removal until he got a +farewell present. He had been paid for the use of the house before any +of us entered it; but we gave him another present, and so finished the +business. + +Our large cross-cut saw was stolen during the hubbub. It belonged to the +teachers of East Cape. It had only been lent to us, so we had to get it +back. The next morning the chief from the other side came to see me. He +received a present, and looked particularly sheepish when I tried to +explain to him that we did not like fighting. All day I took care to +show that I was very displeased at the loss of the saw, and by the +evening I was told that it had been taken by those on the other side; and +offers of returning it were made, but I saw I was expected to buy it from +them. I said, "No; I will not buy what was stolen from me; the saw must +be returned, and I will give an axe to the one who goes for it, and +fetches it to me." + +The following day, Sunday, the 15th, we held the usual services under a +large tree near the mission house; a great many strangers present; the +latter were very troublesome. On Monday afternoon the saw was returned. +The _Mayri_ left us that day, to visit the teachers at East Cape. The +people are getting quieter. At present they are chiefly interested in +the sawing of the wood for the flooring of the house. They work +willingly for a piece of hoop-iron and a few beads, but cannot do much +continuously. They seem to have no kind of worship, and their sports are +few. The children swing, bathe, and sail small canoes. The grown-up +people have their dance--a very poor sort of thing. A band of youths, +with drums, stand close together, and in a most monotonous tone sing +whilst they beat the drums. The dancers dance round the men once or +twice, and all stop to rest a bit. I have been twice present when only +the women danced. They bury their dead, and place houses over the +graves, which they fence round, planting crotons, bananas, etc., inside. +They do their cooking inside their houses. It was very hot and +uncomfortable when we were in the native house. The master being a sort +of chief, and having a large household, a great deal of cooking was +required. Three large fires were generally burning in their end of the +house for the greater part of the day. The heat and smoke from these +fires were not nice. Indeed, they generally had one or two burning all +night, to serve for blankets, I suppose. + +[Natives of South-Eastern New Guinea: 59.jpg] + +We went on with our work about the place, getting on well with the +natives and with those from other parts. We became so friendly with the +natives that I had hoped to go about with them in their canoes. Several +natives from one of the settlements invited me to visit their place, and +said if I went with them in their canoe they would return me. I went +with them, and was well received by all the people at the settlement, +where I spent some hours. On the 21st of December, the _Mayri_ returned +from East Cape, and reported that all were sick, but that the people were +very friendly and kind to teachers. Anxious to keep the vessel employed, +and to prepare the way for landing teachers, I resolved to visit a +settlement on the mainland at deadly feud with this people. The people +here tried hard to dissuade me from going, telling me that, as I stayed +with them, my head would be cut off. Seeing me determined to go, they +brought skulls, saying, mine would be like that, to adorn their enemies' +war canoe, or hang outside the chief's house. Feeling sure that they did +not wish me to go because they were afraid the hoop-iron, the knives, +axes, beads, and cloth might also be distributed on the other side, I +told them I must go; so they left me to my fate. + +I took the teacher with me that I hoped to leave there. We were received +very kindly by the people. They led us inland, to show us there was +water, and when we got back to the seaside they regaled us with sugar- +cane and cocoanuts. They then told us that they did not live at the +village, but at the next, and merely came here for food. We then got +into a canoe, and were paddled up to the other village, where a great +crowd assembled, and where we publicly gave the chiefs our presents. They +danced with delight, and told the teacher not to be long until he came to +reside with them. + +On our return we thought our friends seemed disappointed. We had +suffered no harm; however, as I had been unwell for some days, and felt +worse on the day following my trip, they felt comforted, and assured me +it was because of our visiting Tepauri. We had several things stolen, +and amongst other things a camp oven, which we miss much. Yet these are +things which must be borne, and we can hope that some day their stealing +propensities will change. From a very unexpected source, and in a very +unexpected manner, the whole prospects of this eastern mission seemed all +at once to be upset. I do not think I can do better than extract my +journal for the next few days. + +_December_ 29_th_.--About twelve o'clock three lads from the _Mayri_ came +ashore to cut firewood. One of them came to me, saying, "I 'fraid, sir, +our captain he too fast with natives. One big fellow he come on board, +and he sit down below. Captain he tell him get up; he no get up. Captain +he get sword, and he tell him, s'pose he no get up he cut head off; he +get up, go ashore. I fear he no all right." They left me and went +towards the sawpit. Some men were clearing at the back of my house, some +were putting up a cook-house, and the teachers were sawing wood. On the +cook-house being finished, I was paying the men, when, on hearing a great +noise, I rose up and saw those who were at the sawpit running away and +leaping the fence, and heard firing as if from the vessel. I rushed into +the house with my bag, and then out to see what it was. I saw natives on +board the _Mayri_, and some in canoes; they were getting the hawser +ashore, and pulling up the anchor, no doubt to take the vessel. +Everywhere natives were appearing, some armed, and others unarmed. Two +of the lads from the vessel, wishing to get on board, went to their boat, +but found the natives would not let it go. I shouted to the natives +detaining it to let it go, which they did. Had I not been near, they +would certainly have been fired upon by the two lads, who were armed with +muskets. Before the boat got to the vessel I saw natives jump overboard, +and soon the firing became brisker. I rushed along the beach, calling +upon the natives to get into the bush, and to those on board to cease +firing. Firing ceased, and soon I heard great wailing at the chief's +house, where I was pressed to go. A man was shot through the leg and +arm. On running through the village to the house, to get something for +the wounded man, I was stopped to see a young man bleeding profusely, +shot through the left arm, the bullet entering the chest. I got some +medicine and applied it to both. + +When I reached the house, I found Mrs. Chalmers the only calm person +there. Natives were all around armed. When at the chief's house with +medicine I was told there was still another, and he was on board. They +kept shouting "Bocasi, Bocasi," the name of the man who was on board in +the morning. I found a small canoe all over blood, and two natives +paddled me off. On getting alongside, I saw the captain sitting on deck, +looking very white, and blood all about him. I asked, "Is there still a +man on board?" Answer: "Yes." "Is he shot?" "Yes." "Dead?" "Yes." He +was dead, and lying below. I was afraid to remain long on board, and +would not risk landing with the body; nor would it do for the body to be +landed before me, as then I might be prevented from landing at all; so I +got into the canoe, in which one native was sitting. The other was +getting the body to place in the canoe; but I said, "Not in this one, but +a larger one." So ashore I went, and hastened to the house. I +understood the captain to say that they attempted to take his life, and +this big man, armed with a large sugar-cane knife, was coming close up, +and he shot him dead. The captain's foot was frightfully cut. He had a +spear-head in his side, and several other wounds. + +The principal people seemed friendly, and kept assuring us that all was +right, we should not be harmed. Great was the wailing when the body was +landed, and arms were up and down pretty frequently. Canoes began to +crowd in from the regions around. A man who has all along been very +friendly and kept close by us advised us strongly to leave during the +night, as, assuredly, when the war canoes from the different parts came +in, we should be murdered. Mrs. Chalmers decidedly opposed our leaving. +God would protect us. The vessel was too small, and not provisioned, and +to leave would be losing our position as well as endangering Teste and +East Cape. We came here for Christ's work, and He would protect us. + +In the dusk, one of the crew came ashore, saying that the captain was +very ill, and wanted to go off to Murray Island. I could not go on +board, and leave them here. We consented to the vessel's leaving, and I +gave the lad some medicine for the captain, and asked him to send on +shore all he could spare in the way of beads, etc. I took all that was +necessary, and about half-past seven the vessel left. We were told we +should have to pay something to smooth over the trouble, which we were +quite willing to do. Late at night we had things ready. We had our +evening prayers in Rarotongan, reading Psalm xlvi., and feeling that God +was truly our refuge. + +People were early about on the 30th. We gave the things which were +prepared, and they were accepted. The people from the settlement to +which the man belonged who was shot came to attack us, but the people +here ordered them back. Many people came in from islands and mainland. A +number of so-called chiefs tell us no one will injure us, and that we can +go on with our work. We thought it not well to have services out of +doors to-day, so held prayer-meetings in the house. + +Great crowds came in from all round on the 31st, and many war canoes. The +people were extremely impudent, jumping the fence, and taking no heed of +what we said. One of the chief men of the settlement to which the man +who was shot belongs returned from Vaare (Teste Island). He seemed +friendly, and I gave him a present. + +I had an invitation to attend a cannibal feast at one of the settlements. +Some said it would consist of two men and a child, others of five and a +child. + +The people continued troublesome all day, and seemed to think we had +nothing else to do than attend to their demands. + +_January_ 1_st_, 1878.--We were told we might be attacked. There was a +great wailing assembly at the other village. A canoe from Tanosine, with +a great many ugly-looking men, passed, and our friends here seemed to +fear they would attack us. We thought everything settled, and that we +should have no more to pay. The warp belonging to the _Mayri_ was +carried past to-day and offered for sale; but I would have nothing to do +with it. We have tried the meek and quiet up till now, and they only +become more impudent and threatening. + +Having tried the peaceful and pleasant, we determined to show the natives +that we were not afraid, and resisted every demand, and insisted that +there should be no more leaping the fence. On demands being made, I +shouted, "No more; wait, and when Beritama fighting canoe comes, then +make your demands." They seemed afraid, and became less troublesome. + +In the afternoon of January 2nd, the parties who have the hawser brought +it to me; but I would have nothing to do with it. I told them if +Pouairo, the settlement of the man who was shot, determines to attack us, +let them come, we, too, can fight. One of the teachers fired off his gun +at some distance from a bread-fruit tree, and the bullet went clean +through a limb of it; it caused great exclamations, and crowds went to +look at it. + +The hawser was returned and left outside. We took no notice of it. The +people were much quieter, and no demands were made. The cannibal feast +was held. Some of our friends appeared with pieces of human flesh +dangling from their neck and arms. The child was spared for a future +time, it being considered too small. Amidst all the troubles Mrs. +Chalmers was the only one who kept calm and well. + +The _Ellengowan_ arrived on January 20th. The natives were beginning to +think no vessel would come; but when it arrived, they were frightened, +and willing to forget the _Mayri_ affair. A few days before she arrived +some of our friends warned us against going too far away from the house. +After her arrival we were able to go about among the people again. + + + + +CHAPTER II. A FEW TRIP INCIDENTS. + + +Start eastwards from Heath Island--Naroopoo--Trading with Natives--Landing +at Roux Island--Interview with the Chief--The Man with the club--Effect +of a gunshot on the natives--Ellengowan Bay--Narrow Escape--The steam- +whistle useful--Attempt to go inland unsuccessful--Amazons--Women chief +instigators of quarrels--Toulon Island--The real "Amazons' Land"--How the +report arose--Cloudy Bay--Interview with the Chief--Sandbank Bay--A +hurried time--Dufaure Island--Attack on Mr. Chalmers by Aroma +natives--Defended by some of the natives--Attack due to evil conduct of +white men--Intentions of the natives--Heathen +customs--Pigs--Planting--Trading--Sickness. + +The _Ellengowan_ had been thoroughly refitted at Sydney; and in the +spring of 1878, accompanied by my wife, I embarked on a cruise from east +to west along the south coast of New Guinea. The little steamer was +commanded by Captain Dudfield, and manned by an efficient native crew. +Communication was held with some two hundred villages, one hundred and +five were personally visited, and ninety for the first time by a white +man. Several bays, harbours, rivers, and islands were discovered and +named; the country between Meikle and Orangerie Bays, together with that +lying at the back of Kerepunu was explored, and the entire coast line +from Keppel Point to McFarlane Harbour, traversed on foot. + +In travelling through a new country, it is impossible not to have many +experiences that may interest those at home, although to the traveller +they may seem of little moment. In May, 1878, I began my journeys on New +Guinea, in parts hereto unknown, and amongst tribes supposed to be +hostile. I resolved, come what might, to travel unarmed, trusting to Him +in whose work I was engaged, and feeling that no harm could come to me +while in His care. + +On leaving Heath Island, we really began on new and little-known seas and +country, and we first anchored in a bay we called Inverary Bay. On +landing, we were met by a few men, the others coming out with goods and +chattels. We steamed round by the Leocadie, through what forms a good +harbour for small vessels, and over by the sandbanks in Catamaran Bay. We +called at Tanosina, to the east of the Leocadie, landing with caution, as +these people had been rather troublesome on our first arrival at South +Cape, and were very anxious to avenge the man shot on board the _Mayri_. +They did not receive us heartily, and seemed inclined to be impudent, so +I thought it best, after giving one or two presents, to get quietly to +the boat and away. I may here say that in after-times these people were +very friendly, and helped us much in our work. We visited all round the +bay, returning to South Cape. + +After getting a supply of water and fuel on board, we started again, +going east round Rugged Head to Farm Bay, and well up to the head of the +bay, anchoring opposite to Naroopoo. I landed, and soon had an admiring +crowd round me. I was dressed in white, with black leather boots. +Sitting on a verandah, some, more daring than others, would come up, +touch my shirt and trousers, bite their fingers, and run away. Again and +again this was done by the bold ones, who always eyed my boots. After +consultation, one old woman mustered courage, came up, touched my +trousers, and finally my boots. She was trembling all over, but horror +of horrors, to add to her fear, lifting my foot, I pulled my boot off; +she screamed and ran, some others setting out with her, and did not stop +until quite out of sight. + +After visiting several villages, and finding that the bay was thickly +populated, I went on board. The following morning many canoes came +alongside, and on our getting up steam were much afraid. It was evident +they wanted to show us that they had confidence in us, but it was +difficult with the steam up, the snorting and general commotion on board +being so great. We warned them on getting up anchor to clear off. Why +should they? There was no sail, nor were we going to move. A commotion +aft, canoes with crews clearing away to a very safe distance. One canoe +hanging on is pulled under, a wild shout, a moment's silence, and then +there is a loud roar of laughter, when they see canoe and paddlers appear +astern at some distance. We rounded One Tree Point and could see no +entrance to a bay, just a few miles beyond, but since explored and named +Lawes Bay. Keeping on, we anchored outside of the Roux Islands, in a +fine safe harbour. Before leaving our friends at South Cape, they were +boasting of having visited some place on the coast, where, on showing +their large knives, the natives all left, they helping themselves to a +good many things. + +We had some difficulty in getting a canoe to come alongside, and it was +not until we had fastened a piece of red cloth to a stick and floated it +astern, that the first canoe would come near. The natives approached, +picked up the red cloth, and in showing them pieces of hoop-iron, they +gradually came near enough to take hold of a piece, look well at it, and +finally decide to come alongside. Once alongside we were soon +fraternizing, and on seeing this other canoes came off, and trading for +curios began. Asking the captain to keep on trading as long as possible, +I hastened ashore, to see the chief of one of the villages. As long as +trading canoes remain alongside, the parties landing are perfectly safe; +care should be taken to get away as soon as possible after the canoes +leave the vessel. + +The tide was far out when our boat touched the beach. A crowd met us, +and in every hand was a club or spear. I went on to the bow, to spring +ashore, but was warned not to land. I told them I had come to see the +chief, had a present for him, and must see him. + +"Give us your present, and we will give it to him, but you must not +land." + +"I am Tamate, from Suau, and have come as a friend to visit your old +chief, and I must land." + +An elderly woman came close up to the boat, saying, "You must not land, +but I will take the present, or," pointing to a young man close by, "he +will take it for his father," he being the chief's son. + +"No; I must see the chief for myself; but the son I should also like to +know, and will give him a present too." + +Springing ashore, followed by the mate, a fine, daring fellow, much +accustomed to roughing it on the diggings, and not the least afraid of +natives, I walked up the long beach to the village, to the chief's house. +The old man was seated on the platform in front of the house, and did not +even deign to rise to receive us. I told him who I was, and the object +of my coming. He heard me through, and treated the whole as stale news. +I placed my present on the platform in front of him, and waited for some +word of satisfaction; but none escaped the stern old chieftain. Presents +of beads were handed to little children in arms, but indignantly +returned. Loud laughing in the outskirts of crowd and little jostling. + +"Gould," said I to the mate, "I think we had better get away from here; +keep eyes all round, and let us make quietly to the beach." + +To the chief I said, "Friend, I am going; you stay." Lifting his +eyebrows, he said, "Go." + +We were followed by the crowd, one man with a large round club walking +behind me, and uncomfortably near. Had I that club in my hand, I should +feel a little more comfortable. When on the beach we saw the canoes had +left the vessel, and were hurrying ashore; our boat was soon afloat, +still, we had some distance to go. I must have that club, or I fear that +club will have me. I had a large piece of hoop-iron, such as is highly +prized by the natives, in my satchel; taking it, I wheeled quickly round, +presented it to the savage, whose eyes were dazzled as with a bar of +gold. With my left hand I caught the club, and before he became +conscious of what was done I was heading the procession, armed as a +savage, and a good deal more comfortable. We got safely away. + +From Fyfe Bay we went round to Meikle Bay, where I visited all the +villages, and was well received. Before landing I decided to walk +inland, and see for myself if there was no arm of the sea running up at +the back. The charts showed no such thing, but I felt sure, from the +formation of the land and the manner of clouds hanging over it, that +there must be a lake or some large sheet of water, and that there must be +considerable streams carrying off the water of the Lorne Range and Cloudy +Mountains, as no stream of any size came to the sea on the coast-side. I +got the chief of the village at the head of the bay and a large following +to show us the way. We travelled for some miles through good country, +and at last came out opposite a large sheet of water, stretching well up +towards Cloudy Mountain and away towards the head of Milne Bay. Seeing +the Stirling Range, I was able to take a few positions. + +Our mate, who had his fowling-piece with him, saw a very pretty parrot on +a cocoanut tree. He approached until close under--the natives, about +forty in number, standing breathlessly round, and wondering what was +going to happen. Bang! Down dropped the parrot; a wail, hands to ears, +a shout, and we were left alone with the chief, who happened to be +standing close by me. Those natives only ceased running when they +reached their homes. + +We visited several villages, and at sundown returned. In the dark we +travelled along the bed of a creek, passing small villages, whose +inhabitants were terribly alarmed, but none more so than our chief. Poor +fellow, he _was_ frightened. How nimbly he ascended his platform on our +arrival at his house, where his two wives were crying, but now rejoiced +to see him in the body. Long ago the escort had returned with a terrible +tale, and they feared whether their husband could have lived through it +all. But he was now considered a veritable hero, to be sung in song and +shouted in dance. Friends gather round; he tells his tale; presents the +bird; the wives examine it, then the crowd of relatives. He afraid! oh +dear no! But he looked pale for a native, and no quantity of hoop-iron +would induce him to move from that platform and the side of those dear +wives that night. Enough for one day, one month, one year, so, "Good- +bye, Tamate; I shall be off in the morning to see you." Arriving on +board late, we were welcome: they feared we had been spirited away. + +The following day we got round to Ellengowan Bay. After visiting all the +villages, I went right up to the head of the bay to see Silo and its +chief. The tide was very low, and after pulling the boat some distance +through mud we left her in charge of the two rowers, the mate and I going +to the village. He had hoop-iron cut in seven-inch lengths in his +pockets. The old chief received us graciously, and began giving me a +long story of what he wished to do in the way of pigs and food, if I +would only stay two days. It was a sickly looking hole, and not being +quite rid of fever, I hoped to get on board and away in an hour. A large +crowd gathered round, all under arms, very noisy, and certainly not +gentle. A slight scuffle took place, but was soon over. The mate missed +some of his hoop-iron, caught one young man with a piece, and took it +from him. The crowd increased. I told the chief I should prefer his +people unarmed, and not so noisy. He spoke to them, some put down their +clubs and spears; but they were hidden in the bush close by. We bade the +chief good-bye, but he expressed a great wish to see me in the boat. +Apparently with great carelessness, we made towards the beach, attended +by a noisy crowd, all arms now picked up. Remembering the difficulty we +had in landing, and knowing savages preferred killing out of their own +villages, hospitality having ended when friends left the precincts, I +determined not to have that crowd near the boat. I asked the chief to +send them back; but to him they would not listen, and still the noisy +crowd followed on. I shouted to them to return, and not come troubling +us, as we were getting into the boat. No use; on they followed, and the +boat they meant to visit. I stood still, and not feeling particularly +cheerful, I told them to go on, and go off to the vessel--that I should +wait and return to the village. Stamping my foot, as if in a towering +passion, I told the chief, "Go with all your people to the boat; as for +me, I shall return." It had the desired effect. The people fled, and +the few who remained listened to the old man, and came no further. We +got to the boat and away, glad to escape without any unpleasantness. + +Entering Orangerie Bay, we anchored off the village of Daunai, from which +the whole district takes its name. When here, our Chinese cook lost his +knife, and, spotting the thief, determined to have it; but our captain +prevented him from jumping into one of the canoes, and so avoided +trouble. There were over one hundred canoes round the vessel, and +altogether over four hundred men. + +We stopped all trading, and frightened the canoes away by blowing the +steam whistle--they were much afraid of it, and kept at a very respectful +distance. + +We went up the long sheet of water we saw when we crossed Meikle Bay, +finding it in every way suited to its native name, Paroai, or piggish +water, and quite useless as a harbour for anything larger than an +ordinary boat. I went ashore in one of the canoes, to be landed at +Bootu, and walk across to Milne Bay. Before leaving the vessel I engaged +with the natives to take me right away to the head of the lagoon, and +when I had seen Milne Bay, to return me to the vessel, when they would be +paid for all their trouble. So with our bags and a few eatables, we +started; when about a mile away from the vessel, they headed the canoe +more in towards the right shore, and no amount of talk in calmness or +wrath would get them to do otherwise. We touched at a place not far from +a village we visited overland--some left us, and we were certainly now +too weak to proceed. We ran down to the village, where we landed with my +bag, and away went my native canoe men. Love or money would not move the +villagers, and they were exceedingly impudent, knowing well that we were +quite in their hands. My friend the mate, who insisted on accompanying +me, agreed with me that things were rather out of the common with us, and +that a sharp eye, and quick ear, and quick action were of some +importance. They at once went to get their clubs and spears, and begged +and insisted on presents; but they were astonished, I doubt not, to find +their begging of little avail. + +"Go to the vessel, if you want presents." + +"Why are you anchored so far off?" + +"Can't get nearer, and only wish you would show me the way in close to +here." + +Pointing to a passage close in shore, I suggested they had better take us +off, and we would try and get her round when the tide rose; but to this +they objected, and instead of becoming more friendly, it seemed to us +they were just going the other way; but that may have been merely as we +thought, looking at them through coloured glasses, suspicion, and a +certain mixture of doubt if ever we should again see the vessel. A few +men came running along the beach. I met them, and hurriedly asked them +to take us off when they would have hoop-iron and beads. + +"Yes." + +"Quick! do not let them think! Into the nearest canoe." + +Away in the distance those in the village were shouting and +gesticulating. + +"Come back! Come back, at once." + +"Oh no, my friends; pull, you must pull!" and while they are discussing +we are paddling. I tell them it would be dangerous to attempt going +back. On we go, beyond small islands in sight of vessel, and now they +give up speaking of returning. We got off, and I paid the fellows well. +Anxious to get in, we tried in many places at high tide to enter the +shore channel, but all was useless. For several miles we were sailing +deep in mud, unable to work the engine. A canoe came near, and I told +them to inform those ashore that we could not get in. + +At Port Glasgow, the people cleared out, bag and baggage, leaving us in +quiet possession. At Port Moresby, I had heard of a woman's land, a land +where only women--perfect Amazons--lived and ruled. These ladies were +reported to be excellent tillers of the soil, splendid canoeists in +sailing or paddling, and quite able to hold their own against attacks of +the sterner sex, who sometimes tried to invade their country. At the +East End they knew nothing of this woman's land, and nowhere east of Hula +have I ever heard it spoken of. + +To find so interesting a community was of great moment, and everywhere we +went we inquired, but only to be laughed at by the natives; sometimes +asked by them, "How do they continue to exist?" But that, too, puzzled +us. As no part of the coast from East Cape to Port Moresby would be left +unvisited by us, we were certain to come across the Amazonian settlement, +and when we did, it would be useful to keep a sharp look-out, as I have +noticed that the instigators of nearly all quarrels are the women. I +have seen at South Cape, when the men were inclined to remain quiet, the +women rush out, and, as if filled with devils, incite them. Just after +the attack on the _Mayri_, and when I was going about the settlement +attending to the wounded, I heard the women call loudly for vengeance, +and, because the men would not at once heed them, throw their shields on +the ground and batter them with stones, then pull their hair, and tell +the men they were only poor weak cowards. + +We heard that Mailiukolo (Toulon) canoes with women were more numerous, +and some very large ones with women alone. In the early morning we were +off the island, and soon ready to land. On crossing the reef we met two +canoes, one with men and one with women. We signed to them to go to the +vessel, whilst we pulled up to the large village on the north side. As +the boat touched the fine hard sandy beach, a man, the only being in +sight, ran down and stood in front. I went forward to spring ashore, but +he said I must not. Finding he knew the Daunai dialect, I said to him, I +must land; that I was a friend, and gave him my name, which he already +knew from the east. I gave him a strip of red cloth and stepped ashore, +when he ran away into the bush. At our first approach I could only see +this one man, but now I saw hundreds of grass petticoats on women +standing under the houses. I could not see the upper parts of their +bodies, only the petticoats and feet. They were indeed quiet until I +advanced nearer, when one wild scream was given that would try stronger +nerves than mine, and signs to keep away. It required more +inquisitiveness than I possessed to proceed. I retired a few paces, +warning the boat's crew to keep a good look-out, and especially from the +bush end of the village, where the man ran to. I invited the dusky +damsels to come to me, if they objected to my visiting them; but no, I +must return whence I came; they had seen me, that was enough. + +"No, my friends; we must meet, and you will have some presents." + +I held up beads and red cloth, but, strange to say, they seemed to have +no effect on that curious crowd. I never saw so many women together. How +were we to meet? was now the question; to be baulked by them would never +do. I threw on the beach a piece of red cloth and a few beads; walked +away quite carelessly, and apparently not noticing what was taking place. +A girl steals out from the crowd, stops, turns, eyes fixed on me; +advances, stops, crosses her hands, pressing her breast. Poor thing! not +courage enough; so, lightning speed, back. It is evident the old ladies +object to the younger ones attempting, and they are themselves too +frightened. Another young damsel about nine or ten years old comes out, +runs, halts, walks cat-like, lest the touch of her feet on the sand +should waken me from my reverie; another halt, holds her chest, lest the +spirit should take its flight or the pattering heart jump right out. I +fear it was beyond the slight patter then, and had reached the stentorian +thump of serious times. On; a rush; well done! She picks cloth and +beads up. + +I have gained my point, and will soon have the crowds--no need to wait so +long to have the baits picked up now, and, after a few more such +temptings, it is done. I am besieged by the noisest crowd I have ever +met, and am truly glad to escape on board the boat. We went to the +vessel, and brought her round to the west side, where we anchored, and I +again landed. Crowds met me on the beach, but no men. I gave my beads +indiscriminately, and soon there was a quarrel between the old ladies and +young ones. The latter were ordered off, and, because they would not go, +I must go. The old ladies insisted on my getting into the boat, and, +being now assisted by the few men we met in the canoe, I thought it +better to comply. Long after we left the beach we heard those old +cracked, crabbed voices anathematizing the younger members of that +community. I suppose I was the first white mortal to land on that sacred +shore, and I must have been to them a strange object indeed. + +I am fully convinced that this is the Woman's Land, and can easily +account for its being called so by stray canoes from the westward. + +After leaving the island, we steamed round to the westward of the small +islands in Amazon Bay, where we intended to spend a quiet Sabbath after a +hard week's work, and previous to beginning another. After anchoring, +canoes with men and boys kept crossing from the mainland, and all day +Sunday it was the same. They halted at the islands, and with the next +tide went on to Toulon. Landing on the Saturday evening to shoot +pigeons, we met several natives, and learned that their plantations were +on the mainland, and that they crossed to plant and fight, taking their +boys with them. Afterwards at Aroma, they told me they left their wives +and daughters at home in charge of a few men, whilst the majority crossed +to the main, and stayed away for some time, returning with food, to spend +a few days at home on the island. During their absence, the women sail +about and trade, going as far as Dedele in Cloudy Bay, being one and the +same people. Canoes from the westward might have called at Toulon when +the men were on the mainland fighting and planting, and seeing only +women, would soon report a woman's land. Many years ago an Elema canoe +was carried away there. They were kindly treated by the Amazons, but at +Dedele on returning, were attacked and several killed; they naturally +reported a woman's land too. + +The following week we visited Dedele in Cloudy Bay, which had been +visited two years previously by Messrs. Lawes and McFarlane. The village +was barricaded with high and thick mangrove sticks, with a narrow opening +to the sea. They objected to my landing, and formed a crescent in front +of the boat. I sprung ashore and asked for the chief. I held out a +piece of hoop-iron, and a rather short, well-built man, dressed with +boar's tusks and other ornaments, stepped forward and took my present. He +took me by the hand, and led me to the village, just allowing me to peep +in at the opening. I could see the women rushing out by an opening at +the other side; pigs, dogs, nets, and other valuables were being carried +off; they were rushing off wildly away into the bush. I was very anxious +to get right in, and meant to before I went to the boat. My beads were +all done up in small parcels, so I could throw them about easily. A poor +old woman was sitting under the nearest house, bewailing her sad lot, +with an infant, the mother of which had very likely gone off to the bush +to hide the valuables and to return for the child, or perhaps she was +upstairs packing up. I threw the poor old dame a packet of beads for +herself and another for the child. Spying another old lady close by on +the opposite side, I threw her one. It had the desired effect; my +friend, the chief, who stood guard at the opening, now conceived the +"happy thought" that something could be made out of me. + +"Would you like to walk round and look at the village?" + +"Yes, I should." + +"Come, then;" and, giving me his hand, he led me, attended by an armed +crowd, to every house, on the verandahs of which I deposited a packet of +beads. He was the chief, and was named Gidage. When going round he +said-- + +"You are no longer Tamate, you are Gidage." + +"Right, my friend; you are no longer Gidage, you are Tamate." + +I gave him an extra present, and he gave me a return one, saying, +"Gidage, we are friends; stay, and I, Tamate, will kill you a pig." + +"No, Tamate. Gidage must go; but hopes to re-return, and will then eat +Tamate's pig." + +"No, stay now; we are friends, and you must be fed!" + +"No, I cannot stay; but when I return, then pig-eating"--not a very +pleasant employment when, other things can be had. + +Pigs are very valuable animals here, and much thought of, and only true +friends can be regaled with them. The women nurse the pig. I have seen +a woman suckling a child at one breast and a small pig at the other; that +was at South Cape. I have seen it also at Hula and Aroma. Proceeding to +the beach, we parted, old and well-known friends. + +"Gidage, must you go?" + +"Yes; I cannot now stay, Tamate." + +"Go, Gidage; how many moons until you return?" + +"Tamate, I cannot say; but hope to return." + +"_Kaione_ (good-bye), Tamate." + +"_Kaione_, Gidage;" and away he started, leaving Tamate on the beach, +surrounded by an interesting crowd of natives. + +It was near here, a few years after, that a _beche-de-mer_ party of seven +were murdered; and on the opposite side of the bay two cedar-seekers were +waylaid, and lost their lives. We went into Sandbank Bay, and I landed +at the village of Domara. What a scene it was! The women rushed into +the long grass, and I was led, after a good deal of talk, up to the +village--only to see, at the other end, grass petticoats disappearing, +the wearers hidden by the quantity of stuff they were carrying. One poor +woman, heavily laden with treasures, had perched above all her child, and +away she, too, was flying. Never had white man landed there before, and +who knows what he may be up to? + +The following incident illustrates the shocks a traveller must put up +with in New Guinea. + +It was resting-day at a village, far away from the coast, and, spreading +my chart out on the middle of the floor in the small native house in +which we were camping, several sitting round, I was tracing our journey +done, and the probable one to do, when strange drops were falling around, +a few on the chart. They came from a bulky parcel overhead. Jumping up +quickly, I discovered that they were grandmother's remains being dried. +Our chart was placed on the fire, and the owner was called lustily, who +hurriedly entered and walked away with the parcel. It was altogether a +hurried time, and spoiled our dinner. Feeling convinced that a suitable +locality for the settlement of teachers might be found in the +neighbourhood of Orangerie Bay, I resolved on returning thither, and we +anchored at Kuragori, on the east side of Dufaure Island, on April 25th, +1879. I went ashore, and found the people delighted to meet me. The +chief, Tutuaunei, seems a fine young fellow. The people are +good-looking, clear-skinned, and very few suffering from skin disease. +They were quite at home with us, and a number accompanied me inland. In +strong trade winds, the vessel could lie under the lee of the mainland +opposite. We got on board, and steamed round to the north side, +anchoring off Bonabona. + +I went ashore, and was met on the beach by Meaudi, the chief. He is the +chief of four villages, some distance from one another, and all a good +size. I visited all four. They have good houses, and all looks clean. I +saw no mangroves whatever, and no appearance of swamp. The villages are +on the beach, and I believe in good healthy positions. We walked from +Bonabona to Sigokoiro, followed by a large number of men, women, and +children, who were much interested in my boots, clothes, and hat. The +chief lives in Gokora, and when on the platform in front of his fine +large house I gave the present, and we exchanged names. By adopting his +name, it meant I was to visit all his very special friends, and give them +also presents. I called an old woman sitting by to come to me. Very +hesitatingly she came, and stretched forth her arm to receive a present. +I asked her to come nearer, which she did, when assured by the chief it +was all right, and I put her present of beads round her neck. Then all +the people shouted, clapped their hands, and danced with delight. After +that, all the old women were produced. We were well known by report to +them, and so Tamate passed as a great _taubada_ (chief). + +Dufaure is a fine island, quite equal to any I have seen in the South +Pacific--plantations on all sides, right up to the mountain tops. They +know nothing of firearms, for, on inquiring if there were birds on the +island, they asked if I had a sling. The people are a much finer race, +and freer than any I have seen further east. The two races seem to meet +here--that from the Kerepunu side, and that from the east. We are +anchored some distance from the shore in three fathoms, and further out +it is shallower. The opposite shore on mainland looks low and unhealthy. + +There are ten villages on the island, five of which we have visited. + +After visiting the Keakaro and Aroma districts, our journeyings were +nearly brought to a sudden termination. When we got halfway between the +point next to McFarlane Harbour, and Mailu, where there is a boat +entrance, we saw the boat, and waved to them to approach. They came near +to the surf, but not near enough for us to get on board. The native of +Hula, from Maopa, got on board. The Hula boy got on board early in the +day, leaving us to go on alone. I called out to them to proceed to the +boat entrance at Mailu. Great numbers of natives were with us; we saw, +in the distance, numbers more sitting on the beach, and armed. Some of +those following us were armed. When within two miles of where the boat +was to await us, we came upon a crowd of men and women; the former +carried spears, clubs, or pieces of hard wood, used in opening cocoa +nuts; the women had clubs. Some time before this, I said to the teacher +and Loyalty islander, "Keep a good look-out; I fear there is mischief +here." When we came upon the last group, I asked for a cocoanut in +exchange for beads; the man was giving it to me, when a young man stepped +forward and sent him back. We hastened our steps, so as to get to the +village, where the strangers from Mailukolo and Kapumari might help us. +The teacher heard them discussing as to the best place for the attack; +and, not knowing that he knew what they said, he heard much that left no +doubt in our minds that murder was meant. I carried a satchel, which had +beads and hoop-iron in it; they tried to get it. I gave presents of +beads; some were indignantly returned. I was in front, between two men +with clubs, who kept telling me I was a bad man. I held their hands, and +kept them so that they could not use their clubs. The Loyalty islander +had a fowling-piece--thinking we might be away some days, and we might +have to shoot our dinners. They tried hard to get him to fire it off, +and twice tried to wrest it from him. They know what guns are, and with +reason. They tried to trip us; they jostled us. On we went. + +Two men, when near the village, came close up behind me with large wooden +clubs, which were taken from them by two women, who ran off to the +village. Things looked black, and each of us prayed in silence to Him +who rules over the heathen. Soon a man came rushing along, seized the +club, and took it from the man on my left, and threw it in the sea. He +tried to do the same with the one on my right; but he was too light a +man, and did not succeed. An old woman, when at the point, came out and +asked them what they meant, and followed us, talking to them all the way, +so dividing their thoughts. An old chief, whom we saw on our way up, +came hurriedly along to meet us, calling out, "Mine is the peace! What +have these foreigners done that you want to kill them?" He closed up to +the teacher, and took him by the hand. Another chief walked close behind +me. They began to talk loudly amongst themselves. Some were finding +fault that we should have been allowed to get near the village, and +others that there was yet time. The boat was anchored some distance off: +we got her nearer; and, when ready to move off to the boat, I opened my +satchel, gave hoop-iron to our friends the chiefs, and threw beads +amongst the crowd. I shouted for Kapumari, and a sturdy young fellow +fought his way through the crowd. I gave him a piece of hoop-iron, and, +with our friendly chiefs, he forced the crowd back, calling on us to be +quick, and follow. So into the water we got, the chiefs calling, "Go +quick; go quick!" We got on board; our Chinamen got flustered, and very +nearly let the boat drift broadside on the beach; we, with poles and +oars, got her round and off, sails set, and away for Kerepunu. Before +changing clothes, we thanked God our Father for His protection and care +over us. We felt He alone did all; unsettled their thoughts as to who +first, where, and when; and it was He who gave us friends. + +Why should they want to kill us? It was surely never for the small +satchel I carried. I believe it was revenge. Some years ago, a vessel +called off Aroma; trading for food was done on board; thieving went on; +food was sold twice; revolvers and rifles were brought out; the natives +were fired on, several were wounded, and very likely some were killed. +Natives on the beach were fired upon, and some were wounded who were +hiding in the bush close by. We land--the first foreigners to visit +them--and on us they will be revenged. What a pity that the same +foreigners who fire on the natives do not return the following week, and +so receive their deserts! The wretches steer clear of such parts. I +have asked the teacher to find out, if possible, why Aroma wished to kill +Tamate and Taria. + +When in the boat, we asked the Hula boy why he left us and took to the +boat. He said he had heard some say we should be killed, and that we +would make a fine feast. He did not tell us, because he had not an +opportunity, and was afraid the people might hear him if he told, and so +he would be killed. + +A week later a chief from Maopa came with a Kerepunu chief to see me. I +recognised him as the one who kept back the crowd the other day at Aroma, +and opened the way for me to get into the water, and so into the boat. He +says, from our landing in the morning they had determined to kill us, but +the suitable time did not arrive. When we arrived at the place where the +large canoes from Toulon and Daunai were lying, it was there arranged by +the Aroma people and those from the canoes that Aroma should kill us and +have all they could get, and those from the canoes should have the bodies +to eat. He says they kept putting it off, until, finally, it was to be +done when we were at the boat, then they would have boat and all; but he +and two other chiefs arrived just in time. He says it was not revenge, +and, turning to the Kerepunu chief, he said, "You know Aroma from of old, +and how all strangers are killed." I gave him a present, and told him +that I hoped to see him soon. + +The inhabitants of the inland villages are probably the aborigines, who +have been driven back to the hills by the robuster race now occupying +their plantations on the coast. Their habits and customs are curious and +interesting. They cook the heads of their slain enemies, to secure clean +skulls to put on sacred places. + +They have one great spirit--Palaku Bara, who dwells in the mountains. +They worship him unitedly in one place. Each family has a sacred place, +where they carry offerings to the spirits of deceased ancestors, whom +they terribly fear. Sickness in the family, death, famine, scarcity of +fish, etc.--these terrible spirits are at work and must be propitiated. + +Pigs are never killed but in the one place, and then they are offered to +the spirit. The blood is poured out there, and the carcase is then +carried back to the village, to be divided, cooked, and eaten. + +Pigs' skulls are kept and hung up in the house. Food for a feast, such +as at house-building, is placed near the post where the skulls hang, and +a prayer is said. When the centre-post is put up, the spirits have +wallaby, fish, and bananas presented to them, and they are besought to +keep that house always full of food, and that it may not fall when the +wind is strong. The great spirit causes food to grow, and to him +presentations of food are made. + +Spirits, when they leave the body, take a canoe, cross the lagoon, and +depart to the mountains, where they remain in perfect bliss; no work, and +nothing to trouble them, with plenty of betel-nuts. They dance all night +long, and rest all day. When the natives begin planting, they first take +a bunch of bananas and sugar-cane, and go to the centre of the +plantation, and call over the names of the dead belonging to their +family, adding, "There is your food, your bananas and sugar-cane; let our +food grow well, and let it be plentiful. If it does not grow well and +plentiful, you all will be full of shame, and so shall we." + +When they go on trading expeditions, they present their food to the +spirits at the centre post of the house, and ask the spirits to go before +them and prepare the people, so that the trading may be prosperous. + +No great work and no expedition is undertaken without offerings and +prayer. + +When sickness is in the family, a pig is brought to the sacred place of +the great spirit, and killed. The carcase is then taken to the sacred +place of the family, and the spirits are asked to accept it. Sins are +confessed, such as bananas that are taken, or cocoanuts, and none have +been presented, and leave not given to eat them. "There is a pig; +accept, and remove the sickness." Death follows, and the day of burial +arrives. The friends all stand round the open grave, and the chief's +sister or cousin calls out in a loud voice, "You have been angry with us +for the bananas we have taken (or cocoanuts, as the case may be), and you +have, in your anger, taken this child. Now let it suffice, and bury your +anger." The body is then placed in the grave, and covered over with +earth. + + + + +CHAPTER III. SKETCHES OF PAPUAN LIFE. + + +Journey inland from Port Moresby--Evening with a chief--Savage life--Tree +houses--Uakinumu--Inland natives--Native habits of eating--Mountain +scenery--Upland natives--Return to Uakinumu--Drinking out of a +bamboo--Native conversation--Keninumu--Munikahila--Native +spiritists--Habits and influence of these +men--Meroka--Kerianumu--Makapili--The Laroki Falls--Epakari--Return to +Port Moresby. + +In 1879, I made a long journey inland, in a north-easterly direction from +Port Moresby. I visited many native villages, and explored the +mountainous country along the course of and between the Goldie and Laroki +rivers. + +The reader will get some notion of the country, the natives, and their +customs, from the following extracts taken from a journal kept at that +time. + +_July_ 15_th_, 1879.--We left Port Moresby at half-past seven, reaching +the Laroki at half-past eleven. We crossed in shallow water near to +where the Goldie joins the Laroki. We had eighteen carriers, four of +them women, who carried more than the men. After resting awhile at the +Laroki we went on about three miles farther to Moumiri, the first village +of the Koiari tribe of Port Moresby. On entering the village we took +them by surprise; the women shouted and the men rushed to their spears. +We called out, _Mai_, _mai_, _mai_ (Peace, peace, peace), and, on +recognizing who we were, they came running towards us with both hands +outspread. We met the chief's wife, and she led us up the hill, where +there are a number of good native houses. It was shouted on before us +that foreigners and Ruatoka had arrived, and down the hill the youths +came rushing, shaking hands, shouting, and slapping themselves. We were +received by the chief under the house, and there we had to sit for a very +long time until his wife returned from the plantation with sugar-cane. +Our carriers chewed large quantities of sugar-cane, got a few betel-nuts, +and then set off on the return journey. We are now thirteen miles north- +east from Port Moresby, 360 feet above sea-level, the thermometer 84 +degrees in shade. The people are small, women not good-looking, and +children ill-shaped. The Goldie runs at the base of the hill; the +natives get water from it. The houses are very similar to those inland +from Kerepunu. On the door hangs a bunch of nutshells, so that when the +door is shut or opened they make a noise. Should the occupants of the +house be asleep, and their foes come, they would, on the door being +opened, be woke up. Spears and clubs are all handy. + +16_th_.--Ruatoka, Joe (an African), and I started at half-past ten for +Munikahila, where we hope to get carriers, our Moumiri friends objecting +to go. The first village we came to we found deserted, and in one old +house the skeleton of a child. We crossed to another village, and coming +suddenly upon the few who were at home, they were terribly frightened; +one woman danced up and down the village, and shouted to the people in +the neighbouring villages to come at once. We are 1170 feet above sea- +level, at a village called Keninuma. The people soon gathered round, +some with spears, clubs, and shields, others unarmed. Feeling cold after +the climb, I signed to be allowed to go into a house to change clothing, +and was given to understand that a very good place to do it was on the +verandah in front of the house, and before the assembly. When the chief, +Poroko Butoa, arrived, we were assigned a small house; a man during the +evening came rushing along with one piece of sugar-cane and calling out +for a tomahawk. A tomahawk for a piece of sugar-cane would be throwing +money to the winds. We are E.N.E. from Moumiri. + +17_th_.--Rather cold during the night. Five natives who slept in the +house with us kept a fire burning all night. A child sitting in front of +the house has a taro in one hand, a bamboo pipe in the other; takes a +bite of the taro, then a draw from the charged pipe, and the mixture +seems to be thoroughly relished. Feeling sure we should get carriers +here, we took no supplies with us, so are now eating the best we can get, +doing Banting to perfection. A number of men have been sitting all day +about the house making spears, the jawbone and tusks of the wild boar +being the only implements. + +18_th_.--Thermometer at sunrise 70 degrees. A number of ugly painted and +feathered fellows came in this morning on their way to the village in the +valley. The people here are much darker than the coast tribes, and their +hair is woolly. Joe said on arriving here, "Hallo, these people same as +mine, hair just the same." They are scarcely so dark. A few are bright- +coloured, but all have the woolly hair. A goodly number suffer from +sores on feet and other parts of body. Their one want is a tomahawk. The +people seem to live in families. We had a good supper of taro and +cockatoo, the latter rather tough. + +19_th_.--The carriers have not yet arrived. In the evening a woman +shouted and yelled; all rushed to their spears, and there was great +running, snorting, and blowing at some imaginary enemy. After the chief +came in, we lay about the fire for some time; then to our blankets. I +was beginning to nod, when some women in a neighbouring house began +giggling and laughing. Our friend wakened up and began talking. I told +him to sleep; he answered, _Kuku mahuta_, (Smoke, then sleep). He had +his smoke, and then began reciting. I remember, as a youth, being told, +when I could not sleep, to repeat a psalm or paraphrase, or count one +hundred to myself, and I should soon drop off. This fellow repeated +aloud and he must have been going over the mythologic lore of his family +for very many generations, and yet he did not sleep. At last, a smoke, +beginning with a scream of _kuku_. Now, surely sleep; but no, he changed +to a low monotonous chant, so grating on the sleepy man's nervous system +that it would have driven many desperate. At last, in the morning hours, +the notes became indistinct, long pauses were observed, and, finally, I +fell asleep. + +The women carry exceedingly heavy loads up these steep hills. Yesterday +one woman had two large kits of taro, and a child of about two years on +the top of all. Ruatoka shot eight blue pigeons and one bird of paradise +to-day: the latter must be eaten with the best of all sauces--hunger. The +natives pick up heads, legs, and entrails, turn them on the fire and eat +them. + +20_th_.--Yesterday evening, about six, the carriers came in with great +shouting, and glad was I to see my lad and companion Maka then. Great +was the joy at the division of salt and tobacco. Before we came here the +women and children slept in the bush at night, the men in the village. +They are at enmity with the natives on the flat across the ravine, and it +seems that sometimes they get a night visit, and may lose a man. For the +last two nights the women have been in the village, but every sound heard +causes a shout. Last night, when just getting off, they came rushing up +to our house, and calling on us to get up with our guns, as their enemies +were coming. "Only fire off one, and it will frighten them away." We +told them to go and sleep, and not be afraid. + +The state of fear of one another in which the savage lives is truly +pitiful; to him every stranger seeks his life, and so does every other +savage. The falling of a dry leaf at night, the tread of a pig, or the +passage of a bird all rouse him, and he trembles with fear. + +How they relish salt! The smallest grain is picked carefully up. +Fortunately we have a good deal of that commodity. Never have I seen +salt-eating like this; only children eating sugar corresponds to it. + +Here as in all other parts of New Guinea--it is not the most powerful man +who fights and kills most, but little abominable sneaks, treacherous in +the extreme. Since our arrival here we find the thermometer from 82 to +84 degrees during the day, and as low as 68 degrees, more frequently 70 +degrees, during the night. By bearings we are only about twenty miles in +straight course from Port Moresby. + +[Tree houses: 101.jpg] + +21_st_.--The village is built on the ridge, the chief's house right on +the high end and looking east, our small house close by on the side of +the others, on each side, leaving a pathway in the centre. At the very +end of the ridge is a house on a very high tree, used as a look-out house +and a refuge for women and children in case of attack. There are quite a +number of tree houses in the various villages on the ridges seen from +here. The people are anxious to get Maka, a light-coloured and very fine- +looking native lad, married to one of their girls and settled down +amongst them. I said to our African, "They want Maka to marry one of +their girls." Joe, I suppose, felt slighted that he too had not an +offer, and he replied, "Well, sir, in Madagascar, a very big chief was +real anxious I marry his daughter; fine-looking girl; he make me chief, +and give me plenty land; far cleaner people than them be." + +I find the people have the same sign of friendship as in the east end of +New Guinea--nose and stomach pointed to. They speak of a land, Daui, +with which they are friendly, a very long way off. Daunai, of Orangerie +Bay, is called Daui in some places. To their tree houses they have +ladders with long vines on each side to assist ascent. Our delay here +will help us to know the people. I have just been showing them the +likenesses of two young friends, and the excitement has been great, men, +women, and children crowding round, thumb in mouth, scratching and +shaking heads, and leaping and screaming, coming again and again to have +a look. + +22_nd_.--A number of strangers slept, or rather made a noise all night in +houses close by, and amongst them a spiritist, whose hideous singing and +chanting of revelations was enough to drive one frantic. We tried to +quiet him, but it was of no use--silenced he would not be. A man sitting +by us when having morning tea asked for some of the salt we were using. +We told him it was not salt, but sugar. He insisted it was salt, and we +gave him some on his taro. He began eating, and the look of disgust on +his face was worth seeing; he rose up, went out, spat out what he had in +his mouth, and threw the remainder away. + +23_rd_.--Cannot get the natives to move; they say they are tired, and +will have to rest until to-morrow morning, and they are also afraid of +their enemies. The excitement is great, but what it all means is +difficult for us to say. Noon: all have cleared out with spears, clubs, +and shields, two men having been killed in a village near, and they have +gone to get hold of the murderers if they can. Dressed in their feathers +and fighting gear, with faces streaked, they do certainly look ugly. +After being some time gone, they returned, saying the enemy, who were +from Eikiri, had gone off to the back mountains. + +28_th_.--Left this morning, and had to carry our things, no natives +accompanying us. When about four miles on, we met natives who willingly +took our bags and accompanied us to Uakinumu. The travelling was not so +bad--a good deal of descending and ascending. Oriope, the old chief, was +delighted to see us. His wives and children have gone with great burdens +of betel-nuts and taro to trade at the seaside. The old fellow goes with +us. We are now 1530 feet above sea-level, east-by-south from last +camp--Mount Owen Stanley due north. Oriope is Mr. Lawes's great friend. +He used to live in Munikahila, but trouble through marrying a wife has +sent him in here. He seems greatly attached to Ruatoka. He is a +terrible talker, long-winded and deafening. + +29_th_.--We had a strange sort of a hut for sleeping-quarters on the top +of a rock. The house, being open all round, felt exceedingly cold when +the fire went down. The people here seem much lighter than at the other +place, and the children have a more pleasant expression. Basaltic rocks +lie scattered about in every direction. We had our flag flying, and the +admiration was great, the natives viewing it from underneath then from a +distance, and in each position noticing something new. About half-past +eleven we left. The old chief and four carriers went with us. After +crossing the head of the Munikahila Creek we passed through fine thickly- +wooded country, that may yet become a very extensive coffee country. +After travelling for some hours, we camped 1800 feet above sea-level. On +the way the carriers struck and were for going back, but we insisted on +their going on a little further. Strange formation of country all around +here. This ridge seems alone in a large basin, one side of which is bare +perpendicular rock. There is a good quantity of cedar, but so difficult +to get away that it would never pay to work. We are north-east from +Uakinumu. + +30_th_.--We started late, continued our journey along the ridge, rising +gradually to 2250 feet, and then along a fine level country for some +miles, when we began to descend. Soon our old friend began shouting, and +received an answer from a village a long way off. Close by us was a very +steep descent, down which we went till we came under the shadow of a +great rock, where we rested, and in about an hour up came ten natives +unarmed, touched our chins, and we theirs, then all squatted to smoke. +One of them, some time ago, had been to the coast, and knew Rua; his joy +at now seeing him in here was great. A shot had been fired at a cockatoo +before they heard the shouting, and they were much afraid. When all +seemed satisfied, and the crust of the news broken, I proposed a start, +so up bundles, and away we went. When having gone about two miles, there +was a halt in an open space, and we were given to understand we must camp +there. I could not agree to it, "We must go on to the village." "No, +you must stay here." + +"We cannot; we must go on." + +"If you go on you will be devoured by the _boroma badababa_ (great pig)." + +I insisted upon going on; they called to those in the village, and on +being answered we again went on for about half a mile, when every bundle +was put down and a halt called, and again we had to listen to the +unintelligible story of the wild animal or animals that would destroy us. +We sat down and tried to get them to see as we did, that a house was +necessary for our comfort. A thunderstorm was working up, and soon the +rain would be down on us--let us be off for the village. They had a long +confab with those in the village on the ridge, which, when ended, seemed +favourable; and so up the steep side of the ridge we went. When halfway +up they halted, and wanted us to camp under the shelter of a great rock. +Seeing some young men with bundles rounding the rock, I joined myself to +them, and away we went, followed by the others to the village. Under the +first house in the village sat a man, with a large pig standing by him, +which he was clapping and scratching, as if to keep it quiet; and as we +went along we saw great pigs under the houses. Certainly they were +savage-looking pigs. We were given an open house, and the rain was +coming on. I was ascending, when it became necessary to spring from a +pig that was after me. Is this Goldie's big beast the natives told him +of? This is a fine country. We passed through large plantations of +yams, taro, sugar-cane, and bananas. During the evening we had crowds of +men and lads--no women or children--to see us. Some are quite light +copper-coloured, others are very dark; nearly all are dressed with +cassowary feathers; many with ruffs round their necks made from these +feathers. There were none very tall, but all seem well-built men, with +good muscle. They have the same calabashes and chunam sticks for betel- +chewing as at Kerepunu. Some chunam sticks made from cassowary bones are +well carved. They are a very noisy lot; one would think they were trying +to see who could speak the loudest. They tell us it is impossible to +cross to the other side, as further inland the ridge ends--and there is +nothing but bare broken rook--inaccessible all round. The majority of +the men are bearded and moustached, and have cassowary feathers like a +pad behind, on which they sit. They dress with a string. The demand for +salt is very great; grains are picked up, and friends are supplied with a +few grains from what they have got for taro. The name of the place is +Kenagagara, 1810 feet above the sea-level, E.N.E. from Uakinumu. + +31_st_.--Great crowds of people keep going and coming. We spent a +miserable night. Our old chief, Oriope, had a conclave round the fire, +and it took him all night to recount the doings of the _Naos_ +(foreigners), not forgetting the toilet. At times he waxed eloquent, and +the whole gully rung again. It was useless telling him to be quiet. All +men and lads have the nose and ears pierced. A number of women and +children are about. Some of the women are fine, tall, muscular, and +clear-skinned, as light-coloured as Eastern Polynesians. The children +are lithe, blithe, and hearty--some very dark and some very light. The +women have brought large quantities of taro for salt. Oriope is very +sleepy, and I have every now and again to wake him up, so that to-night +he may sleep soundly, and not prevent our sleeping. + +My name here is Oieva--that of the fine-looking old father of the +village. At present I am all alone the others being out after birds. The +natives are very friendly. They relish salt and ginger, which I have +tried with them, and which they pronounce good. Ruatoka and Maka have +returned; they shot a pig, which the natives who accompanied them cooked +and divided, to be carried in. The excitement is great over the +division, and the whole assembly are shouting; those from the hunt +recounting the day's proceedings, acting the shooting of the pig, to the +intense delight and amazement of the others. They eat flesh nearly raw. +A pig is put on the fire until the hair is well singed off; then division +is made, then re-divided, and eaten. They take a piece between the +teeth, hold with one hand, and with a bamboo knife cut close to the +mouth. A bird is turned on the fire a few times, then cut up and eaten. + +_August_ 1_st_.--Left this morning to look for a track. We passed +through a fine large village about one mile from here, and were joined by +sixty men, all armed with spears and clubs, and faces painted. They +accompanied us for about four miles, and then turned away to the south. +We continued on the ridge for some miles further, until we could see that +all round were great inaccessible mountains with bare faces. It begins +with the Astrolabe, extending west until Vetura is reached, and then away +east by south until the centre of the range is reached. In some places +it has a perpendicular rock face of many hundred feet; in other places it +is broken rock with bush growth, and only at very long distances can +tracks be found, and even then it is difficult to get up. We descended +to the river, a large one, flowing west, through great rocks, often lost, +sometimes only pools appearing here and there until, some distance down, +and when eight hundred feet above sea-level, it comes out a fine and +flowing river. We had a good bath, and, of course, the inevitable +_kuku_, and then skirted the side of the ridge, passing close by and +under great rocks and overhanging cliffs, and up a most extraordinary +steep path into splendid sugar-cane and taro plantations. Weary, we sat +down and ate sugar-cane under the shade of a great rock. This West +Indian "long breakfast" goes well when thirsty and hungry. The natives +who accompanied us, having caught a large rat and frog, turned them on +the fire and ate them. + +A truly wonderful country! What terrible convulsions of nature there +must have been here ere these great boulders were displaced and rolled +about like mere pebbles! The villages are so built that they are +accessible only on two sides by very narrow tracks. We saw no game of +any kind, yet the cassowary must abound somewhere near, as every one of +the natives wears great head-dresses and neck-ruffs made from the +feathers. Our highest ascent to-day was to 2360 feet above the +sea-level; we call it Mount Bellamy; it stands out alone, and from it we +saw the Astrolabe, Vetura, and Munikahila. + +2_nd_.--We left this morning for a pig and cassowary hunt, but were +unsuccessful. We bagged four cockatoos, one green parrot, one brueros, +and three pigeons. Of my travelling in this land, to-day beats all; it +was along mere goat tracks, on the edge of frightful precipices, down +precipitous mountain-sides and up steep ridges, on hands and knees at +times, hanging on to roots and vines, and glad when a tree offered a +little rest and support. I gave it up at last, hungry and weary, and let +the others proceed. I stayed with a party of natives who were getting a +kind of large almond with a very thick fleshy rind, the nut inside very +hard, which they broke open with stones, filling their kits with the +kernels. They call the nut _okari_. They fed me with sugar-cane, taro, +and _okari_, and then got leaves for me to rest on. They had all their +arms handy; I was, as I am always, unarmed, and felt thoroughly +comfortable with them. Only once in New Guinea have I carried a weapon, +and then we had spears thrown at us. I consider a man safer without than +with arms. The return "home" was frightfully steep and trying to wearied +and hungry folks. + +3_rd_.--Youths busy with feathers of cockatoos got yesterday, making head- +dresses. They take the feather, strip it down, throw the quill away, +fasten all the stripped feathers neatly together, dry in sun, then bind +round their combs. One youth is preparing a head-covering from the bark +of the mulberry: he is making native cloth by chewing the bark, and no +wonder he complains of his jaws being sore, for it is a long job. I gave +the children presents of beads this morning, and some of the old +gentlemen objected, saying they ought to have had them; but I did not +understand them. It is very convenient at times not to understand what +is said--it is thoroughly native. We have been asking them if they will +receive teachers, and they all say yes, and at once, for it means +tomahawks, knives, and salt. They say, "To-morrow we'll all go and get +the two teachers at Munikahila and bring them here now." We here are in +excellent health and spirits; a little disappointed at not being able to +cross. Certainly we have not lived on the best, and we have camped +anywhere. I like these mountaineers--free, independent, and kind. When +they cook taro, if near, we get a hot taro to eat, and often they bring +hot taro to the house. They bring their presents of taro and sugar-cane +and at once walk away. They have very good houses, thatched with grass, +some with a verandah on two sides, and all built six feet and more from +the ground. When we were away yesterday, a wild boar from the bush took +possession of the village. Often when the natives are in the bush they +have to seek refuge in climbing trees from the savage tuskers, especially +if they have been speared, and are determined to fight. Our flag is +flying, to signify that it is "resting day." + +The natives very seldom bury their dead, leaving the body in a house set +apart for it, which they often visit. When a number of deaths take +place, they leave the village and settle somewhere else not far off. +There is one grave here, near to our house, on which a tobacco plant is +growing, a bamboo pipe, the property of the deceased, alongside, and a +few sticks on end with yams on top. When they do bury, the body is +placed standing in the grave. + +4_th_.--We left Kenakagara this morning, accompanied by natives. Our +friends soon left us, and we lost our way, and after some hours' +travelling found ourselves in a thick bush and surrounded by precipices. +It has been up hill and down dale with a vengeance, trying hard to get to +the south-west. At last, wet through and thoroughly tired, we camped to +have breakfast, dinner, and supper in one. We were ten hours on the +tramp, and carrying our bags, so feel ready for a night's rest. + +5_th_.--We see where we are; but how to get out is the problem to be +solved. Ruatoka has gone to look for a track. We had a fine night, a +roaring fire at our feet, and so enjoyed sleep. Camping this way is +preferable to living in native huts, far more comfortable and enjoyable; +but for our work it is better for us to be with the natives. Uakinumu +bears south-west-by-west from us now, and could be reached in a few +hours, if only we could get down the precipice. Rua has returned. When +some distance off, he heard cooeying, and responded, when our old friend, +who had been looking for us in a great state of fear, shouted his name. +Rua told him to follow, and he did so, arriving at the camp soon after. +He was so excited he could not speak, but embraced us all round, and then +sat down. + +After breakfast, we set off, each carrying a bundle. The travelling was +difficult, until we arrived on the path leading to the creek and up to +Uakinumu. When on the spur, the old man shouted for the youths to come +and help us; they cooeyed back, and we hoped to see them in about an +hour, or at the most two hours; after waiting and no one coming, we +descended, and when at the creek met a youth coming slowly along and +saying others were following. I felt sure they delayed their coming to +meet us until we should be near the village, where they would take the +bags and receive tobacco and salt; but they were sold; we trudged on, and +would not let them have a bag. We took no notice of those we met, and to +their solicitations asking to carry bags we turned a deaf ear. The +chief's eldest son came along and begged to have my bag. No, on no +condition. The poor old chief was in a sad state; but as we are likely +to require their services some future day, it is necessary to teach them +that for work or service they will be paid, but for skulking, and hoping +to get tobacco and salt, their hopes are futile. We reached the village, +and Oriope did all he possibly could to keep us. No, on we will go; his +sleepy boys may sleep on. We gave him and his little grandchild who +accompanied him presents, bade him good-bye, and away. + +6_th_.--Here, and in all the villages we have been, we have seen very few +women and girls, and very few of the young men seem to be married. Do +they kill the girls when born? + +7_th_.--Left this morning for a mountain close by, hoping to see the +windings of the Laroki from it. We had to descend 1000 feet, and then +ascend 1800. From the droppings about, I should say the cassowary and +pig abound in the gullies about this mountain. We found on the top a +deserted village and five cocoanut-trees. We could make nothing of the +Laroki, because of thick bush on top. We saw that the Munikahila creek +flows west and south, until, due north of this, it turns sharp and flows +north-by-east and falls into the Goldie. We reached camp with thoroughly +whetted appetites, and enjoyed breakfast and dinner of pigeons and taro. +We call the mountain Mount Elsie. It is north of Vetura, and west and +south of Keninumu. We have seen four new villages close to one another +where a teacher could work well. We have now five positions for +teachers, and I hope before we have finished with this inland trip to +have thirty, giving four and five villages to each teacher. In crossing +one of the spurs, a native and his son brought us bananas, and water in a +bamboo. It is difficult to drink out of a bamboo. Place the open end to +the mouth, raise gradually, look out, here it comes--steady. Ah, too +much raised; it is a deluge streaming over you and nearly choking you. +Try again--well, a little better, yet far from perfect. Choking, are +you? Never mind, practise, and you will soon be an expert--a native in +drinking, truly. The natives have been having a feast. They began with +boiled bananas and finished with a large snake cooked in pots. It was +cut up and divided out amongst all--sixteen eggs were found in her, a +little larger than a good-sized fowl's egg. They seemed to relish it +much, and the gravy was much thought of. They say pig is nothing +compared to snake. Ah, well, tastes differ. + +9_th_.--We had a few noisy strangers in the village, and they seemed to +be anxious that all they had to say should be heard in every house. The +conversation is kept up by the inmates of the various houses, and at +times all are speaking and trying to drown one another. A lull comes, +and you fancy the turmoil is ended, and so roll on your side for a sleep; +but, alas, it was only drawing breath, the noise being perhaps worse than +before. Our chief and his wife had a quarrel over something or other +last evening. Of course the woman had the best of it. Strange, she said +very little, but that little seemed to be to the point. Every now and +again he would shout, _Pirikava_! _pirikava_! _pirikava_! (Dear me! dear +me! dear me!), and then scream and rage. The wife would then laugh at +him, which made him worse, screaming and dancing more than ever. She +would then say something, which he would answer, and so quieted him down +a little. All have gone hunting to-day--men, women, and children, pigs +and dogs. Before leaving, they told us if we saw any one sneaking about, +we were to be sure to shoot them; but if they came up openly to us, and +pointed to the nose and stomach, they were friends, and had come for salt +and tobacco. We get our water in canvas bags, and teachers or +missionaries coming inland will require a set of water-bags made from the +very best canvas. + +11_th_.--A number of natives have gone to Port Moresby, to help Rua and +Maka with tomahawks, salt, &c. After they left, we went to the bush, and +cut down a number of trees for posts for a house. The chief, Poroko, has +given us land, at an elevation of 1260 feet; splendid view all round; and +if not healthy, I know not where to go, unless it be to the top of Mount +Owen Stanley. There will be plenty of room for taro, sugar-cane, and +coffee plantations. A woman often passes us with a frightful load of +taro and sugar-cane on her back, and on the top of all an infant in a net +basket. She goes to the next house, swings the infant kit off first, +placing it on the ground, where the infant in it kicks and rolls, but +cannot get out until the kits of taro and sugar-cane are safely housed. + +14_th_.--This morning, after an early breakfast, we started with the Port +Moresby natives for Munikahila, they being anxious to secure a supply of +betel-nuts to return with. Have promised our old friend Oriope of +Uakinumu, before we started on the Eikiri trip, that if he led us across +and gave us bearers, all should have tomahawks, knives, etc. He did not +carry out his part, and the bearers from him returned, leaving us inland. +I was anxious to pay them for what they did, so we went on there with +tomahawks, tobacco, and salt. We were about two miles from the village, +when we shouted, and were replied to, and soon four young fellows came +rushing along, in a great state of perspiration and very excited, rubbing +our chins and throwing their arms around us, highly delighted that we had +returned. They were not going to serve us as they did the last time. We +reached the village, and were seated with strangers and surrounded by old +friends, when Oriope, who had been on his plantation, came along to where +we were, nearly breathless, and streaming with perspiration; he threw his +arms around me, embraced me, rubbing his dirty moist cheeks on mine, +sitting down and not speaking for some time. When he began, he said he +was afraid we were terribly offended, and would not return; but, having +returned to him, we must stay. No, we cannot; we must return to Keninumu +that night. Ah, he could manage it; he would have us tied, and so detain +us. Four coast natives who knew the Koiari language were with us. We +told our old friend we wanted a large quantity of betel-nuts, and that he +had better set out at once for them. Soon the women and lads were off. +We then removed to our old house on the rock, and there told him, through +the interpreter, what we had expected of him, and that he had not done +it, but that having told him we should pay them, we had come now to do so +for the journey made. We gave our tomahawks, tobacco, and salt, and the +old man was truly delighted, saying, "I and my people will take you +wherever we may go with safety." He does not go to sea on the other +side, as Mr. Lawes supposed, and says it is impossible to cross over +unless we go up by Yule Island, and there he says it is dangerous, +because of the cannibals. In returning, I saw, for the first time in New +Guinea, a bush of the real South Sea Island _kava_ (_Piper methysticum_). + +17_th_.--We have just had a service, and through Kena we have told the +natives the object of our coming and staying, that they might know of the +true God, and of Jesus Christ the Saviour. It was interesting to mark +the different expressions on their faces as they heard for the first time +of God--the God of love, and that as His servants we were here. When +told of the resurrection they looked at one another; some laughed, others +seemed serious. They were very particular in their inquiries as to the +name of the Great Spirit, and of His Son--forgetting, and returning to +hear it again. + +18_th_.--Here we are at Uakinumu for another trip; but alas, alas! cannot +get carriers. The young men are all off wallaby-hunting, so we must +start. This evening, a woman came in with several bamboos of grubs, +which were cooked in the bamboos, then spread on leaves; some salt was +dissolved in the mouth and squirted over all, and it was amusing to see +the gusto with which men, women, and children partook. Oriope is very +persistent in wanting a teacher. He was greatly delighted when I gave +him a large knife; he examined it all over, then pressed it with tender +affection to his bosom. Fearing lest some friends who are with him at +present might ask it from him, he returned it to me, requesting me to +keep it until they left. + +20_th_.--Last night, after turning in, I heard a peculiar noise, as of +some one in great distress, then loud speaking in a falsetto voice, and +knew then what was up--we had a spiritist in the village, and revelations +were now about to be made. We were all named, and the places we were to +visit. I felt somewhat anxious as to the revelation, for if it should be +the least doubtful as to our going, no native would stir with us. +However, the revelation, on being interpreted to us by Kena, was all +right; we were good men, and kind, and the villages would all willingly +receive us. The spirit dilated at length on the good qualities of +foreign tobacco and the badness of the native stuff, and wound up by +asking for some foreign. Oriope at once got up and gave from his own +stock what was wanted. These native spiritists are terrible nuisances; +they get whatever they ask, and the natives believing so thoroughly in +them, they have the power of upsetting all arrangements and causing +serious trouble. This morning, I found our spirit friend to be a man who +sat in our house all day yesterday, a stranger from an inland village. He +has quite a different look from the other natives--an anxious, melancholy +expression. While at morning coffee, he came and sat down alongside of +us all right, and we learned from him that the spirit of a deceased +friend comes into him, and then things are revealed, the spirit speaking +through him. He says, when we were at Eikiri, a few weeks ago, he knew +it, and told the people of his village of it. + +The wallaby-hunters are to come in this afternoon with great supplies. +When sitting round the fire with our old chief, we asked him if he knew +of any tailed folks about inland. "Oh dear, yes." And then he gave us a +perfect and laughable description of what must be some creature of the +monkey tribe. It climbs, laughs, and talks a peculiar language of its +own; it scratches the head, slaps the thigh, and sits down to eat like a +man. I then said, "But they are not really men?" "Well, not exactly, +but very near it; they are hairy all over, and some are perfectly black." +The tail, according to his description, must be about a fathom long. We +are to see them, and must, he says, secure one or two, dead or alive. Our +spirit is out in his prognostications, the wallaby-hunters have not +returned, and we cannot leave to-morrow. + +21_st_.--Our spirit friend is quite out as yet, for here we are nursing +Patience, and trying to make her a dear friend. We are promised a start +to-morrow. In the evening, the hunters came in with large supplies of +wallaby. They report innumerable horses and foreigners as having gone to +Kupele; we suppose it to be Goldie's party. From to-day's shooting, the +old man got a green parrot, and devoured it raw. Oriope dressed himself +in his fighting gear, and went through a few antics; he looked a perfect +fiend. He is very proud of a stone club he possesses with a piece broken +off; he says it was broken in felling a tremendous fellow in a +neighbouring village. He killed him. "What, stand before me!" + +22_nd_.--I was eating a banana this morning, when I was told not to throw +the skin away, but hand it to them, which I did, when it was passed round +and kissed by all with short ejaculations. I asked what it meant, and +was told it was their manner of thanking the spirits for ripe bananas. We +started at eight a.m. with eight carriers and our old friend, and twenty +inland natives returning home with wallaby; one poor woman had two large +kits on her back, and an infant in another, hanging in front of her. We +were seven hours on the tramp, along a good path, on which horses could +get along well. The most difficult ascent was shortly after we left +Uakinumu; but the path was good. The last hour of travelling was in a +thunderstorm, with a regular tropical pour of rain. When we neared the +village Marivaeanumu, the men came rushing out with their spears and +shields, thinking it was an attacking party; but on seeing Maka, who was +just behind the first native, and I following up, they shouted out, +_Nao_, _nao_! (foreigners), and ran back with their spears. The village +is small, and the houses very dilapidated; it is 1800 feet above +sea-level. Maka was buying taro with salt, and having finished, some +natives noticed damp salt adhering to his hand; they seized the hand, and +in turn licked it until quite clean. Grains of salt falling were sought +for and picked up. The shields here are the same as at Hood Bay, +beautifully made. They are going to fight soon with another district, +and are making great preparations in spears, clubs, and shields. + +23rd.--Our spiritist gave us a very short and indistinct seance last +night. A man speared the other day in a wallaby hunt, near the Laroki, +he told us, was dead. He seemed to be raving a great deal, and wound up +the first part with, _Nao kuku daure_ (Foreign tobacco is bad). +Continuing to rave and disturb sleep, I told Oriope that, if that spirit +did not at once go back where it came from, I should certainly have to +make it; he reported what I said, and the spirit thought it advisable to +leave. We started this morning after a good breakfast, and had good +travelling across a fine level country E.S.E. for about four hours, +crossing several times the head of the Laroki: it is a magnificent +country for horses. In somewhat thick scrub, a youth met the first of +our party, and was fraternizing very feelingly with them: I appeared, and +he took to his heels, and no calling of friends or foreigners could bring +him back. We came suddenly upon a woman and two children, and, poor +things! they went into a terrible state; nothing would comfort them; +beads, tobacco, and salt lost their charm on them. The family pig was +with them; it danced, grunted, advanced, retired, and finally made at me. +In the morning I took a piece of plaster from my heel, and threw it into +the fireplace; instant search was made for it by about a dozen natives; +it was found, and handed back to me, they making signs that I should +throw it somewhere else. Yesterday morning I unthinkingly put the loose +hair from my comb into the fire, and great was the outcry. + +We are now in Nameanumu, in the Sogeri district, and in a fine house +twelve feet from the ground. We are about 1530 feet above sea-level. +Teachers here need have no difficulty about food; there is a great +abundance all round of taro, banana, sugar-cane, and bread-fruit. A +teacher with some "go" in him, and a good earnest wife to help him, would +do well here. I am inclined to think an easier way here will be from +Moumiri; but we have to travel with natives where they can take us with +safety to themselves. Sitting round the fire a little while ago, our +spirit friend having just left us, an old woman shouted out to Oriope to +look out, as the spirit was about to go through the thatch near to where +he was sitting. Instant search was made, but nothing found. She then +called out from her verandah that it had gone, as Rua and Maka were doing +something with their guns. I may say the old woman was with us last +night, and heard my threat. We have had the description here of some +other animal that is in the Kupele and Moroka districts. It is a +dangerous one to go near, and several have lost their lives from it. + +24_th_.--Very heavy rain. A number of people have come in from the +villages to have a look at us, so I have to go through the process of +baring arms and chest. This forenoon they described an animal to us that +I think must be the tiger--a long animal, with a long tail and large +paws, treads lightly when seeing its prey, and then bounds upon it, +tearing the bowels out first. They say they are as long as the +house--twelve feet. We are not prepared to tackle such, customers. Our +host is a quiet man, with a very pleasing expression of countenance. I +like the people much, and pray God the day is near when they shall have +the Gospel preached unto them, and receive it, and know it to be the +power of God unto salvation. Evil spirits reign over them, and the +utterance of every rascally spiritist is thoroughly believed. + +They seem very much attached to their children, and in their own peculiar +way, I dare say, love their wives. Husband and wife meeting after a +separation is strange. Some who returned with us had been away for a +fortnight; their wives looked pleased when they saw them, so did the +husbands; not a word was spoken, only a look; clubs and spears were put +down, and the husbands went to where other men were sitting, the wives to +light fires and cook food; when cooked, the wife took it to the husband, +who ate a little, gave away some, and then went and sat by his wife. I +have noticed that the wives are particularly happy when preparing this +return food. Oriope's wife, who accompanied us, is ill with a cold; I +wished her to take a dose of chlorodyne, but she cried and hesitated +much; the old man then took the cup and told her to look; he drank some +of it, said it was not bad, and then pressed her to drink it off, which +she did. + +25_th_.--We left this morning at eight, and arrived at Orofedabe, in the +Favele district, at one p.m. The walking was good and steady, the first +few miles along the valley beneath a mountain in the Sogeri district, +which we called Mount Nisbet, and the range near to Eikiri. We crossed +the Laroki several times, and sat near its head; then ascended an easy +ridge of the Owen Stanley Range. We travelled for about two hours along +this ridge, then descended, crossing two streams, which we suppose to be +the head streams of the Kemp Welch, flowing into Hood Bay. There are six +small villages on ridges close by, high mountains all round, and not far +off the mountain on which the wild animal lives. They tried to persuade +us that this was Meroka, and there was no use our going further; but we +could not believe it, and I brought my compass out, and pointed to them +where Eikiri, Sogeri, Kupele, and Hapele were, and told them where I +expected to find Meroka, which cannot be very far off. When they saw I +knew something of our position, they said we could not get to Meroka, +because of rocks and wild beasts. At the village we slept the last two +nights they did all they could to detain us, because of the salt and +beads. They were assisted by Oriope, who was anxious that all should go +to his cousin and friends, with whom we were staying. In a conversation +they had under the house, shortly after we arrived, I could hear +sufficient to enable me to understand they would keep us there, and not +let other villages get salt and beads. I got thoroughly vexed with the +old man, and told him he could return home, and that unless we saw +numerous villages with plenty of people we should not again return here. +He turned right round, and told us we should see Favele and Meroka, and +many villages, only we must return to his cousin's; that was all right, +we certainly should return. This morning, I told him to remain and take +care of his wife; that the people here would lead us and carry our +things. He begged of me to leave some of the things to ensure our +return, and I did so. Some of the people here are very dark and others +very light. + +26_th_.--They tried hard to prevent our going to Meroka this morning, +saying we should be eaten by the _Jakoni_ (wild beast)--and how could +they return? That would not do--go I must; so I got the things out, and +asked some Meroka natives, who had come in, to pick them up and let us +start. They refused, and joined in with our friends, saying we had +better remain. No; I must see Meroka, and until I saw it not a taro +would be bought nor a pile of salt given. They all sat down, looking +true savages. After some time, I said, "Meroka, or we return at once." I +got my bag and went on to the path; they got up, and called to me to come +back--they would go to Meroka, but leave the things, and return here to +sleep. No; I must have the things; I might want to sleep at Meroka. That +was terrible, the salt would be finished, and there would be none for +them here. Would I not consent to their taro being bought, and then they +would go with me? No; Meroka first, and taro when we return. + +Seeing there was nothing for it--that go I would--they consented, and the +Meroka folks picked up the things, and away we went. It was a short walk +across the side of a ridge, down about 600 feet and up to 1500, and then +along another ridge. We soon had crowds to see us, men, women, and +children; and all were delighted, for we bought their taro. The village +we stayed at was new, and they told us formerly they lived further in on +the mountain, but a man was eaten by the _Jakoni_, and they came down. A +number of natives were in mourning for the man eaten. After some time, +we got up to ascend the ridge, to have a good view of the villages and +decide on our position. They tried hard to prevent us, but we went on, a +few following to the next village. They pretended great fear of the +_Jakoni_, and at some places begged of us to tread lightly, and not to +speak. It was all a ruse to get us back. We went on, and up to the +highest village, where we had a splendid view. We counted fourteen +villages on the ridges in the Meroka basin and on the other side of the +river we had crossed, and as many more known as Havele. I believe it +would be much easier to get here from Eikiri than from Sogeri. The +natives of Oriramamo, the highest village, told us they went from there +to Eikiri in one day. + +The people of Meroka are very mixed, some very dark, others very light. +Some of the women had quite an Eastern Polynesian look; some of the +children were well-formed, and really pretty. A few men had +light-coloured whiskers; curly heads abounded, although a number had +straight hair. They say they are not Koiari. The Koiari comprises +Munikahila, Eikiri, Sogeri, Taburi, Makapili Pakari; and Eikiri is N.W. +from Oriramamo; Mount Bellamy is W.N.W. A high round mountain, I have +named Ben Cruachan, east; Mount Nisbet, W.S.W. The high rock on the +easterly side of Mount Nisbet is just over the house where we slept, and +will be known in future as the Clachan. They say there are five kinds of +wild animals on the mountains at the back, and but for these they could +easily cross to Kupele. The Jakoni, Gomina, and Agila are very large and +fierce. The Papara and Gadana are small, but fierce. We were eating +biscuits, and they begged for a very small piece each, to keep as a charm +to help them catch pigs. Hairs from the beard are in great demand as +charms. Having seen all we wanted, and not being able to persuade the +natives to accompany us up to the mountain to see the wild animals, I +decided to return to Orofedabe; so we returned to the village, gave the +taro we bought to the people, paid our attendants and for the house where +our things were, and away we went. Our friends were glad to see us, and +rejoiced greatly when the taboo was taken off the salt, and taro was +bought. We are having rain and thunderstorms every afternoon. + +27_th_.--Maka poised a stick twelve feet long on his finger; the natives +tried it and failed; again Maka did it, and all who were looking on came +to the conclusion it was very easy for him to do, as a spirit held it for +him. In each place we have been, when at prayers, all the natives are +most respectful, keeping perfect silence and bending their heads. We had +a fine tramp back to-day, and a refreshing bath in the Laroki after it. +We have paid our carriers, and they are rejoicing greatly. We were glad +to find our old friend and his wife well, and the things we left just as +we hung them up. They are very anxious to have teachers here. We were +telling them that we could see no people, and they have gone and brought +in great crowds, saying, "No people! what are these?" I cut up tobacco +and spread it out on a leaf in the centre of the crowd, and called out, +"For Sogeri." One of their number was appointed by them, and he +distributed it, all sitting quietly round. I got some salt in a paper, +and did as with the tobacco. All rose, and in order approached, took +some and retired, leaving the remainder, nearly half, for a very old man. +The beads I gave to the women, the men saying they ought to have had them +too. "Come and live with us; there is no place like Sogeri--it is good, +it is large, it is peaceful, and there is plenty of food." So say the +Sogerians. I was sitting on the ladder of the house, the crowd sitting +round. Rua was in the bush with his gun; he fired at a bird, and it was +amusing to see the simultaneous jerk of the crowd when they heard the +shot. + +28_th_.--Last night, a chief, Biaiori, of Eribagu, slept in the house +with us, to be ready to lead us to his village and other villages about +in the morning. We started about half-past seven; but it was evident at +the start he had been talked over during the night in quiet whisperings, +so as not to take us anywhere but his own village. We walked about a +mile and a half, and came to his village, in a fine dry position, much +preferable to the one we had left--good houses, one house floored with +cedar slabs, and having a fine verandah all round. I wished to see a +chief I had met yesterday, Jaroga, and was told he was at the next +village, so we up with our bundles and away for about half a mile further +on, to a nice clean village. I at once asked Jaroga to lead us to the +places he named yesterday; he was quite willing, and began pointing in +the various directions, and naming the villages, but was soon silenced by +signs and words from others; he then said he could not go; so we left to +go to Epakari; a young man very much attached to Maka, and who has been +with us for ten days, having promised yesterday to lead us there. We had +to carry our bags--not a very agreeable job. We had great excitement at +leaving, our old chief insisting on our going back to Uakinumu; but we +had discarded him, and were determined to find our own way should Someri, +Maka's friend, fail us. I gave orders to keep a good look-out on Someri, +who was carrying a bundle, and he was given into Maka's care. Our young +friend was very quiet, and tried skulking behind and moving on fast +ahead. When crossing a ridge about three miles from the village, I was +leading, when we heard Maka calling for Someri. Rua at once returned, +and found the bird had flown, leaving the bundle, but carrying with him +the camp tomahawk, which Maka had foolishly let him have to cut a stick +with. It would be folly to return to get the tomahawk, so we kept south +and west for some distance, when we came to a deserted village; then we +turned west. We crossed the Laroki several times before we came into the +open country; at our last crossing we met a company of natives, all +armed, on watch for Makapili natives, who were expected to attack them. +They took our bundles, and led us to a small village, where we met some +of our Marivaeanumu friends, who led us to their village and to our old +house. A young child called Maka was presented for presents, the father +telling Maka he called the child after him, because he was his friend +when we were here last. We have now the open country before us, and +expect no trouble in getting along. The natives are all unsettled at +present, and every man we meet is armed. I can see the country better to- +day than when here last week. Marivaeanumu is on a rise near the hills +of Eikiri and north-north-west from Sogeri. The latter district is in a +valley between the Owen Stanley Range and Mount Nisbet, to the south-west +of it. Eribagu would make a good station for the Sogeri district. This +place would be a suitable station being at the head of the plain that +reaches away to the Astrolabe on the one side, and up to Vetura and +Uakinumu on the other, stretching east by Mount Nisbet, and away east and +south, by the country at the back of Mapakapa. The Laroki rises in the +Owen Stanley Range, and is the drain for the Sogeri district and all the +plain; it is very circuitous, and near here very deep and slow, flowing +west. + +29_th_.--For nearly six hours we have been travelling with our bags, and +I can honestly say I feel tired. We are now at a new village--the houses +just going up--on the top of the high green hill in front of Munikahila, +overlooking the Kupa Moumiri valley. The village is named Keninumu, and +consists of four houses at present, two on high trees and two on high +rocks. We have pitched our tent close by, and intend resting until +Monday, when we hope to start for the plain--a very fine country, but no +natives. This part of the plain is dry and barren, with stunted +gum-trees. A party met us when near the village, and a woman with a +child on her shoulder, I suppose seeing me look tired, insisted on my +giving her my bag. I looked at the child, and wondered how she was going +to manage, but that was soon arranged; she made the child sit on her left +shoulder, holding her by the hair; then she took my bundle, and away she +went. Some young men have come in from one of the districts we wish to +visit, and I hope to keep them until we leave; it will be a help and of +great value as an introduction at this time of trouble. We are 1440 feet +above sea-level. + +A fortnight ago there was a great wallaby hunt down at Moumiri, and +natives from all the districts round were present. A native of +Munikahila speared a man from Tabori, who died soon after, so now +Makipili, Epakari, and Efari are said to have joined on with Tabori, and +unitedly mean to attack Munikahila. All the natives condemn the murder +of the man, because of the time and place. + +31_st_.--Natives all excitement, expecting Munikahila to be attacked. +Every evening the men go armed to Munikahila, and the women, children, +dogs, and pigs to the bush. I am sorry our Keninumu friends should +consider it their duty to assist the murderers. The natives of the +district to which the murdered man belonged are quietly biding their +time, hunting wallaby close by us. The kind woman who assisted me the +other day has a son by her first husband living at Keninumu, and for a +long time she has not seen him, he being afraid to come here. She knows +that Maka was returning yesterday, and felt sure her son would accompany +him. When some distance from here, Maka fired a shot, to let us know he +was coming, to which we responded, assuring him all was right. On +hearing the shot, the poor woman became quite excited, came and sat down +by our fire, got up and got us firewood, sat down again, telling Kena to +get the taro cooked for Maka, rose again and fetched more firewood, then +sat down in front of the path, looking steadily and anxiously for the +travellers. Poor body! they came in sight, but her son was not one of +them. She seemed to feel it very much, rose, went to her house, and was +not seen again until this morning. God grant the day is near when the +song the heavenly host sang, "Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth +and good will toward men," shall be known and enjoyed here! + +_September_ 1_st_.--We left this morning at seven o'clock and drew up at +Makapili at four p.m., resting by the way. For salt, tobacco, and beads, +we had help all the way. What appears a fine level plain in the distance +turns out to be a fine country, full of ridges and luxuriant valleys, +abounding in every kind of native vegetable. From the departure this +morning until our bringing-up we could have ridden horses at a fine +canter along the ridges from one to another. This is the best country I +have yet seen in New Guinea, and the natives seem very kind and friendly. +At the Laroki we had to strip, and, just above small rapids, holding on +by a long line fastened to poles on each side, we crossed over. The +natives have the line to help them when the river is up. We called at +several villages on the ridges, passed others, some on large table-rocks. +Fancy a table-rock with twenty or thirty houses on it. At Chokinumu, a +village 1600 feet above the sea, S.E. from Marivaenumu seven miles, we +alarmed the people so that they rushed away, leaving us the village. +Shortly a man came back, pretending to be very unconcerned, chewing betel- +nut; we soon were friends, and he called out to the others, and they +returned. We told him where we were going, and he said he and his wife +would accompany us, as we were the first foreigners who had ever been to +his village, and he would not leave us. At other villages they also +cleared out, screaming terribly. Gimenumu, 1900 feet above sea-level, +and two miles east from Chokinumu, will make a fine mission station--a +large village, fine plantations, and plenty of water. We crossed several +streams from the Astrolabe Range, all flowing into the Laroki. The whole +drainage of the Astrolabe Range and of this country falls into the +Laroki. We are now in Vaiako, Makipili district, 2250 feet, in a really +lovely spot. + +There are a great many natives in this district. About four miles from +here we passed a deserted village on a table-rock, at one time the home +of this people; but the Sogeri natives came over and killed eleven of +them, and the others thought it time to settle somewhere else. We have +now a splendid view of Mount Owen Stanley, due north of us, and rising +far away, clear and distinct above a thick mass of cloud. Mount Bellamy +stands alone, with a bare south-east side, and Mount Nisbet just across +from here, behind which is Sogeri, so much dreaded by this people. On +all the ridges stretching away to the eastward from here behind Kapakapa +are natives. A woman, coming to have a look at us, spied our black dog, +Misi Dake, and off she went, climbing a tree, kit and all, quicker than I +ever saw a native climb before. We met a fine old patriarch in a stream +about two miles from here, and the meeting with our friend from Chokinumu +was most affecting, touching chins and falling into one another's arms +weeping. He sat down beside me with grave dignity, and the woman from +Chokinumu sat in front of him, chanting and weeping. We had strawberries +coming along, with little or none of the flavour of the home strawberry. +The raspberry bush is very abundant. + +2_nd_.--Just after sunrise we had a great crowd up at the tent to have a +peep at us. At eight o'clock, we started for the summit of the +Astrolabe, to have a look at the sea. It is very broken on the summit, +and we had a good deal of ascending and descending before we got over +Kaili, to be disappointed in not seeing the sea, the fog hanging thick +under our feet. We returned by a very circuitous path, passing several +villages built on rocks and trees. On one large table-rock was a snug +village, and to the east of the rock four large posts beautifully carved. +On feast days, the food is collected close to these, and a platform is +fixed to the posts, on which dancing takes place. We returned at three +p.m. The old chief soon followed us up to the camp with a large present +of food, and saying he hoped we would soon return. I hope the same. +After some delay, so that it might not appear as payment for the present, +we gave our present to the old chief; when he got the tomahawk, he wept +for joy, looked at his friends, then at us, pressed it to his bosom, and +then kissed it. The chiefs name is Kunia. + +3_rd_.--We left Makipili this morning at eight o'clock, and came along +leisurely, arriving at Chokinumu at half-past ten. The chief and his +wife who accompanied us pressed us to stay a night in their village, and, +seeing it would displease them if we went on, we consented. We had a +thorough downpour of rain in the afternoon, after a very hot sun, the +thunder rolling all round us. The chief Lohiamalaka and his wife are +exceedingly kind and attentive; they have kept close by us since we left +here on Monday. I am sorry for the Makipili people; they are so afraid +of Sogeri, that they have left their houses, and are living in the bush +and under the shelter of rocks. Sogeri, Makipili says, will listen to no +conditions of peace. Several overtures have been made, but all are +useless. We were told at several places that if we ventured to Makipili +we should never return; but we have been there, were treated kindly, and +pressed to return. + +4_th_.--Using our blankets yesterday as a flag for our tent, they got so +wet that it required a day to dry them, so we decided to remain here and +visit the Laroki Falls. Ten days ago, we found from the natives that +they were near here. The native name is _Round_. We found the falls in +a deep gorge formed by the west end of Astrolabe and east end of Vetura +Range. On each side of the gorge the mountains run sharp down, in many +places precipitous rocks. The falls are E. from Port Moresby, E.S.E. +from Moumili, and S.E. from Vetura proper. They are grand, and well +worth seeing. I wish we had seen them from below. For a long distance +up there are small falls and rapids. The water comes surging on, and +then takes a fearful leap of many hundred feet on to a ledge, and from +there to the boiling cauldron below. The noise is deafening. Where we +stood, nearly level with the water, it was 1340 feet above sea-level, and +I do not think that from there to the cauldron could be less than 900 +feet. I think it may be possible to get to them from the north side by +Mangara, and then we can rightly tell the height of the falls. + +5_th_.--Left Chokinumu this morning at eight, and had a pleasant walk for +three hours, ascending gradually the Astrolabe until we reached the +summit at the back of Tupuselei, 2300 feet high. We were resting before +descending, when a native party appeared and approached us, somewhat +scared. They said on coming up they heard the noise as of chopping wood +(we were marking trees). They came on, and saw through the bush a white +man, and at once went back; then, hearing as if natives were with him +speaking in Koiari, they returned and determined to meet. They were much +pleased at receiving a present of salt. We descended on the west side of +the Astrolabe; the descent, being steep and difficult, took us some time. +In the afternoon we arrived at Janara, near to Efari, at the back of +Pyramid Point, the Astrolabe bearing north. Our friend Lohiamalaka, the +chief of Geminumu Monito, and three youths are with us. I have never met +a kinder and more friendly native than Lohiamalaka. Janara is a good +large district, and seems to have a number of natives. The village we +are in is 600 feet above sea-level. Tupuselei is the nearest mission +station, and a teacher placed here or at Efari would have constant +communication with that place. I was the first to enter the village. +They had heard us cooeying to one another; so only saw one man, and he +tried to look very unconcerned, with a bamboo pipe, trying to light it, +but too excited to succeed. The women had shut themselves indoors with +the children, and the men had gone into the bush close by with their +weapons. + +6_th_.--From Janara to Epakari there are several steep ridges to go up +and down, and the last ascent is truly steep. It took us three good +steady hours' walking and climbing to get to Karikatana, the first of six +villages in this district. Dawes and Stone were at a village, I believe, +on a ridge nearer to Port Moresby. The chief, Nikanivaipua, received us +graciously, and insisted on our taking his house. We paid off our +friends, and they departed well pleased. We received presents of cooked +food and smoked wallaby. They were prepared for us, having been shouted +to an hour before we arrived at the village by our friend Lohiamalaka. +The village looks to be in a fine healthy position, close to the west end +of the Astrolabe, the high bluff bearing N.E. They have plenty of all +kinds of food. We crossed from the Janara, a good-sized mountain torrent +flowing S.W. to Bootless Inlet. We are 700 feet high. High bluff of +Astrolabe, N.E.; Bootless Inlet, S.S.W.; peak of Astrolabe above Kaili, +E.S.E. + +7_th_.--Our friend Lohiamalaka turned up again last evening; he did not +like leaving us. This morning he really set off, promising to visit us +at Port Moresby in October; that is, not this moon, nor the next, but the +one that follows. I asked for a little ginger to eat, and they have +brought it me in bundles. It is really good when green, with salt. A +large number of natives attended our service, and were truly orderly--not +a whisper, and during prayer every head bent. On the Astrolabe, the +other day, Lohiamalaka said he felt anxious for us in entering Janara. +Rua, through Kena, told him not to fear anything on our account, as the +Great Spirit was with us, and no harm could come near us. Last evening, +he was telling the people here of his fears, and what Rua said, "and how +true it was the Great Spirit or something is with them." At all the +villages Lohiamalaka repeated all he could remember of what he had been +told, and of our singing and praying. Every evening he would sit at the +tent door and get us to sing for the benefit of a crowd of natives +outside, who, having heard from himself of our musical powers, refused to +go to their homes at sunset, and insisted on remaining until after _noko_ +(singing). When the Koiari visit the coast they go in for begging +largely, and they generally get what they ask, as the Motu people are +very much afraid of their spiritual power, they being thought to hold +power over the sun, wind, and rain, and manufacturing or withholding the +latter at will. When the Motu people hear that Koiarians are coming, +they hide their valuables. All the young swells here have head-dresses +of dogs' teeth, got from the seaside natives. At Eikiri, they told us +they got theirs by killing and stealing. We can truly say we are under +arms in this house--sixty-two spears overhead, four shields on walls, and +two stone clubs keeping watch at the door. A Makipili woman has been +telling Kena how she happens to be here. Formerly her people and these +were at enmity. Makipili sought peace, but had no pig. She was selected +to supply want of pig, and taken with food. When she grew up, the old +man (not her husband) insisted on her living with him. + +8_th_.--We had six hours' good walking, and are now encamped under the +shade of Vetura. The country from Epakari to here is very ridgy, and, +after leaving the ridges of Epakari, very barren. Coming suddenly on a +large party of men, women, and children returning from a dance, they were +so frightened when we called out, _Naimo_! that they set off, kits, +spears, and drums, and no fine words would bring them back. We have +seven natives with us; the old chief says he must see us safe to +Keninumu. We passed a fine village--Umiakurape--on a ridge west of +Karikatana; the chiefs name is Vaniakoeta. It would make a splendid +station. The high ridge at the back of Epakari, along which we came, is +1000 feet high, and from it we saw Fisherman's Island, Redscar Bay, +Bootless Inlet, and the whole coast east to Round Head. + +9_th_.--Arrived at Keninumu at half-past ten a.m. Found all well. The +natives are constantly on the look-out for the Tabori attack on +Munikahila. We hear the Munikahila natives have been stealing from +Goldie. + +14_th_.--Since our return we have been house-building, but are getting on +very slowly. I fear we are six weeks too late for the Kupele district, +and shall have to leave it for another season. It would be awkward to +get in and not get back until the end of the wet season. I find our +friend the chief, Poroko, has had two wives; one he killed lately. She +was in the plantation, and some young fellows coming along, she sat down +with them to have a smoke and get the news; Poroko heard of it, and on +her coming home in the evening he killed her. A woman at Favelle said, +"Oh, the Koiari man thinks nothing of killing his wife." The word for +"sneeze" in Koiari is _akiso_. When they are leaving for a journey or +going for the night they call out _kiso_, and often from their houses +they shout their good-night to us, _kiso_. There is a woman in deep +mourning for her daughter. She has hanging round her neck all the +ornaments once the property of the deceased, and along with them the +jawbone. The headless body she visits occasionally, and rubs herself all +over with the juice from it! + +18_th_.--We have a great crowd of natives in from Kupele, the nearest +district to Mount Owen Stanley. They are the same race of people as at +Meroka--some very dark, others very light-coloured. Their weapons are +the same as the Koiari, as also is their dress. Two men are in mourning, +and are wearing netted vests. The chief is rather a fine-looking fellow, +and dressed profusely with cassowary feathers. They all have a wisp of +grass bound tight at one end, and hanging from a girdle behind, to be +used as a seat when they sit down. It is a stretch of imagination to say +it looks like a tail. They are very anxious we should accompany them on +their return, and say they will show us plenty of villages and people. +Yesterday we had great feasting in the villages on yams and taro. To an +Eastern Polynesian it would be ridiculous to call it a feast, seeing +there was no pig. In the evening we had a good deal of palavering with +spears and shields, fighting an imaginary foe, and at times retreating. +Their movements are swift and graceful: advance, retreat, advance, +pursue, ward off to the right, to the left, shield up, down, aside, +struck on knee, a shout, all gone through, with the greatest alacrity, +and I am not at all astonished at so few being killed or wounded in a +fight. They value shields that bear the marks of spears. + +19_th_.--Our old friend Oriope came in to-day, and handed us the +tomahawk, stolen by the deserter on our last trip. He says when he heard +how Someri had served us he sent at once to Sogeri, and got the tomahawk, +telling them it was very wrong to steal from such dear friends of his. +One of the Kupele natives stole a knife, but he had to give it up to the +Keninumu friends, who returned it to us. I should have liked to have +started a station at Chokinumu, so as to try the climate of both sides of +the district this wet season. + +23_rd_.--We find it impossible to get the men to help us with the house +whilst so many of us are here, so we return to the port, hoping to get +into Chokinumu soon. The people, seeing that we are really going, have +begged hard for Jakoba to be left, and they promise faithfully to assist +him in finishing the house. Jakoba being anxious to remain with them, I +consented. + +24_th_.--Arrived at Moumiri about two p.m. We heard there that Tabori +and Makipili have been murdering. A number of people from Marivaenumu +were here wallaby-hunting, and on returning were met; three women and two +men were killed. They report here, also, that Kupele proper (a small +village) no longer exists; the Koiari to the west of us having gone over +and killed all but five, who have gone to another village. + +26_th_.--Returned to Port Moresby to-day, and found all well, and good +news from all the stations. The services have gone on here in Rua's +absence with great success. On two Sundays the chief Poi conducted the +services, addressing those present, and telling them he thought that now +it was time for them all to receive the Gospel which had been so +faithfully taught them during these years; in prayer he remembered us who +were inland, and asked our Father in heaven to watch over us and bring us +back safely, and to enlighten all of them at the seaside. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. PEACE-MAKING. + + +Mr. Chalmers asked by the natives to go to Elema--Native +fears--Difficulties at the start--Namoa--Delena--A Motumotu trading +canoe--Interview with Semese, chief of Lese--Christian natives--Friendly +meeting with a war canoe--Arrival at Motumotu--Friendly reception--Viewing +Mr. Chalmers's feet--Natives in full dress--Sunday open-air service--Sago +as an article of commerce--Peace agreed upon--Return to Boera. + +When at Kabadi in 1880, the natives begged of me to endeavour to prevent +the Elema natives paying them another visit, as they were now living in +the bush near the hills. All along the coast the people were much +afraid, expecting a raid, and at last news came in from Maiva that +Motumotu and Lese were making great preparations that they would visit +Motu, kill Tamate and Ruatoka, then attack right and left. Last year, +when leaving, they said they would return and pay off accounts, kill the +foreigners first, then all the natives they could get hold of. + +Under these circumstances, I resolve to visit Motumotu, and beard the +lion in his den. I did not believe they would touch me, but I feared +they meant mischief to Kabadi and the coast villages. No time could be +lost, as we were in a bad month for rain and storms, and the coast line +is long and bad. The natives said it was too late, yet I resolved to try +it. + +On the 5th January, 1881, we opened the new church at Port Moresby, and +baptised the first three New Guinea converts. The church was crowded, +and all seemed interested. I arranged for Piri and his wife to accompany +me to the Gulf, they taking the whale-boat. We cannot call at Kabadi on +our way down, as we must hurry on, but our natives here were going to +Kabadi, and gladly took the news. + +On January 10, the flag flying on the boat told all that we were to +start. Our leader ran off to Kaili last night, but Huakonio, one of the +three baptised on the 5th, was willing to go. Our boat's crew were +considered fools, rushing into the arms of death. Wives, children, and +friends were gathered round weeping. The men said, "Cannot you see that +if Tamate lives we shall live, and if he is murdered we shall be +murdered? It is all right; we are going with him, and you will see us +back all right with sago and betel-nuts." Huakonio told me in the boat +that every means imaginable but physical force were used to prevent their +accompanying me; and he added, "We know it is all right; the Spirit that +has watched over you in the past" (naming the various journeys) "will do +so now; and if we return safe, won't the people be ashamed?" + +We left Port Moresby about nine a.m. with a light head wind; outside +found the current very strong, setting easterly. We arrived at Boera at +four p.m., and found Piri and his wife ready to start at once. Piri has +a Boera crew, and we increased ours here by two. Here the natives did +not seem at all afraid, and many wished to accompany us. + +On leaving Boera, it was a beautiful clear and moonlight night, and there +was a light land breeze. Pulling brought us to Varivara Islands, in +Redscar Bay, about two a.m., where we anchored until six when we tried to +make Cape Suckling. As it was blowing hard from the north-west, we had +to put into Manumanu. The Motu traders did all they could to persuade us +to give up Motumotu, and to visit Kabadi. Both crews would gladly have +given up; their friends told them to leave us, and return in the trading +canoes. They came to me to say "the bad weather has set in, the winds +and rains are here, we cannot go on." + +I replied, "Think, my children, of the disgrace. We started to go to +Motumotu, and at the first breath of contrary wind we put back. It must +not be. Let us try it a little longer, and if the wind increases we can +put back, and not feel ashamed." + +"You are right," they rejoined; "we will go on with you." + +At sunset we all got into our boats, and were ready for a start. A +fellow who has just returned from Kabadi thought to get over me by +saying, "Tamate, Kabadi are looking daily for you, and they have a large +present ready; feathers in abundance and sago; your two boats cannot take +half." + +"I am going to Motumotu, and not all the feathers in Kabadi, nor all the +sago they can prepare, will turn me now, until I have made a fair trial, +and then, if driven back, I will visit Kabadi." + +I believe our crew had had a talk with that man before he came to me. + +It was five o'clock on January 12th before we got to Namoa, near Cape +Suckling. Maiva canoes passed with wallaby from Namoa. When ashore, +cooking breakfast, Koloko and her husband, with uncles and aunts, and men +and women from the village, came down. The two former were going to +Maiva, and the crowd followed to see them embark in one of the large +Maiva canoes. After the bamboo pipe had been passed all round, the +embarkation took place, men and women weeping as if taking a final +farewell. + +When they had gone, we told the people we wished to sleep, and they left +us undisturbed. In the afternoon we came to Delena, where we had right +hearty welcome. They are truly glad we are going to Motumotu, as they +fear an attack, and hope our visit will benefit them. They feel sure +Motumotu will receive us well, and seeing that I specially visit them, +they say it will be all right. The crews feel encouraged, and are at +present ashore feasting on dugong, sago, and betel-nuts. Some have been +off for tobacco, and are now laughing at the folly of their friends. The +sorcerer is not in Delena; but even he would do nothing to prevent our +going on. We are all ready to start with a land breeze. The crews have +sent us word, "When you wish to start, call out; you will see us gladly +spring into the water." + +On leaving Delena with a light breeze and pulling, we reached the Kaveri +beach near Cape Possession, about eight a.m. When near Maiva, we met a +Motumotu canoe. At first they were afraid to come alongside of us, but +after a little talk we got near them, exchanged presents, and were soon +friends. They seem glad we are going to their home; they say peace will +be arranged. The Motumotu have said that if we only were to visit them, +they would gladly make peace. + +It seems that they are very badly off for _uros_ (earthenware pots), and +the native tribes along the coast to the west of them are crying out and +blaming them for the scarcity. They are certainly blaming the right +party; but for Motumotu, the Pari, Vapukori, Port Moresby, Boliapata, and +Boera trading canoes would all have been down the coast last season. The +principal man in the canoe, knowing that all, except our boatman, Bob +Samoa, had friends at Motumotu, made friends with him, rubbing noses and +handing his lime gourd, which is to be shown on arrival, and his father +and friends will receive Bob as his friends. They go on to Lolo in quest +of _uros_. + +We landed to cook food. On awaking from a sleep, I was astonished to +find a crowd of natives close by, and my friend the Kaveri chief, Arana, +sitting near me. Two boys, who were on the beach fishing, seeing us +land, ran inland and reported, and he, with two of his wives carrying +food, followed by men and women from the villages, came down. His two +wives are now busy cooking, and he is trying to persuade me to call on +our return and get his present of sago and food. I could not promise, +and he seemed disappointed. + +We left the Kaveri beach and pulled round Cape Possession, passing close +in by Oiapu. A heavy sea was rolling in, and a canoe putting off to us +was swamped. People running along the beach called on Piri and me by +name to land and feast, but our crews were too frightened, and we went +on. When off Jokea, men, women, and children all came on to the beach, +and also by name begged of us to land. We would have done so here, but +the sea was too high, breaking with great force on the fringing reef. +Several canoes put off, but only one succeeded in reaching us. They +begged of us to call on our return, and let them know the result of our +visit, and said we had better also visit Lese. They think our visit will +put all straight. Motumotu, they say, is very undecided as to what to +do, but having heard that I was to visit them, put off the decision for +some time, saying, "If he comes, it will be all right, and we shall have +peace, but--" Well, they did not know. They rub noses all round, and +make for the shore, we for the harbour at the mouth of Coombes River, but +a very heavy sea running in, we prefer anchoring outside at midnight. + +By five a.m. up anchor, and away to Lese. Two Naima canoes returning +from Lolo, where they had been trying to get _uros_, passed close to us. +They also are glad of the likelihood of peace and _uros_. At seven, we +got to Lese, and were met by an excited crowd, the majority armed. We +anchored a little out, and would allow no canoes alongside. I called out +for Eeka, and a very old man walked into the sea, when I went ashore and +took him by the hand. Piri and his wife followed, with part of the crew +and the Boera and Port Moresby chiefs. We were led to the village, the +crowd increasing as we went along. Piri noticing an enclosed place, went +in to see what it was, and called me to have a look. I went in, but no +women or youths followed. Inside were two large houses, with rows of +masks and hats, the latter like small canoes, about ten feet long, made +with very light wood and native cloth. On coming out I was seized by the +hand by an elderly man, who, in a towering passion, drew me on. All I +could make out was that somebody was a thief and a liar. The Boera chief +ran up, and I asked him what was wrong. "Oh, this is your friend, +Semese, the chief you gave the present to when you were last here, and he +is angry with Eeka for taking you away." + +"Tell Piri to come up quickly." + +"Piri, go with Eeka as your friend; give him a present as such; it is all +right. I go with Semese." + +Soon squatting on the platform, wrath fled, and I had to wait to be fed. + +"But, Semese, I want to press on to Motumotu and see them. I am afraid +of the weather coming on bad." + +"Motumotu to-morrow, Lese to-day; you must have a pig." + +"Leave the pig for another visit." + +All was of no avail. A fine pig was speared, brought and laid at my +feet. Semese and the people were in the very best humour. Eeka was +delighted with Piri, and the latter had a pig presented to him. We gave +our presents, and, feeling tired, I suggested to our friends that we had +better take the pigs to the other side of the entrance, to Macey Lagoon. +Semese is quite agreeable, now the peace is made, and it was arranged +that he and his party should visit me with sago at Port Moresby. Both +pigs, ready for cooking, were carried into the boat, and the excited +crowd, this time all unarmed, were on the shore to see us off. They +promised not to molest Kabadi again, and that they considered our visit +as peace with all the coast villages. + +Macey Lagoon would make a splendid harbour for small vessels, very large +vessels not being able to cross the bar. On the eastern side, a bank +runs out for nearly a mile, on which the sea breaks; close in by western +shore is a good passage. The great work of the day was feasting and +sleeping. There were two Lese men with us, and they said that the +Motumotu have been talking of war, not of peace; but now it may be +different. To get into Motumotu in the morning, we had come to within +two miles of the village, and we anchored off. Notwithstanding some +anxiety, soon all were asleep. The natives were astonished at the +beautiful weather, and said they felt as if all would be right--the great +and good Spirit who had led us so far and safely would not leave us now +or on the morrow. At every meal on board or ashore they asked a +blessing, and our old friend Hula prayed with real earnest feelings. He +was certainly in earnest to-night when he prayed for the Motumotuans, and +that our visit might be blessed to them. I was charmed with his +simplicity, fervour, and expectancy. + +This old man, a few weeks before, at the close of a meeting at Port +Moresby, said, addressing _us_-- + +"Listen, you think we Motumotuans are not attending to your words; but +you are mistaken. Before you came here, we were always fighting and were +a terror to all, east and west, but now it is different. We are at peace +all round; we go about unarmed, and sleep well at night. Soon our +fathers' ancient customs will be given up, and you will see us, old and +young, coming to be taught the word of the great and good Spirit." + +I was aroused about two a.m. by shouting, and, looking over the gunwale, +saw a large double fighting canoe alongside of Piri's boat, in which all +were sound asleep. On awaking, they were startled by the appearance. +They were asked by those on the bridge-- + +"Who are you?" + +"Tamate and Piri going to Motumotu." + +Soon all were friends, chewing betel-nut and smoking tobacco. On each +canoe with paddles were over thirty men, and on the bridge adjoining the +canoes were armed men and a large supply of sago and betel-nuts. They +were going to Lese to purchase _uros_. They came alongside of our boat, +received and gave presents, and then an order was given by one from the +bridge, and away they went at full speed. It was a pretty sight in the +moonlight to see the canoe move swiftly on, when nearly eight paddles as +one touched the water. We rolled ourselves up again for another hour or +two's sleep. + +At sis a.m. we weighed anchor, and were off to Motumotu. There was a +great crowd on the beach; but it was all right, as boys and girls were to +be seen there, as noisy as the grown-up folks. A chief rushed into the +water, and called on us to come. "Come, with peace from afar; come, +friends, and you will meet us as friends." We went round and entered the +river in deep water, close to eastern bank near to the village. Until we +had a talk, I would allow none but Piri's friend and my friends, Semese +and Rahe, near the boats. They had been told that we were going to fight +if they visited us, and that all women and children were to be sent back +to the Keiara, and the Keiari fighting men were to be in league with all +the foreigners about. Then they heard that I had been murdered, and were +terribly sorry; but now they saw I was alive, and had come a long way in +a "moon" in which neither they nor their forefathers had ever travelled. +So now they must make peace. + +I said, "You must not again go near Kabadi, and all along the coast we +must have peace." + +"It is right, we shall not again visit Kabadi. Lealea feasted us with +pigs, and pressed us to attack Kabadi, to pay off an old attack on them. +It suited us, because Kabadi thought themselves strong; but now it is +peace." + +I landed with them, and went up through the villages, then returning to +the boats we were told to remain there. Shortly three pigs were brought, +and our return presents of _uros_, etc., were carried off. Bob's +calabash has brought him a host of friends. Piri is with his friends at +one end of the village, and in the opposite I am to reside in my friend +Rahe's _dubu_. Semese is his father, and a very old man. The number of +old men and old women and children is astonishing. No enemy dare come +near their villages, and their houses have never been burnt down. The +Boera chief--a capital fellow to have--speaks this dialect very fluently. +Our people at first were very much afraid, but soon settled down, and are +now roving about. + +Suddenly the war-horn was heard blowing--not the pig-horn, so often heard +on the coast. I wondered what was up, but it turned out to be only the +youth training. Two new double canoes came down the river with large +complements of paddles, all young lads, gaily dressed. A number of young +men, painted and extravagantly dressed, have been here; they lately +killed some Moveavans, and are hence greatly admired by old and young. + +I had to take off my boots and socks, and allow my feet to be admired, +also to show off my chest. All shout with delight, and every new arrival +must have a look. The sun was frightfully hot. Some men were fishing on +the breakers; they had a long post, with a cross-bar, on which they +stand, fixed in the sand, head covered with native cloth, and bow and +arrow ready. + +A number of people came in from Vailala. They wish I would go down with +them, but it is too late to go so far in an open boat. I have had +another meeting with the leading men, and I think all is now peace. My +friend Rahe seems a great personage, with relatives innumerable. He +wants to know if I would like to be alone in the _dubu_; only say it, and +all the men will leave. I prefer them remaining, and I will make myself +comfortable on the front platform. + +In the evening, men and women--I suppose _they_ would say "elegantly +dressed"--bodies besmeared with red pigment, croton and _dracaena_ +leaves, and feathers of various birds fixed on head, arms, and legs, +paraded the villages. At present all move about armed, and in this +establishment bows, bent and unbent, and bundles of arrows are on all +sides. + +Rahe has just been to me to ask for boat medicine. + +"What do you mean, Rahe?" + +"I want you to give me some of that medicine you use to make your boat +sail." + +"I use no medicine, only Motu strong arms." + +"You could never have come along now without medicine." + +"We use no medicine, and have come along well." + +I had a splendid night's rest. My mosquito-net and blanket caused great +amusement. My attendants are innumerable and attentive, and will allow +no noise near. Our service in the morning was very noisy--everybody +anxious for quiet must needs tell his neighbour to be quiet. Our old +Port Moresby chief prayed in the Motumotu dialect. The Boera chief +translated for Piri and me. They are very anxious to know of the +resurrection and where Beritane spirits go after death. + +In the afternoon we held service in the main street. The singing +attracted a very large and noisy crowd but when our old friend began to +pray it was as if a bomb-shell had exploded, men, women, and children +running as for dear life to their homes. Another hymn brought them back, +armed and unarmed. We had a long talk on peace, and they wished I would +go with them to Moveave, and make peace. One division of these villages +they have simply wiped out. I asked them to leave Moveave alone, and +when a fit season comes I will ascend the river with them, and make +peace. + +I have visited the party who last week killed several of the Moveavans, +and they promised not to attack them again. The Kaback jewellery is +about in abundance. + +Semese spoke nearly all the night through, exhorting all to peace, and +that now we had visited them they ought no more to go about exalting +themselves, fighting with their neighbours, and speaking evil of their +friends, the Motuans. Rahe has brought his son, whom he has named +Tamate. I have no doubt he will be an expensive honour. + +We went up the William River to-day. At mouth, on the west side, are two +islands, viz., Iriho and Biaveveka. Between the latter and the mainland +is an entrance into Alice Meade Harbour. The river is broad and deep. +Both banks are lined with sago palms. + +When a young man marries a young woman, the custom here is to pay nothing +for her; but for a widow something very great. The people live chiefly +on sago. Sago is cooked with shell-fish, boiled with bananas, roasted on +stones, baked in the ashes, tied up in leaves, and many other ways. We +have received large presents of sago, both boats bearing as much as is +safe to carry. We leave in the morning. At present a man is going +through the streets in great wrath, having been to his plantation and +missed a bunch of bananas. As he moves along he shouts out his loss, and +challenges the thief. + +We had a gathering of old men until late into the night, and they closed +with a wail, chanted, with drums keeping time. Hours before daylight +Semese was up, waiting for me to turn out. + +We had a fine run back to Yule, where, at sunset, we were met by a +terrific gale of wind and a thunderstorm. We had to put in close to the +land, and for four hours sit it out in a deluge of rain. It was soon +inky dark, the lightning very vivid, and the thunder deafening. Piri's +boat anchored close alongside. On the weather clearing up a little, we +crossed Hall Sound to Delena, where we were soon met by natives carrying +torches, and were led to their houses. A change of clothing, and we were +all as comfortable as possible. + +We spent the hour of midnight with Kone and Levas, chiefs of Delena, +telling them of our visit to the west, and its success in establishing +peace. They were greatly delighted, and will do me the honour of +visiting me at Port Moresby, that is, will relieve me of some tomahawks. +With a light wind and a smooth sea, we had a pleasant run to Boera, where +we arrived at sunset. There was great joy in the village at our arrival. + +We reached Port Moresby on the 20th, and on March 6th we baptized Kohu +and Rahela, the first two women of New Guinea converted to Christianity. +May they be kept as true ministering women for Christ! + + + + +CHAPTER V. THE KALO MASSACRE. + + +Twelve teachers and their friends killed at Kalo in 1881--The warning--The +massacre--The fear for the teachers at Koma--Mr. Chalmers's views on the +question--Voyage westwards in the _Mayri_--A Sunday at Delena--Visit of +Queen Koloka--Threatened attack by Lolo natives--The fight--Peace--Miria's +village--Bad character of the Motu natives--Visit to the chief of Motu +Lavao--Story of Dr. Thorngren's murder--Peace made with the village. + +On the 7th of March, 1881, the natives of Kalo, a village at the head of +Hood Bay, near the mouth of the Kemp Welch River, massacred their +teacher, Anederea, with his wife and two children; also Materua, teacher +of Kerepunu, his wife and two children; Taria, teacher of Hula; Matatuhi, +an inland teacher; and two Hula boys--in all, twelve persons. + +The earliest news of the tragedy was given in the following letter from +the Rev. T. Beswick, dated Thursday Island, Torres Straits, March 24th:-- + + On Friday, the 4th inst., Taria, our Hula teacher, left Port Moresby + with Matatuhi, an inland teacher, the latter wishing to visit the Kalo + teacher for some native medicine. Reaching Hula on the evening of the + 4th, Taria heard a rumour that the Kalo people intended to kill their + teacher and his family. Accordingly he went thither the following + day, along with Matatuhi, and requested the Kalo teacher and his + family to leave at once. The teacher refused to place credence in the + rumour, and even questioned his chief and pretended friend, who + assured him that there was not the slightest grain of truth in the + rumour. + + The Hula teacher returned, leaving Matatuhi behind. On Monday, the + 7th, Taria, along with five Hula boys, proceeded in a boat to Kalo and + Kerepunu, with the view of bringing the teachers and their families to + Hula, on account of the ill-health of some of the party. He called at + Kalo on the way thither, and apprised the teacher of his intention to + call on the return journey. At Kerepunu he took on board the teacher, + his wife and two children, and one native youth. The party then + proceeded to Kalo. During the interval of waiting there, the chief + and pretended friend of the Kalo teacher got into the boat for a chat. + On the arrival of Matatuhi and the Kalo teacher, along with his wife + and two children, the chief stepped out of the boat. This was the pre- + arranged signal for attack to the crowds assembled on the bank. At + the outset, the chief warned his followers not to injure the Hula and + Kerepunu boys; but such precaution did not prevent two of the former + being killed. The other four boys escaped by swimming the river. The + mission party were so cooped up in the boat, and spears flew so + thickly and fast, as to render resistance futile and escape + impossible. Taria resisted for a time, but a fourth spear put an end + to his resistance. The others were dispatched with little trouble. A + single spear slew both mother and babe in the case of both women. The + only bodies recovered were those of the Kerepunu teacher's wife and + her babe; the natives of Hula and Kerepunu severally interred the two + bodies. The rest of the bodies became a prey to the alligators. For + the two Hula boys who were slain speedy compensation was made by the + Kalo people. The whale-boat, too, was recovered by the Hula natives. + +[A Hula girl: 167.jpg] + +The above sad intelligence reached Port Moresby at early morn of the +11th, just as the _Harriet_ was about to leave for Thursday Island, and +the _Mayri_ about to take me to Hula, whilst a party of foreigners were +leaving for the East End. The news, of course, upset all arrangements, +and, after the first moments of excitement were over, our next concern +was about the safety of the two Aroma teachers. With as little delay as +possible, but with groundless forebodings of coming evil, a large party +of us left for Aroma. About ten a.m. of the 14th, we reached there, and +whilst our three boats lay off a little, so as not to arouse suspicion, a +teacher and myself went ashore. With devout gratitude I heard that both +teachers and natives were ignorant of the massacre. In less than an hour +the two teachers and their families were safely ensconced in their whale- +boat, taking along with them but a minimum of their property, according +to the orders given. By these means the chiefs and natives of Aroma were +left in utter ignorance as to the cause of our erratic movements, nor did +they seem to suspect anything. + +At Kerepunu we experienced considerable noise and worry. Here, too, we +judged it prudent to remove very little belonging to the deceased +teacher. At Hula, my house had been entered, but the few things stolen +were mostly returned. Here, too, we have left goods, until some definite +course be decided upon. Strange to say, at Hula, where we expected the +least trouble and danger, there we had the greatest; indeed, on one or +two occasions, affairs assumed a rather serious aspect. The main idea +present in the native mind was to take advantage of us in our weakness +and sorrow. After a very brief stay at Hula, we left there on the 15th, +reaching Port Moresby the following day; and on the 17th I left for +Thursday Island. + +The natives of Hood Bay attribute this massacre to the influence of +Koapina, the Aroma chief, he having assured the Kalo people that +foreigners might be massacred with impunity, citing as an illustration +the massacre at Aroma last July, and pointing out at the same time the +great fame that had thereby accrued to his own people. The Kalo people +have not been slow in acting upon his advice. I visited Hula and +Kerepunu within six weeks of the massacre, and was so impressed with the +peaceful bearing of the people in both places that I should have been +glad to have re-occupied both stations immediately. + +I should have visited Kalo, but was afraid of compromising the mission, +as it is possible the natives may be punished for the outrage. I fear we +are not altogether free from blame; the teachers are often very +indiscreet in their dealings with the natives, and not over-careful in +what they say; there has also, perhaps, sometimes been a niggard regard +to expense on our part. A very few pounds spent at a station like Kalo +in the first years would, I believe, prevent much trouble, and probably +murder. The Kalo natives felt that Hula and Kerepunu got the most +tobacco and tomahawks, and that their share was small indeed. Instead of +our buying all the thatch required for the other stations--only +obtainable at Kalo--we got the teachers, with their boys, to get it. We +meant it well, to save expense. My experience teaches me to throw all I +can in the way of natives not connected with our head station. At this +station--Port Moresby--for the next few years the expenses will be +considerable in buildings, laying out the land, and in presents to the +constant stream of visitors; but it will have a Christianizing and a +civilizing effect upon a large extent of country. + +On the 24th of May, 1881, left Port Moresby in the _Mayri_, and, having +taken on board four natives at Boera, continued a westerly course, +anchoring next day in Hall Sound, opposite Delena. Early on the morning +of May 26th, Kone and Lavao, our old friends, came off. They say it is +useless going to Maiva, as we cannot land; but we can go and see for +ourselves, and they will accompany us. I had to land to eat pigs, +_i.e_., receive pigs and hand them over to my followers. On landing, +they led me up the hill at the back of village, where I was astonished to +find a fine tract of land forming a splendid position for a house. Kone +at once offered me as much land as I wanted. After thinking it over on +board, I decided on building. I landed tents, and pitched them on the +rise above the village. My experience is that places quite exposed to +south-east wind are _more_ unhealthy than swampy country. On Rarotonga +there were more deaths on the windward side of the island than on the +leeward. + +On the Sunday after landing, we went down and had service in the village. +Kone interpreted into Lolo. When telling the people we had no work for +them on Sunday, Kone said: "Oh! we know, and we, too, are going to be +_helaka_ (sacred) to-morrow." I asked him, "Come, Kone, how do you +know?" "From Boera." I met a lad repeating the Lord's Prayer in Motu, +and found he had been taught by Piri. The Motu tribe has already had +great influence, and will have more and more every year. I have an +interesting class of children, and hope, before we leave, they will know +their letters well. + +What nonsense one could write of the reception here--such as "Everybody +at service this morning listened attentively; commented on address or +conversation; children all come to school, so intelligent, and seemingly +anxious to learn; and, altogether, prospects are bright." At home they +would say, why, they are being converted; see the speedy triumph! Alas! +they are but savages, pure and simple, rejoicing in the prospect of an +unlimited supply of tobacco, beads, and tomahawks. + +Paura, a chief from Motu Lavao, is in. The people, it seems, told him, +being _helaka_ day, I could not meet him, and he did not come up hill. He +is rather a nice-looking fellow, with a mild, open countenance. Kone +told him to tell the Paitana natives, who murdered James and Thorngren, +that, if they wished peace and friendship, they must come in here and sue +for it; that I could not first go to them, as they were the offenders and +murderers. + +Arrangements were at once made for erecting a wooden house at Delena, +measuring thirty-six feet by eighteen feet, material for which was easily +procurable. On the 30th of May, Queen Koloka, her husband, and a number +of men and women came in. The Prince Consort first came up, all over +smiles, followed in half an hour by his wife and maids. After formally +receiving her, I presented Mrs. Lawes's present. I unloosed the parcel, +and turned maid-of-honour in real waiting. Her Majesty was chewing betel- +nut, but that did not prevent my putting the dress on; first attempt all +wrong, the front became the back, and the back the front. At length I +succeeded, and, after fastening the dress, tied a pretty kerchief round +the royal neck. There was great excitement, in every mouth a thumb, a +few moments of silence, and then every soul spoke and shouted. It was +amusing to see her husband, uncles, maids, old men and women, young men +and maidens, gather round the royal presence, wonder and admire, and then +shout, _Oh misi haine O_! (Mrs. Lawes). Ah, Koloka, I wonder how you are +going to get out of that dress to-night; will you understand buttons, +hooks, and eyes? + +During my stay at Delena, one of those warlike incursions by hostile +tribes so common in New Guinea took place. My presence and influence +happily brought about an early and satisfactory settlement of the +dispute. I extract the following from my journal:-- + +_June_ 2_nd_.--Our friends seem troubled, and their house-building +earnestness is somewhat abated. I find they have heard that the Lolo +tribe intend making a raid on them. Is it on them, or on us? Their +great hope is that we shall use our guns, and so frighten the invaders. I +tell them that we cannot do this; that we are men of peace, and have no +wish to frighten any one. It seems Maiva is very disturbed; they are +fighting all round, avenging Oa's death, and may soon be expected here. +Maiva would not interfere with us, but Lolo I would not trust. + +We shall have to keep a good look-out to-night. Our friends seem very +troubled and excited. I have given warning that any one coming near our +camp must call out my name and his or her own. No one can come near +without our knowing, as my terrier Flora is a splendid watch-dog. This +evening, some women passed camp, carrying their valuables to hide away in +the bush. Bob asks, "Suppose Lolo natives come to us, what we do?" "Of +course they will not come near to us unless they mean to attack, and then +we must defend ourselves." The guns are ready. It is not pleasant; but +I fancy they will not molest us, so hope to sleep well, knowing we are +well cared for by Him who is never far off. Through much trouble we get +to be known, and the purpose for which we come is understood. + +[A Hula dandy: 175.jpg] + +3_rd_.--Last night I slept lightly, with Flora on watch, and Bob easily +aroused. After midnight he kept watch. We placed the lights beyond +tents on each side, and so arranged that the light would strike on any +native nearing camp. About two a.m. Lavao's wife No. 2 came up with her +grandchild, goods, and chattels for safety. The Loloans were coming. All +right; all ready. Very loud, noisy talking in village. At four, we +called out for Kone, who came up telling us that we should be first +disposed of, then Delena. I went to the village, and saw the old +friendly chief from Lavao. I told him any Loloan coming over the brow of +the hill with weapons we should consider as coming to fight, and we were +ready. At five, women and children crowded into camp, with all their +belongings, and asked for protection. Certainly; we shall do what we can +for them. Men are running all about, planting arms in convenient places +in the bush. We are told to keep a good look-out--and that we shall. It +is now daylight, so we do not care much. The fight has begun in the +village. Some Loloans, running after Delena natives, rush uphill; we +warn them back, and they retire. There is a loud shout for us to go to +the village and fight. I leave Bob with guns and cartridges to keep +watch over camp. I have more confidence in the skirmish unarmed, and +have no wish for the savages to think I have come to fight. I shout out +_Maino_, and soon there is a hush in the terrible storm. I am allowed to +walk through the village, disarm one or two, and, on my return to our +friend Kone's end of the village, he whispers to me, "There is Arua," +understanding him to mean the chief, or _vata tauna_ (sorcerer). I +recognize in him the man introduced to me on a former visit, and who in +wrath cleared out from my presence. Now might be his time to pay me out. +I take his weapons from him, link him on to me, and walk him up the hill. +I speak kindly to him, show him flag, and tell him we are _maino_, and +warn him that his people must on no account ascend the hill. All right, +he will stop the fighting. I sit down to write this, when again they +rush up for me, saying Kone was to be killed. Leaving Bob with arms in +charge, I go down to the village, and without my hat. More canoes have +arrived. What a crowd of painted fiends! I get surrounded, and have no +way of escape. Sticks and spears rattle round. I get a knock on the +head, and a piece of stick falls on my hand. My old Lavao friend gets +hold of me and walks me to outskirt. Arua and Lauma of Lolo assure me +they will not ascend the hill, and we had better not interfere with them. +"Right, friend; but you must stop, and on no account injure my friend +Kone." It would frighten them were we to go armed to the village; but +then we dare not stay here twenty-four hours after. I can do more for +the natives unarmed. I am glad I am able to mix with both parties; it +shows they mean us no harm, and speaks well for the future. No one was +killed, but several were severely wounded, and a few houses destroyed. +They have made peace at last, and I have had a meeting in the village +with all; the Loloans have promised to be quiet. I told them we could +not stay if they were to be constantly threatening. In the afternoon the +chiefs came up, and I promised to visit them all. My head aches a +little. Had I been killed, I alone should have been to blame, and not +the natives. The Delena natives say: "Well, Tamate, had you not been +here, many of us would have been killed, and the remainder gone to Naara, +never to return." There is some pleasure in being of a little use even +to savages. + +The next Sunday we had a splendid service. All the young fellows dressed +for it by painting their faces. It was amusing and interesting to hear +them interpret all I said from Motuan into Loloan; and when I attempted +to use a Lolo word, they corrected me if I wrongly pronounced or +misplaced it. After service we had all the children and young men to +school. A goodly number have got a pretty fair hold of letters. Some +would beat native cloth, and Kone grew very angry, and, because they +would not listen to him, threatened to pull up his recently buried child. +I sent word that he must on no account do that, and must say no more to +the men beating cloth; that by-and-by the people will become enlightened, +and then they will understand the Sabbath. Poor Kone's idea is that now +and at once they should understand. + +On June 6th, I once more left Delena to proceed to Maiva, and, although a +heavy sea was running at the time, landed safely about eleven a.m. at +Miria's village, on the Maiva coast. I saw a number of people with +_karevas_ (long fighting sticks), and wondered what was the matter. I +said to my old friend Rua, who met me on the beach, "Are you going to +fight?" "No, no; it is all right now." I gave him a large axe for +Meauri and party to cut wood for a house at their village. Meauri and a +number of followers soon made their appearance: it seemed strange that +they should have come down so soon. Miria, the chief, being away cutting +wood, went to Meauri's village, passing through several seaside villages. +We selected a new position for the house, at the back of a large temple; +gave them tobacco and red cloth, they promising gladly to have wood cut +against my next return. Sitting on the platform, Rua turned to me and +asked, "Tamate, who is your real Maiva friend?" Fancying there was +trouble, I replied, "Oa Maoni, who sleeps in that house in death, was my +friend: Meauri, Rua, Paru, and Aua are now my friends." "I thought so, +and Miria has no business to build a house for you. Before we saw the +boat we were down on the beach at Miria's village to begin a quarrel; we +saw you were coming, and we waited for you." "But I want a house on the +coast as well as inland; Miria's village is small and too exposed, and I +must look for another place." "That is all right; but this first." "Be +it so." After visiting three villages I had not seen before, and going +through all the inland ones, I returned to Miria's village; he not having +returned, I went along to Ereere. After dark, Miria came in. He felt +sorry when I told him I could not put a house up in his place, owing to +its being exposed to south-east wind, and to there not being many people. +"But I have cut the wood." "I shall pay you for that, and the wood can +remain for my return." I gave him tobacco for the young men and a +present to himself, and all was right. + +A few mornings later, I found the natives sitting round rice; one said, +"Come, we are waiting for you to bless the food." They have seen our +boats' crews of Botu and Boera natives always asking a blessing. I said +to them, "Cannot one of you ask a blessing?" + +"No; wait until we learn, and you will see." A good story is told by the +captain of the _Mayri_. Oa their going to Aroma to relieve the teachers +after the Kalo massacre, in the early morning they were pulling along the +reef, and just as the sun appeared over the mountains, one of the Motu +crew called on all to be quiet, rowers to lean on their oars, and then +engaged in prayer, thanking God for watching over them during the night, +and praying that He would care for them during the day, and that no +unpleasantness might occur with the Aroma natives. All along this coast, +and right away down to Elema as far as Bald Head, the Motu tribe has a +wonderful influence, and in a few years excellent pioneers may be had +from it. They must have been a terrible lot in the past. I have heard +much from themselves of piracy, murder, and robbery, and all along here +they tell terrible tales. A Motu chief in one of our meetings, speaking +of the past and the present, concluded by saying: "Since the arrival of +the foreigners (teachers), we have changed and will continue to change." + +An old chief, Aiio, from the Mekeo district, came in to see me, and +brought me as a present a splendid head-dress, which is hung up by Kone +in front of the tent for all to see. On giving him a present of salt, it +was pleasant to see the old fellow's expression of pleasure. He is +anxious I should go inland as soon as possible; I tell him I must wait +for tomahawks. + +At seven o'clock on the morning of the 13th of June, I started to visit +Madu, the chief of the Motu Lavao. We went up from the bight, a large +saltwater creek, with dense mangrove on both banks,--a veritable bed of +fever,--and anchoring our boats, we walked through the deserted village +of Paitana and on for about a mile and a half to Motu Lavao. The path +leads along a narrow tract of good country, with dense swamps on both +sides. The village is large, with good houses kept nice and clean; but I +can conceive of no more unhealthy locality--swamp all around. A number +of people were down with fever, some in their houses, others lying +exposed to the sun. I asked them if they had no _vatavata_ (spirits) +knocking around in their district, and did they not much trouble them. +"Oh, trouble us much, very much." I told them I thought so, and the +sooner they removed from that place the better--that they were right in +the centre of sickness and death. They said, "And what is to become of +the place of our forefathers, and the cocoanuts they planted?" "Better +leave them, or in a short time there will be none left to remember their +forefathers, or eat their cocoanuts." Madu was in the country, and we +waited his return. He tried hard to get me to stay over-night, but it +was of no use. He presented me with a pig and feathers, and we concluded +friendship by my giving a return present. An old woman was presented to +me, a great sorceress; but, not liking the sisterhood, I did not see my +way clear to give her a present. Such as she keep the natives in +constant fear, do what they like, and get what they like. It is affirmed +by all that the great Lolo sorcerer, Arua, keeps snakes in bamboos, and +uses them for his nefarious purposes. Late in the afternoon we left, +accompanied by Madu and a number of youths carrying pig, cocoanuts, and +sugar-cane. When leaving, the chief said, "Go, Tamate; we are friends." + +On June 14th, I had a long conference with the old Paitana chief, Boutu, +and his followers. They looked very much excited and alarmed when I met +them, but that wore away during our conversation. Boutu, his party, and +other Lolo natives assured me that the attack on Dr. James and Mr. +Thorngren was unknown to all but those in the canoe. The excuse was that +the day before they were trading on Yule Island one young man had +feathers for sale. Dr. James and Waunaea told him to leave; they would +not take his feathers because he objected to the pearl shell produced. +This, they say, was the beginning. He tried very hard to sell his +feathers, and, if possible, get a tomahawk. Failing, he went home, +quietly arranged a party, slept in the bush, and before daylight went off +to the vessel. On nearing the vessel, Dr. James called out--"You must +not come alongside: you are coming to kill me." They said, "We are not +going to kill you, but want to sell yams." The yams were taken on board, +and whilst Dr. James was counting the beads to pay for them he was struck +with a club, and afterwards speared, but not quite disabled, as he drew +his revolver and shot the man who attacked him. Mr. Thorngren was struck +at from aft, fell overboard, and was never again seen. They say, when +the people in the village heard of it, they were very sorry, and that +ever since they have been looked upon with anger, as they have been the +cause of keeping the white man away with his tobacco, beads, and +tomahawks. I asked them, "What now?" "Let us make friends, and never +again have the like." "But your young men could do the same again +without your knowing." "They know better than try it again; they are too +much afraid; and they see that what was then done has greatly injured us +as well as all the other villages." I explained to them the object of +our coming here, and that they must not think we are to buy everything +they bring, and must not be angry when we refuse to give what they +demand. We do not come to steal their food or curios, and, if we do not +want them, they can carry all back; we are not traders. After praying +with them, they said, "Tamate, now let it be friendship; give up your +intention of going to Mekeo (inland district), and come to-morrow, and we +shall make friends and peace." "I shall go; but suppose the mother of +the young man who was shot begins wailing, what then?" "She will +doubtless wail, but you need not fear; come, and you will see." "Then to- +morrow I shall go." + +Next morning, the _Mayri_ having arrived the evening before, I carried +into effect the intended visit. The chief of Paitana and two followers, +with my friend Lauma, of Lolo, waited to accompany me. After breakfast +we got into the boat, Lavao in charge. We entered the same creek as for +Motu Lavao, and when up it some distance turned up another to the right, +too narrow to use oars. When two miles up we anchored boat, then walked +or waded for two miles through swamp and long grass. When near the +village we heard loud wailing, and Lavao, who was leading, thought it +better we should wait for the old chief, who was some distance behind. On +coming up they spoke in Lolo, then threw down his club, calling on one of +his followers to pick it up. He went in front, and called on me to +follow close to him, the others coming after; and so we marched into the +village and up on to his platform. Then began speechifying, presenting +cooked food, betel-nuts, pig, and feathers. When all was finished I gave +my present, and said a few words in the Motu dialect. The uncle of the +man shot by Dr. James came on to the platform, caught me by the arm and +shouted, _Maino_! (peace), saying that they, the chiefs, knew nothing of +the attack. The murderers lived at the other end of the village; and +thither, accompanied by a large party, I went. They gave me a pig, and I +gave them a return present. The real murderer of Mr. Thorngren sat near +me, dressed for the occasion, and four others who were in the canoe stood +near the platform. The mother and two widows were in the house opposite, +but with good sense refrained from wailing. I spoke to them of the +meanness and treachery of attacking as they attacked Dr. James and Mr. +Thorngren. They say there were ten in the canoe--one was shot, three +have since died, and six remain. They also say they feel they have done +wrong, as they not only made the foreigners their enemies, but also all +the tribes around were angry with them. "What now, then?" "Oh, _maino_ +(peace) it must be; we are friends, and so are all foreigners now." "I +am not a trader, but have come to teach about the only one true God and +His love to us all in the gift of His Son Jesus Christ, to proclaim peace +between man and man, and tribe and tribe." What seemed to astonish them +most was my being alone and unarmed. After some time, our old friend +came from the other end of the village and hurried us away. It was time +to leave them, so, giving a few parting presents, we picked up our goods +and away to the boat. + + + + +CHAPTER V. EAST CAPE IN 1878 AND IN 1882 + + +Original state of the natives--War and cannibalism--How the mission work +has been carried on--A Sunday at East Cape in 1882--Twenty-one converts +baptized--A blight prospect. + +In 1878, missionary work was begun at East Capes, and four years after +the establishment of that mission, on a review of the past, what +evidences of progress were to be seen! There were signs of light +breaking in upon the long dark night of heathenism. Looking at the +condition of this people when the missionaries and teachers first landed, +what did they find? A people sunk in crime that to them has become a +custom and religion--a people in whom murder is the finest art, and who +from their earliest years study it. Disease, sickness, and death have +all to be accounted for. They know nothing of malaria, filth, or +contagion. Hence they hold that an enemy causes these things, and +friends have to see that due punishment is made. The large night firefly +helps to point in the direction of that enemy, or the spirits of departed +ones are called in through spiritists' influence to come and assist, and +the medium pronouncing a neighbouring tribe guilty, the time is near when +that tribe will be visited and cruel deeds done. They know nothing of a +God of Love--only gods and spirits who are ever revengeful, and must be +appeased; who fly about in the night and disturb the peace of homes. It +is gross darkness and cruelty, brother's hand raised against brother's. +Great is the chief who claims many skulls; and the youth, who may wear a +jawbone as an armlet is to be admired. + +When we first landed here, the natives lived only to fight, and the +victory was celebrated by a cannibal feast. It is painfully significant +to find that the only field in which New Guinea natives have shown much +skill and ingenuity is in the manufacture of weapons. One of these is +known as a Man-catcher, and was invented by the natives of Hood Bay, but +all over the vast island this loop of rattan cane is the constant +companion of head-hunters. The peculiarity of the weapon is the deadly +spike inserted in the handle. + +The _modus operandi_ is as follows:--The loop is thrown over the unhappy +wretch who is in retreat, and a vigorous pull from the brawny arm of the +vengeful captor jerks the victim upon the spike, which (if the weapon be +deftly handled) penetrates the body at the base of the brain, or, if +lower down, in the spine, in either case inflicting a death-wound. + +All these things are changed, or in process of change. For several years +there have been no cannibal ovens, no desire for skulls. Tribes that +could not formerly meet but to fight, now meet as friends, and sit side +by side in the same house worshipping the true God. Men and women who, +on the arrival of the mission, sought the missionaries' lives, are only +anxious now to do what they can to assist them, even to the washing of +their feet. How the change came about is simply by the use of the same +means as those acted upon in many islands of the Pacific. The first +missionaries landed not only to preach the Gospel of Divine love, but +also to live it, and to show to the savage a more excellent way than +theirs. Learning the language, mixing freely with them, showing +kindnesses, receiving the same, travelling with them, differing from +them, making friends, assisting them in their trading, and in every way +making them feel that their good only was sought. They thought at first +that we were compelled to leave our own land because of hunger! + +Teachers were placed amongst the people; many sickened and died. There +was a time of great trial, but how changed is everything now! Four years +pass on, and, in 1882, we visit them. We left Port Moresby, and arrived +at East Cape on a Sunday. Morning service was finished, and, from the +vessel, we saw a number of natives well dressed, standing near the +mission house, waiting to receive us. The teachers came off, and with +them several lads, neatly dressed. After hearing from them of the work, +and of how the people were observing the Sabbath, we landed, and were met +by a quiet, orderly company of men, women, and boys, who welcomed us as +real friends. The first to shake hands with us was a chief from the +opposite side of the bay, who in early days gave us much trouble, and had +to be well watched. Now he was dressed, and his appearance much altered. +It was now possible to meet him and feel he was a friend. We found Pi +Vaine very ill, and not likely to live long; yet she lived long enough to +rejoice in the glorious success of the Gospel of Christ, and to see many +of those for whom she laboured profess Christianity. We were astonished, +when we met in the afternoon, at the orderly service--the nice well-tuned +singing of hymns, translated by the teacher, and the attention, when he +read a chapter in Mark's Gospel--translated by him from the Rarotongan +into the dialect of the place. When he preached to them, all listened +attentively, and seemed to be anxious not to forget a single word. Two +natives prayed with great earnestness and solemnity. After service all +remained, and were catechised on the sermon, and then several present +stood up and exhorted their friends to receive the Gospel. Many +strangers were present, and they were exhorted to come as often as +possible and hear the good news. Then, again, others offered prayers. We +found that numbers came in on the Saturday with food and cooking-pots, +and remained until Monday morning. They lived with the teachers, and +attended all the services, beginning with a prayer-meeting on Saturday +night. + +During our stay of a few days, they all remained at the station, and we +saw much of them. The teachers said there were twenty-one who professed +faith in Christ and had given up heathenism and desired baptism. We +visited further on to the east, and we were a week away on our return to +East Cape, and after close examination of each candidate we decided to +baptize them on the following Tuesday. The service was most interesting, +and well attended by persons from various places. At night we examined +the children and grown-up people who attend school, and were much pleased +with them. A few can read in the Motu dialect; others know how to put +letters together and form words. We hope soon to have one or two books +in their own dialect. Of those baptized several are anxious to be +instructed, that they may be better fitted to do work for Christ amongst +their own countrymen. Already they hold services, and exhort in other +villages, and when travelling they do all the good they can to others. + +We are in hopes soon to receive a number of young men and women at Port +Moresby, and begin our Institution, to be called "The New Guinea +Institution for Training Evangelists." At present we shall proceed +quickly, building native houses for students, and a class room to be +bought in the colonies, towards which our true friends in North Adelaide +contribute largely. + +The harvest ripens fast: where shall we look for labourers? The Master +has said, "Pray." May they soon be sent! The light is shining, the +darkness is breaking, and the thick clouds are moving, and the hidden +ones are being gathered in. We have already plucked the first flowers; +stern winter yields, and soon we shall have the full spring, the singing +of birds, and the trees in full blossom. Hasten it, O Lord, we plead! + +LONDON: PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED, STAMFORD STREET AND +CHARING CROSS. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ADVENTURES IN NEW GUINEA*** + + +******* This file should be named 17694.txt or 17694.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/7/6/9/17694 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://www.gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.gutenberg.org/fundraising/pglaf. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://www.gutenberg.org/about/contact + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://www.gutenberg.org/fundraising/donate + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: +http://www.gutenberg.org/fundraising/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + diff --git a/17694.zip b/17694.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..166af95 --- /dev/null +++ b/17694.zip diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e4e0398 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #17694 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/17694) |
