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diff --git a/35583.txt b/35583.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..81ae7c7 --- /dev/null +++ b/35583.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6069 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Two Years Among the Savages of New Guinea, by +W. D. Pitcairn + +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: Two Years Among the Savages of New Guinea. + With Introductory Notes on North Queensland. + +Author: W. D. Pitcairn + +Release Date: March 15, 2011 [EBook #35583] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TWO YEARS AMONG THE SAVAGES *** + + + + +Produced by Steven Gibbs and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +[Image: Map illustrating Author's route in New Guinea.] + + + +TWO YEARS AMONG + +THE + +SAVAGES OF NEW GUINEA. + + +WITH INTRODUCTORY NOTES ON NORTH QUEENSLAND. + + + +BY + +W. D. PITCAIRN, + +Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and Associate +Member of the Manchester Geographical Society. + +_With a Map._ + + +LONDON: +WARD & DOWNEY +12, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN, W.C. + +1891. + +[_All rights reserved._] + +PRINTED BY +KELLY AND CO., GATE STREET, LINCOLN'S INN FIELDS, +AND KINGSTON-ON-THAMES. + + + +TO MY FRIEND + +OSCAR SOELBERG, + +WITH WHOM I HAVE SPENT MANY HAPPY DAYS IN NEW GUINEA, + +I DEDICATE THIS BOOK. + + + + +PREFACE. + + +As every Bill has a preamble, so, I suppose, every book should have a +preface. At any rate, such appears to be the universal custom, and I, +being of an orthodox turn of mind, am not going to depart from the +general rule. Some months ago I mentioned to an acquaintance of mine, +a gentleman of considerable literary attainments, that I purposed +writing a book on New Guinea, describing my experiences, etc. He +replied "Why, the subject is thrashed out, and writings on New Guinea +are overdone." I may state that, as the said gentleman had never been +in that country, I was not biassed by his opinion. + +Had he said that the few writers on New Guinea were thrashed out, he +would have been nearer to the mark, as the subject of a country so +vast, and the civilised settlement of which is in its infancy, will not +be thrashed out for many years to come. We do not all wear the same +pair of spectacles. I have endeavoured to describe places and people as +they appeared to me. Whether the results as set forth in this work +will be found satisfactory or otherwise must be decided by its readers. + +W. D. PITCAIRN. + +The Vicarage, Eccles, June, 1890. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + PAGE + +INTRODUCTION. + +NORTH QUEENSLAND. + +Cooktown--Landing of Capt. Cook--North Shore--Native Fights--Decline +of the Race--Endeavour River--Bush Scenery--Birth of Township--Palmer +Goldfield--Frank Stubley--Mount Morgan--The Tin Fields--Sugar +Cultivation--Bloomfield River--Deserted in the Bush--A Fishing +Excursion 1 + +NEW GUINEA. + +CHAPTER I. + +THE VOYAGE. + +Schooner _Spitfire_--Last Adieus--The Start--The Great Barrier-- +Osprey Reef--Wreck of the S.S. _Papua_--"Taking the Sun"-- +Somnambulism on the High Seas--Breakers Ahead--Land in Sight-- +Brumer Islands--A Dead Calm--H.M.S. _Harrier_--Heath Island-- +Natives Come on Board--China Straits--At Anchor 27 + +CHAPTER II. + +THE GOVERNMENT. + +British Policy--Death of Sir Peter Scratchley--Hon. John +Douglas--Discovery of Gold--Samarai--Native Policy of the +Government--China Straits--A Marine Villa--Native Intelligence 40 + +CHAPTER III. + +NATIVE CUSTOMS. + +Types--Origin--Religion--Mourning--Marriage--Treatment of +Women--Children--Dress--Villages--Land Tenure--Food--Language +--Musical Instruments--Native Manufactures 57 + +CHAPTER IV. + +A STORMY TRIP. + +Christmas at Samarai--Ah Gim--Expedition to Wari--A Series of +Mishaps--The Island of Wari--Chewing Betel-Nut--Smoking--Canoe +Trading 72 + +CHAPTER V. + +A GOLDEN PROSPECT. + +Arrival of _Juanita_--Origin of Gold Discovery--Fight Between +Wagga-Wagga and Tube-Tube Natives--Weapons--Return of _Juanita_ +--Trip to Sud-Est--Sud-Est--Head Hunting--Schooner _Hygeia_ +left for Rossel Island--Cannibalism 88 + +CHAPTER VI. + +VOYAGE TO BISMARCK ARCHIPELAGO. + +Return of _Seagull_ from Sud-Est--Capt. Ancell Killed--Native +Treachery--_Hygeia_ arrived China Straits--Left for East +Cape--Strange Looking Natives at Bentley Bay--Egum (Woodlarks)-- +Tokaiakus the Dwarf--Trobriand Group--Met Cutter _Albatross_ +--Trade with Natives--I go on Shore--Jurien Island--Waterspout, St. +George's Channel--Arrival at Mioko, Duke of York Islands 111 + +CHAPTER VII. + +BISMARCK ARCHIPELAGO. + +Mioko--Mr. H----'s Hospitality--Boat Race--Ralume, New Britain-- +Mrs. F----'s Plantation--Native Markets in Blanche Bay--Mud +Throwing--Volcano--Picnic to Pigeon Island--Samoan Dance 151 + +CHAPTER VIII. + +RETURN VOYAGE. + +Left Ralume--St. George's Channel--Fate of Charles Hunstein-- +Marquis de Ray's Expedition--Head Winds--Shot a Shark--Pilot +Fish--Lost two Buckets Overboard--Arrived Egum--Landed Dwarf-- +Obtained large Turtle--Painted Boat--Arrived China Straits-- +Christmas Eve 1888. 186 + +CHAPTER IX. + +THE "TRIAL." + +Diggers Sick with Fever--The Supreme Court--Reported Murder of S. +and W., Ferguson Island--Went in _Alice Meade_ to Rescue--Report +Untrue--Schooner _Myrtle_ dismasted--Went in _Juanita_ to +her assistance--Dawson Island--Brought _Myrtle_ into Port--Tide +Rips--Arrival of _Seagull_--Coffee Plantation on Mainland 203 + +CHAPTER X. + +SOUTH COAST. + +I Visit Aroma--Chief Koepina--Village of Hula--Port Moresby--Ascent +of Mount Owen Stanley--Sir William MacGregor--Murder of Two White +Men at Cloudy Bay 235 + +CHAPTER XI. + +CONCLUSION. + +Coastal Formation--Animals &c.--Climate--Population--Products, +Present and Future--Native Labour 263 + +APPENDIX. + +Vocabulary of Language 283 + + + + +TWO YEARS AMONG + +THE + +SAVAGES OF NEW GUINEA. + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + +NORTH QUEENSLAND. + + +About seven years ago, when living in South Queensland, I happened to +come across a small book on New Guinea, which I devoured with great +appetite; so much so that I determined, some time or another, to visit +that little-known country, with its interesting savage inhabitants. + +Two years afterwards I found my way up to Cooktown, North Queensland, +which is situated immediately opposite the shores of New Guinea. + +I remained in the Cook district for two years, previous to embarking +for the home of the Papuans. + +Before taking the reader over with me, let me introduce him to +Cooktown, which is a fair type of a Northern Colonial Township. + +Cooktown is situated on the Endeavour River in lat. 15 deg. 30' south, and +long. 145 deg. east. + +It derives its name from the immortal Captain Cook, who visited the +site on which it stands in or about the year 1770, and beached his +vessel, named the _Endeavour_, on the north shore, which is on the +opposite side of the harbour to the town. + +The vessel had sprung a leak, so Captain Cook chose a suitable spot +where there was little surf, in order to make the necessary repairs. + +How different was its appearance from that of the present time. Then, +everything was in its primeval state. Crowds of savages lined the +north shore, and interfered with Captain Cook's men in their work. The +sailors had often to keep them back by force of arms. + +Even at the present day, blacks are living there, but their numbers are +sadly reduced. + +Occasionally the monotony of their existence is varied by fights with +the Normanby River blacks, who are more warlike and numerous, and who +periodically make raids on them. Spears are then to be seen flying in +all directions, and after several days' severe fighting, in which one +or two are killed, and maybe one or two wounded, peace is once more +restored, and the belligerent party returns to its river haunts. + +The blacks of North Queensland are, without exception, the lowest type +of humanity on the face of the earth. + +They are almost on a level with the brute creation. They are naturally +very lazy, and it is only the pangs of hunger that induce them to make +any exertion to procure food. + +They are treacherous in the extreme; their principal occupation appears +to consist in spearing the white man's cattle, and, when possible, the +white man himself. + +They are as dangerous as snakes in the grass, and, like them, should be +trodden under foot. + +They practise no cultivation of the soil, and are even too lazy to +build houses to shelter them from the winds and heavy rains. + +They just throw two or three branches of trees together, and crawl +underneath. + +Like the pestilential fever before the advance of settlement and +civilization, they have to retire. They are fast approaching +extinction, and in a century hence, one of the race will be an admired +curiosity, if his existence is not already a memory. + +The Endeavour is a tortuous river, and navigable for vessels of three +or four feet draught for over 20 miles, after which it becomes a +narrow, shallow stream. + +The banks are lined with mangrove trees; beyond is a beautiful scrub, +backed by mountains, with the Pacific Ocean glistening in the distance. + +It is a pretty river. Every few miles you come upon a settler's +homestead smiling with cultivated fields and orchards, where all kinds +of tropical fruits are grown, such as the mangot, granddilla, banana, +pine-apple, lemons, oranges, pomegranates, paw-paws, etc. Small herds +of cattle are to be seen grazing in the bush, and there is the lovely +tropical bush itself, with its variegated colours, whose silence is +broken only by the mournful cry of the curlew or the peculiar weird +note of the mopawk. + +When sunset approaches, the beauty and tranquillity of the scene are +enhanced by the exquisite tints thrown on mountain, scrub and sea. +There is no twilight here. It is dark immediately after the sun has +set, so there is little time to drink in the glories of the departing +day. + +To a stranger, the township has a peculiar appearance. It consists +mainly of one long straggling street, viz., Charlotte Street, and all +the houses are wooden, with roofs of corrugated iron. This, to my +mind, gives to the buildings a very ugly appearance, to say nothing of +the great heat engendered thereby. The shops, or "stores" as they are +called, are tumble-down poky affairs. The principal and best buildings +are the hotels and public-houses, of which there are many--about one to +every 100 inhabitants. + +The town has a municipality and Mayor, who is elected once a year. + +There is a police magistrate, who presides at the court, and who is +generally looked upon as the leading man of the place, a police +inspector and the usual Government officials, C. P. S., land agent, +etc. + +There are good wharves, under the control of the municipality, also a +very good harbour; the channel is well-marked by buoys and two leading +lights, as there are many sandbanks, and occasionally the sand silts up +in the channel, but a few months' dredging soon puts things to rights. + +Vessels drawing 16 feet, moor alongside the wharves, and as Cooktown is +the principal port of call for the north, and for English and China +mail steamers, the shipping is of considerable importance; in fact, +take the shipping away from the place, and little remains. + +The town came into existence in 1873, only 17 years ago, and so short a +life explains its present condition. + +Large gold discoveries were made in the Palmer district, about 150 +miles up country, to which flocked thousands of miners, and from which +millions of ounces of gold were extracted. + +This gave birth to Cooktown, as it was the nearest port to the +diggings. + +At that time there were only two or three tents in the place, but the +Palmer diggings soon altered this state of affairs. + +Wooden and iron buildings were hastily thrown up, teams of bullocks and +pack-horses were all day long leaving for the Palmer district with +heavy loadings of provisions, etc. + +The rates of carriage were enormous, as much as L30 a ton being +charged. + +At times flour was dearer than gold. + +This great activity and bustle gave to the town a tremendous impetus, +the effects of which are still visible. + +The Palmer diggings are now deserted, as they are said to be +unworkable. + +Of course many made their fortunes at the time of the great rush, and +many likewise spent a fortune. Naturally, as in all great gold-fields, +numbers were disappointed, lost what little they had, were +unsuccessful, and left the place disgusted, swearing they would never +attempt digging again. + +Talking of the vicissitudes of gold-digging, reminds me of the strange +career of Frank Stubley, whom I met in Queensland. + +He was one of fortune's favourites. He was a hardworking miner in a +gold claim at Gympie, one of the most permanent reefing fields in +Queensland. He was working on wages, receiving about L3 10_s._ per +week, that being the usual rate of pay. He saved a few pounds and +invested them in a small interest in the claim in which he worked, and +in one or two adjoining. Fortune smiled on him. Everything he put into +turned out trumps. His shares rose tremendously in value, and in a +short time he developed from a working man into one of the wealthiest +capitalists of the colony. + +He, by pure luck, found himself possessed of the immense sum of a +quarter of a million pounds sterling. + +This, judiciously invested in Australia, meant an income of L20,000 per +annum for life. + +What did he do with his wealth? Did he invest it judiciously? Nothing +of the kind. He determined to become a large landed proprietor, bought +two or three great estates, turned squatter, and purchased a number of +race-horses. He invited all his friends and old mates to champagne +suppers, took unto himself a wife of extravagant habits, who was a +great help to him in spending money, went before the electors of the +district as a candidate for parliamentary honours, and was returned as +member by an overwhelming majority. He took his seat in the house of +representatives at Brisbane, where, of course, his expenses were still +further increased. Everything for a time went merrily as a marriage +bell, but the day of reckoning was drawing near, and in the short +period of four years he had wasted his substance. + +His land, race-horses, etc., were sold to pay his debts, and, from a +large capitalist, he once more became a working man. + +Some friends subscribed sufficient funds to carry him to the Croydon +gold-field, which had recently "broken out" (1885). + +There he determined once more to woo the fickle goddess of Fortune and, +with his proverbial good luck, retrieve his lost fortunes. But fate +decreed otherwise. I saw him on the day he left Cooktown by steamer +for Normanton, _en route_ to Croydon, wished him good-bye and good +luck. + +He arrived safely in Normanton, stayed there a couple of days, and with +two or three of his mates started on the tramp to Croydon, 100 miles +distant. + +Poor Frank Stubley, however, never reached his destination, as, before +he got half-way, he suddenly dropped down dead on the road, partly from +the terrible heat of the sun and partly, no doubt, from drinking too +heavily in Normanton. + +Such was the sad end of a man who, owing to his many sterling +qualities, was a general favourite. To him good fortune proved a curse +instead of a blessing. "_Requiescat in Pace._" + +The production of gold in Queensland during the last five years has +been greater than ever. This is owing partly to the discovery of new +rich fields, partly to the better working of old ones, to which +machinery has been applied, as, from the extension of railways, the +rates of carriage have been considerably reduced. + +The Croydon Gold Field "broke out" in 1885, and from all appearances is +likely to prove permanent. + +By far the most important mine yet discovered in Australia is the +celebrated Mount Morgan, a few miles from Rockhampton. + +It might well be called the mountain of gold. It is the richest gold +mine in Australasia, and its resources are unlimited. It derives its +name from the original discoverer, Mr. William Morgan of Rockhampton. + +It would not be out of place here to give a short account of its +origin. + +A few years ago Mr. Morgan, a prospector, who was roaming over the +country in search of minerals, happened to be travelling through a +small selection of 640 acres owned by a workingman, who just managed to +eke out a living on it, the land being very poor. The selector, an +uneducated man and ignorant of geology, was busy carting stone in his +wheelbarrow. Mr. Morgan, being of an observant nature, took up one or +two pieces of it, examined them, and asked the owner where he had +obtained them, and of what use the stuff was. He pointed out to him a +hill where there were tons of the same material, and told him he was +building a fence with it. After a few more inquiries, Mr. Morgan went +on his way, taking with him a few specimens of the stone, which he sent +for assay, and shortly afterwards wrote to the selector asking him what +he would take for his property. He was only too glad to get rid of it, +worthless as the land seemed. + +So the upshot of it was that Mr. Morgan bought the holding for about +L600. Had this man been an intelligent mineralogist he would not have +parted with it for L60,000, as the sequel will prove. The stone, which +he thought only fit for building walls, was very rich quartz. The hill, +or mountain, was in fact a golden one. + +The transfer was duly made, and Mr. Hall, the manager of the Queensland +National Bank, Rockhampton, advanced the money required to carry on the +mining works, in consideration of a share or interest, and at the +present time both he and Mr. Morgan, together with several others +interested, are millionaires. The mine is practically inexhaustible and +the output returns are enormous. The further down they go, the richer +the ore proves. The mine is now worked by a large and powerful company, +the value of each L1 share being about L10. Whether Mr. Morgan and his +partners made the poor selector a handsome present I cannot say, but I +believe they did, if not they ought to have done so. Of course such a +rich prize provoked litigation, but Morgan's claim was too strong to be +overthrown. The total value of the mine may be stated at L10,000,000. + +It is without doubt the most extraordinary mine in all Australasia. + +The country for miles round Cooktown is stanniferous. From the Annan +River, four miles beyond Cooktown, as far as Herberton, the strata +are continuous, with breaks here and there. The principal tin claims +are at Mount Romeo and the Tableland, some 40 miles distant, and also +in the Bloomfield. About three years ago I visited several of the +claims at Mount Romeo, many of which were doing very well, turning +out several tons a week. The tin assayed from 70 to 75 per cent. of +pure ore, and at that time was worth about 18_s._ a unit. The +standard is 70 per cent., and for every unit above 70 per cent. the +value is threehalfpence per unit more, that is to say, the price of the +standard being 18_s._ per unit, if it assays 71 per cent. it is worth +18_s._ 1-1/2_d._ per unit, and so on. Some time after, owing to a +syndicate in Paris having monopolized the supply and obtained control +of the market, tin rose to an abnormal value. Whilst this fictitious +value held, the tin miners made a little fortune, but suddenly the +syndicate burst, tin dropped 50 per cent., and many were ruined. By +degrees, however, it regained its normal value or thereabouts, and at +the present time, with slight fluctuations, it stands at about L90 per +ton of pure ore. The supply, too, of late (within the Cook district at +least) has fallen considerably, though to make up for this several new +lodes have been discovered and, if systematically worked, will no doubt +turn out satisfactory to the promoters. Herberton is the principal +tin-mining centre in Queensland, as it has many permanent lodes, +whereas in the Cook district the claims are for the most part alluvial. +A rich tin claim is quite as valuable as a rich gold claim. The "stream +tin" is found in the beds or banks of streams or creeks, at a depth +varying from a few inches to several feet. Box drains are placed in the +creek, and the dirt is placed in them. A good sluice of water is +constantly brought to bear on it, and a fork or spade is continually at +work stamping it, to get rid of the loose stones and dirt. The heavy +matter of course remains at the bottom of the sluice box, and is +afterwards cleaned and put through two sieves and dried in the sun. It +is then put in sacks, after which it is packed in flour bags ready for +the packer and his mules to take away to the port of Cooktown, whence +it is shipped by steamer to Sydney for sale. Of course a great quantity +is sold on the field to the merchants and storekeepers of the town, +who, in some instances, send their own teams of pack-horses to cart it +away. They also supply the miners with provisions and all requisites, +such as tools, and by their stores, erected on the field, often make a +rattling good thing out of the tin-miner. The latter is proverbially a +hard worker, and when he has made "a big cheque" he goes into town with +his mates for a spell, and spends it "like a man," which means that he +never sees daylight until all his hard-won earnings are in the till of +the publican. He then returns to his claim a poorer, but seldom a +wiser, man, as he will, in all probability, repeat the debauch a few +months afterwards. It is no use talking to him about the virtue of +thrift, and the follies of a spendthrift, as it is his idea of "life," +and he would enjoy no other. He prefers to live modestly, and work hard +for six months, and then to come into town and live at the rate of +L1,000 a year for a fortnight. "_Chacun a son gout._" It pleases +him and hurts no one else, so why carp at him? Take him as a whole, he +is a genial, good-hearted man, hail fellow, well met, rough in +exterior, but true at heart. Though he knows how to swear and to drink, +he is free from mean vices, and we must remember that he has never +known refinement of manners or thought. I like his rough ways and his +honest character, and I take him just as he is, with all his faults, +which in many instances are but the cloak of hidden virtues. + + * * * * * + +Sugar growing has always been an important industry in Queensland, and +was most profitable, but if the Government carry out their present +intention of prohibiting the importation of Kanaka labour, the above +industry will be crushed, and the immense capital sunk in mills and +machinery will be irretrievably lost. In North Queensland the climate +is very hot, and it is impossible for white men to work in the fields, +cutting the cane, also the high rate of wages that would have to be +paid them would take away most of the planter's profits. It must be +borne in mind that the capital necessary to erect a sugar mill and +plant, and to work a plantation properly, is very great, and naturally +the planters expect to receive a fair return for their enormous outlay. +Taking these facts into consideration, I consider the policy of the +Government in prohibiting black labour to be suicidal and foolish. In +the Cook District there are only two sugar plantations, the Weary Bay +Company's and Messrs. Hislops' of Wyalla, both in the Bloomfield +District. The Weary Bay has turned out some very high-class sugar, but +has been unfortunate in its management. Twelve months ago it was +closed, owing to some financial difficulty, but I heard that it was +intended to work it again. The scenery on the Bloomfield River is +superb. It is thoroughly tropical. Dense scrubs reach close to the +bank's edge, and the bush is filled with the most beautiful orchids, +which, when in full flower, is a sight never to be forgotten. The +ferns, too, are many, and of varied species, and the clearings are +covered with the succulent cane, and circling the plain stand +precipitous mountains, notably Stuckey's Gap; whilst from a gentle rise +can be seen, over the tops of the dense scrub, the broad and undulating +bosom of the Pacific Ocean. These scrubs are rather dangerous in wet +weather, as then the numerous creeks become flooded and are unfordable, +and sometimes the traveller is unwillingly made a prisoner, or has to +run the risk of crossing a swollen stream. Another danger is that of +getting lost in the bush, which is a very simple matter, but a very +difficult one to get out of. Many a good bushman even has been lost in +the trackless forest, where his bones have suggested a terrible story +of death by hunger or thirst. The bush has, indeed, furnished many a +sad tale of woe. In some instances men have gone mad from despair, +having given up all hope of extricating themselves from the trap. + +Some years ago a great friend of mine, Bob S----n, went through some +terrible experiences. He was a thoroughly experienced bushman and a +well-educated man, and to listen to his thrilling yarns of peril and +adventure by sea and by land was a never-ending source of pleasure. Of +all the good fellows I have ever met, he was, without doubt, one of the +most entertaining and pleasant of companions. The particular story to +be related is this. He started with a small party of men, equipped with +tents and all the necessary supplies of provisions, which were carried +on pack-horses, on an expedition for the purpose of finding new country +that would be suitable for carrying stock, _i.e._ cattle. They +travelled about 400 miles west from Cooktown, pitched their camp and +were fortunate in finding some good-looking country. Bob S----n went +some distance away from the camp, and on returning in the evening, to +his great astonishment found his friends had struck their tents and +left. He now realized that he was deserted 400 miles from civilization, +alone in the pathless bush, the home of wild and treacherous blacks, +with nothing to protect him but a revolver, and without a morsel of +food. + +Fortunately he was an experienced bushman, and a plucky fellow to boot, +or he would never have survived the awful ordeal. There was nothing +else for it but to face the inevitable, so he started on his weary +journey, often suffering the fearful pangs of hunger. Now and then he +managed to get a few berries to eat, and water to drink, and so day +after day, weak from privation, without a covering at night, save the +trees overhead, he wearily jogged along. One morning at sunrise as he +was descending a rise, to his dismay, about 50 yards beneath him, he +saw a large camp of blacks. One of them had just risen, and was +stretching himself immediately facing him. The black fellow was equally +taken aback, but before he could recover from his surprise, Bob S----n, +with two or three piercing shouts, rushed into the camp, firing his +revolver. The blacks, evidently thinking that there was a large force +behind, took to ignominious flight across the river. This plucky +conduct saved him. + +Some more days' suffering, and, on the eleventh day out, he sank to the +ground faint and exhausted, unable to move. He was, although he knew it +not, within a short distance of a cattle station, where, luckily, one +of the stockmen, who was out riding, stumbled across him, brought him +to the homestead, where he received every care and attention, and +eventually quite recovered his health and strength. + +Had he not been a strong and hardy man he would assuredly have +perished. + + * * * * * + +On one occasion I, together with five others, left the port of +Cooktown in a small cutter at midnight, for the purpose of fishing at +D Reef. The night was fine, a fresh breeze had sprung up, and the +boat sped merrily on her way. Three of the party, however, succumbed +to seasickness, which interfered greatly with the sport, and after +remaining at anchor for some time without enticing any fish to leave +their native element, we hoisted sail and ran for the harbour, about +eight miles distant, to the great relief of the sick mariners. We +then went for a cruise up the Endeavour River, landing on the right +hand bank. The boat here grounded, and, as it would be impossible to +get her off until the evening tide, I and two others of the party +determined to leave the boat and work our way through the mangroves +to St. Patrick's Creek, where we could hail a boat to ferry us across +and take us on to Cooktown. But "_L'homme propose et le Dieu +dispose_" was exemplified in this instance. We started without food +or water, taking a single-barrelled gun in the event of meeting with +any hostile or hungry natives. The fateful start was made at 1 p.m., +and after tearing through the dense and sickly mangroves for some +miles, with a burning sun overhead, and the miasma rising from the +ground beneath, it was found impossible to break the barrier of +mangroves which stood in front of us like a wall. After bruising our +heads against the cruel trees, we retraced our steps, and after going +some distance one of us ascended a tree to take bearings, when crash, +crash, down came the tree with its living burden, who received a severe +shaking, but was not much the worse for his mishap. After some more of +this delightful travelling, with our hands and feet cut and bruised, +and darkness beginning to creep round the horizon, we turned our backs +on the fetid spot, and were fortunate in coming out upon a plain or +flat, covered with grass and timber. Following this up we reached the +river bank. Our thirst was burning. There was "water, water everywhere, +but not a drop to drink." It was quite salt. There was nothing else for +it, but to lie down on the grass and resign ourselves to our fate. The +night was clear and cool, the heavens above studded with countless +stars, and a light breeze played in the trees. Occasionally might be +heard the splash of an alligator as he glided from his slimy bed into +the cold and gruesome river. + +The river at this point is full of these saurian monsters, seeking whom +they may devour. We did not light a fire, fearing lest the blacks, who +favour this camp, might pay us an evening call, as on these occasions +they are apt to be rather brusque in their manners. However, we boasted +one gun. There is always a day as well as a night, so at last dawn +appeared, looking with astonishment at the three recumbent figures on +the grass, as if wondering what on earth had brought us to this lonely +place. After breakfast, consisting of salt water and grass, we followed +the river up for a couple of miles thinking we should obtain fresh +water, but were doomed to disappointment. It was quite brackish. +Returning to our camp, with our thirst now raging, we held a +consultation, the result of which was that we decided to construct a +raft, capable of holding the three of us, on which we could drift down +the river, and effect a landing on the opposite bank, where a settler +named A---- lived. We had no appliances, so had to make the best shift +we could. We humped some big logs, which we found on the flat, to the +water's edge, placing them crosswise and lashing them together with our +shirts and handkerchiefs torn into strips, and when finished the raft +would only support one. D---- then bravely volunteered to navigate +this craft down the river to A----'s, although, as I said before, the +river here swarmed with alligators. We launched her a little after +noon, wishing our comrade _bon voyage_. Some hours afterwards we +heard a shot fired in the scrub some distance off, which we returned, +and after numerous interchanges of shots, a sergeant of police, with a +couple of black trackers, appeared on the scene, armed with a bottle of +brandy in one hand, and a bottle of water in the other. We hastily +emptied the contents of the latter, and did not neglect the former. We +then accompanied the police through the mangroves, to the creek where +they had moored their boat, and started for home. Our plucky mate had +already reached his destination in safety, having had to walk barefoot +six miles into town, had got a boat, and gone up the river to rescue +us. We went up the river to overtake him if possible, and eventually we +all met together at A----'s, where our jaded frames were regaled with a +substantial supper, after which we steered for home, reaching town a +little after 10 p.m., to the delight of our friends, lovers and +acquaintances. I will conclude by saying that it will be some time +before I again attempt to navigate my way through mangrove swamps, +unless well provided with the necessaries of life. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +THE VOYAGE. + + +In the year 1887, two months after the adventure spoken of in the +previous pages, hearing that Captain Matheson was in port, and that he +intended sailing for New Guinea in a few days, I went on board his +schooner; and knowing him to be an able seaman and a jolly good fellow, +I decided to go with him in his vessel, the _Spitfire_. The _Spitfire_ +is a strongly built "fore and aft" schooner of 35 tons net register. +Besides this he had two small vessels, a cutter and a lugger, the +former in charge of a South Sea Islander, and the latter in charge of a +Queensland black. These comprised the entire fleet. The crew of the +schooner was made up of the captain, the mate (a white man), a South +Sea Islander, who acted as quartermaster, a cook (also a white man), +about 20 Queensland blacks, including three women, and myself, the +solitary passenger. + +I put my traps--which were not many, as, like the Romans, I prefer to +travel free of "impedimenta"--on board, as I expected to make a start +on the following day. There was some delay, owing to the Customs +authorities, so we had to remain another day in port. I occupied my +spare time in bidding good-bye to many of my friends and comrades, and +they took leave of me as if they would never see me in the flesh again, +as so many had lately lost the number of their mess in New Guinea. At +last, to my great relief, the partings were over, for saying good-bye +in Northern Queensland is a very serious affair, as everyone is bent on +drinking your health, so with a slight headache, in company with the +skipper, I stepped into the dinghy which was in waiting for us at No. 1 +wharf. We were rapidly rowed by two of the crew to the schooner, which +was moored to the buoy off the Pilot Jetty, anxiously waiting to slip +her cable. + +Everything was made ready for a start, the "fore and aft" sails +hoisted, when Mr. W----, a friend of mine, and the chief officer of +Customs, boarded us, had a parting glass, wished us a safe voyage, and +then left for the shore. Soon after their departure, a breeze having +sprung up, the order was given to hoist the head sails, we cast off our +moorings, took a last look at the town where I had spent many a happy +day, and commenced our voyage to the land of cannibals and savages. + +The clouds were dark and lowering, Mount Cook looked angry, and +everything presaged a blow. The wind was dead ahead, but the expected +blow did not come off. We were not long rounding Cape Bedford, twelve +miles to the N.E., but, as the day was well advanced, we knew that with +the present wind we should be unable to get through the great Barrier +before dark. We therefore determined to anchor at a sandbank, for to +attempt to make the passage through the "Lark" opening in the dark +would be the height of madness, as the passage is very narrow, and from +the sandbank to the Barrier is one mass of coral reefs. We managed to +reach our anchorage by sundown, and enjoyed what sailors call a +"Farmer's" night. We had no work to do, as our two small craft were +safe at anchor close to us. We spent the evening at a quiet game of +cards (there being just four of us, the skipper, mate, cook and I) and +in spinning yarns. Then, after a nightcap of rum, we turned into our +bunks until daylight should appear. The captain, a Scotchman, was one +of the most generous-hearted, upright men that I have ever come across, +and every inch a sailor. The mate, too, was a first-rate fellow, and +had been to New Guinea on a fishing cruise some years before; the cook, +who hailed from the land of the shamrock, was full of fun, and an +excellent comic singer, but a little too fond of the rum bottle; whilst +I had the distinction of being the only passenger. Captain Matheson had +already made a trip to New Guinea. + +On this occasion he left his mate with some of the crew--blacks of +Queensland--on an island, to superintend the curing of fish +(Beche-de-mer) and went to an island further away. On his return he +found that his mate had been cruelly murdered that very day, only a few +hours previous to his arrival. He immediately went ashore, surrounded +the men, and with some difficulty captured four of the ringleaders and +brought them in his schooner to Cooktown, where they were afterwards +tried and, I regret to say, discharged, notwithstanding that one of +them openly declared that he had killed the murdered man. + +We were upon deck at daylight, weighed anchor, and steered our course +for the Barrier. After a good deal of tacking, the wind being still +ahead, we entered the "Lark" passage, and after beating about for +several hours, just managed to clear it before dark, otherwise we +should have been obliged to "'bout" ship and anchor inside for the +night. + +The Great Queensland Barrier Reef is a wonderful sight. It extends for +several hundred miles, with narrow openings here and there, and at low +tide the upper part of it is quite bare. + +From the deck of a vessel, with the sun shining on it the white coral +sparkles like crystal, and you cannot but marvel at the wonderful +industry and workmanship of the countless millions of insects that have +built up this gigantic sea-wall. Numerous vessels come here for the +purpose of obtaining the valuable Beche-de-mer, whose habitat is on +this Barrier. We were now properly out at sea, as we had entered the +Pacific Ocean, with its long sweeping roll. The sea was not very rough, +but being the first night out I felt a little qualmish. It soon passed +away, however, and I settled down to a life on the ocean wave. + +We made good way, steering a direct course for the S.E. end of the +Osprey Reef, which lies in mid-ocean, about 80 miles from the Barrier. +It is 15 miles long, and woe betide the vessel that is stranded there, +as she would speedily break up. It is a most dangerous reef, and not +very well surveyed. In the year 1886, the steamer _Papua_, belonging to +the German New Guinea Company, and laden with a heavy cargo, ran foul +of it on the N.E. end, and soon became a total wreck, but all the crew +managed to escape in the whale boats, nothing being saved except a few +compasses. + +The next day, owing to the wind being unfavourable, our run was a very +poor one. We took the sun at 8 a.m., and at 12 noon, when I spent some +of my time in trying to work out our position. I covered several sheets +of foolscap with figures, but even then I did not come out right. What +with cards, spinning yarns, and taking a turn at steering, the time +passed rapidly away, and ere I was aware of it, supper was announced. +The weather being very mild, for we were getting into warmer latitudes, +we had all our meals on deck. Having finished supper, comprising the +inevitable dry hash, we filled our pipes, and under the soothing +influence of a tropical night, free from all care and trouble, lent +ourselves to the enjoyment of the hour. There is nothing to my mind +more intoxicating than being on a well-found vessel, with a spanking +breeze, surrounded by the boundless ocean, and enjoying the +companionship of jovial fellows. I turned into my bunk after the +customary nightcap of rum, and soon fell asleep. "To sleep, perchance +to dream." Dream I did, and the dream with its attendant circumstances +was one of the most curious coincidences that has ever happened to me. + +I dreamt that I was on the top of a high cliff. I had an album with me, +which I threw over the cliff to the ground beneath. I tried to find a +good way to descend, and at one part I noticed a rudely-constructed +ladder attached to the top of the cliff, and reaching nearly to the +ground. I stepped on to the ladder, intending to descend, but, not +liking the look of it, stepped back, walked a short distance along the +cliff, when my dream came to an abrupt end. I still slept on, not +awaking until 7 a.m., in time for my cup of coffee. The dream was +vivid, and in the morning the impression of it was as clear as on the +night before. + +Now for the coincidence. + +I afterwards learned that at 2 a.m., still asleep, I had risen from my +bunk, gone up on deck, strode over a seaman's chest, and walked along +the deck until I reached the ratlins, then stepped on to them and was +about to jump into the sea. Something or other stopped me, I then +walked along the deck the same way I had come, stepped down to the +cabin and lay down on my bunk. The captain, who slept on deck, noticed +me coming up, but never thought for a moment that I was asleep, or he +would have followed me. I have never practised somnambulism before or +since. It is very strange, but not the less true, that anyone walking +in his sleep seldom comes to harm. How is this I wonder? We had a good +laugh over my adventure, which I put down to the rum and a disordered +stomach. + +The following night, about 10 p.m., the moon shining bright, we +calculated that we ought to be somewhere near the Osprey Reef, when +suddenly the mate, who was forward, sung out, "Breakers ahead!" It is +anything but a welcome cry. The captain, fearing that we might be out +of our course and dangerously near the dreaded Osprey, flew to the +tiller, quickly put the helm hard down, and put the ship about. It +turned out to be an hallucination. The moon shining on the sea gave it +the appearance of broken water. The scare was soon over, and we went on +our way rejoicing. We did not sight the Osprey Reef, but must have +passed about 10 miles to windward of it. We had several days' calms, +the sun burning like fire. It was almost impossible to find a shady +spot. Down below it was very close, and upon deck very hot. We had a +succession of head winds, which greatly retarded our progress. So the +days went by until, on the morning of the ninth day out, we sighted the +shores of New Guinea. We were 40 miles from Orangerie Bay, with its +mountains of Alpine height towering away in the distance. What a relief +to sight land after tossing for days on the ocean! By evening we were +within a stone's throw of the mainland. The coast here is most +interesting, very bold and broken, range after range of mountains +covered with scrub, and here and there picturesque grassy islands, +making a pleasant contrast to the dark foliage of the mainland bush. We +had a long beat before us, as we were a good deal to leeward of our +destination. We kept well within sight of land the whole way from this +point, of which I was very glad, as it gave me an opportunity of +observing the coastal formation. Every now and then we hove the +schooner to, in order to enable our convoy, the lugger, to come up with +us, when we filled up their water-casks and replenished their stock of +provisions. The cutter had disappeared, and we did not see her again +until we came to our anchorage in China Straits. We were not very +anxious about her, as the South Sea Islander in charge was an +experienced hand in a boat, and was sure to turn up some time or other. + +The next day we passed close to the Brumer Islands (native name +"Banaroa"). We did not stop, although Capt. Matheson wanted to get a +number of the natives to go with him on a fishing cruise to the East +End. The cutter, however, touched there and was successful in obtaining +about 15 natives. The Banaroa people are good workers and of a friendly +disposition. + +This group of islands lies about 10 miles from the mainland, and they +are very beautiful. There are most fertile plantations of yams, +bananas, and coco-nuts, with here and there a bright patch of green. I +should think that these islands would be very healthy, as they are free +from swamps and not too much covered with scrub. + +I was very much pleased with their appearance, and should not object to +a prolonged residence on them. + +As darkness set in the Brumers had been left many miles astern. When +within a few miles of Heath Island (Loger), which is a boundary of +China Straits, to our disgust the wind entirely died away, and we were +left to loll and roll about all night. We seemed destined never to +reach port. This was the eleventh day of a voyage (in a straight +course) of 430 miles. + +The day previous we passed close to the schooner _Harrier_, in +full sail with a fair wind, bound for Queensland. We saluted and +exchanged compliments. Having passed a restless night, we once more +steered for China Straits. When off the north-western point of Heath +Island (Loger) we were boarded by two or three canoes, filled with +natives, their faces painted in various colours, and all having large +mops of hair on their heads. They wore no clothing save a banana leaf +round the loins. This was my first introduction to the Papuan race, and +I must confess that they had a most diabolical appearance. Several of +them came on board, where they kept up an incessant chatter. + +The passage between Heath Island and the mainland, known as the Western +Passage, is rather narrow. Coral reefs extend a good distance out, so +that it is necessary to hug the shore of Heath Island. The tide too is +very swift here, rushing at the rate of five to six miles an hour, +making it impossible to stem it without the aid of a strong breeze. +Everything has an end, so at last we rounded the point of Heath Island +and entered the charming and romantic harbour of China Straits. + +We dropped our mud-hook just about sundown in ten fathoms of water on +the lee side of the Island of Samarai, having been 12 long days on the +voyage. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +THE GOVERNMENT. + + +Before setting foot on Samarai I may as well give you some idea of the +extent of New Guinea, and of how a portion of it became a British +possession. + +Looking upon Australia as a vast continent, New Guinea, or as it is +sometimes called "Papua," is the largest island in the world, having a +total length of 1,500 miles by 450 at its widest part. It has an area +of 310,000 square miles or more than twice the size of the United +Kingdom. The coast runs as nearly as possible W.N.W., and E.S.E. + +Although New Guinea is in close proximity to Queensland, being only 400 +miles distant from the port of Cooktown, until recently little was +known about it, and even at the present time our information is very +scanty. + +It might well be called, the "Dark Continent," as no white man has, as +yet, crossed it. The coast for a considerable distance is fairly, but +not completely, well-known. + +In 1873, Captain Moresby, in H.M.S. _Basilisk_, sailed round the +islands and along part of the coast, naming numerous islands after the +ship and her officers. He discovered the splendid harbours of China +Straits on the South East, and Port Moresby ("Hanuabada") on the South +Coast, which latter is at the present time the headquarters of the +London Missionary Society and of the Government. He also made a flying +survey, which was of necessity far from correct, but which proved of +great service to later surveyors. + +In the year 1883 Sir Thomas McIlwraith, then Premier of Queensland, on +behalf of his Government, annexed the whole of New Guinea, thus hoping +to exclude the Germans. He had previously urged the Home Government to +do this, but they remained inactive. Upon learning what had been done, +the Home authorities emphatically refused to sanction it, but in the +following year, 1884, on their own behalf established a Protectorate +over that portion extending from latitude 5 to 10-1/2 deg. S. and longitude +141 to 151 deg. E., comprising 89,000 square miles, the Germans having +occupied the territory to the North, containing 71,000 square miles, +whilst the Dutch territory, which lies to the N.W., and has been held +by them for upwards of 25 years, contains 150,000 square miles; an area +equal to the British and German portions combined. The Proclamation +took place on the 6th of November 1884, at Port Moresby, where the +British flag was hoisted and the British men-of-war, five in number, +saluted. + +The formal declaration was then read 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 are 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." + +Sir Peter Scratchley, a distinguished military officer, was appointed +special commissioner. He chartered the steamer _Governor Blackall_, and +with a large staff visited his new district, travelling along the coast +for a considerable distance, touching here and there and interviewing +several of the native chiefs. His term of office was, however, fated to +be a short one, as in three months after his appointment, when off +Mitre Rock, which is the extreme northern boundary, he contracted the +dreaded malaria. He immediately ordered the steamer to return to +Queensland, and the day after the vessel left Cooktown, died on board. +The Hon. John Douglas, resident magistrate of Thursday Island, was +appointed his successor, and ruled quietly and unobtrusively for over +three years. + +The country, meanwhile, was not developed in any way; the expenses of +the Protectorate were considerable, when, as luck would have it, +payable gold was discovered in July, 1888, on Sud-Est, an island in the +Louisiade Archipelago (British New Guinea). Hereby hangs a tale, of +which I shall speak in another chapter. + +This discovery caused the Home Government to create New Guinea a +British possession, which was declared at Port Moresby on September +6th, 1888, and an administrator, now Sir Wm. Macgregor, was appointed. +A high tariff was at once imposed on all imports, which revenue came as +a godsend to the impoverished state of the New Guinea funds. Such is a +brief outline of our early administration of the country. + + * * * * * + +Early the next morning, having said good-bye to the genial skipper of +the _Spitfire_, I took myself and belongings on shore, as I intended to +make Samarai my headquarters. + +Samarai is a small but picturesque island containing about 60 acres, +situated in China Straits, which is the loveliest and most +romantic-looking harbour I have ever seen. The island has a beautiful +grove of coco-nut trees, with curious-looking hills on the S.E. or +weather side. They look as if they had at some period subsided, leaving +their tops only visible. + +There is a fine coral beach running along the north-west or lee side of +the island and facing the mainland, one and a half miles distant. There +is a swamp of seven acres in the middle, the home of malarial fever, +thus making this island one of the most unhealthy spots in New Guinea. +A government agent is located there and has charge of the customs. In +the time of the Protectorate, a large wooden bungalow was built on the +top of the highest hill by Rooney & Co., of Townsville, costing the sum +of L900. About 60 natives lived on the island, which had been their +home for many years. In August, 1888, just previous to the acquisition +of New Guinea as a British possession, they were all driven away, or +euphemistically got notice to quit. In lieu thereof, they were offered +the island of "Quato," situated in China Straits, which had been +purchased from the natives by the Protectorate some time previous. The +natives were naturally incensed at being thus rudely driven from their +island home, where they had lived for so many years, and refused to +emigrate to "Quato." Some went to their friends at Heath Island +(Loger), some to "Sariba," in China Straits. I consider their case a +hard one, and the act of the Government unwarrantable. What on earth +did the Government require "Samarai" as a station for when they had the +choice of islands in the immediate vicinity, in the same harbour, +islands far healthier, with good anchorages, well sheltered, and with +no natives, or may be only one or two, living on them? + +Why, for instance, did they not select "Quato," which belonged to them +and is far healthier, or Coast Island, which is free from swamps and +has an excellent anchorage, perfectly sheltered and close to the +mainland? Verily the ways of a Government are inscrutable! As it is, +they engender bitterness and hatred in the breasts of the evicted +natives, the very thing they should study to avoid. + +From conversations I have had with several of the natives on the +subject, I find that they feel very sore on the matter. They will never +forget it, and would retaliate, but know that they are powerless to +act. + +How would a European feel if he were suddenly driven away from his +homestead, where his parents had died and his children been born, for +no other reason than that some foreigner required it, and by way of +compensation offered to him an alien piece of land, where he would have +to rebuild his houses and make fresh plantations? It must not be +forgotten that savages have as much love for their bit of ground as the +proudest aristocrat in England has for his lordly acres. I will give an +instance of this mistaken policy. Two months after these evictions, two +friends of mine and I had occasion to go on a vessel to the adjoining +island of Sariba, in order to get our water casks filled. We landed in +the dinghy, taking with us a couple of casks, and requested the natives +to take them to the creek and fill them. Before doing so, they had a +talk amongst themselves, when we overheard them say, "Why should we do +anything for the white men when we have been treated in such a shameful +manner?" However, some of them said, "Well, these we have known some +time, and they have always been friendly to us, have never done us any +harm, let us not be ungrateful, but fill their water casks," and so +they did. We made no remark, paid them in tobacco and got our casks on +board, but it showed us very plainly the effect of the foolish policy +of the Government. Had we not been on good terms with these natives, we +should have had to go elsewhere for our water. + +To represent the beauties of China Straits in keeping with its +surroundings, requires the brush of an artist or the language of a +poet. Although I am unable to do justice to it, I will attempt to bring +the scene before the mind of the reader. There are four passages to the +harbour, one on the east, west, south-east, and north-west +respectively. The main coast is bold and rugged in outline, with a +series of high ranges covered with dense scrub, with here and there the +face of a hill cleared by the natives for yam cultivation. The shore is +lined with coco-nut palms, native houses peeping between the trees. +Between the steep and lofty mountains small creeks work their way. A +coral reef extends some distance from the shore, making it impossible +to anchor close in, as you have the full force of the south-east trade +winds, save abreast of a creek opposite Coast Island, the mouth of +which is almost hidden by mangrove bushes. On the western side the +harbour is protected by the island of "Loger," a large island, thickly +populated, running south-east and north-west, and extending to within a +mile of the mainland. Close to "Loger" is the island of Quato of 200 +acres, for the most part flat, but with rising ground to the +south-east. There is a good channel between these islands where vessels +of any tonnage could anchor, but a little exposed to the south-east +winds. On the eastern side is the Island of Sariba, strikingly +picturesque. On it rises a very high hill with a conical summit and +covered with patches of long grass. There are numerous villages, and +the natives living here are first-rate workers in clearing scrub and +building houses. The south-eastern side is bounded by the Island of +Samarai, so that the harbour is enclosed, as it were, by four walls. +There is plenty of deep water all over the harbour, and vessels of any +draught are able to anchor within a hundred yards of the shore. There +is a small island in the middle of the harbour, known as Middle Island, +and close to the coast is Coast Island, both covered with the coco palm +and very fertile. In the far distance, to the north-east, 50 miles +away, the lofty mountains of Normanby Island ("Duau") are visible, and +on a clear day they appear quite close; when this is so, you may expect +the wind from the north-east. Opposite Coast Island a creek runs for +about a mile inland, where there is a small village. The creek is +navigable for small boats only. The land beyond the village is thickly +timbered and of good quality, and in my opinion would be suitable for +cultivation. The rainfall, however, is very great, owing to the +numerous ranges of hills in the neighbourhood. The harbour extends for +five miles as far as South Foreland, after rounding which you enter the +splendid bay named Milne Bay. I have seen the Harbour of Sydney and +also of Cork, but whether its own beauty is considered or its +environment of mountain, hill, dale and sea, dotted with the most +romantic-looking coral isles, China Straits must take the palm. No +artist could paint it in nature's colours. The scene is ideal. The +purple haze of the distant mountains, the delicate blendings of colour +in the tropical bush, the bright coral sparkling in the sun, the sombre +colour of the natives, all are in perfect harmony, and notwithstanding +the rugged appearance of the coast the whole scene inspires a deep +sense of rest. I have so often, in company with my pipe, sat on my +verandah in the silvery moonlight and gazed on that picture of tropical +peace and plenty, that the impressions of it are indelibly imprinted on +my memory. + + * * * * * + +I took up my abode with a trader named K----, who had been settled in +the district nearly two years. As the house in which we lived was very +hot, and by no means healthy, the idea suggested itself to us to build +a native house in the sea. In some parts of New Guinea, as at "Hula," +for instance, on the south coast, the whole town is built in the sea as +a safeguard against their enemies, the bush tribes, of whom the coastal +natives are in mortal dread. Having decided to emulate their example, +we interviewed two chiefs of Sariba, Peter and Silliweddo. + +We told them that we required a native house built in the sea, +instructed them to get plenty of natives and start the work at once. +Before going further we had to settle the price that was to be paid. +The house, I may say, cost about L4 10_s._, paid for in articles of +"trade." The two chiefs received a little more than the labourers and +did not work, merely superintending the erection, that is to say, +smoked clay pipes and chewed betel-nuts. As a proof of the native +intelligence, the following facts will speak for themselves: + +I drew on the beach a rough ground-plan of the house, showing the +length and breadth, the divisions of rooms and the two verandahs. +Peter, the native chief of Sariba, who was present, measured the plan +with a piece of cane, marking the length and breadth, rolled it up and +put it in his "pocket"--I mean in his "dilly-bag"--for of course +natives are not provided with pockets. He went home to his island, and +in a few days came back with several large canoes with all the +necessary logs, timber, &c., lashed to them, also the sago palm-leaves +for the roofing, cane for splitting into laths, and when the house was +finished there was very little material left. How he managed to +calculate it so nicely I cannot say, but of course he had had +considerable experience in building native houses. The roof of our +house was loftier than the ordinary native one, but built of the same +material. There was not a single nail used in the building. It was +built in the sea in about four feet of water at low tide on the sea +side, and on the shore side connected with the beach by a gangway. They +have a curious way of driving the piles. We gave them a rope, which +they fixed round the head of the pile, leaving two ends dangling. +Several natives get hold of one end and several of the other, pulling +alternately, until the pile is worked down to the required depth. The +piles are made of white mangrove--a strong wood, and not too heavy. In +order to prevent the ravages of the cobra insect, which in salt water +will work its way into blood-wood even, it is best to tar the piles +well, and better still--though very expensive--to copper them all over. +The flooring is made of "matu," a kind of cane which is plentiful on +the mainland, the walls of the bark or skin of the palm, and the roof +of the leaves of the sago palm, which have to be put on separately, the +leaves over-lapping a little, and on the outside some branches of the +coco-nut palm are placed. A house of this kind is quite rain-proof, and +if well-constructed will keep in good condition for at least two years. +For health and coolness, a house built of native material cannot be +beaten, and it has the additional advantage of cheapness. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +NATIVE CUSTOMS. + + +There are three types of natives, Malay, Papuan, and Polynesian, each +more or less mixed with the others. The word "Papuan" is derived from +the Malay "Pua-Pua," or "Papuas," which, translated, means +frizzle-haired. The distinguishing characteristic of the true "Papuan" +is his frizzled hair, which, strange to say, grows naturally in small +tufts. So far as I am aware no other race has this strange peculiarity. +The "Papuan" is also much darker and fiercer than the others, and has +thickish lips and rather a broad, flat nose. The "Polynesian" is by far +the most intelligent of the three races. He has, moreover, fine, +clear-cut, aquiline features, and is more amenable to the influences of +civilization. + +Now it is a very difficult matter to determine whence the Papuans of +New Guinea originally came. If I may hazard the opinion, I should say +they originally hailed from the continent of Asia. My reasons for +thinking so are, _firstly_, tribes of the Papuan or Oriental Negro +are found in the interior or mountain fastnesses of the Philippine +Islands, in the islands of Flores and Borneo (Malay Archipelago), in +the Malay Peninsula (at the foot of Siam), in the Andaman Islands (Bay +of Bengal), and also in Cochin China; _secondly_, during several +months of the year the wind blows from the north-west, and under the +influence of these winds the current would flow in a direction by which +it would be quite feasible for numbers of Papuans to travel in canoes +by way of the Malay Archipelago as far as New Guinea. + +In the strict sense of the term the Papuans are without any form of +religion, but at the same time have certain beliefs in the +supernatural. When one of their tribe dies they believe that his spirit +tenants his former home, and if he be a "Taubada," that is to say a +person of importance, a neat fence is erected round his grave. +Quantities of yams, taro, betel-nut, and sometimes his native +tomahawks, shield, &c., are then placed within the enclosure, which is +held sacred or "Tabu." Should he perchance die in Queensland, his +spirit will not return to his birthplace, but will, according to their +belief, be lost; the natives therefore will be wild, and will in all +probability kill the first white man they come across, as an +equivalent. If, however, payment be made to the relatives of the +deceased the natives will be satisfied, and nothing more will be heard +of it. + +They do not possess any temples of worship, but have wooden idols or +gods with which they decorate their houses; however, I have never seen +them fall down and worship them, nor, as far as I know, is it their +practice to do so. They believe in all sorts of "Devils" whom it is +necessary to propitiate, but strange to say they have no idea of any +beneficent spirits working for their good. I was present at several +funerals or wakes, all of them being of women. When a woman dies +beautiful wreaths of wild flowers are placed on the corpse, which is +laid on the knees of two of her nearest relatives in the house. Her +friends gather round, and weep and wail all night long, making the +darkness hideous with their groans, but some of them feel real grief at +their loss. At sunrise a canoe is in waiting, which conveys the body to +her native place, which may be an island a few miles away. There it is +decently interred, with more weeping, and all is over. Their method of +going into mourning is very similar to our own. We wear black clothes, +whilst they paint themselves black all over like Christy Minstrels, so +that it is difficult to recognize them, their natural colour being a +nutty brown. The period of mourning generally lasts about two months, +and it looks very comical when the mourning is getting washed out. In +some parts of New Guinea the women wear a net over their shoulders and +breasts as a token of mourning, but the general custom is to dye +themselves black. With all their savagery their different customs +resemble many of our civilized ones. + +_Marriage._--They have no priests to perform this ceremony. When a +man has reached a marriageable age, say twenty, he looks out for a +wife. He selects a girl to his fancy, but has invariably to wait a long +time before the marriage takes place, and it is very often a difficult +matter for a young man to obtain a wife at all. When the day of the +marriage has arrived the young couple retire to the house which has +been prepared for them, and are thenceforth looked upon by their +relatives as man and wife. + +They keep the marriage state as inviolate as Europeans do. On the +wedding day they give a banquet to their friends, consisting of yams, +bananas, betel-nut and the fatted pig, also presents to the bride's +family, and, let us hope, live happily ever afterwards. + +As a rule the natives have only one wife, but in some instances two. + +The men do not talk much to the women, as they look upon themselves as +warriors and the women as labourers. It must not be understood from +this that the women are ill-treated by them, on the contrary they have +a large voice in domestic affairs, and occasionally lord it over their +masters. It is not only in domestic affairs, but also in the affairs of +state that their influence is felt. It is often the women who incite +the men to war, or to deeds of murder, rapine and plunder, and should +they hesitate, they rush wildly into their midst, fling their arms +about, and harangue them in the following fashion: "What, you are +afraid to do this and yet you call yourselves men and warriors! Out +upon you, you have not the hearts of men, you are more like a pack of +old women; you ought to put on the grass petticoat, stop at home and do +the cooking." The men thus wrought upon must needs obey, or quietly +submit to the taunt of cowardice flung in their faces. + +The above shows the position held by Papuan women to be anything but +that of degraded slaves, as is so often the case in other savage +countries. No, the women of New Guinea are determined to have their +little say, and take very good care they are listened to. + +The children are bright, cheerful, happier and more contented-looking +than any I have ever seen. They are always at play, using the spear in +sham warfare, with a piece of wood for a shield, or they busy +themselves in fishing and swimming. Both men and women are always +joking and laughing. Life seems to them one long holiday. All their +wants, which are not many, are supplied by Dame Nature, their food, +clothing, houses and weapons. One stick makes a man a spear, two sticks +rubbed together a fire, fifty sticks tied together a house. + +The boys are particularly bright and quick at learning anything, some +of them picking up English readily, although they prefer speaking their +own language. + +All the women wear a grass petticoat, sometimes two, made from the +palm, having two shades, intermixed brown and a whitish-yellow. It +looks most picturesque. They also wear a black band, about three inches +deep, round the arm just below the shoulder, and it is so tightly put +on that when they wish to remove it they are obliged to cut it, which +leaves an ugly mark in the flesh. The men wear simply a leaf of the +coco-nut palm round the loins, with leglets, armlets and streamers or +"wings" from the shoulders, if they wish to look extra well. They +cultivate a tremendous shock of hair on their heads, combing it out and +dressing it with coco-nut oil several times a day. The combs are of +their own manufacture, which, after using, they stick in their hair in +much the same way as European ladies wear a comb. All the men have the +lobe of the ear pierced, on the outer rim of which they string small +shells like rings, also the cartilage of the nose is perforated, +through which they thrust a long shell, well polished, and fined down +to a sharp point, giving it at a distance the appearance of a +moustache. Like the heathen Chinee, they are as beardless as boys. The +women as a rule wear their hair straight and cut short, the part over +the forehead a little frizzy. The married women tattoo themselves from +head to foot in an ornamental and conventional design. The girls and +men do not practise the art. + +They live in villages, all the houses standing in a regular line, well +built on blocks, 5 to 6 feet from the ground, the walls made of the +sago palm, the leaves of which are put on separately and slightly +overlapping one another. The floor is made of "matu" or cane, the face +of the roof in the form of a triangle. They keep the ground in front of +the houses very tidy, generally sweeping it once a day. The houses are +surrounded by numbers of coco-nut trees, and by a curious and happy law +of nature the nuts fall principally at night time; were it otherwise it +would be very dangerous, as the coco-nut is anything but soft. + +The women are employed in the yam and taro gardens, also in cooking and +carrying firewood, besides looking after their babies. + +The land is held by a family or tribe, and is divided and sub-divided, +each household having a part portioned off, so that many natives are +interested in one piece or parcel of land. Such land cannot be sold or +parted with without the consent of all the principal owners. This +system of land tenure works well until the family or tribe becomes so +numerous that the different portions or lots are reduced to a very +small area, causing some of the members to seek fresh districts. + +Their national food consists of yams, taro, bananas, sago, coco-nuts, +fish, birds, pigs, and occasionally human beings. Of course in some +districts food is scarce, in others, there is a superabundance. + +They commence digging up the yams about the end of April, and in May +hold a great yam feast or festival, at which hundreds of natives are +present, each of whom contributes pigs, yams, or something else. They +think nothing of killing over 100 pigs on one day, and there are cart +loads of yams and other food on the ground. They have a very curious +method of dealing out the different parts of the pig. They cut up twine +(which they make themselves) into various lengths, giving to each +representative a length. Each length entitles the holder to a certain +part of the pig, say, a holder of a short length receives the head, and +so on. + +All the girls are dressed in their best, which means a clean grass +petticoat, with beautiful garlands of wild flowers round their heads +and a necklace of beads encircling their throats. It looks lovely. The +men paint their faces in the most gorgeous style, using different +pigments, and vieing with each other as to who can look the ugliest. +They are also decorated with bands and streamers, and in their own +opinion are dressed in the height of fashion. After gorging themselves +with food and coco-nut milk, the musicians strike up, using the +"tom-tom" a kind of drum, and singing a New Guinea carol; the maidens +dance round for hours in a ring, speeches are made by some of the +leading men, and the amusement extends far into the night, only to +begin again the next day. A feast of this description often lasts from +a week to ten days, during which time business is at a stand-still, as +they will not work at making "copra" or anything else until the feast +is over. It is very similar in idea to our harvest feast in England. +Should the yam season fail, which is not often, the natives suffer +want, and have to live on sago and coco-nuts. As in most annual feasts +the amount of food wasted is great. There is one very good quality +about the yams, if stored in a house they will keep good for two years. +They grow sometimes to a length of 4 to 5 feet and weigh very heavy. + +The language is not unlike that of the Maories of New Zealand, and, +like it, is made up of numerous dialects. When you reach the "Motu" +district, say Port Moresby, the language decidedly changes and differs +entirely from that of the south-east or east end. + +It is not very difficult to acquire. If you mix with the natives, and +take some interest in your task, you ought to be fairly proficient in +twelve months, at least, this is true of the language spoken on the +south-east coast, with which I am conversant. Like Italian, every word +ends with a vowel. The vowels are pronounced, ah, eh, e, o, oo, _ai_ as +i, _au_ as ow, and _r_ at the beginning of a word, as L. + +Their musical instruments are very primitive, but their singing is +good, as they keep capital time, and have very fair voices. They are +very fond of singing, their songs generally being an account of a +canoe's journey, of how they got on, or about some fight that took +place years ago, and occasionally about the only girl they ever loved. + +They make incantations to the wind, as it is believed the winds are +influenced thereby. + +The natives living on the south coast manufacture different kinds of +pottery, such as cooking-pots, dishes, bowls, water-jugs, and the like. +They are also very clever at making fishing-nets, mats, baskets, +lime-bottles, and last, but not least, canoes. As we have our +shipwrights, so they have special men who understand canoe-building. It +is astonishing how well they make them, considering the rude tools they +have to work with. They manufacture large quantities of sago. They do +not, however, make it in a granulated form, but bake it into cakes, +covering them with a frame of woven leaves, this being the handiest +form for carrying it about with them in their canoes. When it is +required for the "table" it is made up into small dumplings, placed in +the pot and boiled. The process of manufacture is as follows: + +They cut down the sago palm, and remove the crown with its huge fronds. +A tall tree with a smooth white bark is selected, the bark split in a +straight line from top to bottom, and stripped off in one piece. They +then spread out the piece of bark flat on the ground along-side the +sago trunk, covering it with the large green leaves of the wild +plantain. The bark of the sago-palm is split into three or four long +strips, reaching from end to end of the trunk, and the white pith is +exposed the whole length of the tree. A number of women sit in front of +the tree, each with an adze-shaped weapon made of bamboo, with which +they chip out the pith, which falls in white flakes on the clean +plantain leaves. + +The pith is carried away in baskets made of plaited coco-nut leaves to +the river or sea, as the case may be, where it is to be washed. It is +then shot into a bin about six feet square, built of logs and lined +with plantain leaves. A staging of poles is erected in the water and +troughs made of the leaf stalks of the sago palm are fixed upon it. +They are placed in a sloping position upon the staging, the larger ends +uppermost. The sago pith is now put into the trough, into which is +fixed a strainer made of that delicate textile that envelopes the +unexpanded fronds of the coco-nut palm. It is washed with water and +kneaded with the hands, while the water runs away in a milky stream, +and the woody fibre and other solid particles are arrested by the +strainer. The water runs out of the bottom of the trough, and is caught +in a deep receptacle where the heavy sago sinks to the bottom in a form +resembling white clay. Sago, manufactured in this way, will keep good +for a considerable time. + +When yams are scarce, the natives have to depend almost entirely on +sago and coco-nuts. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +A STORMY TRIP. + + +A Christmas under a burning tropical sun, such as I spent in 1887, +seems unnatural. What a contrast to a Christmas in England! + + "Outside fall the snowflakes lightly, + Through the night loud raves the storm, + In my room the fire glows brightly, + And 'tis cosy, silent, warm. + + "Musing sit I on the settle, + By the firelight's cheerful blaze, + Listening to the busy kettle + Humming long-forgotten lays." + +In New Guinea you eat your Christmas dinner in the open air, with the +thermometer at over 100 deg. in the shade. All nature seems weighed down by +the oppressive atmosphere. One feels too enervated for any exertion, +beyond imbibing cool drinks or smoking a cigar in a cane lounge. + +About this time a fleet of pearl-shelling boats had come to New Guinea +from Torres Strait, and were working in the Louisiade Archipelago. The +water was rather too deep for them, as they had been accustomed to +eight to ten fathoms. One or two of their divers were paralysed, and +the whole of their fleet in a few months left for their old quarters, +evidently having had enough of New Guinea waters. Not long after their +departure one or two good patches of pearl-shell were found, which the +New Guinea pearl divers took advantage of. It was fortunate for them, +the Torres Strait fleet had already left the scene. + +Just before Christmas Day, some of the Torres Strait boats had anchored +in China Straits, remaining until after Christmas, so that we had a +good muster of white men. + +We held our Christmas festivities on the Island of Samarai. The dinner +was tastefully laid out on rudely-constructed tables, set in the open +air, under the canopy of Heaven. The tables were decorated with +beautiful bouquets of wild flowers. + +The bill of fare was exhaustive of the delicacies procurable, and was +as follows: + + + Soup--Real Turtle. + Fish--Kingfish. + Joints--Roast Lamb & Peas (Kid). + Joints--Roast Pork. + Joints--Cold Corned Beef. + Entrees--Turtle & Scalloped Oysters. + Sweets--Omelette, Fruit Pie. + Vegetables--Yams, Taro, Spinach. + Cheese. + + Dessert--Bananas, Pineapples, Mangots, Paw-paws, Coco-nuts, Oranges, + etc. + + Wine & Spirits--Lager Beer, Whisky, Sherry, Port. + +We had quite a representative gathering, consisting of captains, mates, +traders, fishermen and divers--fifteen in all. + +Several New Guinea natives, clad in their native garments, waited at +table, and first-class waiters they are. Captain Runcie, of the S.S. +_Gympie_, an old _habitue_ of New Guinea, took the chair. Runcie +Creek in the Island of St. Aignan was discovered by him. + +After justice had been done to the different viands, speeches were +made, some of unique character. Songs were then called for, and woe +betide him who refused to sing. All the different nationalities were +represented. We had Greek, English, Russian, Scotch, German, and New +Guinea songs. The excitement was kept up until the small hours of the +morning. Some of the feasters had some difficulty in the morning in +finding their respective vessels. I must not forget to mention that we +had a Chinese song by one "Ah Gim," a worthy member of that race, and a +most respectable man. He has been engaged in the Beche-de-mer +fisheries, New Guinea, for the past ten years, and has had several +hair-breadth escapes. I am not a lover of the Chinese race, but I must +make an exception in favour of "Ah Gim." He is a first-rate fellow. I +have known him for several years, and can testify to his upright and +straightforward character. His headquarters are at Su-au (South Cape). + +At the end of January, 1888, I started in a small lugger, intending to +go first to the Island of Wari (Teste), and then to Kitai (Basilaki +Islands). I had four New Guinea natives and one South Sea Islander on +board. The breeze was light, and before we got clear of the Eastern +Passage it entirely died away. We were bemoaning our fate, when a light +air sprang up, and I was congratulating myself on the prospect of +reaching Wari (35 miles distant) that evening, when the wind, which was +blowing from the south, increased to a gale. Our dinghy was being towed +astern, and in our haste to get it on board, and from the force of the +wind, the tow-rope somehow or other got adrift, and away went the +dinghy, which was soon lost to sight. Our little craft was headed for +Wari, but owing to the strength of the gale she was unable to face it, +so we had to run before the wind under the jib only, steering our +course for Kitai. After tearing along for several hours at racing +speed, we dropped anchor off Kitai a little before dark, the wind still +howling like an enraged beast. We soon turned into our bunks, glad to +be safely secured from the tempest. + +"Basilaki" is a large island about 15 miles from the main coast. The +natives living on it are a bad lot. They have committed many murders +both of natives and white men, and are the terror of the adjoining +islands. In the morning a number of large canoes came alongside of us +with a quantity of bags of copra, which I took on board. At noon, the +sun shining fiercely, I determined to go on shore, so jumping into one +of their big canoes, and taking my Winchester rifle, loaded with 13 +rounds, and with a few spare cartridges in my pocket for I knew the +treacherous nature of the natives in this part, I was duly landed on +the beach. + +A crowd of natives soon gathered round me, evidently taking a keen +interest in my appearance. I was alone. I went a short distance into +the bush, keeping a firm hold of my rifle. I then sat down and +distributed a few small pieces of tobacco to the assembled multitude. +Not liking the look of the people, and wishing to avoid an encounter, I +thought it prudent to return to my little vessel. I jumped into one of +their canoes and was soon on board, telling them at the same time that +I purposed returning in a month or two, when I hoped they would have +plenty of copra for me. The next day, the wind still blowing furiously, +I decided to remain at anchor. I was successful in obtaining a few more +bags of copra, and on the following morning left en route for Wari. The +wind was blowing fresh from the south-east, and after a long beat +through the lagoon, where we had anchored, to the open sea, we found +the wind coming direct from Wari and dead in our teeth. + +Had I been a native of New Guinea I should have accounted for the +unfortunate circumstance by the interference of some evil spirit who +had purposely and with malicious intent caused an unfavourable wind. +Not, however, believing that I was the plaything of devils, I +determined to make an effort by way of a dead beat to windward. The +boat would not sail close to the wind. The tides here are terribly +strong, running at the rate of five to six knots an hour. So that +whatever progress we made in six hours we lost in the next six. + +However it is a long lane that has no turning, so, after beating about +for three days, a distance of only 20 miles, we made the north-west +passage of the island. + +Our troubles were by no means at an end. The night was pitch dark, so +we were obliged to stand off and on until the rising of the moon, which +did not appear until nearly midnight. It then shone brightly, and the +island of Wari, a few hundred yards distant, stood out in bold relief, +with Bell Rock on our right, so called from its likeness to a bell. It +is a perpendicular rock, several hundred feet high, most precipitous, +bare of cultivation, with the sea ceaselessly dashing against its +serried side. The passage between Bell Rock and the island is a very +narrow and intricate one, and most dangerous to navigate. + +There is a large coral reef on either side, also several sunken rocks. +I placed one of the natives, a boy belonging to Wari, who knew the +locality, in the bows of the boat to act as pilot, and keep a sharp +look-out. With the silvery moon lighting up our path, and a strong +breeze from the south-east, we made the attempt, anxiously peering over +the side with the unpleasant expectation of striking on a reef. +Presently the boy who was keeping a look-out forward sang out, "'Bout +ship," the helm was put hard down, and the next moment we were on the +reef. + +Oars were at once got out, but it was of no avail. Our vessel would not +budge an inch. I sent a couple of natives to the island. They had to +cross the reef, and by dint of swimming and wading reached the beach. + +Numerous fires were blazing in the distance surrounded by numbers of +the islanders. The boys were instructed to bring as many natives as +they could muster, as I hoped by our united efforts we should be +enabled to get the vessel off. About a dozen natives appeared on the +scene, who evidently did not relish turning out at such an unearthly +hour. We all worked with a will, and after a number of spasmodic +efforts we got clear of the reef, only to get on another one a few +minutes later. I suspended the certificate of the pilot for the next 12 +months, and I am afraid to write the language which, on the occasion, +seemed to me appropriate. There was nothing else for it but to drop the +anchor on the reef and wait patiently until the morning. The sun rose +in full splendour, showing us distinctly our unfortunate position. Here +we were, within a mile or so of our anchorage, imprisoned between the +reefs like a rat in a trap. + +The wind had by this time increased, and the sea had got up. Our little +craft was in considerable danger, as with a heavy wind and her sides +beating against the hard coral, she stood a very good chance of +breaking up, or having a hole knocked in her bottom. The wind blowing +straight in our teeth, I determined to get the anchor on board, crowd +all canvas, turn tail, and run, trusting by this means to get free of +the reef. + +I could then go to leeward of the island, and rounding the north-east +end, pick up my anchorage in the passage which is on the south east or +weather side. + +This was a roundabout way, but the only possible one. The anchorage is +sheltered by a large coral reef which extends a long distance to +windward. + +Our anchor was safely stowed on board, all the sails set (a strong +south-easter blowing astern), and the vessel gave a heave and got clear +of the reef. + +The start was made. No sooner, however, had we got away, and in deep +water, than crack went the mainsail, blown into a thousand ribbons. +Luckily we had a spare mainsail on board, belonging to another boat. We +managed to set it in a fashion, and after many difficulties, +circumnavigated the island and came to an anchorage on the other side +just abreast of the Mission House, tired out with our unfortunate +journey. + +"Wari," or Teste Island, is situated about 35 miles to the south-east +of Milne Bay, and as the trade wind blows from that quarter, it means a +dead beat all the way. + +The island is from two to three miles long by half a mile broad. It is +most fertile, and from its position very healthy. + +There are numerous plantations of yams and bananas; also orange and +lemon groves. There is unfortunately a scarcity of good water. A ridge +of hills runs right through its centre from E.N.E. to W.S.W. There are +three villages close together, having a population of about 400. The +natives here are most intelligent, and make capital sailors. + +One of them, by name "Dim-Dim," can sail a cutter as well as any white +man, and what is still better, can be thoroughly trusted. The word +"Dim-Dim" means "a white man," and as the native in question has all +the good qualities of one he was so christened. + +At the time of my visit to Wari I was the only white man on the island. +The day after I landed I had an attack of fever, and what with sickness +and the gale still holding, I had perforce to remain here for a week. + +All the natives are passionately fond of chewing the betel-nut; they +take with it lime, which they make by burning coral and then crushing +it into a fine powder. It is carried in boxes made of coco-nut and +beautifully carved. They also eat with it a leaf which is rather +peppery but pleasant to the taste. The betel-nut grows luxuriantly in +some districts, whilst in others there is none. Of course the constant +chewing of it blackens the teeth, but that is fashionable and +considered no blemish. + +I visited the natives in their several villages, and was in every +instance treated with the greatest hospitality. + +Upon entering their houses a clean "dam" or mat was placed on the floor +for me, betel-nut was brought which I had, _nolens volens_, to chew, +though I must confess I do not relish the operation, and lastly the +"bau-bau," a family pipe, was produced, at which I was supposed to take +a draw or two, not forgetting to supply the ammunition for it from my +stock of tobacco. + +It is best to fall in with their ways as far as practicable, and by +your acts to show them that you appreciate their demonstration of +hospitality. It is in this way that you are able to gain their +friendship and confidence. + +Most of the natives living on the coast have acquired the habit of +smoking, and very soon become inveterate at it. They would sell their +souls for tobacco. + +There are islands to the north of the mainland where tobacco is +entirely unknown, but before many years are over it will reach them +also. + +The women are not heavy smokers, and are never to be seen with a clay +pipe in their mouths. They prefer smoking the "bau-bau," a family pipe +made of bamboo. It is a hollow piece of wood, three or four feet long, +circular, with a big hole at one end and a small hole at the other. The +tobacco is rolled in a pan-danus leaf in the form of a cigarette, +placed in the small hole and lighted, the smoke is then blown into the +pipe and the tobacco removed. The first smoker, holding the pipe in +both hands, takes two draws and passes it on to the next. The tobacco +must then be inserted again and the process repeated. + +When smoking the "bau-bau" they seat themselves in a circle. The pipe +is always artistically carved, and is a great favourite with the women. + +Having lost our only dinghy, I purchased from the natives a canoe with +an outrigger attached, capable of holding two persons. I had to pay one +American hatchet for it. It came in very handy, as without it I should +have been dependent on the natives for going ashore. + +Some of their canoes here are very large, carrying a big mat sail made +from the palm-tree, the seams well caulked and tarred. It is surprising +how quickly they can travel, and how close to the wind they can go. +They go out with them in all sorts of weather, and it is very seldom +they get upset. The leading man in the canoe sits in the stern sheets +and acts as helmsman. + +He also gives the word of command. When it is time to make sail, he +sings out in a loud voice, "Wai-wai, Wai-wai," and when the great sail +has been hoisted to the peak, he calls out, "Besi" (that will do), the +halyards and sheets are belayed, the sail is canted over, and away she +scuds before the breeze. + +The prows of their canoes are decorated with numbers of the white +egg-shaped cowrie shell, and, like our own vessels, each canoe has a +particular name. + +The natives trade a good deal amongst themselves, in some instances +taking sago in their large canoes a distance of 300 miles, bringing +back in exchange yams, betel-nut, etc. + +Having obtained several bags of Beche-de-mer and copra, and stowed them +safely on board, I took advantage of a light favourable wind and left +for Samarai (China Straits). + +After an uneventful passage of 18 hours I dropped the anchor a little +after midnight. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +A GOLDEN PROSPECT. + + +When not engaged in trading operations I occasionally made excursions +on the mainland, and at different times prospected several creeks, +hoping to obtain traces of gold, but such hopes were not fulfilled. One +of the creeks I followed had a formation identical with those on +Sud-Est, where payable gold was found. The bed of this creek was +composed of slate, with slate bars here and there. The banks sloped on +either side. With more time to prosecute the search possibly the result +would have been different. + +Mr. Andrew Goldie, who has been in New Guinea about 14 years, is said +to have discovered traces of gold many years ago, but nothing came of +it. + +Everyone held more or less the belief that gold existed in the country, +but, strange to say, no one had taken much trouble to prove it. + +One evening, towards the end of May, 1888, I was quietly reclining on a +lounge, smoking my pipe and enjoying the beauties of a tropical night, +when suddenly the door of my room was opened and eight stalwart men +appeared out of the blackness of the night. I was taken quite by +surprise, as I had not heard any vessel let go her anchor. + +It turned out, however, that the cutter _Juanita_ from Cooktown, +with a party of eight diggers or prospectors, had arrived, with Mr. +Whyte as leader. I knew Whyte and one or two of the others. Water +diluted with a little whisky was at once produced, when numerous +questions were eagerly asked and answered. + +In answer to my query what was their object in coming to New Guinea, +Mr. Whyte said that the party was organised by himself under the +authority of the Hon. John Douglas, at that time "Special Commissioner" +for British New Guinea under the "Protectorate." + +Mr. Douglas had given them special powers and privileges to prospect +for gold and other minerals over the whole of the territory under +British protection. I may as well here state the causes that led to +this sudden action on the part of Mr. Douglas. + +Two months previously, David Whyte, who was engaged on a pearl-shelling +boat in the Louisiade Archipelago (which is part and parcel of British +New Guinea territory), and who, by the bye, was hard up at the time, +informed Mr. Douglas that he had discovered an auriferous reef on +Johannet Island, situated in the above named group, showing him +specimens therefrom. + +This information resulted in Mr. Douglas purchasing the _Juanita_, +a cutter of seven to nine tons burthen, and provisioning it for a three +months' cruise. Mr. Whyte found eight practical miners who were willing +to go with him although they were well aware that he was not a miner. +The adventurous party, who were loudly cheered on their departure from +Cooktown, set sail on May 23rd, and arrived, as I have already stated, +off the Island of Samarai on the evening of May 28th, 1888. The party +stayed on the island for a couple of days in order to take in a fresh +supply of wood and water before proceeding on their journey. + +Johannet Island lies 140 miles to the eastward of China Straits, which +necessitates beating to windward nearly the whole of the distance. At +the time of their arrival H---- and I were the only white men on +Samarai, whilst there were as many as 250 natives, most of them +visitors from different parts, some from Milne Bay, others from +Tube-Tube (Engineer group), Basilaki, and various places. The resident +natives only numbered about 50. + +On May 31st I was strolling round the island with two or three of the +"diggers," pointing out some of its beauties, when, near a large group +of natives, I heard a buzz of angry voices. I immediately hastened to +the spot anxious to find out the cause of the disturbance. Numbers of +large canoes belonging to the native visitors were drawn up in +regimental line on the beach. Hard by, in an open grove of beautiful +coco-palms, about 100 natives belonging to Wagga-Wagga (Milne Bay) were +drawn up in review order, opposite to them were 50 natives from +Tube-Tube, one of the islands of the Engineer Group, ranged in double +ranks in the position known as "ready to receive cavalry." A few +moments before not an arm, not a spear, was to be seen. Now they +appeared to have sprung from the ground, as all the warriors were +suddenly armed with them. The spears had, in fact, been hidden in the +canoes a few yards away. + +Matters began to wear a serious aspect. Both parties had worked +themselves into a most excited state. The attacking party, viz., the +men from Wagga-Wagga, intent on crushing their foes, gradually drew +nearer, each with his long and deadly spear poised, ready to lunge it +in the breast of his antagonist, until they had advanced to within a +few yards of their opponents. I expected every moment to see the +spears, held in itching hands, hurled. I could not but admire the cool +courage with which the Tube-Tube men awaited the onslaught, +nothwithstanding the disparity of numbers. Each belligerent party +hesitated. + +However, I could plainly see that it was merely a question of time. In +a few minutes, maybe, their feelings would get the better of their +judgment and blood be spilt. Not knowing what evil consequences might +not result from such an ending, there being nearly 300 savages on the +island, I hastily despatched a native boy named "Ginger" to a house a +short distance away, telling him to bring back three or four Winchester +rifles duly loaded. He returned in a few minutes with them. We armed +ourselves and forced the Wagga-Wagga natives to retire, and leave the +island in their canoes, thus averting unnecessary bloodshed. Had we not +acted promptly, goodness knows where the fight would have ended. There +was great excitement in the place for several hours afterwards, the +wives and sweethearts of the men taking a lively interest in the events +of the day. War was averted. + +It seems, according to the Wagga-Wagga version, that one of the +Tube-Tube men had stolen something from a Wagga-Wagga man. This the +Tube-Tube natives denied, but it was evident that the two tribes were +natural enemies, and that the quarrel was only got up through their +hatred of one another. + +The weapons used in this part are the spear, stone hatchet, club, +shield, and a small spear something like a dart. To the westward they +have the spear, club, tomahawk, and bow and arrows. + +They are wonderfully expert with the latter, being dead shots at a +distance of 80 yards, the bow and arrow being much more dangerous to my +mind than the spear. The bows are very large, strong, and beautifully +made. They have also a horrible, murderous-looking weapon, called a +man-catcher, which is used by them in their nefarious head-hunting +expeditions. It is a large loop of rattan with a long handle of bamboo; +at the bottom or foot of the loop a sharp spike about four inches in +length is inserted. The loop is thrown over the head of the retreating +victim, the sudden jerk causing the spike to enter the base of the +skull, producing instant death; the head is then severed from the body +and kept as an article of barter. You will often come across a number +of skulls stuck in a ghastly row outside the houses. This, of course, +is direct evidence of the wealth of the proprietor, as with them he can +purchase anything he desires. + + * * * * * + +Having taken in a fresh supply of wood and water, the prospecting party +left in the _Juanita_ for Johannet Island, which they reached on June +10th. + +Whyte was asked by the "diggers" to point out the golden reef that he +had discovered. He showed them a "buck reef" (by which is meant a +quartz reef not bearing gold), which never had carried gold and never +would. In fact there was no trace of gold on the whole island. The +outraged feelings of the diggers may be imagined; they were simply +furious. + +Fortunately, however, there was a larger island seven miles distant, +viz., Sud-Est. + +They went there, and on the second day after landing discovered traces +of gold. Their spirits rose at once. They diligently followed them up, +and in a little over two months obtained 150 ounces, of the value of +L550. Mr. Douglas had stipulated that at the end of three months the +boat was to be returned to the British New Guinea Government, which was +accordingly done. I saw the members of the party in China Straits upon +their return from Sud-Est. They reported that they had worked the field +out and that it was very patchy. This report speedily reached Cooktown, +setting it on fire, everyone believing that there were millions of +ounces of the precious metal awaiting their grasp. A party of 26 +diggers left Cooktown on August 14th, in the schooner _Griffin_, other +sailing vessels following at short intervals. + +This discovery caused the Home Government to create British New Guinea +a "British Possession," which was declared at Port Moresby on September +6th, 1888, and an Administrator, now Sir William Macgregor, was +appointed. + +A high customs tariff was at once imposed on all imports, which revenue +came as a relief to the impoverished state of the New Guinea funds. + +Six or seven weeks after the above events, the cutter "_S----l_," 12 +tons register, owned by a friend of mine, arrived from Cooktown. As my +friend purposed going on to the Sud-Est Goldfield, I decided to go with +him in his cutter. + +They had a large cargo on board of dutiable goods, such as tobacco, +general stores, etc. + +Up to this time (September 30th, 1888) no word of the declaration had +reached us from Port Moresby, nor any schedule of the tariff, which we +took for granted would be imposed. The Government schooner _Hygeia_, +with the Administrator on board, was hourly expected from the +above-named port. + +As most of the goods on board the "_S----l_" were under bond, we were +anxious to reach Sud-Est before the arrival of the Government and get +rid of a quantity before duties could be levied. + +Having got everything ship-shape and still no sign of the _Hygeia_, +Captain S----g went to the Government Agent at Samarai, Mr. Edelfelt, +an ignorant foreigner, and asked him for his clearance for Sud-Est. The +agent very impolitely refused to grant it, stating that, as the +_Hygeia_ was expected every moment, it would be necessary for us to pay +duty on everything before we could obtain a clearance. + +What an absurdity! Fancy paying duty before knowing what the duties +were, or having had any official intimation of them! We distinctly +refused to grant this request, and demanded our clearance, as our sails +were all unfurled and everything ready for a start. We then went on +board our cutter, telling the agent we would give him an hour to +reconsider his decision. + +In about an hour and a half we received a letter from him, in which he +defied us to leave without a clearance, and stating that if we did so +we should have to take the consequences. Seeing that nothing was to be +gained by arguing with such a man,[1] orders were at once given to let +go; the sails were hoisted and away we went without the coveted +clearance, as we had lost quite enough time as it was. We touched at +Sariba to take in water and left the same evening for Sud-Est. No +sooner had we got abreast of the Island of Doini (Blanchard), six miles +distant, than the _Hygeia_, from Port Moresby, hove in sight, bound for +Samarai. + + [1] Mr. Edelfelt has since deemed it advisable to resign his + appointment. + +She only stayed two hours in port, when she hurriedly left for Sud-Est. +As she was a smart sailer, and of 60 to 70 tons burthen, she passed us +during the following night, reaching Sud-Est two days in advance of us. +The Administrator had, of course, been duly informed by the agent, Mr. +Edelfelt, of our reprehensible conduct in leaving without his august +sanction. + +The trip to Sud-Est was most enjoyable, the weather being everything +that could be desired. We kept inside the Long Reef, passing Teste +Island on our right. We were never more than half a day out of sight of +land. + +We had to pass through a perfect network of reefs and islands--islands +of tropical beauty, covered with succulent grasses, and smiling groves +of palms bending beneath the weight of their luscious fruit. + +Every now and then a large canoe, filled with dusky forms, would shoot +out from an adjacent island and pay us a flying visit. + +We had a tow line astern with a hook covered with a piece of red and +white calico, and every day we hauled up a couple of splendid fish, +sometimes a king fish, at other times a sea salmon. We ate what we +could and dried the remainder, cutting them into strips and hanging +them in the rigging. + +After passing Brooker Island, we entered the Sud-Est Barrier, and the +next night anchored off Grassy Island, as just here the reefs are very +numerous, making it unsafe to travel at night. + +At daylight in the morning we were off again, and in the afternoon, +when only three miles from the anchorage of Sud-Est, we grounded on a +coral patch. We tried to get her off, but she would not budge; however, +the tide was making, so we had nothing to fear. Whilst in this +position, a boat from H.M.S. _Swinger_, containing the chief lieutenant +and half-a-dozen Jack tars, boarded us. The lieutenant, who was most +courteous, informed us that Sir Wm. Macgregor was very wroth at our +behaviour and had a good mind to seize our vessel. We received this +news with wonderful calmness and fortitude, as for the life of us we +could see no reason for seizure. By the kind help of the lieutenant and +his men, we were enabled to get clear of the reef, and proceeded to our +anchorage, which we reached just before dark. At the request of the +Administrator, on the following morning Captain S----g went on board +the _Hygeia_. The governor, who was in anything but a good humour, +asked him why his vessel should not be seized? Captain S----g explained +all the circumstances of the case, not forgetting to dwell on the +stupidity of the Government Agent at Samarai. + +The governor then said: + +"Well, you will have to pay duty on all your goods before landing a +package," to which my friend answered: + +"I have no intention of doing anything of the kind, nor have I the +necessary funds for the purpose. I am quite prepared to pay duty on +such goods as I may require for immediate sale, and the balance of them +you can put in the Government Bond until such time as I may require to +clear them." + +The governor had evidently imagined that he had an ignorant fool to +deal with, and was consequently disagreeably surprised. He foolishly +lost his temper, telling S----g "that he ought to know perfectly well +that the Government had not any bonded stores on Sud-Est yet." But, in +the name of common-sense, how does that give the Government a right to +exact from people the duty on the whole of their goods? However, the +result was, the governor had to give in. My friend only paid about L8 +in duties, the balance of the bonded goods having to be sealed down +under hatches. _So_ we won the day. + +The next morning I went ashore. The landing, which is at Griffin Point, +is very bad. You have to wade through mangrove mud, the stench of which +is enough to breed fever, and then climb a very steep ascent to the +first camp. + +Here there are numbers of canvas tents pitched on a grassy flat, and it +is no easy task carrying heavy packages and tools up to it. About 400 +men were on the ground. Some were doing well, others making good wages, +whilst many were not making "tucker." Others again were lying in the +tents sick with fever. + +The field only lasted twelve months, during which time dozens of +diggers died from malaria, and, although several thousands of ounces of +gold were obtained from the islands, it cost a lot of money to get +them. It was all alluvial digging from six inches to two feet wash, no +reef carrying gold having been found. + +Sud-Est is a large island 40 miles in length and eight miles broad. The +coast runs east and west, and is surrounded by a fringe of mangroves, +with a coral reef extending some distance from its shores. It has high +land, the principal mountain, Mount Rattlesnake, which is on the +south-east coast, having an altitude of over 3,000 feet. There are +hundreds of deep gullies running north and south, with bold hills, +covered with good grass, separating them. These hills would make +excellent pasturage for cattle, and after a time for sheep also, the +grass at present being a little too rank. The deep gullies on all sides +would act as natural fences. There is also an inexhaustible supply of +good water. There are hundreds of native foot-paths leading along these +hills and across the gullies throughout the length and breadth of the +island. The gullies are very steep and densely wooded. The rivers and +creeks, whose name is legion, run north and south, with gullies, for +the most part dry, meeting them at right angles. + +The greater part of the gold was found on the western side of the +island. Strange to say, there was no indication of any leaders or reefs +bearing gold, although, occasionally, nuggets weighing four ounces were +obtained. At the same time there are many barren quartz reefs here and +there. In my opinion, Sud-Est is one of the healthiest spots in New +Guinea. The great sickness amongst the diggers was caused by turning up +the virgin soil in the workings and so releasing the malarial germs. +When the unwholesome food and change in the climate is further +considered, one cannot wonder at the result. Such is nearly always the +case in new gold-fields. + +All the native houses on Sud-Est are built on the summit of the highest +hills or mountains. I should estimate the total population to be from +3,000 to 4,000. + +The natives I saw are smaller than those living on the mainland, in +fact, as far as I could judge, they seemed to be half-starved. The +coco-nut trees are very few and far between, and yams anything but +plentiful. I believe the real reason for this barrenness is to be +traced to the fear of their enemies. This is undoubtedly the reason why +they build their houses in such inaccessible places, invisible until +you are close to them. The natives of Brooker Island constantly make +expeditions to Sud-Est in their large war canoes for the express +purpose of obtaining heads, and as they are more powerful than their +opponents, seldom leave without a number of these ghastly trophies. No +wonder the natives of Sud-Est live in mortal dread of them. + +Whilst I was on the island, a deputation of miners waited on the warden +(Mr. Cameron), requesting him to interview the governor with respect to +taking a party of diggers in the _Hygeia_ for prospecting Rossel and +other large islands, as the number of men on Sud-Est was too great for +the amount of gold procurable. + +Mr. Cameron spoke to the governor, who consented to act on the +suggestion on the understanding that the number must not exceed 15, and +that those brought their own "tucker." A committee was formed of seven, +of which I was one, and the ballot for the 15 took place in one of the +tents. The names of those elected were posted up outside. + +The party left the next morning, arriving at Rossel Island the +following day. Rossel is the last and easternmost island in the +Louisiades. It is not so large as Sud-Est, being only about 25 miles +long. The eastern end is thickly inhabited. The natives here have a +very bad character, and up to the present time white men have been +unable to trade with them. It is said that many years ago a large +vessel,[2] with 350 Chinamen on board, got driven out of her course +through stress of weather and ran ashore on the island. The natives, +who were very numerous, surrounded her, and succeeded in capturing all +the Chinamen. They made prisoners of them, fattened them up, and killed +and ate them whenever their stocks ran short. + + [2] 1858. The _St. Paul_, bound from Hongkong to Sydney with + 327 Chinamen on board, of whom only _one_ escaped. + +It is a curious and also a fortunate fact that the natives much prefer +a Chinaman, or one of their own race, to a European. The reason they +give is, that a European is not a good-feeding animal; he eats too much +meat and not enough vegetables. + +The above facts may be of some use to the advocates of vegetarianism. + +Cannibalism is still rampant in some districts, but in others has died +out. A man who has died a natural death is never eaten. Human flesh is +deemed far superior to pig, of which animal they have plenty, and, +strange to say, cannibalism is just as rife in districts where other +food is abundant as in those where it is scarce. The natives have no +European prejudices regarding the human body, and eat it with as good a +conscience and as much gusto as we do butcher's meat. To a civilized +person, this is of course repugnant, but we must remember "different +countries have different customs." + +The _Hygeia_ party spent three days on Rossel, but did not succeed +in finding paying gold, only bare "colours" of the precious metal. What +else could they expect for a three days' prospect? They then went to +Messima (St. Aignan), a large island 40 miles to the north, spent a +couple of days on shore finding nothing but "colours," never attempting +to follow them up. They afterwards visited Normanby, Ferguson, and +Goodenough, all large islands lying to the north of East Cape, and on +to China Straits, where they disembarked, having failed in their +search. + +A few weeks later, a number of "diggers" left Sud-Est on their own +behalf, journeying to St. Aignan. They spent several weeks in +prospecting, at the end of which they had the satisfaction of +discovering two large gullies bearing paying gold. The news of the +"find" soon reached Sud-Est, and in a short time 100 men found their +way to the new "rush." + +The country of St. Aignan is much more broken than Sud-Est, and, owing +to the denseness of the scrub, is more difficult to travel in. In spite +of these disadvantages, a large quantity of gold was obtained, and had +it not been for the great amount of sickness amongst the diggers, this +quantity would have been considerably increased. Three friends of mine +left St. Aignan and went in a small cutter to Normanby Island. They +stayed there for four weeks, and not meeting with success proceeded to +the adjoining island, viz., Fergusson. The latter is larger than +Sud-Est, is only 15 miles from the mainland, and is thickly populated. +In a few days they discovered good traces of gold. Unfortunately they +were unable to continue the search, as their "tucker" had run short, +and also their number (three) was too small to cope with the savages. +They liked the look of the country and were strongly of the opinion +that it contained paying gold, and much regretted their inability to +remain. There are numerous boiling springs on this island, which is +evidently of volcanic origin. + +The discovery of this "Field" has nevertheless proved conclusively that +gold in paying quantities exists in British New Guinea. It certainly +was found 100 to 150 miles away from the mainland, but from the +formation of the islands, which extend from within a few miles of it in +one unbroken line as far as Sud-Est, there being only very narrow +straits separating them, it is not too much to say that at one time +they formed part of that mainland; therefore it is a fair hypothesis +that gold exists there in payable quantities and merely requires +tracing. + +There have been one or two prospecting parties for that purpose, +principally in the neighbourhood of the San Joseph River, on the south +coast. They were badly equipped, and as might be expected, were +unsuccessful. + +Notwithstanding this discouragement, I see no reason to doubt that, +within the coming two years, gold will be found in New Guinea proper +and in large quantities, but the search, to be successful, must be +undertaken by a party fully equipped and with plenty of carriers, South +Sea Islanders being the best and most reliable. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +VOYAGE TO BISMARCK ARCHIPELAGO. + + +Having been some weeks on Sud-Est, I left in the cutter _S----l_, and +after a smart passage of four days, arrived in China Straits. + +The first news that greeted us was that Captain Ancell, of the ketch +_Star of Peace_, had been cruelly murdered by the natives of Chad's +Bay, only 30 miles distant from our anchorage. His vessel had then been +burnt, after the whole of the "Trade" had been taken out of her and +divided amongst them. Captain Ancell was an old man, and one who had +always treated the natives with kindness. + +I have often had a yarn with him on board his craft, and heard the +lamentable news of his death with much sorrow. The natives, generally +speaking, are most treacherous, but there are exceptions. The Bush +tribes are infinitely more savage than those living on the coast, and +the latter have a wholesome dread of them, as they periodically make +raids, at which times a terrible panic ensues. The Bushmen are much +dirtier and more unkempt, evidently being totally ignorant of the +benefits of a bath. + +In navigating the waters of New Guinea and touching at the various +islands and mainland, if you be on a trading expedition, great care +must be exercised, as the sight of a large quantity of "Trade," such as +tobacco, hatchets, etc., immediately kindles a desire in the natives to +acquire it, and unless you keep a careful watch and are well armed, +they will kill you for the sake of the booty, and then set fire to the +vessel. Many a vessel and many a white man have met that untimely fate +during the last three years, and among them several of my friends. +Looking at it from a philosophical point of view, this desire on the +part of the natives is but natural. How many of us, notwithstanding our +boasted centuries of civilization, envy a man his wealth and riches, +and, but for the strong arm of the law, might even go to the extremity +of killing him for the sake of plunder. + +At times they seem to kill for the sake of killing. It is a savage +instinct (acquired perhaps for defence) belonging to primitive or early +man. Doubtless, some of my readers have heard the story of the +aboriginal boy of Queensland who was walking behind his master and +begged of him permission to go in front, as "he had such an intense +desire to kill him." In the English schoolboy, who delights in +torturing animals, in tieing tin cans to dogs' tails, and in playing +practical jokes upon his friends, a relic of savage nature inherited by +him from ancestors of a remote age may be recognised. + +It is only by dint of centuries of civilization and refinement, that we +have been enabled to control and dominate our savage instincts, whereas +those of primitive man are free and unrestrained, so we must make some +allowances for these wild children of Nature. Maybe, centuries hence, +given the same opportunities for advancement that we have had, they, +too, will eventually become "even as we are," and their present savage +instincts be toned down into mere sport and playfulness. At any rate, +we may hope that these, our dreams of the future, are prophetic. + +The Government schooner _Hygeia_ had just arrived in port, and upon +hearing the sad news of the murder, the Administrator (Sir Wm. +Macgregor) determined to go to the scene of the tragedy, taking with +him the diggers on board, with whose assistance he purposed giving the +perpetrators of the outrage a lesson they would not soon forget. At +this time I had made arrangements to go in the cutter _S----l_ on a +trading expedition to some of the wildest districts of British New +Guinea, where the natives speak a different language, and where a white +man is a _rara avis_. The party comprised three all told, not a very +large number considering the dangerous parts we intended to visit. + +There was the captain, S----g, K----h, chief officer and I, second mate +and crew. + +Not having any cargo on board, unless a few cases of "Trade" may be +counted as such, we had to fill up with ballast, consisting of stones +or rocks obtained on the beach. It is preferable to bags of sand, as +the latter are liable to impede the working of the pump, and, as our +little craft had a small leak, we were all the more anxious to keep the +pump in good working order and free from all obstruction, as upon it +much might depend. + +We made an early start, taking full advantage of the ebb tide, which is +very strong in these waters, running at the rate of six miles an hour. +We had not long left the anchorage when day began to break. + + "A wind came up out of the sea, + And said, 'O, mists, make room for me,' + It hailed the ships and cried, 'Sail on + Ye mariners, the night is gone.' + And hurried landwards far away, + Crying, 'Awake! it is the day.' + It said unto the forest, 'Shout! + Hang all your leafy banners out!' + It touched the wood-bird's folded wing, + And said, 'O, bird, awake and sing.'" + +We soon swept past the South Foreland and across Milne Bay, anchoring +in a small bight on its northern shores, a few miles to the westward of +East Cape. Not far from here, viz. at Bentley Bay, which lies to the +north-west, there are some strange-looking natives. All the men have +the fully-developed breasts of a woman. This is all the more +remarkable, as such a peculiarity, as far as my knowledge goes, is +unknown in any other part of New Guinea. + +The distance across Milne Bay, from the South Foreland to East Cape, is +about ten miles, and from the mouth to the head of the bay somewhat +over twenty. Its shores are lined by numbers of villages, all of them +densely inhabited and in a prosperous condition. The villages are a +mile or so apart, and the natives dwelling in them are of a light brown +colour, some approaching in fairness to Europeans. + +I was spending the night at a place called "Killerton," and after +kai-kai (supper) joined a circle of young men and maidens who were +seated on the ground, passing the tranquil hours of night in singing +and general conversation. The conversation was hardly suited to a +fashionable drawing-room reception, but from a native's point of view +was modesty itself. + +Among the faces grouped around me I was much struck by that of a young +girl of about 16 years of age. Her complexion was very fair, her figure +full of grace. Her face, of which the features were decidedly of a +Caucasian type, was full of animation, her eyes sparkling with fun and +humour, a "toga" or scarf was loosely thrown over her left shoulder, +serving to heighten the effect of her charms, as she coquettishly +tossed her head aside, her eyes at one time pensively looking +downwards, at another filled with the fire of impetuous youth. At first +I mistook her for a half-caste, but I reflected that such a breed is +unknown in New Guinea; and afterwards, from my enquiries, learnt that +both her parents were natives, pure and simple. + +There are splendid plantations of yams, taro, bananas, plantains, sweet +potatoes, and groves of sago, coco-nut, and the betel palm, extending +from the beach for several miles inland. Behind is a vast amphitheatre +of mountains, with numerous rivers and creeks. + +The soil on the flats is most fertile, and capable of growing anything. +Near the village "Maivara" there is some very good undulating land, +which I have not the slightest doubt would fatten cattle. There is but +one drawback to this district, viz., the heavy moisture caused by the +frequent rains. This excess of moisture makes a prolonged residence in +the bay unhealthy. The natives are better off here than in most parts. +They have good houses, fine plantations, and a superabundance of food. +They are very fond of feasting and dancing, and hold several great +feasts during the year. + +I must not omit to mention the millions of coco-nut palms that thrive +here. They are to be found in all stages of growth, and close to the +water's edge. + +On the one tree you can see a whole family of nuts, from the baby, the +size of a walnut, to the fully-matured, the size of a human head. + +It is from Milne Bay that the greater part of the copra is obtained. I +should estimate the total population of the bay to be not far short of +8,000. From this number a very fair idea of the quantities of yams, +taro, etc., necessary for home consumption, may be formed. + +We remained at anchor one night and at 7 a.m. the next day decided to +weigh anchor, and continue our journey. Easier said than done. Two of +us worked at the winch, heaved the chain short, when, to our +discomfiture, the anchor obstinately refused to leave its watery bed. +We tugged and swore, then swore and tugged, but all to no purpose. The +anchor, which was a heavy one, had evidently got foul of a lump of +coral, and do what we could we were unable to influence it. We were in +about seven fathoms of water, and in dangerous proximity to a coral +reef, just on our lee. To add to the mortification of our enforced +imprisonment, the breeze was every moment increasing in strength. Of +course we might have slipped our cable, but what should we have down +with only a light anchor to depend upon? We should have been obliged to +relinquish our voyage, and return to China Straits. Seeing some natives +on the beach we hailed them, when they at once boarded us. Upon +offering them several sticks of tobacco, three of them dived and +attempted to free the anchor. The attempt proved futile, as the water +was too deep for them. We then got out a kedge anchor, and hoisted the +mainsail, but all of no avail. + +We now held a consultation, and one of us suggested we should slip the +cable. + +We decided, after a few minutes' rest, to have one more trial, and if +unsuccessful to leave our anchor at the bottom of the ocean, and return +to port. After numerous efforts, we felt a sudden jerk, when up came +the anchor with a large lump of coral attached to it. We were soon +under weigh, and after beating for several hours under a strong breeze, +came to an anchorage close to a native village on Lydia Island. + +This island is immediately abreast of Normanby Island or Du-au. There +are numerous villages here, and all the hills are covered with +plantations. The natives, too, are superior, and, in my opinion, +thoroughly to be trusted. A native chief, named Paulo, owns +considerable property on the island, and therefore has great influence. +I have often met him, and have invariably found him to be trustworthy. + +He is not particularly handsome, having a mouth of enormous dimensions, +as large as an ordinary letter-box. His headquarters are at "Quato," +but he often spends a couple of weeks at his country residence on Lydia +Island. + +As we had a long journey before us we obtained from the natives a large +quantity of firewood, and filled up our water tank and cask, as, on a +voyage of any extent, those are the two most important items. We +invited one of the natives to accompany us on the trip. He signified +his willingness, and came on board. We made a start early the next +morning, and after accompanying us for a mile, he jumped into his canoe +and returned home. As we purposed going such a great distance, he +considered the chances of coming back very remote and uncertain. He +would have come in very handy for cutting up firewood and boiling yams, +otherwise we were just as well without him. + +The harbour we had just left is an excellent one, with good holding +ground and perfectly sheltered from all winds. + +We had to navigate between several dangerous-looking coral reefs, and +in a few hours rounded Cape Ventenat, the south end of Normanby Island. + +Canoes came from the shore loaded with yams, etc., which we purchased +from the natives, keeping our vessel close-hauled, in order to permit +of their approach. + +We soon left them far behind, and passed close to the small island +"Digaragara." This last is memorable on account of the terrible tragedy +that took place there a few years previously. + +A young man, Fred Miller, who was engaged in the Beche-de-mer fishery, +had a smoke house on this island, and employed several of the savages. +His boat was on the beach, and he was superintending the curing of the +fish, when the natives, without any warning, suddenly made a dash at +him. Some held him while the others put an end to him with their +"tomahawks." Miller had always treated the natives well, and had never +interfered with or molested them in any way. It was simply their lust +of plunder, added to the distinction gained by obtaining a human head. + +Were these diabolical savages punished for this outrage? + +I regret to say no. Nothing was done to them. It was only another white +man added to their list of victims. His murderers are to this day +enjoying their full liberty, and doubtless, when seated around the camp +fires, recount to their friends, with careless glee, the history of +their terrible deeds. + +Everyone who had known Miller, and he had many friends, was furious +when he heard the details of the massacre. + +The natives of Normanby have always been of a stubborn and hostile +disposition, refusing to have anything to do with the white man, or to +have any trading relations with him. Maybe this is partly owing to the +terrible scenes enacted by those on board the _Hopeful_ seven years +ago. The _Hopeful_ was a schooner engaged in the labour trade. + +She was accustomed to make voyages to the South Seas for the purpose of +obtaining Kanaka labourers for the sugar plantations in Queensland. The +term of their indentures was three years, when they had to be restored +to their homes. + +About the year 1883, finding the business in the South Seas rather +overdone, she turned her attention to New Guinea. + +A man of the name of Williams was the captain in command of her, and +McNeil acted as Government agent. They proceeded to Normanby Island for +recruiting purposes. + +Instead of obtaining recruits in a legitimate way, they behaved in the +most brutal manner. Armed to the teeth, they landed in one of their +boats and kidnapped the natives against their will. If any struggled +they shot them down without mercy, and even shot them in the water as +they were swimming from their canoes to the shore. + +After killing many, and imprisoning as many as they could on board, +they sailed to Queensland, where they landed their living freight. + +They say "murder will out," and so it did in this instance. The +Government, immediately upon hearing of their outrageous conduct, +arrested McNeil and Williams, and at the same time caused the unwilling +immigrants to be returned to their island homes. In due course the two +culprits were tried, found guilty, and sentenced to be hanged. As is +fashionable in such cases, a monster petition was got up by the people +of Queensland to reprieve these murderers, and laid before the +Executive Council. After long deliberation the Council commuted the +sentence to penal servitude for life, the _first five years in irons_. +One of the prisoners (McNeil) died in his irons. The Queensland +Government also strictly forbade any more recruiting in New Guinea, so +_that_ was the last time natives in New Guinea were torn from their +homes. Recruiting is still permitted in the South Seas, but the +regulations in force are most strict. + +At the time of my leaving Queensland for this country, namely, +November, 1889, the Government were seriously considering the +advisability of prohibiting further importation of Kanaka labour. + +To this, of course, the planters seriously objected, as they maintain +they cannot afford to work their plantations with white labour. + +The _Hopeful_ massacres have undoubtedly caused reprisals on the part +of the Normanby Islanders, and not without excuse. + +Unfortunately the innocent have to suffer for the sins of the guilty. + + * * * * * + +We now laid our course for the "Woodlark Islands," 70 miles to the +north-east. We hugged the coast of Normanby as far as Cape Pearson, +when we stood out to sea. The coast up to this point is very bold and +rugged. + +A square block of frowning mountains runs from Cape Ventenat to Cape +Pearson. + +Loud claps of thunder reverberated through the hills; black clouds were +sailing along with threatening aspect. Strong gusts of wind burst with +fury against our little craft as she tore through the seething foam. + +We were travelling eight knots an hour--a great speed for a boat of 12 +tons. Luckily, the wind was pretty favourable, otherwise we should have +had a bad time of it. As it was, we deemed it prudent to close reef the +mainsail and jib. Evidently we were in for a dirty night, as the wind +hourly increased in strength. Our boat, however, was staunch and true, +and laughed at wind and storm. + +Darkness suddenly fell on us, as, in tropical countries, no sooner has +the sun set than night spreads her black mantle over land and sea. + +After careering for some hours at a breakneck speed, we began to think +it was high time to "heave to." We roughly estimated the distance we +had travelled and our proximity to a large island. Knowing that a reef +extended from this island, we were most anxious to keep it at a +respectful distance, as to run on to it at the rate of eight knots an +hour meant certain destruction, as a heavy sea was breaking on it. + +I suggested "heaving to," at 10.00 p.m., but my two comrades considered +9.30 to be safer, so, being in the minority, I gave in. Fortunate for +us that we did so. + +"Heaving to" with half a gale blowing, and a heavy sea running is +rather a delicate matter. We took up our respective stations, and +watching a good opportunity, sung out "ready" when, with the exception +of shipping half-a-dozen buckets of water, the manoeuvre was +successfully carried out. + +Everything was made as snug as possible, but we prepared ourselves to +spend an anxious and restless night. + +The wind still held sway. How our little craft did "job" about! There +was no sleep for any of us that night. The whole of our attention was +concentrated on the boat, as the slightest carelessness or neglect, in +such a sea, on our part, would almost certainly have fatal +consequences. + +As the first streaks of dawn lined the horizon our position was made +known to us. + +To our great surprise, there, right in front of us, not 200 yards away, +stood the island, with the coral reef merely a few boats' lengths +ahead. We realized that we had had a narrow escape. Where should we +have been had we "stood on" for a few seconds longer the previous +night? Dashed to pieces amongst the coral rocks, and food for the +sharks. In less than two minutes we had slackened the sheets and away +we tore, our lee gunwale under water most of the time, beating our way +to "Egum" (Little Woodlarks), 10 miles to the eastward, which we were +glad to reach at 5 o'clock that evening. + +Directly the sails were furled and everything made fast, we were +honoured by a succession of visitors, both men and women. It is very +unusual for the latter to come spontaneously on board. The chief's wife +welcomed us to the island, and stated that a dish of yams was being +prepared for our delectation. We sent on shore a billy-can and some +tea, thus saving us the trouble of boiling it on board. We felt rather +tired with our tempestuous voyage, and were glad of a rest. + +Our most distinguished visitor was "Tokaiakus," the Dwarf. + +Not having met him before, I was introduced with due ceremony. In all +my travels I had never beheld such a curiosity. Let me endeavour to +describe him. Imagine a man 3 feet 6 inches in height, of a chocolate +colour, 35 years of age, having a Herculean chest, with arms the length +of a child's. An immense head covered with a shock of hair falling on +his neck in ringlets, a flat nose, and a mouth stretching from ear to +ear. Add to all a light summer suit consisting of a palm leaf round his +loins, and the picture is complete. He was, without exception, the most +monstrous specimen of Papuan humanity in the whole of New Guinea. As +both he and I understood the language spoken on the southeast coast, we +soon became on friendly terms. + +The chief of "Egum" was absent, having gone on a cruise to the +"Trobriand Islands," and was not expected back for a month. The houses +on "Egum" were different from those we had been accustomed to. Instead +of being built on blocks they were level with the ground. The anchorage +here is quite sheltered, being close in to a small reef. + +The difficulty is in reaching it; once there you are in still water and +can remain at anchor without fear of dragging. In navigating these +parts you have to trust mainly to your eyesight as it is practically +unsurveyed. A chart would only lead to confusion and maybe into peril. + +"Egum" is connected with another small island by a coral reef on which +the surf breaks with some violence. This reef lies to the E.N.E. + +About sundown the natives came off with the yams and tea prepared for +us. + +They had boiled the yams in coco-nut milk, which is far preferable to +water. We fell to with a will, the sea air having given us a good +appetite. We showed our visitors over the vessel, when they expressed +their admiration at everything they saw. They had never seen a vessel +of such large dimensions, viz. 12 tons. + +They were particularly interested in a cabinet photograph of a young +lady, which adorned our cabin. We explained to them that it was a "Sina +Dim-dim," _i.e._ a White Lady, in fact was the wife of one of us. In +answer to our queries they considered her "_very good_." + +After supper two of us took the dinghy and rowed on shore, leaving our +mate in charge of the cutter. + +The island contains about 30 inhabitants. We were quickly surrounded by +the entire population. They were very anxious to know how long we +intended to stay and whither we were bound? We informed them we were +going a long way over the sea to a strange land, and could not possibly +return for at least a month, but that we would not fail to give them a +call on our way back. + +The next morning we went to the adjoining island, where we bagged three +or four pigeons. We also obtained some Beche-de-mer from the natives, +for which we paid them in tobacco. + +I had hoped to meet a native princess, the daughter of the chief of the +Woodlarks, but was doomed to disappointment. I had received a glowing +description of her beauty, and my curiosity was excited. However, I had +the pleasure of seeing her on my return visit. + +A small cutter belonging to us, named the "_A----s_" had left "Egum" +for the Trobriand Group a few days previous, so, as we wished to fall +in with her, we decided to sail on the following day. We invited the +dwarf and a boy of the name of Sindiwaia to accompany us, promising to +bring them safely home in one "moon." + +To our astonishment they both accepted our kind offer, notwithstanding +we were bound for New Britain, a country they had never heard of. After +taking an affectionate farewell of their friends they came on board +with their luggage. Their luggage consisted of two bau-bau pipes, a few +betel nuts and two or three native mats. Whatever wardrobe they +possessed was left on shore. We conducted them to the "hold," which was +to be their sleeping quarters during the trip. They stowed their +worldly possessions down below and prepared to enjoy themselves. It +showed great pluck in them, trusting themselves so far away from home +and for so long a period. + +Our number was now increased to five, quite enough for so small a +craft. Having finished our business, we left for the Trobriands, hoping +to overtake the cutter "_A----s_," although we were ignorant of where +we should meet her. + +When leaving "Egum" you have to go through a barrier reef. The openings +are very narrow, therefore it behoves you to be well on the alert. Also +in this district it always appears to be blowing half a gale. It is +absolutely necessary for one man to stand in the bows and give warning +to the helmsman of any reefs or shoals. You can always recognise them +by the discoloured water. We often had to sail a distance of five miles +with but a couple of feet of water under our keel and on the constant +look out for "gibbers" or rocks. It is said "Without danger or chance +of mishap, travel is never worth a rap." + +Nevertheless we should have been quite satisfied to dispense with coral +reefs and sunken rocks. It will be years before these parts of New +Guinea are surveyed. With one or two narrow escapes we managed to keep +clear of the hidden dangers and at about four o'clock in the afternoon +were in sight of the Trobriands. Knowing that our cutter "_A----s_" was +sure to have called at Lagrandiere, one of the islands of the group, we +determined to visit it, hoping by good luck either to meet her there or +learn her whereabouts. + +The evening was a beautiful one. A steady breeze was blowing from the +south-east and a few miles to the north-east lay the island to which we +bound. The lurid sun was just about to set, and the sea was calm save a +gentle ripple. All nature smiled, as if conscious of her beauty. It was +the most enchanting hour of day--Sunset--whose delights are made more +precious by their brevity. Alas, the varied colours are soon blotted +out and transmuted into a sombre black, but as we gazed on that scene +of sea and sky, the sin and sorrow of the world seemed to fade from our +memory. + +Half-an-hour later we dropped anchor within 20 yards of the shore, and +to our delight found the cutter "_A----s_" already there, completely +surrounded by canoes full of wild and dusky savages. To tell the truth, +they were more glad to see us than we to see them, as there being but +two of them, and their boat a small one, it was as much as they could +manage to keep the savages in check. They had been obliged to draw +their revolvers and for some time had been in considerable danger of +their lives. We anchored close alongside of them, when there was much +rejoicing and shaking of hands. + +We now mustered altogether five white men and four blacks, so that we +could have offered a strong resistance. As our boat was the larger of +the two, our friends came on board of her, where we all dined together. + +What a pleasure it is to meet friends unexpectedly, especially in a +lonely spot unfrequented by white men and surrounded by hordes of +shrieking demons, armed with clubs and spears, who might at any time +use them. Dozens of magnificent canoes, with from 20 to 30 warriors in +each, encircled us, and beyond, a perfect "flotilla" of them. All their +occupants stood up, craning their necks forward, striving to get a +glimpse of the mysterious white men. + +What was there to prevent them from killing us and capturing our +vessels? It certainly was not the fear of our fire-arms, for the +natives of this district are perfectly ignorant of the destructive +powers of a rifle or a revolver. It was their gross superstition. They +believe the white man to be a species of "Devil," and possessed of +supernatural powers. How fortunate is such a belief for us; were it +otherwise, if they only knew we were ordinary mortals like themselves, +it would be necessary to educate their respect for us by a course of +instruction in musketry. + +We had a right merry evening. Our skipper played on the violin, toasts +were given and taken, and our several experiences recounted since last +we had met, seven weeks since. Although nature has not gifted me with a +fine voice, I treated the company to a song, my friend accompanying me +on the violin. The hours flew by until one of our number fell fast +asleep, tired out with the evening's dissipation. We put him to bed on +the hatches, with a sail and some rugs for a covering, and soon after +turned in ourselves, to woo, with more deliberation, the goddess of +slumber. + +In the morning, we informed our two friends of our intention of +proceeding to New Britain, and that we hoped to meet them again in +about a month. They wished us _bon voyage_ and a safe return. They then +left us in order to visit several islands for the purpose of trading +for Beche-de-mer. We remained at Lagrandiere until the following day, +as we wished to buy a quantity of yams, and, if possible, trade with +the natives. The native town lay about two miles distant from us. It +was the largest town I had ever seen; it must have contained from 300 +to 400 houses, and allowing an average of six persons to each house, +would have a population of 2,000. At sunrise, dozens of large canoes, +in full sail and crowded with natives, arrived upon the scene. Their +canoes here are magnificent, all the seams caulked, beautifully carved, +and all the sails apparently new; in fact, the canoes themselves +appeared quite new. They were infinitely superior and better finished +than any I had yet seen. Our little craft was so completely surrounded +by them that it was impossible to drop a potato overboard without the +risk of its falling into one of them. What a chatter they kept up! +Imagine several hundred native throats shouting at the same time. +Several of them had harsh, discordant voices, and they were the ones +who talked the loudest and longest. If anything out of the common +attracted their attention they would one and all send up a piercing +shriek, which, unless you were accustomed to their peculiar ways, would +terrify you. + +We allowed a few to come on board, but the difficulty was to prevent +all of them doing so. I had to keep constantly rushing to the sides of +the vessel with a naked sword, slashing at them in order to keep them +in their canoes. Once let a number obtain a foothold on board, and you +put yourself in their power. At any moment they may obtain possession +of the vessel, and then good-bye to dear life. So long as savages +believe that you have power over them, you have nothing to fear. +Immediately you allow them to consider you in danger or anxious, look +out for squalls. Take a man who enters a den of wild beasts, what is it +that prevents him being torn to pieces? Is it that he is stronger than +those wild beasts? Nothing of the kind. If only those beasts had the +knowledge of their power, they would not think twice before springing +upon and devouring him. The true reason is that the man shows no fear. +From his manner and his behaviour, these wild animals infer that he is +not afraid of them, and consequently believe that he possesses some +hidden power greater than theirs. + +It is this and this alone that keeps them in check and closes their +mouths. It is just the same with the civilized white man and the true +wild savage. Once show the white feather and all is up. Keep your head +cool, show a bold front, and keep your eyes about you, and the command +you will have over them is astonishing. The whole livelong day, one of +us had to sit on the scuttle, keeping a sharp lookout all round the +vessel, a naked sword in hand, a loaded revolver in his belt and a +couple of Winchester rifles fully primed in the cabin, all ready for +use. The remaining two of us were engaged in bartering with the natives +for spears, clubs, shields, "chunam" knives, wooden fishhooks, ebony +paper-cutters, and even "gods." We also purchased about a ton of yams, +which we could easily dispose of at a good profit, in New Britain. Our +two native companions, Tokaiakus and Sindiwaia, were unable to speak +the language of this part, so we had to do all our business by signs. +Tobacco is unknown here, and they would not accept any. Hoop-iron was +their great desideratum. Luckily we had some on board. We also did some +trading in empty beer-bottles. We first drank the beer, and then +exchanged the bottles for Beche-de-mer. If this method of exchange +would only last, the profits of Beche-de-mering would be enormous. But +after a time they got tired of glass bottles. To hoop-iron they were +constant. In time, of course, tobacco will become the chief article of +trade, but then, tobacco is expensive. Trade tobacco costs in +Queensland, 1_s._ 3_d._ per lb., then there is the transit, say 1_d._ +per pound, and New Guinea duty of 1_s._, so it costs you 2_s._ 4_d._ +per lb. on board. Hoop-iron, on the other hand, is very cheap, and it +does not matter how inferior the quality so long as it _is_ hoop-iron. +With hoop-iron they can improve their tools and weapons, thus saving +them much labour. + +I determined to go on shore, so having told my comrades that, in event +of any danger, I would fire one shot, I strapped on my revolver, +exposing it free from its pouch and jumped into one of the canoes +alongside. By signs I intimated to them my desire, but before trusting +myself to the tender mercies of such nice-looking gentlemen, I caused +the leading man of the canoe to step on board our vessel, where he +would be held as a hostage for my personal safety. He evidently +thoroughly grasped the idea, and acquiesced in it. I was soon landed on +the beach. I had brought a towel with me, intending to have a bathe, +but considering I should have to leave my revolver on the beach, I +postponed that luxury to some future occasion. + +No sooner had I landed than they all commenced jabbering to me at the +same time. I did not understand a solitary word they said, but had an +idea they wished me to accompany them to the town, which was visible in +the distance. + +Being alone and unable to converse with them, I did not care to trust +myself among a couple of thousand wild animals so far away from the +cutter and with no arms but a revolver. + +I shook my head as a sign that I regretted I was unable to avail myself +of their polite invitation, but whether they understood my meaning or +not I cannot say. + +The island I found to be very low land, not a solitary hill on it, +covered with light small bushes or trees, with a sandy, dry soil. +Notwithstanding this, there is a plentiful supply of yams; in fact, +they have plenty to spare. There would be no difficulty in obtaining a +cargo of 10 to 20 tons. + +All the islands of the Trobriand Group are low-lying, thickly +populated, and well supplied with food. The natives of Lagrandiere are +well-built, fine-looking men, dark-skinned, and are constantly on the +war-path. At the time of our visit, they had just returned from one of +their predatory expeditions, covered with glory, and laden with the +spoils of war. They had completely routed the enemy, and had burnt +their villages. We may deplore the brutality of these intertribal +fights, but it is the sefights or wars that perpetuate the race by +saving its members from the fatal effects of sloth, and a lack of +interest in life. If in Europe even, all war or chance of war were at +an end, the spirit of true manliness might in time languish, despite +the duties, occupations, and generous ambitions of civilization. + +A great chief, if not the greatest in New Guinea, resides in the +Trobriands, and holds dominion over them. + +He has a splendid house to live in, and a large retinue of slaves. He +never walks a yard, but is always carried on a kind of sedan-chair or +stretcher. His word is law, and his influence over the natives of his +kingdom very great. + +This is no romance. + +He is verily a king. In most districts of New Guinea the chiefs are +generally the leading men of the village, with a certain amount of +influence, but not to any great extent. + +In this case it is quite different. The king of the Trobriands is as +much a king to his subjects as the autocratic Czar is to the serfs of +Russia. I was extremely disappointed at not seeing him. Unfortunately +he was absent from home, and would not be back for a week or so. + +The natives took the most absorbing interest in our cutter. They gazed +at it in wonder and astonishment. They felt it in their hands to make +sure it was a reality and not an empty delusion. We steered by a wheel. +The wheel seemed to take their fancy immensely. Every now and then, +when something fresh attracted their notice, they would rend the skies +with their shouts, their mouths wide open with astonishment and +admiration. We were no less surprised at the beautiful construction of +their canoes, but did not exhibit our feelings in so marked a manner. +They stayed by us from sunrise to sunset. They ought to have felt +tired, as they never stopped talking, and stood up most of the time. + +At sundown they left us in peace, and sailed back to their town, which +was glistening in the distance. It was a moving sight. Here were we +three, over a hundred miles from the nearest white man, calmly sitting +on deck, watching a large fleet of canoes full of wild and treacherous +savages wending their way homewards. What a relief to be rid of them. +There is nothing so tiring and trying to the system as being +continuously, for hours together, on the watch lest you be taken +suddenly by surprise and cruelly murdered. We felt thoroughly wearied +out, and longed to get away from their unceasing attentions. We knew +they would not visit us again until the first thing in the morning, so +we took the opportunity to discuss our future plans. + +We decided to leave for the Duke of York Islands at break of day. + +Not having been there before, we got out a general chart, which we +studied with great interest. We carried a sextant and compass, so we +entertained no difficulty in reaching our destination. We had no "sheet +charts," but that was of no great moment. The south-east "trades" were +still blowing, and we hoped they would hold with us until we commenced +our return voyage, when we trusted to be favoured with the north-west +monsoon, as the winds generally veer to that quarter towards the end of +December. + +Having obtained a plentiful supply of yams, and a couple of bags of +Beche-de-mer, we took farewell of "Lagrandiere," steering our course +due north. + +We passed through a perfect archipelago of islands, and on the second +day rounded Jurien. Although we did not land, I took a great interest +in this island. Several years ago the schooner _Kate Kearney_ left +Queensland for New Guinea, for the purpose of engaging in the +Beche-de-mer fishery. On board of her was a great friend of mine, named +McDonnell. She was successful in obtaining a large quantity of fish, +but through a series of gales she found herself at Jurien Island almost +dismasted, and minus sails, etc. Here she had perforce to remain at +anchor for six months. The anchorage is in a narrow passage between +Jurien and a smaller island, and completely hidden from passing +vessels. They were obliged to remain prisoners here until the change of +the monsoon to the north-west, as without a favourable wind in their +then disabled state, it would have been impossible for them to have +reached a port. From their isolated position, and the fact of being +right out of the track of any vessels, not a word of their fate reached +Queensland. They were six months overdue, during which time nothing had +been seen or heard of them. The vessel and her crew had long been given +up as lost. + +McDonnell's family, who lived in Brisbane, having hoped against hope, +reluctantly numbered their son with the dead. They went into mourning, +stricken with grief at the untimely fate of their cherished offspring. +Imagine their intense joy and surprise upon receiving a telegram from +their long-lost son, who had arrived safely in the _Kate Kearney_ at +Cooktown, safe and sound. The meeting that took place, when so many +emotions must have contended for the mastery, is not mine to describe. + +It may be of interest to relate that about a year afterwards the +_Kate Kearney_ was wrecked during a flood off the mouth of the +Endeavour River. + +After leaving North Island, which is the outermost one of the Trobriand +group, we were soon in mid-ocean, steering a direct course for the Duke +of York Islands. The wind holding good, we presently made St. George's +Channel, the coast of New Ireland close on our starboard, and the +island of New Britain on our port. + +We were now within 70 miles of our destination, "Mioko." The channel is +about 15 miles broad, the soundings deep, and the coast "steep to." + +No sooner had we got into mid-channel than we were treated to a +succession of thunderstorms, with the rain pouring down in torrents, +accompanied by violent gusts of wind. It is only in the tropics that +such rain can be seen. Although well provided with oilskins, we were +literally drenched to the skin. There was evidently a terrible leak in +the heavens above. + +A few hours later a grand sight enthralled us. A magnificent waterspout +appeared not a mile to windward of us, doubtless evolved by the recent +heavy rain-pour. The surface of the sea had become an active fountain +surmounted by a vast funnel-shaped column reaching to the clouds above. +It was travelling in a southerly direction in dangerous proximity to +our vessel. We deemed it prudent to "keep her away" a couple of points, +when shortly we had the satisfaction of seeing it burst and vanish into +thin air. Had this waterspout struck our little craft, this narrative +would never have been written, for the writer of it would have been +quietly resting in the bed of St. George's Channel. + +We were hugging the coast of New Ireland when, rather to our surprise, +a group of low islands, one of them conspicuous from a solitary tree +standing out in bold relief on it, hove in sight. Making sure that +these must be the Duke of York Islands, we slightly altered our course, +and after a smart run of three hours, entered the passage, which is +close to the island with the above-mentioned tree, and anchored in the +lovely harbour of "Mioko," within a few yards of the shore. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +BISMARCK ARCHIPELAGO. + + +Leaving our "Dwarf" in charge of the cutter, we paid a visit to Mr. +H----r, the manager of the "Mioko" plantation. "Mioko" is one of the +Hamburg Plantation Company's branches. + +They have large plantations in "Samoa," and their operations are most +extensive. Mr. H----r and his assistant, both of them Germans, were the +sole representatives of the white race in the Duke of York group. + +The manager's house, which is situated a few yards from the beach, +presented a most picturesque appearance. It was built entirely of +bamboo, with a roof of shingles; and, being lined with bamboo, was, +notwithstanding the tropical heat, always cool inside. They gave us a +hearty welcome although we were perfect strangers. To their delight +they discovered in one of us a countryman of theirs, whilst S----g was +a Norwegian, and I an Englishman. + +The Germans had the advantage, being in the majority. The different +buildings of the plantation gave it the appearance of a township. A +substantial wharf extended from the beach, alongside of which a vessel +could lie and discharge her cargo. Connecting the wharf with the large +copra house were tram lines, over which the produce was conveyed in +trucks to the vessel and thence into the hold. Next to the copra house, +which was capable of storing 200 tons of copra, was a fine iron +building used as a "store," where the different articles of trade were +kept and in which were the offices of the manager. There were numerous +out-buildings of every description, all of them kept in excellent +order. At the time of our visit, the copra house contained over 100 +tons of copra awaiting shipment. + +Made fast to the wharf was the cutter _Atafu_, which was owned by the +plantation and was used principally for obtaining labour recruits from +the South Seas, and for visiting the different out-stations of the +company in New Ireland, supplying them with "trade" and bringing back +to "Mioko" the copra, etc., obtained. + +The manager, whose dwelling was surrounded by a pretty garden kept in +scrupulous order, pressed us to be his guests for a couple of days, and +we gladly accepted. Accustomed to the wilds of New Guinea, this place +seemed to us like an "oasis" in the desert. + +He kindly sent on board our craft a couple of natives whom he could +trust, telling them to look after her and keep strangers away. The +harbour is completely land-locked, being hemmed in by numerous islands, +and protected from the south-east winds by the island of "Mioko." + +The captain and mate of the _Atafu_ were invited to meet us at dinner, +thus increasing our number to seven. The captain was a German, and the +mate a Yankee, so that the various nationalities were well represented. +A smart native youth, specially trained by Mr. H----r, waited at table. +He would have put to shame many a waiter at a first-rate London club. +The dinner was an excellent one, and our host full of good spirits. + +After doing full justice to the good things provided, the bottle was +passed round, toasts were drunk and jokes cracked. In such a varied +assembly the fund of anecdote was inexhaustible. Everyone was enjoying +himself to the top of his bent, when unfortunately one of my mates, in +pure joke, made some _mal apropos_ remark to our host. He very +foolishly took it up in the wrong light, considered it an insult, +jumped up from his seat and rushed round to my friend, challenging him +to fight. It was a most unfortunate _contretemps_. + +Had not my friend been a man of equable temperament, and with great +power of self-control, the result would have been most disastrous, and +in all likelihood Mr. H----r would have been annihilated. He had +evidently partaken too freely of the juice of the grape; or was it, +being a German, he was unable to understand a jest? However, my friend +wisely kept his temper, the storm-cloud passed over, and all was +harmony again. We learnt afterwards that our host was naturally of a +most excitable nature and was of a pugnacious disposition. + +Fortunately for him, my friend, like the British lion, was not easily +roused. Like that noble animal, he was possessed of great strength, and +in a combat would have easily vanquished his antagonist. What with +singing and playing on the piano and violin, we spent a most enjoyable +evening, and did not retire to rest until the small hours. + +One of us occupied the only bedroom in the house, another slept on the +sofa, whilst I camped in a hammock on the verandah. + +Notwithstanding the lateness of the hour at which we retired to rest, +we were all up at six o'clock. Coffee was then served, the most +delicious coffee I had tasted for many a month. It was grown on the +plantation and was properly made. How different it tasted from the +coffee one gets in an hotel! + +We had a refreshing swim in the bay, heedless of the sharks, and +returned to the house ready to tackle a substantial breakfast. Breakfast +over, by desire of Mr. H----r, we hailed our seaman-in-charge, viz., +"Tokaiakus" the dwarf, to come on shore. He immediately responded, and +great was the astonishment on his landing on the beach. Numbers of +natives were strolling about, and they soon gathered round, gaping with +wonder at our New Guinea representative. + +"Tokaiakus" was no less astonished at them, and evidently considered +his race far superior to theirs. When asked his opinion of the "Mioko" +natives, he replied, "They are no good, they go about naked, New Guinea +man he wear clothes." Different people have different opinions. + +Although our dwarf was more decently dressed than they, he was not +overburdened with garments, being covered by a palm leaf. Nevertheless, +clothing has its degrees, and his was a comparative one. + +In company with the manager we went over the different buildings and +inspected the various improvements. Everything was of a substantial +character, and the manager informed us that the profits of the Mioko +Branch for the year 1887 were L1,300, which, in our opinion, was very +good. + +We paid a visit to the cutter, _Atafu_, and were invited by her captain +to stay to lunch. She is 37 tons register and a very smart-looking +craft, indeed we could hardly realise we were on a trading vessel, for +she had more the appearance of a gentleman's yacht. The hold was empty, +and had just been white-washed. A great bell, which rang at 9 a.m. +every day, was a signal for certain natives to proceed on board and +wash down decks. + +Everything on board was scrupulously clean, and, as on board a +man-of-war, in its proper place. The captain received L12 a month and +his food, and, with such a vessel under him, I consider his lot a happy +one. + +In the afternoon we strolled round the plantation. The land here is +fertile, and a large area of it is owned by the Hamburg Company. Mr. +H----r purposed going to the "Fatherland" shortly, when the managership +would fall to his assistant, and, if I may venture the remark, the +change would be a beneficial one. + +Copra is the principal industry carried on, though coffee is grown to +some extent. The latter product pays well, therefore I wonder there is +not more attention paid to its cultivation. + +The natives' canoes are much lighter built than those of New Guinea, +and do not carry a sail. They are used for paddling only, and never +venture out of sight of land. The natives themselves are quite distinct +from the Papuans of New Guinea, being lighter in colour and actively +made, but decidedly a lower type of humanity. The men wear no clothing +whatever, but the women have an apology for a grass petticoat. It +cannot, strictly speaking, be called a petticoat. However, they are not +quite nude. + +In the evening, the conversation turning on boats, we did not fail to +sound the praises of our little craft, that had carried us so far and +so safely. The others, on the other hand, did not forget to crack up +the merits of the _Atafu_. After a lot of bragging on both sides it was +decided to settle the differences of opinion by a race between the +rival vessels. We, I may say in passing, were merely chaffing, but the +others were evidently in grim earnest. The race was fixed to take place +in the morning at 10.30, the course from Mioko to Ralume, New Britain. +The distance was 20 miles, and our vessel being only one-third the size +of the _Atafu_, we received half an hour start. The stakes were L5 a +side, but two or three private bets were made in addition. The rules to +be observed during the race were taken down in writing by the manager +and his assistant. One of the rules was "that no oar was to be used +throughout the race." + +Great interest was evinced by them in the approaching contest, and the +conditions were duly signed by both parties. The captain and owners of +the _Atafu_ were quite confident of victory, and ridiculed the idea of +our having the ghost of a chance. It must be recollected that our +cutter was but 12 tons, and what chance would she have against one of +37 tons? We still believed it was simply chaff, and that no race was +intended, but the following morning they soon disabused us of that +idea. Seeing that active preparations for the match were taking place +on board the _Atafu_, it behoved us to be on the alert. We went on +board the _S----l_, got all the sails and sheets in good order, rigged +up an awning as a square sail, set our topsail, and by a little after +10 o'clock had everything ready for a start. Now that we were in for +it we determined to do our best and see if, notwithstanding our +insignificant appearance, we could not lower the "Mioko" flag, and +lessen their conceit. + +A fresh south-easter was blowing, but happily not too strong to prevent +us crowding every stitch of canvas on her. The land of New Britain was +dimly visible in the distance, and a dewy freshness filled the air. Had +we made it, the weather could not have been more propitious. Our +British ensign was run up to the masthead, the anchor hoisted in, and +precisely at 10.30 Mr. H----r, having taken up a position on the wharf, +fired his revolver as a signal to be off. We were close in to the +shore, and as there was no room to manoeuvre, our skipper, S----g, +sang out, "Get out an oar and pull the bows round." + +The command was promptly executed, her head paid round, the oars were +thrown down the hold, and like a greyhound from the leash she bounded +forth, straining every nerve and sinew to be first in at the "death." + +The _Atafu_, in full sail, soon appeared in sight, and great was our +anxiety to discover whether she gained on us. + +We held our lead, however, and at 1.30 p.m. dropped anchor off Ralume, +within a few yards of a reef. We had the sails furled, the ropes +coiled, and the "Billy" boiled, when the _Atafu_ "came to" abreast +of us, 35 minutes behind. + +We lost no time in boarding her in order to sympathise with them in +their defeat. To our surprise they would not acknowledge that they had +been beaten. Upon our demanding an explanation, they stated that, in +consequence of our having used an oar at the commencement of the race, +we had lost. We had used the oar thoughtlessly, but, as they evidently +wished to make some money out of us, we promptly paid them the stakes, +which, however, they refused in the end to accept. Practically +speaking, they had been beaten on their own merits, and evidently did +not relish the fact. They had come specially from "Mioko" for the race, +and returned home the same day, considerably crestfallen and with a +higher opinion of our little craft than they had had hitherto. + +"Ralume" boasts of a splendid plantation, the property of Mrs. F----h, +who is one of the best business women I have ever met. She does all the +correspondence, keeps the accounts, and personally superintends the +work of the plantation. Of course she has a manager, and a very capable +one too, but still she believes in having an eye over all. She has been +established in Ralume for ten years, and during that period has worked +wonders. They have 500 acres under cultivation, with any amount of back +country attached. The land is undulating, and the soil, which is very +rich, is cultivated right down to the sea. There is a good deal of +limestone in the neighbourhood, and the appearance of the country for +miles along the coast is very beautiful. The land is not rugged, like +that of New Ireland, but has more the appearance of an English park. + +Twenty miles from the coast there is a range of mountains, the country +beyond which is supposed by the natives to be inhabited by a race of +dwarfs. This, however, has been proved to be a myth. Cotton, coffee, +and coco-nuts are grown extensively on the plantation. There are six +cotton gins working every day, and they are worked by black labourers, +imported from the South Seas. I inspected several bales of cotton which +were ready for shipment. They appeared of very good quality, and the +manager, Mr. P----, told me it realized from 1_s._ to 1_s._ 3_d._ per +pound in Sydney. + +There are over 150 labourers working on the plantation, most of them +from the Solomon Islands and the remainder from New Ireland. Not a +single native of New Britain was among the number, as they will not +work except when away from their own country. + +Occasionally some of the New Ireland boys attempt to escape and return +to their homes. These however are the exceptions, as the majority +appeared satisfied with their lot. They were evidently well cared for, +as those that I saw were in first-rate condition, and as jolly as +sandboys. + +The Stars and Stripes were flying at the peak of the flagstaff in front +of Mrs. F----h's house, in honour of her late husband, who was an +American. She herself is a half-caste Samoan, and as intelligent and +accomplished a woman as any European. + +The house is situated on the top of a high cliff, commanding a +magnificent view, with Blanche Bay a few miles to the north-west, the +Duke of York Islands in the distance, and to the eastward loomed the +towering mountains of New Ireland. + +On the far side of Blanche Bay, the eye is arrested by two mountains +named respectively the "Mother" and "Daughter," conspicuous from their +peculiar formation. + +The "Daughter" is the smaller of the two, and is apparently nestling by +the side of the other. Hence no doubt their names. + +There is considerable volcanic activity in this neighbourhood. Close by +the mountains mentioned above, a cloud of smoke, distinctly visible, is +to be seen issuing from a fissure, which is sufficient evidence of +volcanic disturbance. + +For my part I should not be surprised at any time to read in the news +of the day that an eruption or earthquake had taken place on the shores +of Blanche Bay. + +Should that day come, which I trust will never be the case, then adieu +to fair "Ralume" and its fair inhabitants, good-bye to "Matupi" and its +living occupants. Blanche Bay would be no more. Who can foresee the +wondrous changes in the configuration of the land that would be wrought +by such a convulsion of nature? + +God forbid that it should ever occur, but those living in the vicinity +of Blanche Bay cannot but remember the terrible upheavals that took +place only a few years ago on the north-east coast of New Ireland. They +say "sufficient for the day is the evil thereof," but I must confess I +should hesitate before purchasing a 999 or even a 99 years' lease of +land in that part of New Britain. + +Ascending a steep path, we soon arrived at the Homestead, and were +fortunate in finding Mrs. F----h at home. + +She had been much surprised at the sight of our cutter flying the +British flag, and was most curious to learn from what country we had +come or whether we had dropped from the clouds. We willingly satisfied +her curiosity, and told her that we had come on a piratical expedition +and in search of any adventures that might befall us. + +The house was the model of a planter's home, and everything about it +bore the mark of refinement. + +The arrangement of the rooms, the garden, the flowers, the ornaments, +the piano with its tomes of music and song, the books, indicative of +the reader's taste, all told us that. + +To us three, who were used to rough companions, and had not seen the +face of a woman, save in New Guinea, for many months, it was most +refreshing to meet Mrs. F----h. We felt we had reached the borders of +Paradise, and our only regret was that our stay must necessarily be a +short one. + +We were all seated on the verandah, including Mrs. F----h, and enjoying +our cigarettes and lager beer, when one of the "Houris" of Paradise +arrived on the scene, and was formally introduced to us by the hostess +as Miss G----e. Her appearance completely took our breath away. My +friend, S----g was struck dumb with admiration, and no wonder, for she +was a girl of transcendent beauty. I had often read of "Houris," but +had never, until now, seen one in the flesh! + +Can I describe her? + +I fear not with justice. There is as much difference between my +description and the girl herself as there is between a corpse and one +who is alive. + +To begin with, she had just reached her nineteenth year. She was of +medium height, having an oval face with beautiful soft dark eyes +guarded by long dark eyelashes; a clear olive complexion, with the bust +of a Venus, and with supple limbs like alabaster. Draped in a simple +morning gown, which showed to advantage the graceful outlines of her +voluptuous figure, she stepped forth like one fresh from the Garden of +Eden, and held out her hand to greet us. Was it to be wondered at that +my friend was enchanted by the vision, when two such hard-hearted +mortals as K----h and I were sensibly affected? + +Mrs. F----h pioneered us over the plantation, and explained to us +everything of interest. She took great pride in her property, and well +she might. She thoroughly understood the management of a plantation, as +she had had experience of such matters in Samoa, where many years ago +her father had been a planter. + +We met here Count Pfeil, a German in the service of the Government, who +acted as Customs House officer, etc. He and the Judge lived on a small +island not far from "Mioko." He had the use of a good whale-boat, in +which he visited the different plantations, etc., to collect the taxes +imposed by the German Government. He was a young man of about 28 years +of age, very handsome and with an erect carriage. He was of high birth, +but poor, so had accepted a Government berth in the Bismarck +Archipelago, receiving as salary L500 per annum. + +He was well-known as an explorer, and not long ago, at the head of 100 +blacks, had penetrated some distance into the interior of New Ireland. + +He found the natives most hostile. They attacked his rear column, +killing several of his men. He attempted to retaliate, but they +out-manoeuvred him. He spoke of the country as very mountainous and +rugged, with good indications of minerals. He expressed his +astonishment at our not having anchored off his island and reported +ourselves to the representatives of the Government. We assumed +child-like ignorance of such things; the truth was we had purposely +passed the place, as the anchorage there is bad, and furthermore, it +was rather out of our way. He was very gentlemanly, but informed us +that he would have to impose a fine for our breach of etiquette, and +that he would board our vessel on the morrow. We thanked him and he +departed. + +The manager of the plantation, Mr. P----, lived in a pretty little +house, 100 yards or so beyond the owner's. + +Both he and his wife were most hospitable. They had two dear little +children, a boy and a girl, with whom the New Britain climate seemed to +agree uncommonly well. Both children were born on the plantation. A +well-kept lawn adorned the front of the house, and beds of gorgeous +flowers and shrubs, and trees of all kinds enhanced the beauty of the +surroundings. A delicious scent pervaded the atmosphere. Nature is +nowhere so lavish as in the tropics. There is such a wealth of foliage, +such a variety of colour, such a cloudless atmosphere--three things so +foreign to colder latitudes. In the words of the poet, Milton, it was +"Paradise Regained." + +Just as we had worked ourselves into a sentimental mood, in keeping +with the time and place, dinner was announced. Sentiment fled, and the +practical side of life presented itself to us. To live, we must eat; +so, nothing loth, we repaired to the dining-room, where dinner awaited +us. + +I had the distinguished honour of sitting on the right hand of the fair +Hebe, Miss G----e, whilst my friend, to his disappointment, was placed +next to the hostess. + +My companion was charming, not only on account of her loveliness and +natural grace, but also because of her animation and conversational +powers. + +She had received a first-rate education at one of the leading schools +in Sydney, and had left it a year ago. She knew German thoroughly, was +an accomplished musician, and had the voice of a nightingale. And yet +she was a half-caste Samoan. + +Three lightly-clad--I might say, very lightly-clad--young waitresses +were in attendance at dinner. Two of them were natives of New Ireland, +the third, a native of the Admiralty Islands. They had been with our +hostess for two years, and had to remain for three years longer. They +were comely to look upon, and made excellent domestics. + +They say--"After dinner, smoke awhile,"--so we lit our cigars and +cigarettes and burnt a sacrifice to our patron saint, St. Nicotine. +Later on in the evening, Mrs. P----n, the manager's wife, put in an +appearance; and as there were now three ladies, dancing was suggested. +Mrs. F----h kindly played on the piano, whilst we danced on the +verandah with the others. + +Seeing that my friend was quite overcome by the charms of the belle of +the evening, I only danced with her once, devoting most of my attention +to Mrs. P----. + +We had songs, both German and English; solos, duets, trios and +quartettes. + +What a night we had! At midnight, I suggested the expediency of going +on board our cutter; but, no, my friend would not hear of it. He was +utterly infatuated. Ten minutes more, and he would come--but the ten +minutes developed into sixty--until at last I managed to drag him away +from the alluring spot. + +The three of us then regretfully bade our friends good-night, and +repaired on board the cutter. + +Arrived at the jetty, we hailed, in loud tones, Tokaiakus, the +Dwarf--who was supposed to be in charge of the vessel. Not a sound came +in response. We hailed him again--and again no answer. + +Our dinghy was alongside the cutter, so we could not reach her without +swimming. + +After shouting ourselves hoarse, and consigning the dwarf to warmer +regions, his ugly head appeared above the bulwarks, and he came in the +dinghy--into which we gladly stepped--and were quickly rowed on board. + +We felt rather tired, and soon sought our couches--each of us dreaming +that he was in Paradise, attended by a bevy of Samoan damsels. + +In the morning we received a visit from Count Pfeil. + +He examined our "papers" and inquired what firearms we had on board, +and if we carried dynamite. Having given satisfactory answers to his +several queries he stated that he had decided to impose on us a fine of +L1 that being the lowest amount he could inflict for our evasion of the +German regulations. + +We paid the fine and were invited to visit him on our departure from +New Britain. We politely accepted his invitation, but did not give him +a call, as it would have been too far out of our track. I have met, at +one time or another, a good many Germans, official and otherwise, but +for gentlemanly bearing and courtesy of manner, I unhesitatingly give +the palm to Count Pfeil. + +We had nearly two tons of flour on hand which we were anxious to get +rid of, as if kept much longer it would go bad. Mrs. F----h relieved us +of one ton, and the remainder we sold to a German missionary and a +small trader. + +We had numerous visitors during the day, three of them from "Matupi," a +large plantation the other side of Blanche Bay, owned by a German. The +head station is situated in the centre of a native village and on the +plantation there is a large herd of cattle. All were curious to know on +what business we had come. They had an idea that we wished to trade in +the neighbourhood, but such was not our intention. They wished us to +come up to "Matupi" and see them, but, much as we should have enjoyed +it, we refused as we were anxious to get back to New Guinea. We had +only one day to spare, and for that we had arranged a picnic. + +We took "Tokaiakus" on shore and introduced him to the ladies. They +were much interested in him, for they had never seen a full-grown +native of so small a stature. "Tokaiakus" did not altogether like the +amount of attention paid him. + +Several of the New Britain natives surrounded him, and with a piece of +cane measured him all over. His expression of disgust was ludicrous, so +to gratify him I said he must not take offence, as the natives were +ignorant and knew no better. He smiled one of his beatific smiles in +approbation of my sentiments. + +Through Mr. P----, who can speak the language, we informed the New +Britainites that we had obtained him from the country beyond the +mountains, and this they implicitly believed. Mr. P---- who is a good +amateur photographer, photographed him in company with his little +daughter in the act of handing him a banana. The likeness was an +excellent one, but strange to say the natives of New Guinea fail to +grasp the meaning of a photo. "Tokaiakus" was greatly astonished at the +sight of two milch cows and a horse. This was the first time he had +ever seen anything of the kind. He had a wholesome dread of the cattle, +and was much surprised on hearing that they were good to eat. He +imagined the horse to be a big dog, as the latter animal is common to +New Guinea. This was also the first time he had seen a white woman, and +as they were kind to him he was favourably impressed. + +Hearing that a boat was leaving early in the morning for the native +markets in Blanche Bay, I expressed a desire to go in her. The boat, +manned by twelve South Sea Islanders, labourers on the plantation, +called for me at 4.00 a.m. In Blanche Bay, which was distant from our +anchorage about five miles, three markets are held every week. + +A market is also held on the plantation at Ralume. On these occasions +from 100 to 200 natives congregate on the beach. They arrive at +sunrise, having journeyed through the bush a distance of 12 miles. The +women, who are heavily laden with huge baskets of yams, etc., do the +whole of the marketing, the men simply looking on. They seat themselves +in a semi-circle beneath the palm trees, removing their loads and +spreading out their contents. The sight was a novel one to me. We +arrived at the trysting place in good time, having to wait fully +half-an-hour before the cavalcade made its appearance. Presently a low +sound was heard produced by the crackling of the leaves and twigs, when +through a narrow opening in the forest, a long line of women in single +file was exposed to view. They numbered fully 100, each carrying a +heavy load on her head. They comprised all sizes and ages, and varied +in ugliness. Most of them had strong, gaunt frames; they looked for all +the world like beasts of burden. Their appearance was rather repulsive. +They were as nude as on the day of their birth. They strongly reminded +me of a string of pack-mules wending their way through the Queensland +bush. No sooner were they seated than their tongues were loosened. They +were not too tired to talk, notwithstanding their long tramp. All were +provided with water bottles, the water for which they obtained by +digging small holes in the sand not two yards from the sea. They had +also baskets containing balls of red clay, which they use for colouring +their hair; none of them were tattooed. From their appearance and the +absolute nakedness of both men and women I place them on a far lower +scale than the natives of New Guinea. The men, who are strongly built, +with rather forbidding countenances, are impregnated with laziness. +They do absolutely nothing; while the women are engaged trading, the +men stand some distance apart and do not converse with them. They +employ their time for hours together in picking up the soft mud on the +beach, rolling it in their hands into the form of a ball, then throwing +it into the sea in order to watch the eddy made, and repeat the task +_ad infinitum_. + +I watched them for a time but soon wearied of it. I busied myself +buying yams from the women. You have to pay one stick of trade tobacco +for six yams. They prefer to receive the native money called "Tambu." +It is worth two shillings per six feet. It is formed of tiny white +shells with the centre cut out, and is a rare commodity. + +With this money you can buy anything you like, a wife if desired. It is +as much a standard coin of the realm as the sovereign is of the British +Empire. + +New Britain is the only savage country I have been in where the natives +have a true money currency of a standard value. Some of the men wear +this money in circles round their neck, and a few of them are the happy +possessors of a mile of it. This money, which is called by the natives +"Dewarra," is never used as an ornament but solely as a medium of +exchange. The men clay their hair all colours, red, yellow, etc., it +has rather a pleasing effect. They look as if they wore wigs. + +Many of them curl their hair, forming it into a mop of twisted +string-like plaits which hang all round their head in the shape of a +fringe. + +Referring to the natives of New Britain Count Pfeil remarked: "They are +for the most part a tall, powerful set of people, but with all their +strength they are entirely deficient in that graceful appearance which +characterises so many negro peoples. Their figures are often plump, +and the colour of their skin is that of a pure negro mixed with a tinge +of red. Their hair is crisp, and always cleverly coated with a mixture +of ochre, chalk, or clay. Their faces present a coarse, broad mouth, a +flat nose, and very little expression." + +The New Irelanders on the other hand are small and neatly built, their +countenances are expressive and their disposition lively and cunning. +The hair is dressed in a manner which makes it resemble an old Greek +helmet. In New Britain and in the central part of New Ireland there is +the custom common to both of dividing the inhabitants of a village, as +regards marriage, into two groups, "maramara," and "pikalaba." +Marriages of individuals within one of these groups would certainly be +punished with death for the woman, and for the man with a heavy penalty +of "dewarra." The children born in wedlock belong to the group of which +the mother was a member. Both divisions regard a species of locust with +special reverence. Their dead are either buried in the house or thrown +into the water. In the north-west of New Ireland the practice is +different. There the body of a chief is burnt upon a special wooden +scaffold. The calcined bones are then collected by the heir and +preserved as a memorial. Cannibalism is general throughout the country, +and the inhabitants are not ashamed to speak of it. The sagas and myths +of the people of New Britain deal mostly with obscene matters, although +every piece of obscenity is carefully covered up, and is described in +euphemisms and circumlocutions. + +Having purchased a couple of tons of yams we rowed home against a very +strong tide, reaching Ralume at 5 o'clock in the evening. We dined with +Mrs. F----h the same night (Friday), and, as we were going away on the +Monday, we arranged to hold our picnic on Saturday. We decided to go to +Pigeon Island, half-way between here and Mioko. The ladies promised to +find the eatables, we the vessel and drinkables. We made the vessel as +comfortable as possible, and spread clean mats on wooden boxes, which +had to do service as seats for our fair visitors. Our two natives were +stationed at the gangway as a guard of honour, the British colours were +run up, and we awaited the arrival of our distinguished guests. + +At noon we received them on board. The party comprised Mrs. F----h, +Miss G----e, the overseer's wife, and the three young native maids, +already mentioned. They had brought with them fowls, hams, tongues, +jellies, and a host of other good things, as an auctioneer would say, +"too numerous to mention." Our vessel had never before carried so +valuable a freight. Upon reaching Pigeon Island we were obliged to +place the anchor on the reef, owing to the great depth of water beyond. + +The island is well-wooded, and just the spot for a picnic. It was +uninhabited, so we had it all to ourselves. + +We had great difficulty in getting the dinghy over the reef, as, except +at high tide, the water is shallow. + +With some trouble we landed all the goods and paraphernalia, including +a case of lager beer. The ladies had sensibly provided themselves with +a couple of hammocks, as we did not intend to return until the next day +(Sunday). + +In a small clearing in the bush the dinner was set out. We had the +ground for a table, and on it a tablecloth, an unknown luxury to us, +and the canopy of Heaven for a roof. Here you are in the tropics. The +night was warm, the mosquitoes numerous. They did not trouble us much, +as we had served a long apprenticeship to their delicate attentions. It +is only "new chums" who suffer from their attacks. + +The moon was well matured, and lit up the darkness of the forest, +casting a weird glamour o'er the scene. The beauty of the night +recalled to my mind those trenchant lines of Southey: + + "How beautiful is night! + A dewy freshness fills the silent air; + No mist obscures, nor cloud, nor speck, nor stain, + Breaks the serene of Heaven. + In full-orbed glory yonder moon divine + Rolls through the dark blue depths; + Beneath her steady ray + The desert circle spreads, + Like the round ocean, girdled with the sky; + How beautiful is night!" + +A fire was soon burning brightly, on which a couple of pigeons we had +shot were roasting. The three maids, offering a great contrast to the +rest by their swarthy skins, were flitting to and fro, getting +everything ready for our _al fresco_ repast. We all laid to with a +will; it was astonishing the rapid way in which the viands disappeared. +For a time nothing could be heard except the tinkling of glasses and +the clinking of knives and forks. + +Dinner over, Samoan mats and rugs were spread on the ground beneath the +shade of a group of palms, upon which we all reclined, smoking the +kalumet of peace, the ladies joining us with cigarettes. The time +passed rapidly until three in the morning, when the three native maids, +assisted by two of the ladies, gave, in our honour, a representation of +a Samoan dance. The dance was in harmony with the locality. We were +delighted with the exhibition. In the early morn we had a dip in the +sea, then went in quest of pigeons, but only obtained half-a-dozen. The +ladies, meanwhile, were engaged collecting oysters on the rocks. After +having exhausted the beauties of the island, we all returned on board +and sailed for Ralume, reaching that place at five o'clock on Sunday +afternoon. We accompanied our fair companions to the plantation, where +we bade them an affectionate farewell, as we could not prolong our stay +another day. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +RETURN VOYAGE. + + +The south-east "trades" were still blowing, and seeing no chance of +their abatement, we regretfully left the shores of Ralume Bay. + +In St. George's Channel we met with constant baffling winds, which +greatly retarded our progress. On some days we made no more than a +mile, the strong currents causing us to make considerable leeway. + +We sailed close in to the shores of New Britain and back again to New +Ireland, and so it continued day after day. We thought we should never +lose sight of the Duke of York Islands, and had half a mind to run back +to Ralume. The days were scorchingly hot, the decks not fit to stand +upon. We were obliged every few minutes to throw buckets of water on +them to enable us to move about, and to prevent the seams from opening. +It was anything but a pleasure having to steer for four hours beneath +such a sun. Down below in the little cabin it was just as bad, more +stifling, if possible. How we longed for night to cool our fevered +brows! + +Not far from here, on the north-east coast of New Ireland, poor Charlie +Hunstein met his fate. I met him on several occasions. Not long since, +in 1889, he, with some others, journeyed from Finsch-hafen to New +Ireland on a botanical expedition. He arrived there safely, but in a +day or two a terrible earthquake took place, swallowing up the +unfortunate Hunstein and his followers. What a terrible destiny, to +perish in such a catastrophe without the chance of a struggle for life! + +I saw the captain of one of the German New Guinea Company's steamers. +He told me he was in the habit of steaming past the spot on his way +from Finsch-hafen to the Bismarck Archipelago. Just after the disaster +he was taking the accustomed route when, to his astonishment, the usual +landmarks were nowhere to be seen. He therefore worked out his +position, and discovered that there must have been some fearful agency +at work to alter the configuration of the land in such a manner. The +whole geography of the neighbourhood had been completely transformed. A +vast expanse of land had been converted into water. + +The suddenness with which such calamities occur is astonishing. + +To-day everything wears its wonted appearance, but who knows what +to-morrow may bring forth? what changes may take place in Nature? + +To-day a man is in robust health, proud of his strength. To-morrow all +this has vanished, and the living man has become an inanimate mass. + +Our progress continued slow, until at last we sighted Cape St. George, +the southern extremity of New Ireland. The locality has an historic +interest. + +Ten years ago, in the latter part of the year 1880, the ill-fated +expedition organised by the notorious Marquis de Ray landed in the +vicinity. The Marquis de Ray was a French nobleman living in Paris. He +formed a gigantic scheme for colonizing New Ireland, intending, as he +stated, to create there a New France. He caused grand plans to be +executed, showing the different lots or farms for sale--smiling farms, +with paddocks of grass, ready for occupation, and whole families of +French farmers and peasantry sold up what property they possessed, and +cheerfully paid their money deposits in Paris, thinking they were going +to a land full of promise, where they would settle on their +newly-acquired lands with their families and grow prosperous. Poor +deluded creatures! Little did they dream of the fate in store for them. +Little did they know the state of the country to which they were bound, +and that they were hurrying from the frying-pan into the fire. It is +astounding with what ease people are gulled by the plausible +representations of an adventurous schemer. + +Two large vessels, the S.S. _India_, and S.S. _Genie_, were fitted +out for the expedition, each of them carrying about 300 emigrants. What +a country to attempt to colonize! The Marquis had evidently picked out +the most inhospitable place on the map. A wild, mountainous country, +a deadly climate, and populated by dense numbers of ferocious and +bloodthirsty savages! Not a white man on the island. And it was to +make their living in such a land that these people had broken up their +homes, converted all their possessions into money in order to buy +farms there, and farming implements, such as ploughs, harrows, etc., +with which to cultivate them. What did the Marquis care if they were +all ruined, so long as he had the amount of their deposits safely in +his pockets? + +After many privations on the voyage, owing to the scarcity of +provisions, they were landed in New Ireland in August. Great was their +astonishment on beholding the country of their adoption, and great was +their indignation against the cunning Marquis de Ray, who had so +cruelly deceived them. + +Many sickened and died, others were starved. + +They implored to be taken away from the polluted spot, and to be landed +in Australia. Some were removed to an island called Liki-Liki, where +many of them died, and upon their fate becoming known, the remainder, +broken in health and destitute of money, were landed at Noumea, New +Caledonia. + +There the storekeepers and traders generously supplied them with food, +but found it impossible to get them employment. A steamer was sent by +the Government to bring them on to Sydney, where they were placed in +the immigration depot until such time as they found employment. + +The unhappy immigrants could not speak a word of English, but after a +time they were drafted off up country, where they were employed as farm +labourers. + +What had become of the miscreant who had caused all this ruin and +misery? + +He was in France, living on the proceeds of his ill-gotten gains. Upon +the true state of affairs leaking out, the Marquis de Ray was arrested, +tried before the Tribunal in Paris, and sentenced to several years' +imprisonment. Well for him that he escaped being hanged. This should be +a warning to would-be emigrants to learn some particulars of the +country in which they intend to settle, before embarking on the voyage. +Let us hope that we shall never again have to record so ill-starred an +expedition as the one launched by the French marquis. + +Once clear of St. George's Channel, we seemed to lose the strong +currents, and consequently made better way. + +Returning was a very different matter from coming from New Guinea. We +had now been four days at sea, and during the whole of that time had +been beating about in the channel. We had still a long distance to +travel, and from all appearances it would be several days before we +reached our destination. It was of no use crying out against our luck. +Head winds were the order of the day, so we consoled ourselves with the +thought that the same winds had been favourable to us not long before. +We amused ourselves by conversing with our two native companions and +perfecting ourselves in their language. + +In the evening, after supper, the dwarf graciously entertained us, +telling us all about his people and their ways, and singing New Guinea +carols. + +He had a pleasant voice and kept good time. + +Many of his songs were improvised on the spot, and he often introduced +our names into them. + +It is marvellous the power with which the natives of New Guinea compose +verses. + +He had a curious custom. + +Having filled his bau-bau (pipe) with tobacco, and lighted it ready for +use, he invariably made an incantation, something after the style of +grace before meat. This was his way of offering thanks either to us or +the "gods," for the plentiful supply of tobacco. + +We were six days out of sight of land, and when in mid-ocean, I turned +to the dwarf and asked him in which direction lay his home, the island +of "Egum." Without hesitation he correctly pointed out the quarter, +although, at the time, our vessel was several points out of her direct +course. The bump of locality is highly developed in them. + +As with certain animals, this instinct with natives is very strong. We +had been absent from "Egum" three weeks, so our little friend was +getting a bit home-sick and anxious to rejoin his family. + +One day we were travelling at a speed of five knots an hour, when, +following in our wake, we descried a huge shark. He followed us for +some time in a most determined manner, hoping no doubt to receive some +of the contents of our cooking pot. We did not disturb him at once, as +we were interested in watching his two little satellites. He was +accompanied by two inseparable companions, known as "pilot fish." They +were less than a foot long, and beautifully marked by tiny, +light-coloured spots. They swam just over him, always keeping in the +one position. They were evidently his firm friends. I had often heard +of these strange little fishes, but this was the first time I had seen +them in attendance upon his "sharkship." + +As I gazed, I could not help wondering what office they performed, and +for what reason the shark had chosen them for his companions. + +What bond could there exist between two such totally distinct species +of fish? the one strong, powerful and noted for its voracity, the other +for its diminutiveness, beauty of form and weakness? Maybe, the pilot +fish in some mysterious way gives warning of danger to the shark. I +know not. It must be of some service to him, otherwise he would not +fraternize with the little creature. + +In the river Nile, where crocodiles abound, it is said a tiny bird[3] +takes up its abode in the mouth of the crocodile, and acts as his +friend. At any rate the crocodile recognizes the friendship by never +attempting to molest its winged companion. + + [3] "Trochilus." For fuller account, see Herodotus, Vol. I., Bk. + 2, Chapter 68. + +Truly the works of Nature are wonderful and full of mystery! + +Although we respected the pilot fish and had no feelings of hatred +against them, the shark was sentenced to death. One of us got a +Winchester rifle, and at the first shot riddled the head of the +monster, his two little comrades escaping unhurt. The shark, without a +struggle, soon turned belly upwards, and before we could reach him, +sank beneath the waves. What became of his little friends it is +impossible to say, for we saw them no more. + +I wonder if they lamented the death of their late lord, or whether they +sought comfort in the reflection that for every dead shark there were +hundreds of living ones. + +The day being very hot, I was in the act of lowering a couple of +buckets over the side to get a supply of salt water to cool the decks +with, when somehow or other the rope attached to them slipped out of my +hand, and down went the buckets to the bottom of the ocean. This was +most annoying, as we were now reduced to one bucket. + +Sailing in mid-ocean, and having no coast to steer by, we "took the +sun" at noon each day, in order to determine our position and keep our +course or alter it accordingly. + +By our calculations we should soon sight North Island, as we had now +been five days out at sea. + +We had no chronometer on board, so we could not be certain of our exact +position. + +On the evening of the eighth day out from Ralume, New Britain, we found +ourselves ten miles to leeward of North Island. We rectified our course +and, travelling night and day, beat our way between a perfect nest of +islands, at times heaving to in order to trade with the natives who +came alongside in their canoes. + +Without meeting with any misadventure, we reached the anchorage at +"Egum," on Wednesday evening, having been ten weary days on the voyage. + +Long before we had arrived at the anchorage, the rocks near the beach +were covered with the naked forms of our friends. Our cutter had +already been recognized, and its name was being shouted from one native +to the other. + +To their delight we had returned in safety from our perilous voyage, +for did we not carry two distinguished members of their race on board, +namely "Tokaiakus" and "Sindiwaia"? + +There was much shaking of hands, and they appeared anxious to hear of +the lands we had visited and the sights that we had seen. + +We landed our dwarf and his young friend in the bosom of their +families, and I can safely aver they kept the natives of the island +alive for many weeks with the account of their travels and adventures +and the wonderful sights they had seen. + +We spent two or three days here in order to refit. + +We commissioned the natives to get us a turtle, promising to give them +15 sticks of trade tobacco for it. + +They started off in one of their big canoes for a small island about +seven miles away. + +They stayed on the island all night, but were unsuccessful. Being +anxious to earn the tobacco, and knowing that "no turtle no tobacco," +was our motto, they remained another night, and succeeded in capturing +a huge turtle weighing close on four cwt. + +Their plan is to choose a clear night. They then lie in wait near the +beach; the turtle leaves the sea for a moonlight walk, when the +natives, armed with big sticks, rush upon it and turn it over on its +back, in which position it is helpless. They have a cruel practice of +burning the shell off the turtle when alive. We were much annoyed with +them at this, but it was too late to expostulate, as we had not been +witness to the practice. The turtle, which was a "green one," was +placed on its back in the canoe and eventually brought to us minus the +shell. + +We felt much inclined not to buy it, but fresh meat is not to be +despised. + +When you have lived on tinned meats for some months, it is only natural +that you should desire a change. In a turtle there is truly fish, flesh +and fowl. + +I don't know whether any of my readers have ever tasted a fresh turtle +steak or not, but if they have not, my advice to them is _do_ so at the +first opportunity, for it is delicious, and superior even to the +acknowledged rump steak. + +We intended to keep the turtle alive until we reached China Straits, so +as to dine off it on Christmas day. A turtle will keep alive in a boat +without anything to eat for several weeks. It is only necessary to +occasionally dash a bucket of salt water over its head to keep it cool. + +Owing to its weight we had some difficulty in hauling it on board. We +then lowered it into the hold, where we placed some wet cloths under +its head. + +It had to remain on its back for the next week and then its career in +this world would be over. + +How it did sigh to be sure! It seemed to have an inkling of its +impending fate. + +During the time we were awaiting the arrival of the turtle, we painted +the vessel. We painted the bottom boards a chocolate-brown and the rest +a dark green. All the masts and spars were scraped and oiled; the cabin +painted inside and out. + +Everything was put in proper trim, and when finished she would have +done credit to the Thames Yacht Club. + +She looked a perfect picture, with her raking topmast and the little +10-foot dinghy, painted a dark brown, towing astern. No one would have +believed that she was engaged in the Beche-de-mer fishery, but then you +see we took a pride in keeping her clean and trim. We had never been +accustomed, like some, to wallow in dirt. + +Cleanliness is just as cheap as dirt, and much healthier. + +The next day I was introduced to the native princess already mentioned +in a previous chapter. She had on a lovely chaplet of wild flowers. For +the rest her dress was plain and simple. As is customary with the Court +ladies of these parts, she wore a low dress, even in the daytime. She +was decidedly good-looking, and had courtly manners. We also saw her +father. He was one of the best specimens of New Guinea natives. He had +a frank, open countenance, and never condescended to pester us for +tobacco. What was the result? Why, we willingly gave him some, as he +offered a pleasing contrast to most of our acquaintances. + +What a variety there is in the human race! + +In native communities, as in European, individuals differ widely. Some +are naturally of a vindictive character, cruel, sordid and selfish, +their evil traits clearly defined in their countenances, whilst others +are naturally open, frank, generous and unselfish, their good traits +reflected in the mirror of their faces. + +Having said good-bye to our two native companions and their friends, we +weighed anchor and, sailing once more for China Straits, arrived off +Samarai on Christmas Eve, feeling all the better for our expedition. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +THE "TRIAL." + + +We landed our turtle, killed it, and then cut it up ready for our +Christmas dinner on the following day. In our absence, about a dozen +diggers had arrived on the island from St. Aignan and Sud-Est. Many of +them were suffering from that dreadful scourge, malarial fever. We had +returned in good health, but could not tell the day or hour when we, +too, might be struck down by the dreaded fiend. + +Surrounded as we were by sick and groaning men, our Christmas, instead +of being a joyful one, was gloomy in the extreme. The air was stifling, +the heat unbearable, and a sickly miasma was rising from the rank +vegetation. It is not surprising, therefore, that our spirits were +damped by the surroundings. + +I had often suffered from the effects of malaria, so could sympathise +with the victims. When laid low with it, to use a colloquial phrase, +you do not care "who wins the cup." All interest in life has departed. +When at its height, should any one take hold of you and throw you into +the sea, you would not have the energy or the wish to utter a protest. +I have seen ladies suffering from sea-sickness affected in the same +way. At such a time, this mundane existence of ours has no attraction +for them. They simply long for death to put an end to their misery. + +This only shows how necessary it is to try to the best of your ability +to keep up your spirits, for if once you give in it will not be long +before you are removed to a better and healthier sphere. One of the +diggers, Peter Carlson, a Swede by birth, was very bad, vomiting every +half-hour. + +He had recently returned from St. Aignan, an island 100 miles to +windward, where he had been digging for gold. + +He, together with two companions and a native boy, had arrived in a +small cutter. When half-way he fell overboard, and would have been +drowned had it not been for the plucky conduct of the native youth, who +promptly jumped in after him, and with the aid of a piece of wood kept +him afloat until the cutter came up with them. Strange to say, a few +weeks later he left Samarai in the same cutter on his way back to St. +Aignan, and, being a bit of a sailor, had charge of the tiller. A +mountainous sea was running, and the night was dark, when suddenly a +sea was shipped which carried him and the tiller overboard. That was +the last seen of the doomed man. It is strange that having been saved +on the outward trip he should be lost on the return journey. His death +was much regretted, as he was respected and well liked by all who knew +him. + +It will be remembered, as stated in the sixth chapter, that on the 16th +of November, the Governor (Sir Wm. Macgregor), in company with a number +of diggers, went in the schooner _Hygeia_ to Chad's Bay for the purpose +of punishing the natives for the murder of Captain Ancell. He pulled +down several of their houses, smashed up their canoes, destroyed their +plantations, and took possession of their fishing-nets. Two months were +occupied in capturing the natives, the last and principal malefactor +being brought into Samarai on the 16th of January, 1889. The Government +steamer _Albatross_, from Thursday Island, had been despatched to Milne +Bay to bring down some of the "Taubadas," or leading men of the +village, and one or two native witnesses, as the trial was fixed for +Friday, the 18th January. + +Numerous vessels were in the harbour (China Straits), the S.S. _Albatross_, +schooners _Hygeia_ and _Lucy and Adelaide_, besides other crafts of all +shapes and sizes. The human race was well represented, there being all +the colours of the rainbow--red, black, yellow and white. + +The morning of the 18th dawned radiant with sunshine, not a cloud in +the sky, and a cool, gentle breeze blowing from the west. + +The island seemed to have shaken off its lethargy for once. All was +bustle and activity; men arrayed in glittering uniforms were hurrying +to and fro, fraught with important business. Natives clad in bright new +pocket-handkerchiefs were strolling down the stately avenue of +coco-palms intent on witnessing the festive scene. It had all the +appearance of a gala day, the only thing wanting was a fife and drum +band. + +As the clock struck 10, a detachment of "Royal marines" was landed from +the _Albatross_ and _Hygeia_, armed to the teeth, and marched to the +prison. + +The governor of the gaol and the other officers of state arrived, and, +upon the signal being given, the prisoners, eleven in number, were +marched, with a strong guard of marines on either flank, to the court, +which was held in the Government bungalow. Close upon the rear of the +prisoners came the rabble, the whole forming quite a long procession. + +Everyone who could spare the time was evidently determined to be +present at this the first trial held in the new colony. + +People of all grades were there, squatters from the west, traders, +fishermen, sailors, diggers and storekeepers, all curious to know if +the white man's death would be avenged. + +The Court room was well arranged. One end was reserved for the judge, +and opposite to him were the prisoners. On one side the Royal marines +were drawn up, and opposite to them were the captains and officers of +the _Albatross_ and _Hygeia_; the rest of the mob having to content +themselves with squatting on the floor a la native. + +The learned Judge (Mr. Winter) and the "Crown Prosecutor" (Mr. +Thomson[4]) took their seats. + + [4] Son of the late Archbishop of York. + +Mr. Thomson then read the charge, which was duly interpreted to the +accused. The prisoners were undefended. + +Ketabu, a boy belonging to "Sariba," acted as interpreter. + +Mr. E. G. Edelfelt gave evidence to the effect that on 25th October +last he cleared the ketch _Star of Peace_, Captain Ancell, with two +boys on board, one a native of the Louisiades, the other of Queensland, +for Chad's Bay, for general trading purposes. The first witness called +was the boy Charlie, a native of Pig Island, who was one of the boys on +the ketch. He spoke English fairly well, and gave his evidence in a +clear and straightforward manner. He identified most of the prisoners +as being those on board when the captain was killed. He was +cross-examined by his Honour. + +After the captain had been killed, Charlie was taken prisoner and +confined in one of the native houses on shore. + +He managed, however, to escape from his gaolers, and after some +hardships reached Samarai. The other boy, who was a native of +Queensland, was not so fortunate. + +In attempting to run away, his relentless pursuers attacked him with +tomahawks and knives, inflicting terrible wounds. He had a gash in his +skull several inches deep. I examined it myself. How he managed to +escape death is a mystery to me. The blacks of Queensland are noted for +the thickness of their skulls, but this boy beat them all. They left +him for dead. He then crawled away and managed somehow to reach +"Samarai," 30 miles distant. He was alive, but that was all. He could +not speak for several weeks, and when he recovered, he had changed from +a bright, intelligent boy into a stupid lad. + +His speech returned to him, and, practically speaking, he is all right +again. + +When the cross-examination of Charlie had concluded, Mr. Thomson +objected to Ketabu the interpreter, goodness knows why, for he was +thoroughly to be relied upon, and suggested that a double +interpretation by Kumatti, a native of Milne Bay, and about as big a +liar as could well be found, and Mr. English, who is conversant with +the "Motu" language, would be more satisfactory. + +The Judge, although failing to see the necessity, granted the request, +and for the remainder of the trial Messrs. English and Kumatti acted in +that capacity. Other witnesses were then called, one of them from the +village of Hayomah giving his evidence without fear or favour, the +whole of the evidence clearly proving that the prisoners in court were +guilty. + +His Honour, the Judge, sentenced "Haniwana" and three others, who were +the ring-leaders, to death, five to one year, and one to eighteen +months' imprisonment, with hard labour. + +One, against whom there was no evidence, was discharged without a stain +upon his character, much to his surprise. The Judge then informed the +six prisoners that he had given them light sentences owing to this +being the first trial held, but that on future occasions prisoners +would be dealt with with much greater severity. + +The condemned men were then marched, under a strong escort, to their +cells, and the crowd dispersed. The following week the four ringleaders +were hanged, two of them at Samarai and the remaining two at the +village where the tragedy took place. Thus ended this memorable trial +and thus was the white man avenged. Had the British authorities treated +previous murders in the same vigorous manner we should not now have to +mourn the deaths of so many brave and loyal subjects. + +A few weeks after the above trial, a report reached Samarai that the +cutter _S----l_, in which I had recently returned, had been destroyed +by the natives of Normanby Island, near Dawson Straits, and that the +two on board, S----g and W----, had been murdered. I made enquiries of +numerous natives in the district, and all told the same tale, so that +we feared it was but too true. We petitioned the Government Agent, Mr. +B. A. Hely, who, by-the-way, is a first-rate fellow, to take some +active steps in the matter and find out the true state of affairs and, +if necessary, to punish the natives. + +He decided to charter the lugger _Alice Meade_, and called for +volunteers. Two white men (Dick Ede and Richards) and I signified our +eagerness to go, so Mr. Hely and we three laid in a stock of rifles +and ammunition and set sail in the _Alice Meade_ for the scene of the +reported outrage. Dawson Straits separates the islands of Ferguson and +Normanby, and is distant from Samarai about 80 miles. Nearly a week was +occupied in getting there, on account of the difficulties of navigation. +We made full enquiries on shore, but could learn nothing of any murder, +nor could we find a trace of any wreck. + +We felt convinced that the report was untrue, so returned to Samarai. + +Eventually, the cutter turned up all right, and those on board were +much amused at the news of their murder. + +At this time, I was busy superintending the preparation of copra and +pearl-shell for shipment to Queensland. The labour was done by natives, +and, like many white men, they require to be watched or they will loaf +and "slum" their work. + +When engaged in any heavy work, such as carrying bags of copra or cases +of shells, they consider it necessary to shout at the top of their +voices. This is supposed to help them in their efforts, but I should +say it was very exhausting. We often had as many as sixty natives +working at the same job. For work of this nature, we paid them, as a +rule, at the rate of three sticks of tobacco per day each man. They +invariably attempt to impose on you. At the end of the day's labour +many present themselves for payment who have not done a stroke of work. +Unless you take some precaution, it is difficult to avoid imposition, +as it is impossible to distinguish all those who have been working from +those who have not. My rule is to give to each man a slip of paper with +my initials written on it, and from anyone not producing it payment is +withheld. Even with these precautions, unless you keep a sharp look +out, you are apt to be deceived. + +So the days came and went with marvellous rapidity. If busily employed, +it is remarkable the way in which time flies. + +One evening in March, as I was wandering along the beach, I saw in the +distance a small open boat evidently making for the island. Glasses +were at once brought to bear on her, for the arrival of any and every +boat has a peculiar interest. The boat, or rather half a boat, +presently grounded on the beach and the six occupants landed. + +Four of them were black men, natives of the New Hebrides, the remaining +two, whites. To my astonishment, I discovered in one of the latter an +old friend of mine, a Mr. Thompson, whom I had often met in Queensland. +He was a seafaring man, and at this time was acting as Government Agent +on the labour schooner _Myrtle_. The boat they had come in was only 15 +feet long, open, and with a square stern, in which they had travelled a +distance of sixty miles, having had to row the whole way. They were a +shipwrecked crew, and had left their vessel near Dawson Island for the +purpose of obtaining assistance at Samarai. The captain of the _Myrtle_ +had remained on board, and had sent this, the only boat saved, on the +above errand. + +Having refreshed himself with food and offered a small sacrifice to his +favourite god "Bacchus," Mr. Thompson gave us the following interesting +particulars of their adventurous voyage: + +The _Myrtle_, a labour schooner, commanded by I. Tornaros, an +accomplished Greek, left Maryborough (Queensland) for the Solomon +Islands on the 1st March. She had on board a Government Agent (Mr. +Thompson), a mate and boatswain and a crew of six blacks. She also had +six return islanders belonging to the Solomon Group. + +She was a topsail schooner of 136 tons net register, heavily sparred +and splendidly fitted up. Her commander had had a great many years' +experience in the labour trade in the South Seas and was a first-class +navigator. + +March, it was be noted, is one of the three hurricane months in those +regions, but it does not necessarily follow that a hurricane will occur +in that month. + +For a time everything went well; the weather was fairly good. We were +speculating on the number of recruits we were likely to obtain, and the +profits we would make by the voyage, but "_L'homme propose et le Dieu +dispose_," and so it was exemplified on this occasion. To our surprise, +the wind suddenly changed. + +However, the glass did not show any sign of a coming storm. We held on +our course as far as practicable, never dreaming for a moment what the +future had in store for us. + +The _Myrtle_ was a strong, staunch vessel, and we had perfect +confidence in the seamanship of her captain. The next day the wind +veered again and the barometer had fallen considerably. Orders were at +once given to shorten sail and prepare for the expected gale, but we +did not realise that a terrible hurricane was so near at hand. + +The wind soon increased to a gale, the barometer fell still lower; we +were evidently in for a violent spell. The hatches were battened down; +everything loose about the deck was made secure, the boats (four) were +doubly lashed, and we stood prepared to do battle with the elements. + +The captain now looked anxious, and fearing that we might be running +into the jaws of a hurricane, altered the course of the vessel in order +to escape from it. + +Running away will not always avert the doom, in fact will often embrace +it. + +A wiser course for us to pursue would have been to strike the topmasts, +which would have considerably reduced her top-hamper, "heave to," and +quietly await the coming tempest. + +Instead of which, we ran right into the centre of the most terrific +hurricane it has ever been my lot to encounter. This was not my first +hurricane, but it is one that I shall never forget as long as I live. + +It suddenly burst upon us in all its fury. The wind shrieked and cut +you like a knife. It was impossible to look to windward, the force of +the wind was so great. The boats hanging in the davits were smashed to +pieces, one of them being blown away bit by bit until not a vestige of +it was left. The scene was indescribable. Every one believed his last +hour had come. Presently the vessel gave a terrible lurch, and on the +lee side the bulwarks were five feet under water. + +She was beginning to settle when the captain reluctantly roared out +"Cut away the masts." The boatswain quickly executed the order, the +whole time being in peril of his life, the axe would often be lifted +out of his hands, the wind playing with it as if it were paper. At last +crash came the masts on deck, the topmast going between the legs of the +old mate, and bang through the bulwarks, leaving him, wonderful to +relate, unhurt. With the greatest difficulty the lashings of the masts +were cut adrift and overboard they went. The boatswain, in cutting +some of the rigging adrift, received a severe blow from one of the +boats as it was clean lifted off the deck by the wind and carried over +the bulwarks into the raging sea. He was laid up in his cabin for a +fortnight. Having got rid of her heavy spars, the schooner righted +herself, but what a wretched spectacle she presented! Stripped of all +her beauty, robbed of her tapering spars, what was once a model craft +had now become a mere hull. + +In a hurricane the sea is never rough, but the surface is one seething +mass of foam, with a blinding mist; and the wind shrieks with +demoniacal laughter, as if mercilessly proud of its might. The blacks +had secreted themselves down below, terrified out of their lives, and +praying on their knees to their patron saints. They had completely +given themselves up as lost, and for the matter of that, at one time, +so had we all. The severity of the hurricane only lasted a few hours, +after which a confused sea got up. This made things very uncomfortable, +for the ship began to roll heavily, not having her masts to steady her. + +The hurricane over, the grief of Captain Tornaros was heartrending to +witness. He was part owner, and he loved his ship. + +He had just cleared off all expenses, and had he not met with this +disaster, would have made a good profit out of the trip. + +We all sympathised with him. He had been 30 years at sea and had +survived many storms, but in all his experience he had never seen one +to equal this. + +We were now several hundred leagues from the nearest land, and in our +disabled state it was impossible to proceed on the voyage. We rigged up +jury masts, but even then could not travel, except under a favourable +wind. + +What was to be done? + +One of two courses was open to us, either to make for the Queensland +coast or for the shores of New Guinea. + +Captain Tornaros held a meeting on deck to decide the matter. He +pointed out to us the dangers of the two routes, the New Guinea one, in +his opinion, being the safer of the two. The danger of the Queensland +route was the difficulty of navigating a disabled craft through the +Great Barrier Reef. + +However, there was not much to choose between the two. + +After due consideration, the majority of those on board were in favour +of making for New Guinea, some 400 miles distant. + +The sails, such as they were, were set and we commenced our long and +perilous voyage. Our stumps of masts were powerless to steady the +vessel, so we slowly rolled along. + +The captain had no sheet charts of New Guinea on board, therefore he +would have to remain at his first anchorage and trust to Providence. + +We had only half a boat left, the other half having been blown away by +the hurricane. We fixed a square stern on her and canvassed her all +over in order to make her water-tight. She was reduced to a length of +15 feet, so was not capable of carrying more than eight persons, whilst +we numbered 20 hands all told. + +One of the chief reasons for deciding upon the New Guinea route was +that I (Mr. Thompson) had previously been there, and should we by good +fortune ever reach that country, and be within approachable distance of +Samarai, I could find my way there in our boat and procure assistance. + +Anxiously the days went by. Occasionally I would go aloft to see if I +could discern any signs of land. I was often disappointed; but one day, +from my lofty post, I saw what I took to be the "Long Reef," which lies +at no great distance to the eastward of New Guinea. + +I was not deceived, and before long the heavy roar of the surf as it +beat upon it was plainly audible to all on board. The issues of life +and death were soon to be decided. Should we fail to steer safely +through an opening in the reef, our doom was sealed. Should we strike +on those rocks, frowning with a line of breakers bounding on to them in +clouds of spray, we should be dashed to pieces and be buried beneath +the curling foam. + +The moment was an anxious one; all held their breath. We firmly +believed our end was fast approaching. + +The cook, who had never been to sea before, came on deck dressed in his +Sunday best, ready to go ashore, and prepared to die like a gentleman. + +Slightly to windward, a passage in the reef was visible. We made for +it, but owing to her peculiar rig the vessel would not answer to her +helm, but drifted to leeward, and in a few minutes more would be dashed +to pieces amidst the cruel rocks. All hope left our breasts, there was +nothing more to be done. We steeled our hearts and prepared ourselves +to die like true British sailors. I cared not for myself, but I had a +wife and family living in Sydney, and what would become of them after I +had gone? + +However, just when our doom seemed inevitable, the wind suddenly +changed, enabling us to keep her up a couple of points to windward. We +then managed to clear the dreaded reef, the surf washing the sides of +the vessel, and we emerged safely on the other side. We were all +devoutly thankful for our merciful escape from a terrible death. + +Delivered as we had been from the jaws of death, our spirits rose +proportionately. We now had hopes of reaching the New Guinea coast and +escaping with our lives. + +After avoiding numerous hidden dangers, we succeeded in reaching an +anchorage off Dawson Island three days ago. + + * * * * * + +Such was the graphic account given us by Mr. Thompson. + +We obtained the loan of the cutter _Juanita_, which vessel, it will be +remembered, had been returned to the Government by the gold +prospectors. + +She was only seven tons register, but quite large enough for our +purpose. Her gear was in very bad order, but with the valuable aid of +Mr. Thompson, it was fixed up as well as possible with the poor +material at our disposal. At Mr. Thompson's request, I consented to go +with him in the _Juanita_ to the assistance of the _Myrtle_, and, if +possible, bring her into port. + +We took with us a few tins of meat, some biscuits, tea, sugar, and +last, but not least, a cask of water, as it was impossible to tell how +long we should take on the voyage. Everything depended on the weather; +but with a fair wind it was thought we should reach Dawson Island in +one day. On the other hand, we might be several days on the way. We +determined to keep going night and day until we reached the _Myrtle_. +Both of us knew the locality well, and were not likely to lose our +bearings. + +Dawson Island is about 25 miles beyond the Engineer Group, and between +it and the latter there are dozens of shoals and reefs, so that our +local knowledge stood us in good stead. + +When coasting along the Island of Basilaki, we met with strong +north-easterly winds, which ever and anon would sweep down upon us in +strong gusts, causing our little craft to dip her bows into the water. +The night was dark, the gusts frequent, and as we were shipping a +quantity of water on board, we had to take a couple of reefs in the +mainsail. To add to our discomfort the rain came down in drifts, making +us shiver again. We made very little way, but still held on, as those +on the schooner would be anxiously expecting us, for Mr. Thompson's +party had left them four days ago, and they had no means of +ascertaining their safe arrival at Samarai. + +In the middle of the second night we could just make out the outline of +the Island of Anna-Goosa, and shortly after losing sight of it we heard +a roar, as of heavy breakers, on the port side. The darkness of the +night was such as could be felt. We well knew the meaning of the sound, +and as we did not wish to hear it more distinctly, we kept to leeward +for a time, until the sound had died away into a faint murmur. It was +not surf beating upon a rock-bound shore, but an extra-strong +"tide-rip" boiling with a force sufficient to turn us round like a top, +and, had we been drawn within its vortex, might have destroyed us. The +"rip" is strongest at "damoon" or flood-tide, and is caused by the +action of the wind against the tide. I never did like these "rips," as +they are most dangerous, and when feasible always avoided them. + +We soon passed the Island Karaiwa, and had the satisfaction of seeing +in the distance Dawson Island, with the schooner _Myrtle_ lying a mile +or so abreast of it. We reached her before sunset, to the great delight +of those on board, as they were beginning to fear that some disaster +had befallen us. A line was made fast to the _Juanita_ and we jumped on +board. I was introduced to Captain Tornaros, who at once took me into +his cabin, where we discussed the situation over a bottle of old French +claret and with the aid of some choice Turkish cigarettes. He recounted +to me the experiences of the hurricane. The hull of the vessel was not +damaged, but above the deck nothing was left. An immense hole gaped +through the bulwarks, and altogether she had a woe-begone appearance. +The captain was anxious to know if it was possible, in her present +condition, to navigate her safely through the reefs and bring her to +China Straits. We considered it was well worth a trial, and, with his +consent, we determined to make the attempt the next morning, that is, +should the wind be favourable. We argued that if the worst came to the +worst, she could but be lost, and as she was at present, at anchor off +Dawson Island, she was worth nothing to anybody. In case of an accident +happening, we had the _Juanita_, which was capable of carrying the +whole company, so why not make the attempt? + +Dawson is one of three islands all lying close to one another. They are +not inhabited, though on one of them there are a few native houses +which have been deserted for several years. The islands are +picturesque, and on one of them is a lofty hill and a few coco-nut +trees. They are small in extent, and badly supplied with good water. + +There is a narrow passage between the two furthest north, and it was +through this opening we intended to go. + +In the morning the wind was fortunately blowing from the north-east. +Nothing could have been better. The captain at once gave orders to +weigh anchor, the sails were hoisted, and we slowly wended our way +between the islands without striking on a reef. + +Meanwhile a couple of men had been put into the _Juanita_, with strict +orders to keep close astern, in case of accidents. + +The lead was kept going, as just here the place swarms with shoals and +small coral-reefs. We passed over them in safety, and in the evening +dropped the anchor off one of the islands, having traversed a distance +of ten miles. The next day, the wind still remaining in the same +quarter, we passed the Engineer Group and managed to reach Doini, 30 +miles beyond. We anchored for the night, and on the following day +succeeded in reaching China Straits, anchoring off Samarai in ten +fathoms of water. + +The cargo of the _Myrtle_ consisted of general merchandise, and +"trade," valued at L1,000. Captain Tornaros offered them at Sydney cost +price, with five per cent. added, and succeeded in disposing of a large +quantity. He then went to Queensland and informed the underwriters of +the loss. They called for tenders for the purchase of the _Myrtle_ as +she lay at anchor in China Straits. Messrs Burns, Philps and Co., a +Queensland firm of shipowners and merchants, bought her for L200, and +sent one of their own steamers to tug her to Queensland. + +Captain Tornaros was a heavy loser by the disaster, and evidently felt +his loss keenly. + +In a few days, to our surprise, the cutter _S----l_, supposed to have +been lost, suddenly made her appearance in port. I immediately boarded +her, and congratulated Messrs. S----g and W---- upon their safe +arrival. + +This was the third time that they had been reported as murdered. + +At this time preparations were being made by K----, a trader, to form a +coffee plantation on the mainland. + +The land selected for the purpose was situated near a creek, the mouth +of which is close to Coast Island (China Straits). The entrance to the +creek is guarded by a small "bar" of sand, which is almost fordable at +low water, but at high tide is navigable for small craft. The creek is +a tidal one, and of no great depth. The banks are lined with mangroves, +whose roots extend far into the water. On the branches are numerous +oysters, known by the name of mangrove oysters. They are capital +eating, and almost equal to the famous Rock oysters. The creek is about +15 yards wide, and at a little over a mile from the mouth suddenly +narrows and becomes shallow. Here there is a small native village, +containing seven or eight houses. The houses are built on a flat, and +in time of heavy rains must be very damp. + +The natives are not numerous, and are of a peaceable disposition. Their +plantations are situate some distance away. Shortly after leaving the +village the mangroves are lost sight of, and you enter a thick forest, +lightly timbered and easily penetrated. This forest valley is well +watered by numerous small creeks, and is flanked by lofty hills, +covered with timber, of no great size, with a tropical under-growth, +and not too difficult of access. The rain-fall here is heavy, but is +quickly drained off by the above-mentioned creeks. + +Following the creek for some distance, the country gradually becomes +more mountainous, and continues so until you get to the other side of +the coastal ranges, when you come upon the densely wooded shores of +Milne Bay. + +We made a thorough investigation of the neighbourhood, and, as a +consequence, selected a site about a mile beyond the native township. +The adjacent hills, or rather mountains, were not too steep for our +purpose; moreover, there was an excellent supply of running water, +which we could, without much difficulty, bring to bear on it; and, what +was still more important, the site was in close proximity to the creek, +by which the produce would be conveyed to the coast. No natives claimed +the land in question; but, nevertheless, we had to obtain the consent +of the Administrator at Port Moresby before we could commence +operations. + +His consent was readily given. Our first object was to obtain native +labour. + +I was instrumental in procuring the services of a number of natives +from various parts on the mainland and the neighbouring islands. + +We engaged them for one moon (one month), supplying them with the +necessary tools, such as axes, half-axes, hatchets, etc. + +According to our instructions, a small house was built by the natives +of the village, to be used by us as a depot for tools, provisions, etc. + +Forty natives were engaged for one month, and those who wished to do so +could renew their agreement for a further period. + +The natives, I may state, are very fair axe-men, as it is work they are +accustomed to. The first thing to be done was to form a nursery. For +this purpose the slope of a hill, about an acre in extent, was cleared, +nothing but a few of the larger stumps being left to rot in the ground. +The natives worked well and hard, and accomplished the first part of +their task in a creditable manner. + +In the nursery we placed several thousand coffee plants for future +transplantation. We next had ten acres cleared as a nucleus of the +plantation proper. + +At the time of my departure from New Guinea, the plants in the +"Nursery" had a healthy appearance. In addition to these large +quantities of coffee seed had been sown. The results of the experiment +cannot, at present, be estimated, as three years must elapse before the +first crop appears. Should the venture turn out a success, it will +undoubtedly be followed by many others. + +The promoter of it has had considerable experience in working the +natives of New Guinea, and is looked up to by them, so that he has a +considerable advantage over any newcomers. + +I have received no news from that part of the world for the past six +months, and therefore am not in a position to form an opinion of the +progress that has been made. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +SOUTH COAST. + + +I had never been west of South Cape, but had often had a desire to +visit Port Moresby. Finding that a vessel was leaving Samarai in a few +days for that place, I decided to embrace the opportunity, as I should +not like to leave New Guinea without having visited it. We passed +"Kerepunu" and "Hula," two native towns built in the sea, and did not +anchor until we reached Moapa, Aroma district. + +This latter is the largest and most important district to the westward. + +Here I was introduced to the celebrated chief "Koepina." + +He can place 4,000 fighting men in the field at a few hours' notice. He +is an old man, very tall and erect, with a Roman nose, austere looking, +and seldom speaks, but like the renowned parrot, "is a devil to think." + +Strange to say, in this district and to the west of it the men are +absolutely nude, while the women wear the customary grass petticoat. + +All the villages have a high palisade fence facing the sea, and +extending the whole length of the beach. This acts as a break-wind. + +Koepina frequently makes a raid on tribes in the adjoining districts +and generally returns successful. The natives of this part speak the +Motu language. I spent some time on shore and visited several of the +villages. + +The natives of Moapa, at the instigation of Koepina, have committed +many murders, which in their opinion, is something to be proud of. + +We then proceeded to Port Moresby, having taken seven days on the trip. +The distance from Samarai is 350 miles. Port Moresby is the +headquarters of the London Missionary Society. The site of the mission +station was selected by Messrs. Lawes and Macfarlane, the pioneer +missionaries of New Guinea, in the year 1873. The Rev. W. G. Lawes had +for many years been a missionary in the South Seas, and therefore was +well fitted for the work. A few years later the Rev. James Chalmers +joined the mission, and at the close of the year 1885 the Rev. Dr. +Macfarlane severed his connection with New Guinea and left for England, +where he now resides. The mission has been established sixteen years, +and taking into consideration the enormous difficulties of the +undertaking, the result may be deemed satisfactory. Whether they have +succeeded in making any real converts to Christianity is a question I +prefer leaving open. Certain it is that in districts where their +influence has extended, the danger from the hostile acts of the natives +has been considerably lessened. + +In the first years of its existence Port Moresby was very unhealthy, +many of those engaged in the work of the mission falling victims to +malarial fever. The health of the place has since improved, and at the +present time it is one of the healthiest on the coast. + +The harbour forms a large bay, at the head of which stands the Mission +Station, consisting of numerous buildings: the dwelling-houses of the +leading missionaries, school-houses, a large building in which the +services are held, and two or three small houses. To the right of the +Mission Station, on a prominent rise, is "Government House," the +residence of Sir Wm. Macgregor. + +On the east side of the bay, and near the entrance, are situated the +various Government buildings--the Court House, the Colonial Secretary's +Department, and beyond these a general store kept by Mr. Andrew Goldie, +a lock-up under the charge of Messrs. Belford and Gleeson, and the +dwelling-house of the Judge (Mr. Winter), in which also is the +Government Printing Office, where the various official "Gazettes" are +published under the superintendence of Mr. J. G. Allen, Government +printer. + +Below the "Mission Station" stands the native town, "Hanuabada," which +contains about 400 inhabitants, and is built in the sea. + +The climate of Port Moresby is very dry, and the soil poor. Nothing +will grow there, not even yams, so that the natives suffer much from a +scarcity of food. The women are very skilful manufacturers of pottery, +tastefully ornamented and designed. At certain times of the year they +take the pottery in their trading canoes far to the westward, where +they exchange it for cargoes of sago. + +The back country is very mountainous until the valley of the "Laroki" +is reached, when a decided change for the better is noticeable. + +Instead of barrenness there is fertility. Good pasturage is found, and +cultivation commences. The Laroki River is about 17 miles from Port +Moresby. After crossing the "Laroki" the country again becomes +mountainous and rugged, and is inhabited by numerous hill tribes, both +fierce and warlike. + +A month previous to my arrival in Port Moresby, viz., July 1st, 1889, +Sir Wm. Macgregor had returned from his successful ascent of Mount Owen +Stanley. + +I saw him on board the S.S. _Merrie England_. He had altered somewhat. +He had lost two stone in weight and had a worn appearance; otherwise he +was in good health. + +As Sir Wm. Macgregor has penetrated further inland than any other white +man, and has scaled the highest mountain in British New Guinea, the +following abridged extract from his report of the journey will, no +doubt, be interesting. + + * * * * * + +"I left Port Moresby on the 20th April, 1889, in my boat, manned with a +native crew, accompanied by my staff, and proceeded along the coast to +Manumanu. On the 22nd we entered one of the mouths of the Vanapa River, +which opens into Galley Reach on its eastern side, about five miles +from Manumanu. We got some seven or eight miles up the river the first +day, having the tidal water for three or four miles; but beyond that +point the river was swollen and muddy, and the current against us +strong. + +"On the 23rd we continued our course up the river for about seven +miles. During the afternoon we began to approach the first low hills in +the river's course, and had to ascend two rapids, the first we had met. + +"On the 24th we had much difficulty in poling and dragging the boat up +some rapids, the current being very strong, and the river, though +falling, still deep. On this day we only accomplished four miles, in +spite of our best exertions. + +"On the 25th we continued our ascent, poling, pulling, or dragging the +boat. We passed a number of rapids and by night found ourselves with +hills on all sides of us. We passed a large rock on the right bank of +the river, which seems to be quite exceptional in its formation in this +part of the country. It is a grey stone, full of crystalline needles, +like manganite. + +"After we had pitched camp I went to examine a native-built +suspension-bridge, which our hunting party had discovered up stream--a +remarkable structure, occurring in such a locality and built by such a +primitive people as the inland natives are in this district. At the +spot where the bridge stands the river is narrowed by a rocky point +that encroaches on the left bank from a steep hill immediately +adjoining; advantage has been taken of this in building. The bridge, +which is thus only about 70 yards long, is chiefly supported by a large +banyan tree, which grows on the rock on the left bank, about 20 feet +from the water's edge; it starts from this tree at an elevation of +about 50 feet above the pool below, descends in midstream to about 12 +or 15 feet from the water, and rises to about 20 feet on the right +bank, where it is suspended to a tree not sufficiently large or strong +to receive the whole of this end of the bridge, and is therefore +supplemented by a post put into the ground, and this again is +strengthened by a cross-bar to the live tree and fixed by stays +extending backwards to trees behind. The material employed is rattan +cane. Of these, fifteen are used to form supports, but as they have not +all been long enough to cross the river, some of them have been joined +by knotting. The floor of the bridge is formed of four of these canes, +but as two appear to have been broken, the second pair have probably +been laid down in effecting repairs. About two feet six inches from the +floor there are two rattans on each side, and about two feet three +inches above these again are three rattans on the lower, and four on +the upper side. They are not plaited or twisted, but are kept in +position by split cane worked from the floor to the middle and top +rattans, which serves the double purpose of connecting the several +strands and would probably prevent anyone from falling into the river +should one stumble in crossing. A transverse section of the bridge +would show it to be nearly V-shaped, but with the sides slightly +rounded. The height of the V is about five feet, the width at the top +about three feet six inches, and the distance of the middle strands +from each other, about two feet. The top strands are kept apart by a +cross-stick, the ends of which are tied to the top of each strand. +Suitable platform approaches have been built at the ends, and the whole +structure is both strong and graceful. Five of our party crossed it at +one time, and from all appearances many more could have done so. + +"On the 26th the river had become narrower as we advanced, and we had +to contend with strong rapids. + +"On the 27th we found the rapids very strong, therefore we decided to +discontinue the journey in the boat, and selected a suitable camp on +the right bank of the river. This place became our principal depot for +the expedition. By our estimate it is 40 miles from Manumanu by water, +35 miles of this being on the Vanapa itself. I sent Mr. Cameron, my +private secretary, to Port Moresby to procure carriers, provisions, +etc., whilst I remained in charge of the party. + +"Everywhere there were traces of natives; none, however, were seen. The +furthest distance inland from the camp reached by me, was between six +and seven miles. Many of my party suffered from ill-health. All the +hills in this district were of a slaty formation with thin veins of +white quartz. + +"About 2-1/2 miles from our camp we discovered, on the 30th April, a +rocky height on the first mountain we traversed (Mount Gleeson), whence +a very fine view of all the mountains of the interior, right up to the +summit of the Owen Stanley Range, could be seen. It was named, and is +known to us as "Jack's Rock," and is strongly recommended to future +travellers as an excellent observing-point, although its altitude is +only about 1,000 feet. + +"On the 12th May Mr. Cameron arrived with 15 men, carrying supplies. +The whole of the next few days were spent in preparing the packs for +the march inland, to commence next morning. + +"We left camp on the 17th May. There marched out, all told, forty-two +persons, four Europeans, including myself, George Belford (a Samoan +half-caste, a man of excellent character and well acquainted with this +country), five Polynesians and thirty-two Papuans. + +"As the path had been cut for the first day's march, we covered about +four miles before we camped in the afternoon at Exton Junction, where +the Exton Creek enters the Vanapa River. We left Exton Junction early +on the morning of the 18th, and had at the start some very steep ridges +to cross. We passed several creeks in slate and quartz formation which +looked, especially one, very promising for gold. The 20th was memorable +as being the first time our native carriers expressed a desire to go no +farther. On this occasion Belford, by the exercise of patience, by +threats and expostulations, managed to bring the whole company into +camp on the north side of Mount Kowald, about 500 feet from the summit. + +"We required the whole of the 21st to descend the north side of Mount +Kowald, at the foot of which we camped, on the right bank of the Vanapa +River. A small native village was seen on a hill five or six miles from +us. Mount Kowald was of the usual slaty formation. + +"On it we killed three snakes, a matter worthy of mention only because +we saw none farther inland. Several people suffered here from fever. +Between one and two o'clock a raft was prepared, and by four o'clock we +were all safely encamped on the other side of the river. + +"We had only covered two and a quarter miles in two days, although +those two days had been most fatiguing. On the 23rd we travelled about +three miles, at first along the left bank of the Vanapa, and then up +one of the spurs and crests of Mount Belford. As it was desirable to +get further east before approaching the main range, it was deemed well +to follow further along the crest of Mount Belford, whence it was hoped +a spur might be found which might lead us to Mount Musgrave, and our +march was therefore continued along the top of Mount Belford during the +whole of the 24th. On the 25th we descended Mount Belford and camped in +a wet, gloomy gorge at the foot of it. About three-quarters of a mile +from our camp of the 25th we came next morning, at an altitude of 2,635 +feet, to the Joseph River,[5] a fine mountain stream about 20 yards +broad, running along the southern foot of Mount Musgrave. + + [5] Evidently the San Joseph.--_Author._ + +"In the afternoon we camped on a spur leading us right up towards the +crest of Mount Musgrave, at a height of 3,380 feet. At daylight next +morning the temperature was 73 deg.. On the 27th we continued the ascent of +the ridge, following the native path. Fortunately for us the crest we +had reached turned round towards the west and north and led us towards +the main crest of Mount Musgrave, which was reached on the next day's +march. It was determined that we should proceed eastward along the +crest of Mount Musgrave until nearly opposite Mount Victoria, and then +look for a ridge on the north side of Mount Musgrave, leading down in +the desired direction. On our way back to camp we met numbers of +natives. We soon became on friendly terms with them and managed to +obtain a supply of food. They are physically stronger than the coast +men. They do not tattoo, neither do they wear nose and ear ornaments. +The nose is generally of the Semitic type. They always left our camp +before nightfall. + +"They are fond of, and will give food in exchange for, salt, beads and +cutlery. Tobacco they do not prize greatly, as they grow very good +tobacco themselves. + +"On the 29th we were able to resume the ascent of the crest of Mount +Musgrave, along which we proceeded about two miles on this day and +camped at an altitude of 7,180 feet. The temperature was 70 deg. at noon, +but at night fell below 60 deg.. + +"Mount Musgrave does not differ in formation from Mount Belford; but, +somewhat to our surprise, we found it to be composed of slate and +quartz right to the top. Our path was crossed at several places between +6,000 and 7,000 feet, by well-marked veins of white quartz. + +"Finding that there was no prospect of meeting with any spur running +towards Mount Victoria (the new name given to Mount Owen Stanley), we +determined to descend on the north side of Mount Musgrave. My own party +now consisted of Belford, two Polynesians and six Papuans. After a +succession of steep cliffs and gorges, we, by ten o'clock, reached a +clearing, and after great difficulty in descending the steep rocks at +the foot of Mount Musgrave, we reached the Vanapa River at about noon, +at the foot of Mount Knutsford. We had considerable difficulty in +crossing the Vanapa, on account of the quantity of water and the +rapidity of the current. Immediately on effecting the passage we were +at the foot of Mount Knutsford, the first mountain we touched connected +directly with the Owen Stanley range. + +"We ascended about 500 feet, and then camped. On the 2nd of June we +continued our ascent. A temperature of 69 deg. F. was marked before +sunrise. We camped for the night at an altitude of 6,500 feet, where +the temperature at 6 p.m. was 67 deg.. + +"Next day, June 3rd, we started at 7.30 a.m., and by noon had travelled +one mile, when we were completely enveloped in fog, temperature 64 deg. F. +On the 5th of June we first came into contact, at an altitude of 9,000 +feet, with an undergrowth of bamboo. At 2 p.m. on 6th of June we +reached the summit of Mount Knutsford, 11,100 feet high. Here Alpine +flowers and plants are met with. The quartz and slate formation extends +to the top. The temperature at night and early morning was as low as +45 deg. to 40 deg.. + +"We were now left with six days' food, and there was no appearance of +any more reaching us. It was not without some anxiety that a forward +march was ordered on the morning of the 8th. We accomplished fully five +miles in a northerly direction along the summit of Mount Knutsford, and +camped on a small creek that divides it at its northern end from Mount +Griffith. At 9 a.m. next day we crossed the Vanapa for the last time. +The altitude of this crossing was 10,130 feet, the temperature 59 deg.. On +crossing we began the ascent of the central ridge of the Owen Stanley +Range. Early in the afternoon we reached the top of the great ridge at +the point named Winter Height, which has an altitude of 11,882 feet, +and about 5 p.m. we camped on the lowest part of the great central +ridge, forming the lowest part of the central portion of the Owen +Stanley Range, to which has been given the name of Dickson Pass. Its +height is 10,884 feet, and it divides Mount Douglas from Winter Height. +In our camp at Dickson Pass, the morning temperature before sunrise was +44 deg., and at 8 a.m. 55 deg.. The forest here is mainly composed of cypress. +We passed over the top of Mount Douglas, 11,796 feet, and had an +opportunity of picking strawberries there. They were small, excellent +in flavour, but not quite ripe. At 5 p.m. we pitched camp, after a +march of about five or six miles, some four hours' march from the top +of Mount Victoria, the name I have given to the highest crest of the +great Owen Stanley Range. + +"At about 11 a.m. of the 11th of June, I reached the top of the +north-west peak of Mount Victoria, and I may mention that a few hundred +feet from the top of the highest crest I saw the largest vein of quartz +I have seen in the 'Possession,' about 15 inches thick. There are no +trees on this mountain within 1,500 feet of the top, and but few +bushes. + +"We were camped two nights on Mount Victoria, the 11th and 12th of +June, at an altitude of 12,452 feet, that is, about 670 feet from the +top of the highest peaks. The temperature rose in the middle of the day +to 70 deg.. In the morning the grass was quite white with frost until the +rays of the sun reached it. Icicles were brought into the camp, the +largest one being over an inch in diameter, and seven or eight inches +long. Mount Victoria is, during this season at least, emphatically a +dry mountain. The crest of Mount Victoria runs from south-east to +north-west, and may be described as composed of six different peaks, +but they might be divided differently by different observers. The +north-west one and the south-east one are a few feet higher than any of +the others. The distance between the two is from a mile to a mile and a +quarter in a straight line. I ascended to the top of all the peaks, the +central ones being most difficult of access, which I climbed only after +tremendous exertion. Mount Victoria is far from being the isolated +block it has been customary to represent it. It is simply the eastern +end of the Owen Stanley Range, which runs without a break, as one +continuous whole, from the south-east end of Mount Victoria until the +range meets Mount Griffith and Mount Scratchley; the length of this +part of the range is about 20 to 25 miles. + +"Mr. Cameron's calculations and my observations make the height of +Mount Victoria 13,121 feet, an estimate that comes very near to that +given on maps and charts, 13,205. + +"The north coast was for several hours in the forenoon plainly distinct +from the top of Mount Victoria. This mountain is some 15 to 20 miles +nearer to the south than to the north coast. The country lying between +it and the north coast is far less mountainous than that between it and +the south coast. + +"Looking from the top of Mount Victoria, only two great mountains are +seen between the Owen Stanley Range and the north coast; these two are +Mount Gillies and Mount Parkes. They are probably from 7,000 to 8,000 +feet high. A valley, some two or three miles long, lies between Mount +Parkes on the north, and the ends of Mounts Scratchley and Douglas on +the south; this valley widens out and separates Mount Victoria from +Mount Parkes. + +"Smoke was rising from many points in this valley, which is not less +than 30 miles long and will average four or five broad. It appears to +carry a considerable population. There is thus north of the Owen +Stanley Range, and between it and the north coast, a great extent of +comparatively flat country; and there is much more population there +than on the south side. It was impossible to see which way the rivers +ran. Mr. Belford left a powder-flask on the top of the north-west peak +of Mount Victoria, containing a paper, on which he has written that I +ascended the mountain on the 11th of June, 1889, and named it Mount +Victoria. The return journey from the top of Mount Victoria to the +coast was accomplished in twelve days." + + * * * * * + +Sir William Macgregor is a hardy Scotchman, with a tall, gaunt frame, +and possessed of great strength. He began life as a ploughman on a +farm. He was mainly self-taught, and by dint of industry and +perseverance rose to the position of a doctor of medicine. + +He held the appointment of Government Health Officer in Fiji, and also +took an active part in the administration of that colony. In August, +1888, he was appointed Administrator of British New Guinea. + +A better man for the post it would be difficult to find. His energy is +untiring, and by his dogged determination he manages to overcome +difficulties that would appear to others insuperable. + +His manners are rather uncouth, but they are suited to a wild and +rugged country like New Guinea. Shortly after his arrival in that +country he received the honour of knighthood. + +During his residence there he has been engaged in exploring different +portions of the "Possession." + +In December last he ascended the Fly River for upwards of six hundred +miles, and reached the boundary dividing the German and English +territories. + +The following is a short _resume_ of the expedition:-- + + He started on the 21st of November last in the steamer _Merrie + England_. At a point, which he says is beyond D'Albert's farthest, + in 5 deg. 54' S., he found the river divides into two branches of equal + size. One of these, named by him the Palmer, he followed up for + eight days to the frontier. The whale-boat stopped at 605 miles + from the mouth of the river. The first mountains met with in the + ascent are on the frontier, and were not explored. + + Speaking of the climate, he says: "The heat on the whole, has not + been oppressive for this latitude. The average day temperature in + the shade has been about 85 deg. Fahr., but of course it is a moist + heat. The health of the men has been fair, some having suffered + from fever--short, sharp attacks." + + At a point (not far from Ellengowan Island) above the estuary, the + river was found to be 599 yards wide, the rate of current midstream + about 3-3/4 miles an hour, and at 50 yards from the banks about + 2-3/4 miles; the depth was five to six fathoms. The influence of + the tide was not observed above 120 miles from the mouth. As a + waterway he says "the Fly river will supply excellent means of + transport. After proceeding 100 miles the river is very monotonous, + and continues so for the next 80 miles. The forest produces no food + for man. For European settlement, such a country, as far as can be + judged, is quite unsuitable; but, of course, no man can speak of + the country beyond a mile or two from the river, the greatest + distance to which we could penetrate." + + Of the natives of the large island of Kiwai, in the delta, Sir Wm. + Macgregor speaks favourably. + + The island is about thirty-six miles long and two and a half broad. + Sir William went round it twice, and walked across it once, + visiting all the villages, and was everywhere treated with great + friendliness. The total population he puts at 5,000. They produce + large quantities of vegetable food, which may in future create a + considerable export trade. The cultivation of the banana receives + from them much attention. They have no fewer than thirty-six + different varieties. They also plant and cultivate sago trees, of + which they distinguish twenty-five varieties; of yams they grow + twenty kinds, three of which are remarkably good; and of sweet + potatoes ten, two of which are suitable for exportation. They + possess no knowledge of pottery. The sole utensil is a large + slipper-shell. Its name is "wedere," and the consequence is that + the Kiwai native has no other name than "wedere" for all our pots + and pans and different kinds of dishes. + +In August news reached me of the murder of two white men by the natives +of Cloudy Bay, South coast. Both men were well-known to me; one of them +I had known for many years. Their names were "Jimmy McTeer" and +"Frenchy." + +They had been in the Louisiades digging for gold, had been fairly +successful, and had arrived in Samarai early in July, where I saw a +good deal of them. They had a great idea of thoroughly prospecting the +mainland for gold, and intended to start from the head of Milne Bay, +which is on the south-east coast, and make their way overland to Port +Moresby, and determine, once and for ever, whether the country carried +gold. It was a most hazardous undertaking for two men to attempt, but +they were plucky young fellows, used to "roughing it" and without fear. + +I entertained serious notions of accompanying them, but fortunately, as +events proved, I was suffering from fever and was unable to withstand +the fatigues of the journey. + +"Frenchy" had about 16 ozs. of gold. I advised him to leave it behind at +Samarai, in case of accidents, but he decided to take it with him, as +it might come in handy when he reached Port Moresby. I suggested that +it would be as well to wear a suit of armour, as in their journey they +would meet with thousands of savages. They considered my suggestion a +good one, so we fixed some corrugated iron on to a coco-nut tree. We +then stood 30 paces off and hurled spears against it. The experiment +proved a failure, the spear penetrating the iron into the tree. + +They then suggested tortoise-shell, but whether they carried out the +idea or not I cannot say. + +They were of course armed with rifles and revolvers, but of what avail +would they be against thousands of hostile natives? Nothing, however, +would prevent them making the attempt, and they had good hopes of +accomplishing their task. + +I saw them off to Milne Bay, and wished them good-bye, with the fervent +hope that they would meet with no disaster and arrive safely in Port +Moresby. + +Yet I hardly expected that they would escape from a cruel death. Both +were young men with good constitutions, accustomed to hardships, and +who would sell their lives dearly. The start was made from the village +"Maivara," a number of natives watching their departure with interest. + +The two, who had been mates together for some time, and had passed +safely through many dangers, commenced their lonely tramp with brave +hearts and in good spirits. + +This was the last seen of the unfortunate travellers. + +The first week of their journey, how they got on, what dangers they may +have passed through, will never be known. It must ever remain a blank. +One circumstance alone we know. When they had reached the country at +the back of Cloudy Bay, they were surrounded by hundreds of savages and +treacherously put to death. Their heads had been completely severed +from their bodies, and one of the skulls, when found, was discovered +smashed into pieces. + +By-and-by the news reached Port Moresby. Sir Wm. Macgregor at once +ordered the _Merrie England_ to proceed to Cloudy Bay, with an armed +party on board, who were instructed to find, if possible, the remains +of the murdered men, and to punish the ill-doers. + +A force of twelve men, well armed, landed as directed, and marched +inland, where they came upon a large village, near which they found the +two skulls (or rather what was left of them) of the unhappy victims. +They also came upon the gold which "Frenchy" had in his possession, and +which the natives had left untouched. + +This discovery conclusively proved the identity of the men. + +The armed party from the _Merrie England_ shot down several of the +natives, and informed the others that, unless the ringleaders were +given up, they would destroy the village and its inhabitants. Two more +good and true men have been added to the long list of those who have +met with a tragic death in British New Guinea. Let us trust that they +may be the last. The hope is no doubt a vain one, but we cannot be +blamed for expressing such a wish. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +CONCLUSION. + + +The coast runs as nearly as possible west-north-west and +east-south-east. It has a most bold appearance, mountains of Alpine +height, from 8,000 to 13,000 feet, rearing their heads, looking down in +their awful majesty, backed by lofty ranges covered with dense scrub. +The geological formation is sometimes basaltic, at others slate, +porphyry, etc. Numbers of coral reefs jut out from the mainland, making +the navigation difficult. Hundreds of islands of various extent are +dotted here and there, sparkling in the sun like gems, diversifying the +scene and lending colour to the landscape. + +There are several magnificent rivers which carry off the great torrents +of water from the mountains, notably the "Fly," named by the officers +of H.M.S. _Fly_, when engaged in surveying the south coast in the +year 1845. The "Fly" empties itself into the great "Gulf of Papua" and +is navigable for six hundred miles from the coast inland. It will be +the main waterway of New Guinea in the future. Then there are the +"Baxter," the "San Joseph," "Aird," and "Tait," besides many others of +less importance. The harbours are few and far between; the principal +ones in British New Guinea are China Straits on the south-east coast, +and Port Moresby and Hall Sound on the south coast. + +There are no wild animals in the strict sense of the term, the chief +ones being the wild ordinary tusked hog (Babi-rusa), cassowary, +wallaby, tree-kangaroo (Dendrolagus), cuscus, opossum and alligators. +Snakes are to be met with, but are not so numerous as in Queensland. + +There are numbers of birds of beautiful plumage, the far-famed Bird of +Paradise, of which there are something like twenty varieties, whose +haunt is the tallest trees on the mainland, some 40 or 50 varieties of +pigeons, the gigantic crowned pigeon among them, the rifle bird, etc. + +Besides these, there are thousands of scrub hens, parrots, cockatoos +(both black and white), and the flying fox, a species of bat, which, +when young, is capital eating. At night, just after sundown, they come +in large flocks to the trees, where they feed on the fruit. + +The butterflies are magnificent, they are most gorgeous in colour and +of immense size, some of them measuring from tip to tip of the wings +over a foot in length. The sea furnishes the celebrated "Dugong," or +sea-cow, the flesh of which is equal, if not superior, to that of an +ordinary cow. The oil obtained from the Dugong is, or rather was, very +valuable. Unfortunately, it has of late years been much adulterated, +and thus the marketable value has been lowered. Then there are turtles, +many of them of great weight. It is not uncommon to find them to the +weight of 5 cwt. The harbours swarm with edible fish of all kinds, the +king-fish, sea salmon, barramundi, cod, yellow tail, and a host of +others. Take it altogether, Nature in these parts has been bountiful in +her gifts. The climate is very unhealthy, the tropical scrub being a +harbinger of malignant fevers, malaria, etc.; and it will take years of +cultivation before it alters for the better. The natives even are +subject to attacks, but in a milder form. Where there is little scrub +and no swamp, fever is not quite so prevalent. Quinine is the best +remedy, but it should be taken advisedly. + +The prevailing wind, which blows from the south-east, lasts for eight +months, from April to November inclusive, when the north-west monsoon +sets in. + +The average rainfall is heavy, especially at the eastern end, where +there is no decided wet season. At Port Moresby, on the other hand, the +annual rains generally commence in January continuing until the end of +March. The remainder of the year is exceedingly dry, so much so that +nothing can be cultivated. + +The heat of New Guinea is a moist one, and at times very great. The +mean temperature in the shade during the summer months is 85 deg.; were it +not for the trade winds, the heat would be overpowering. Winter is +unknown in these latitudes. In June and July the mornings and evenings +are fresh and comparatively cool. With this exception, it is impossible +to distinguish winter from summer. + +The tides are very strong, and most irregular. Occasionally there will +be only one tide in 24 hours. I have studied the tides for many days, +but they remain an enigma to me. No doubt the irregularity is partly +caused by the numerous islands which would naturally cause a deviation. +Therefore, the irregularity is, maybe, only an apparent one. I do not +pretend to be learned in the laws of tides, but older and wiser heads +than mine have been hopelessly puzzled by them. At full and change it +is high water at 8 a.m., once a year there is an unusually high tide, +called in consequence, a "king tide." + +The strongest wind blows from the westward and is known to the natives +as an "Arras." It occurs in the months of February and March, and as a +rule lasts for a couple of days, when there is a lull. It blows with +great force, causing a nasty sea, so when anchored it is wise to "pay +out" plenty of chain, or you may find your vessel has dragged and is +being drifted away by the tide at the rate of six or seven knots an +hour. The tide runs parallel with the coast. This is comforting, as, +should you drift away in the night unawares, you run no risk of being +stranded on a coral shore. + +Some friends of mine were fast asleep on board their craft and awoke to +find they had drifted ten miles from home and it took them the whole of +the next day to beat back again to their anchorage. + +The native population is estimated at 300,000. This is, however, a very +rough estimate, as no census has ever been taken; also the interior is +a _terra incognita_. The population of the coast can be fairly gauged, +but who can tell what number of inhabitants the interior contains? +There is every reason for believing that parts of the interior carry a +dense population. Great valleys have been seen in the distance; immense +tracts of grass land have been cleared, evidently for the purposes of +cultivation. + +There are, I am aware, certain districts along the coast where the +population is sparse. This can always be accounted for by the poverty +of the soil. Likewise parts of the interior may be unfit for +cultivation, and therefore would be thinly inhabited. + +Nevertheless, treating the interior as an unknown quantity, I consider +the estimate given, viz., 300,000, to be well under the mark. Regarding +the vitality of the race, there are no signs of decay. Generally +speaking, the natives are a healthy and vigorous people, and are more +likely to increase in numbers than die out. They are well-housed and +well-fed, very different from the nomadic tribes of Australia. The +mountain tribes of New Guinea live principally by the chase, but have +also plantations on which they cultivate large quantities of +vegetables. The natives of the coast live on the products of their +gardens and by fishing. They have no knowledge of any intoxicating +drinks, not even of "Kava," the Fijian beverage, which is made from a +palm. Therefore if they do not imbibe the vicious tastes of +civilization there is no reason why they should not perpetuate their +race for many centuries to come. The chief products of the country are +mother-of-pearl shell, Beche-de-mer (or trepang), copra, and +tortoise-shell. + +The pearl shell is a big oyster, and is found in from fifteen to twenty +fathoms of water. It is obtained by divers in a diving dress. The best +dresses and pumps are made by Heincke & Co., of London. The cost of a +pump, including two double dresses, gear, etc., is L185, and if looked +after it will keep in good order for a number of years. The diver +receives L3 10_s._ per 100 shells, and is found in victuals. At times +he makes as much as L25 per week, but the amount varies greatly. They +are a most improvident class of men and reckless in the extreme. They +spend their money as fast as they earn it, and in many instances before +they have done so. Their occupation entails great risk, hence their +recklessness. + +The boats used for the purpose are small luggers, from eight to fifteen +tons register; the pump is worked by natives, and the crew consists of +the diver, who acts as skipper, and a couple of South Sea Islanders or +Malays, one of whom has charge of the plumb-line, and the other acts as +"tender" to the diver and has charge of the life-line. + +Great risk is incurred by the diver; the pressure from the depth of +water, which in places exceeds twenty fathoms, nearly always producing +paralysis and often death. The lower limbs are usually affected. The +first thing to be done is to give the patient a warm hip-bath, then +apply a galvanic battery to the parts affected, and should this +treatment not have the desired effect resort must be had to more +drastic measures. I have treated several divers for paralysis, and +unless it was a very severe attack have always found the above +treatment efficacious. Should a diver die on board his boat, a flag is +run up half-mast. + +At Samarai, one day, I received a start. One of our pearl-shelling +boats was working in China Straits. To my surprise, I heard the reports +of a rifle in rapid succession. About two miles distant I could see +smoke rising from the stern of the boat. + +The wind was very light, and she was being propelled by sweeps in the +direction of Samarai. Evidently they were in distress. I lost no time, +hailed a couple of black boys, jumped into a boat and rowed in all +haste to see what was the matter. Presently I discovered they had +hoisted their flag half-mast high. I at once concluded that the diver, +"Ned," was dead. We soon overtook them, and I leapt on board, taking it +for granted that "Ned" would never dive again. Imagine my surprise to +find "him" lying contentedly on his bunk, with eyes wide open, and +looking very unlike a corpse. I felt very much annoyed with them for +raising a false alarm. They explained that "Ned" had been slightly +paralysed and that they had run up the flag half-mast for a joke. I +failed to see the joke. "Ned" managed to walk on shore without support. +We gave him a hot bath, and in half-an-hour "Richard was himself +again." + +The shell is found in straits where the tide is strongest, making it +impossible to operate except at "slack" water. The shells lie in heaps, +one on the top of the other, and in some places scattered apart. + +In the London market, the value of the shell, which has to be cleaned, +scraped, and packed in cases previous to shipping, varies from L90 to +L170 a ton according to quality. The most valuable are "chicken" or +young shell. It takes 600 to make a ton, the average weight being about +3 lbs. The cost of the cases is 5_s._ 6_d._ each, and the shipping +expenses from New Guinea to London amount to L15 to L20 a ton, +including London commission. Valuable pearls are occasionally found in +the shells, in the belly of the fish, and are produced by a disease of +the shell, and are found only in grubby, wormeaten ones. Pearl shelling +in New Guinea is pretty well worked out, as no new patches have been +discovered for some months. + +Beche-de-mer or "Trepang" is a kind of sea slug, and is found on the +reefs in a few feet of water. + +There are eight different species, differing greatly in value, viz., +teat, black, red, prickly red, surf red, lollie, white and sand. The +best, "teat," so called from the formation of "teats" on the fish, is +worth from L100 to L130 at the nearest Queensland port (Cooktown), +whilst lollie is of the value of L25 to L30 a ton. + +The whole of it is purchased by the Chinese merchants and is shipped to +Hong-Kong, where it is eventually retailed out at a very high figure. +It is most nutritious and makes capital soup. Two fish will make enough +soup for six persons. It requires a great deal of boiling, twenty-four +hours being the allotted time. + +The method of obtaining it, is to go with two or three boats full of +natives to a large reef, choosing fine, calm weather, when the natives +dive for them. You then erect a smoke-house on shore, or, if the vessel +be large enough, on board, get your boilers and boil the fish well. +Your smoke-house should have three separate layers or slides; care +should be taken to keep up a good fire and to change your fish from one +slide to the other. The fuel used is wood, of which you can always get +a plentiful supply. The whole operation takes about three days; you +then refill your boilers and proceed in like manner. The fish should +now be thoroughly cured. You then bag it in corn sacks, and previous to +shipping, capsize the bags, dry the fish in the sun, sort out the +various species and qualities, re-bag them, and send them away. + +Copra is made from old coco-nuts only. The husks are removed and thrown +away as rubbish. The shells are then placed in a smoke-house and +kiln-dried, or, when possible, sun-dried. The nuts or kernels are +smashed up and then bagged. It takes fully seven thousand nuts to make +a ton, and the value in the London market is L13 to L14 for kiln-dried, +and L14 to L15 for sun-dried. The margin for profit is small, but if a +sufficient quantity be obtainable (say twenty-five tons per month) the +industry becomes profitable. + +The natives value their coco-nut plantations, and attend to their +cultivation. At certain seasons numbers of the trees have the trunks +covered with a network of rattan cane. This is a sign that such trees +are "tabu" or sacred. Woe betide the man who violates the mandate until +the symbol has been removed. In this manner the trees are preserved. +Did we take the same trouble with our forest timber, we should not be +obliged to spend vast sums of money every year in importing timber from +America and other foreign countries. + +Many natives are employed in the copra industry, the work always being +done on shore, for which they are paid in "trade." + +Of course in these undertakings, you are always in a certain amount of +danger from the hostility of the natives, but as I have previously +remarked, "You must exercise caution and not give them a chance." A +fair amount of trade is done in tortoise-shell, but, as a rule, the +natives are loth to part with any large quantity, and are rather +exorbitant in their demands. Tortoise-shell fetches in Sydney from +5_s._ 0_d._ to 10_s._ 6_d._ per lb., according to quality. I have no +doubt, with some trouble, the trade in tortoise-shell could be +increased. + +The soil and climate of New Guinea are well adapted for the cultivation +of coffee, tea, indigo, india-rubber, cotton, sugar, rice, tobacco, +sago, etc. A coffee plantation has already been started on the +mainland. The natives inland grow very good tobacco. They have also +plantations of sugar-cane on many of the islands and mainland. The cane +seems to thrive well, and from all appearances is of good quality. They +do not manufacture sugar from it, but simply chew the cane, of which +they are inordinately fond. + +They manufacture sago, but do not granulate it. Oranges and lemons grow +to perfection. There is a plantation of them at Su-au (South Cape), and +on Wari (Teste Island). This industry, if undertaken by Europeans, on a +large scale, would, I have no doubt, pay handsomely. In Queensland it +pays, and why should it not in New Guinea? + +In Fiji and Samoa, cotton, sugar and tea are grown to advantage. The +climate there is much the same as that of New Guinea, therefore there +is nothing, so far as I can see, to prevent them from being cultivated +in the latter country. The two things most necessary to develop the +above-mentioned industries are cheap land and capital. The Government +of New Guinea have not, I believe, as yet formulated their land policy, +but I should think that to anyone introducing capital into the country, +for the purpose of starting a genuine enterprise, they would be only +too glad to offer every inducement. The great drawback at present, is +the unhealthiness of the climate, but as cultivation proceeds, that +will improve. + +In considering the feasibility of these undertakings, the first +question that presents itself is the labour question. + +What labour would there be available? Would it be possible to utilise +the natives of the country, or would it be necessary to import black +labour? The question is, I admit, a serious one, as upon the answer +depends the success of such undertakings. Now, I have had considerable +experience in working the natives and therefore my opinion should have +some weight. I have no hesitation in saying that it would be possible +to utilise the natives as labourers. I have undertaken several +contracts in New Guinea, the work being done solely by natives. + +One of the contracts was to clear a swamp of seven acres of all the +timber on it, and to cut up the timber into suitable lengths for +building purposes, and to stack it outside the swamp, and to burn the +undergrowth and small stuff in heaps. I engaged twenty-five natives, +and before commencing operations, made a contract with two of the +leading men to execute the work at so much per head, giving to the two +Taubadas or chiefs, a little extra. The work occupied 12 days, and was +performed in a thoroughly satisfactory manner. I superintended it, and +was very much pleased with the result. The wages were paid on +completion of the contract in hatchets, long knives, tobacco, etc. On +the Saturday night, the natives appeared in a row, awaiting payment. I +asked them if the job was finished, to which they all replied "Yes, and +that their backs were nearly broken with the hard work," which merely +meant that they were tired, and were in a hurry to receive the "trade." + +As seeing is believing in these matters, before paying them I examined +the work, and found that they were mistaken. They had still five or six +hours' work left to complete their task. However, when I informed them +of the fact, they stated it was Saturday night, that they wanted to get +home to their island, and evidently did not want to return on the +Monday morning for the sake of a few hours. + +I was on the horns of a dilemma. They had worked well, still I did not +want to be cheated, and on the other hand I wished them to go away in +good humour as I might require their services again before long. + +How was I to act? A happy thought struck me. I made them a neat little +speech, in which I told them that I would pay them straight away, and +that they could go home to their wives that same evening. How their +faces beamed with delight! I went on to say that the work had not been +finished by them, so in consequence I had decided to deduct four sticks +of tobacco off each man's payment. I then paid them the balance, and +upon asking them if they were satisfied received an answer in the +affirmative. They also said they would be glad to come again whenever I +might require them. + +So we parted friends, both parties being satisfied with the +arrangement. + +They departed in good spirits, and on the Monday I obtained some +natives from another island, who finished the job in one day. + +The way you work the natives is of the utmost importance. + +Never cheat them, and never allow them to cheat you. Treat them kindly +but with firmness, and never lose your temper. + +Follow this advice, and, I can vouch for it, you will find them +tractable and good workmen. I can strongly recommend the natives of +Milne Bay (Mainland), the islands of Sariba and Loger (China Straits) +and the island of Wari, either for plantation work, or the building of +houses. The islanders of Wari are by far the best sailors, the others +very indifferent. + + * * * * * + +Unlike Australia, New Guinea is never subject to periodical droughts, +and when it becomes better known, British capital will be introduced. +Industries will spring up, and the country will eventually be developed +and become the home of many of our fellow countrymen. And now, my task +being done, if task indeed it can be called, I must bid farewell to the +reader. + +If he has been as much interested in the perusal of this narrative as I +have been in writing it, I am more than repaid for my trouble. Should +he at any time visit New Guinea, he will find much to interest him, +much to study and think about, and, let us hope, will return to Old +England with a mind enlarged, a wiser and a better man. + + +FINIS. + + + + +APPENDIX. + +VOCABULARY OF LANGUAGE. + +SOUTH-EAST COAST. + + + SUBSTANTIVES. + + ENGLISH. NATIVE. + + Man Tau + Woman Sina + Boy Wauwaia + Girl Hasara + Child Natuna + Father Tamada + Mother Sinana + Friend Eliam + House Numa + Village Magai + Garden Tapaisoa + Wood Kaiwa + Fire Karassi + Water Waiila + Anchorage Gaboa + Island Bona-bona + Canoe Wagga + Paddle Worsa + Tomahawk Kilam + Knife Nigua + Spear Wamari + Coco-nut Niu + Betel-nut Sada + Banana Baiira + Sago Rabia + Yam Quatea + Taro Kudo + Sweet Potato Kumara + Fish Yama + Tobacco Musa-Musa + Box Didiwagga + Property Ginauri + Chief Taubada + Turtle Warna + Dog Kedewa + Cat Simai + Rat Gimau + Pig Buroka + Fowl Kom-Kom + Flying-fox Mariboi + Bird Roro + Pigeon Siai + Land Yamba + Rocks Weku + Rope Maina + Stomach Boka + Eye Mata + Face Papari + Sun Mahana + Moon Waiikeno + Star Kipara + Wind Mana + Rain Nabu + Month Waiikeno + Day Mahana + Death Boita + Sunrise Dabura Kuraoma + Sunset Daburadui + White man Dim-Dim + Beads Burra Dim-Dim + Enough Besi + Plenty Baibaiwa + Humbug Mamakotto + To-day Wau + Yesterday Lahinai + To-morrow Marritomtom + + + PRONOUNS. + + ENGLISH. NATIVE. + + I Yau + You Kowa + Me Yau + We Ta + + VERBS. + + Speak Ewaro + Sleep Ekeno + Sit down Kuturi + Lie down Kakeno + Stand up Kutoro + See Kita + Understand Raupoi + Work Buggi-Buggi + Finish Koiko + Go away Kurau + Come here Kuraoma + Give Quaima + Sing Wana + + ADJECTIVES. + + Good Kausala + Bad Inai + Sick Kassieba + Wild Yauyauri + After Sora + Big Elaki + Small Kekina + Important Bada + True Mamahoi + + INTERJECTIONS. + + Thanks Te Nani + Good-day Te Nani + Good-bye Kaioni + What name Esam + Look-out Ni + Yes Oo + No Nigere + + NUMERALS. + + One Kesega + Two Raubui + Three Tolo + Four Esopai + Five Arigiki + Six Arigiki Kesega + Seven Arigiki Raubui + Eight Arigiki Tolo + Nine Arigiki Esopai + Ten Nimabobo + Eleven Nimabobo Kesega + Fifteen Nimabobo Arigiki + Sixteen Nimabobo Arigiki Kesega + Twenty Tauimate + +I cannot vouch for the correctness of the above spelling. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Two Years Among the Savages of New +Guinea, by W. D. 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