Adventures in New Guinea James Chalmers
Adventures in New Guinea James Chalmers
Adventures in New Guinea James Chalmers
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came off to us <strong>in</strong> a small one. We gave him a present, which greatly<br />
pleased him. After breakfast, we went ashore to hold a service with the<br />
teachers. We met under a large tree, near their house. About six<br />
hundred natives were about us, and all round outside of the crowd were<br />
men armed with spears and clubs. Mr. McFarlane preached. When the first<br />
hymn was be<strong>in</strong>g sung, a number of women and children got up and ran <strong>in</strong>to<br />
the bush. The service was short; at its close we sat down and sang<br />
hymns, which seemed to amuse them greatly. The pa<strong>in</strong>ted and armed men<br />
were not at all pleasant-look<strong>in</strong>g fellows.<br />
At two <strong>in</strong> the morn<strong>in</strong>g (Monday), we weighed anchor and returned to Moresby<br />
Island. The w<strong>in</strong>d was very light, and we had to anchor at the entrance to<br />
Fortescue Straits. Next morn<strong>in</strong>g, we sailed through the Straits, and, on<br />
com<strong>in</strong>g out on the opposite side, we were glad to see the _Bertha_ beat<strong>in</strong>g<br />
about there. By noon we were on board the _Bertha_, and off for South<br />
Cape, the _Mayri_ go<strong>in</strong>g to Teste Island with a letter, tell<strong>in</strong>g the<br />
capta<strong>in</strong> of the _Ellengowan_ to follow us, and also to see if the teachers<br />
were all right.<br />
By even<strong>in</strong>g we were well up to South Cape. The capta<strong>in</strong> did not care to<br />
get too near that night, and stood away till morn<strong>in</strong>g. About ten next<br />
morn<strong>in</strong>g I accompanied the capta<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong> the boat, to sound and look for<br />
anchorage, which we found <strong>in</strong> twenty-two fathoms, near South-West Po<strong>in</strong>t.<br />
By half-past fire that even<strong>in</strong>g we anchored. The excitement ashore was<br />
great, and before the anchor was really down we were surrounded by<br />
canoes. As a people, they are small and puny, and much darker than the<br />
Eastern Polynesians. They were greatly excited over Pi's baby, a f<strong>in</strong>e<br />
plump little fellow, seven months old, who, beside them, seemed a white<br />
child. Indeed, all they saw greatly astonished them. Canoes came off to<br />
us very early <strong>in</strong> the morn<strong>in</strong>g. About half-past seven, when we were ready<br />
to go ashore, there arose great consternation amongst the natives. Three