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Adventures in New Guinea James Chalmers

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24<br />

is a pla<strong>in</strong> between two and three miles broad between the sea and the hill<br />

called Round Head. There are many villages on the hills along this part<br />

of the coast. We anchored close to the shore. A number of natives were<br />

on the beach, but could not be <strong>in</strong>duced to visit us on board. We went<br />

ashore to them after d<strong>in</strong>ner. They knew Mr. Lawes by name only, and<br />

became more easy when he assured them that he was really and truly _Misi<br />

Lao_. They professed friendship by call<strong>in</strong>g out, _Ma<strong>in</strong>o_, _ma<strong>in</strong>o_,<br />

catch<strong>in</strong>g hold of their noses, and po<strong>in</strong>t<strong>in</strong>g to their stomachs. After a<br />

little time, two ventured to accompany Mr. Lawes on board, and received<br />

presents. I rema<strong>in</strong>ed ashore astonish<strong>in</strong>g others by strik<strong>in</strong>g matches, and<br />

show<strong>in</strong>g off my arms and chest. The women were so frightened that they<br />

all kept at a respectful distance. These are the natives from an <strong>in</strong>land<br />

village that killed a Port Moresby native about the beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g of the<br />

year. When those who accompanied Mr. Lawes on board the _Mayri_ returned<br />

to the shore, they were <strong>in</strong>stantly surrounded by their friends, who seized<br />

the presents and made off. They had received fish, biscuit, and taro.<br />

The taro and fish were smelt all over, and carefully exam<strong>in</strong>ed before<br />

eaten. The biscuit was wrapped up aga<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong> the paper.<br />

On Sunday, the 4th, we were beat<strong>in</strong>g down through <strong>in</strong>numerable reefs, and<br />

at eight p.m. we anchored about three miles from Hula. The follow<strong>in</strong>g<br />

morn<strong>in</strong>g we went up to the village, the _Mayri_ anchor<strong>in</strong>g close by the<br />

houses. The country about here looks f<strong>in</strong>e and green, a very strik<strong>in</strong>g<br />

contrast to that around Port Moresby. The further east we get from Port<br />

Moresby, the f<strong>in</strong>er the country looks. The people are also superior--f<strong>in</strong>ermade<br />

men and women, and really pretty boys and girls--more, altogether,<br />

like our eastern South Sea Islanders. The married women spoil their<br />

looks by keep<strong>in</strong>g their heads shaved. They seem fond of their children:<br />

men and women nurse them. They were busy prepar<strong>in</strong>g their large canoes to<br />

visit Port Moresby, on the return of the Port Moresby canoes from the<br />

west with sago.

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