Adventures in New Guinea James Chalmers

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began--taro, sugar-cane, sweet yams, and water were got in exchange for
tobacco, beads, and cloth.
After resting about two hours, we proceeded to the next village, five
miles further along the ridge. Some of our party were too tired to
accompany us; they remained where we expected to camp for the night.
After walking some miles, we came unexpectedly on some natives. As soon
as they saw us they rushed for their spears, and seemed determined to
dispute our way. By a number of signs--touching our chins with our right
hands, etc.--they understood we were not foes, so they soon became
friendly. They had their faces blackened with soot, plumbago, and gum,
and then sprinkled over with white; their mouths and teeth were in a
terrible mess from chewing the betel-nut. On our leaving them, they
shouted on to the next village. An old man lay outside on the platform
of the next house we came to; he looked terribly frightened as we
approached him, but as, instead of injuring him, we gave him a present,
he soon rallied, and got us water to drink. By-and-by a few gathered
round. We understood them to say the most of the people were away on the
plains hunting for wallabies. One young woman had a net over her
shoulders and covering her breasts, as a token of mourning--an
improvement on their ordinary attire, which is simply a short grass
petticoat--the men _nil_.
After a short stay, we returned to where we thought of camping for the
night, but for want of water we went on to the village we had visited in
the forenoon. We slung our hammocks in the reception room, had supper,
and turned in for the night. It felt bleak and cold, and the narrowness
of the ridge made us careful, even in our sleep, lest we should fall out
and over. On coming across the highest peak in the afternoon, we had a
magnificent view of Mount Owen Stanley, with his two peaks rising far
away above the other mountains by which he is surrounded. It must have