Adventures in New Guinea James Chalmers

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118 Kerepunu within six weeks of the massacre, and was so impressed with the peaceful bearing of the people in both places that I should have been glad to have re-occupied both stations immediately. I should have visited Kalo, but was afraid of compromising the mission, as it is possible the natives may be punished for the outrage. I fear we are not altogether free from blame; the teachers are often very indiscreet in their dealings with the natives, and not over-careful in what they say; there has also, perhaps, sometimes been a niggard regard to expense on our part. A very few pounds spent at a station like Kalo in the first years would, I believe, prevent much trouble, and probably murder. The Kalo natives felt that Hula and Kerepunu got the most tobacco and tomahawks, and that their share was small indeed. Instead of our buying all the thatch required for the other stations--only obtainable at Kalo--we got the teachers, with their boys, to get it. We meant it well, to save expense. My experience teaches me to throw all I can in the way of natives not connected with our head station. At this station--Port Moresby--for the next few years the expenses will be considerable in buildings, laying out the land, and in presents to the constant stream of visitors; but it will have a Christianizing and a civilizing effect upon a large extent of country. On the 24th of May, 1881, left Port Moresby in the _Mayri_, and, having taken on board four natives at Boera, continued a westerly course, anchoring next day in Hall Sound, opposite Delena. Early on the morning of May 26th, Kone and Lavao, our old friends, came off. They say it is useless going to Maiva, as we cannot land; but we can go and see for ourselves, and they will accompany us. I had to land to eat pigs, _i.e_., receive pigs and hand them over to my followers. On landing, they led me up the hill at the back of village, where I was astonished to find a fine tract of land forming a splendid position for a house. Kone
119 at once offered me as much land as I wanted. After thinking it over on board, I decided on building. I landed tents, and pitched them on the rise above the village. My experience is that places quite exposed to south-east wind are _more_ unhealthy than swampy country. On Rarotonga there were more deaths on the windward side of the island than on the leeward. On the Sunday after landing, we went down and had service in the village. Kone interpreted into Lolo. When telling the people we had no work for them on Sunday, Kone said: "Oh! we know, and we, too, are going to be _helaka_ (sacred) to-morrow." I asked him, "Come, Kone, how do you know?" "From Boera." I met a lad repeating the Lord's Prayer in Motu, and found he had been taught by Piri. The Motu tribe has already had great influence, and will have more and more every year. I have an interesting class of children, and hope, before we leave, they will know their letters well. What nonsense one could write of the reception here--such as "Everybody at service this morning listened attentively; commented on address or conversation; children all come to school, so intelligent, and seemingly anxious to learn; and, altogether, prospects are bright." At home they would say, why, they are being converted; see the speedy triumph! Alas! they are but savages, pure and simple, rejoicing in the prospect of an unlimited supply of tobacco, beads, and tomahawks. Paura, a chief from Motu Lavao, is in. The people, it seems, told him, being _helaka_ day, I could not meet him, and he did not come up hill. He is rather a nice-looking fellow, with a mild, open countenance. Kone told him to tell the Paitana natives, who murdered James and Thorngren, that, if they wished peace and friendship, they must come in here and sue for it; that I could not first go to them, as they were the offenders and
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1 Adventures in New Guinea James Ch
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3 Partial surveys of the south coas
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5 by the natives, has added enormou
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7 vegetable products--fine timber,
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9 take long for the natives to lear
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11 "To all to whom these presents s
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13 We left Sydney by the Dutch stea
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15 Murray Island. We went ashore th
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17 of the Loyalty Island teachers,
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19 We had a bath, then supper, and
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21 been about thirty miles off, and
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23 We walked about seven miles thro
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25 About three in the afternoon, an
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27 exchanging names with us, in hop
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29 were still mourning. There had b
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31 came off to us in a small one. W
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33 who considers himself the chief
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35 walls and roof finished, when al
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37 moment, and one in which I am su
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39 natives that I had hoped to go a
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41 arm. On running through the vill
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43 child. The people continued trou
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45 Communication was held with some
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47 astern, that the first canoe wou
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49 formation of the land and the ma
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51 me, I shall return." It had the
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53 "Oh no, my friends; pull, you mu
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55 A girl steals out from the crowd
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57 all done up in small parcels, so
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59 who knows what he may be up to?
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61 in the distance, numbers more si
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63 When in the boat, we asked the H
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65 When sickness is in the family,
Page 67 and 68: 67 16_th_.--Ruatoka, Joe (an Africa
Page 69 and 70: 69 20_th_.--Yesterday evening, abou
Page 71 and 72: 71 gave him some on his taro. He be
Page 73 and 74: 73 "If you go on you will be devour
Page 75 and 76: 75 teeth, hold with one hand, and w
Page 77 and 78: 77 understand them. It is very conv
Page 79 and 80: 79 to get tobacco and salt, their h
Page 81 and 82: 81 Owen Stanley. There will be plen
Page 83 and 84: 83 20_th_.--Last night, after turni
Page 85 and 86: 85 _Nao_, _nao_! (foreigners), and
Page 87 and 88: 87 They seem very much attached to
Page 89 and 90: 89 Seeing there was nothing for it-
Page 91 and 92: 91 Sogerians. I was sitting on the
Page 93 and 94: 93 natives. This part of the plain
Page 95 and 96: 95 streams from the Astrolabe Range
Page 97 and 98: 97 places precipitous rocks. The fa
Page 99 and 100: 99 true it was the Great Spirit or
Page 101 and 102: 101 grass bound tight at one end, a
Page 103 and 104: 103 afraid, expecting a raid, and a
Page 105 and 106: 105 "I am going to Motumotu, and no
Page 107 and 108: 107 the sea was too high, breaking
Page 109 and 110: 109 different. To get into Motumotu
Page 111 and 112: 111 I landed with them, and went up
Page 113 and 114: 113 In the afternoon we held servic
Page 115 and 116: 115 CHAPTER V. THE KALO MASSACRE. T
Page 117: 117 and, after the first moments of
Page 121 and 122: 121 fighting all round, avenging Oa
Page 123 and 124: 123 not stay if they were to be con
Page 125 and 126: 125 and praying that He would care
Page 127 and 128: 127 at from aft, fell overboard, an
Page 129 and 130: 129 CHAPTER V. EAST CAPE IN 1878 AN
Page 131 and 132: 131 at East Cape on a Sunday. Morni
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Adventures in New Guinea James Chalmers

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