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Adventures in New Guinea James Chalmers

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vic<strong>in</strong>ity. The four teachers were close beh<strong>in</strong>d us, <strong>in</strong> their large whaleboat,<br />

with part of their th<strong>in</strong>gs. On gett<strong>in</strong>g out of the Straits, we saw<br />

East Cape; but, as there was no anchorage there, we made for Killerton<br />

Island, about ten miles from the Cape. The w<strong>in</strong>d be<strong>in</strong>g very light, it was<br />

eight p.m. before we anchored: the boat got up an hour after us. There<br />

was apparently great excitement ashore; lights were mov<strong>in</strong>g about <strong>in</strong> all<br />

directions, but none came to us. In the morn<strong>in</strong>g, a catamaran with two<br />

boys ventured alongside of us; they got a present, and went away<br />

shout<strong>in</strong>g. Soon we were surrounded with catamarans and canoes, with three<br />

or four natives <strong>in</strong> each. They had no spears with them, nor did they kill<br />

a dog on our quarter-deck, as they did on that of the _Basilisk_. They<br />

appeared quite friendly, and free from shyness. They brought their<br />

curios to barter for beads, red cloth, and the much-valued hoop-iron. The<br />

whole country looked productive and beautiful. After breakfast, we went<br />

ashore, and were led through swampy ground to see the water. On our<br />

return to the shore, we went <strong>in</strong> search of a position for the mission<br />

settlement, but could not get one far enough away from the swamp, so we<br />

took the boat and sailed a mile or two nearer the Cape, where we found an<br />

excellent position near a river. Mr. McFarlane obta<strong>in</strong>ed a f<strong>in</strong>e new house<br />

for the teachers, <strong>in</strong> which they are to rema<strong>in</strong> till they get a house<br />

built. We took all the teachers' goods ashore, which the natives helped<br />

to carry to the house. One man, who considered himself well dressed,<br />

kept near us all day. He had a pair of trousers, m<strong>in</strong>us a leg: he<br />

fastened the body of the trousers round his head, and let the leg fall<br />

gracefully down his back.<br />

On the follow<strong>in</strong>g morn<strong>in</strong>g, two large canoes--twenty paddles <strong>in</strong> each--came<br />

<strong>in</strong> from somewhere about Milne Bay. They rema<strong>in</strong>ed for some time near the<br />

shore, gett<strong>in</strong>g all the news they could about us from the shore-folk; then<br />

the leader amongst them stood up and caught his nose, and po<strong>in</strong>ted to his<br />

stomach--we do<strong>in</strong>g the same. The large canoes went ashore, and the chief

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