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Adventures in New Guinea James Chalmers

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murderers.<br />

Arrangements were at once made for erect<strong>in</strong>g a wooden house at Delena,<br />

measur<strong>in</strong>g thirty-six feet by eighteen feet, material for which was easily<br />

procurable. On the 30th of May, Queen Koloka, her husband, and a number<br />

of men and women came <strong>in</strong>. The Pr<strong>in</strong>ce Consort first came up, all over<br />

smiles, followed <strong>in</strong> half an hour by his wife and maids. After formally<br />

receiv<strong>in</strong>g her, I presented Mrs. Lawes's present. I unloosed the parcel,<br />

and turned maid-of-honour <strong>in</strong> real wait<strong>in</strong>g. Her Majesty was chew<strong>in</strong>g betelnut,<br />

but that did not prevent my putt<strong>in</strong>g the dress on; first attempt all<br />

wrong, the front became the back, and the back the front. At length I<br />

succeeded, and, after fasten<strong>in</strong>g the dress, tied a pretty kerchief round<br />

the royal neck. There was great excitement, <strong>in</strong> every mouth a thumb, a<br />

few moments of silence, and then every soul spoke and shouted. It was<br />

amus<strong>in</strong>g to see her husband, uncles, maids, old men and women, young men<br />

and maidens, gather round the royal presence, wonder and admire, and then<br />

shout, _Oh misi ha<strong>in</strong>e O_! (Mrs. Lawes). Ah, Koloka, I wonder how you are<br />

go<strong>in</strong>g to get out of that dress to-night; will you understand buttons,<br />

hooks, and eyes?<br />

Dur<strong>in</strong>g my stay at Delena, one of those warlike <strong>in</strong>cursions by hostile<br />

tribes so common <strong>in</strong> <strong>New</strong> Gu<strong>in</strong>ea took place. My presence and <strong>in</strong>fluence<br />

happily brought about an early and satisfactory settlement of the<br />

dispute. I extract the follow<strong>in</strong>g from my journal:--<br />

_June_ 2_nd_.--Our friends seem troubled, and their house-build<strong>in</strong>g<br />

earnestness is somewhat abated. I f<strong>in</strong>d they have heard that the Lolo<br />

tribe <strong>in</strong>tend mak<strong>in</strong>g a raid on them. Is it on them, or on us? Their<br />

great hope is that we shall use our guns, and so frighten the <strong>in</strong>vaders. I<br />

tell them that we cannot do this; that we are men of peace, and have no<br />

wish to frighten any one. It seems Maiva is very disturbed; they are

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