Adventures in New Guinea James Chalmers

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three in a deep bay, which must be very unhealthy, from the many swamps
and high mountains around. The people appeared friendly, and got very
excited over the presents we gave them.
We got an old foretopsail from the captain, which we rigged up as a tent,
in which the teachers slept, we occupying their quarters. We enjoyed a
good night's rest. In early morning the house was surrounded with
natives, many of whom were armed. They must wonder at our staying here:
they consider our goods to consist entirely of hoop-iron, axes, knives,
and arrowroot. About eleven a.m. the war canoes were launched on the
opposite side of the water. The excitement here was then great. I met a
lad running with painted skulls to the war canoe of the village. Soon it
was decorated with skulls, shells, cocoanuts, and streamers, and
launched. Those on the opposite side came out into the deep bay; ours
remained stationary till the afternoon, when about thirty men got into
her, and away towards Farm Bay to trade their hoop-iron for sago.
On Sunday, we met for our usual public services under a large tree, and a
number of natives attended, who of course could not make out what was
said, as they were conducted in Rarotongan. At our morning and evening
prayers numbers are always about who seem to enjoy the singing. We see
quite a number of strangers every day--some from Brumer Island, Tissot,
Teste, China Straits, Catamaran Bay, Farm Bay, and other places. Those
from Vakavaka--a place over by China Straits--are lighter and
better-looking than those here. The women there do not seem to tattoo
themselves. Here they tattoo themselves all over their faces and bodies,
and make themselves look very ugly. I have not seen one large man or
woman amongst them all.
We had much difficulty in getting a sufficient supply of plaited cocoanut
leaves for the walls and roof of our house. By the 14th, we had the