Adventures in New Guinea James Chalmers

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34 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
35 walls and roof finished, when all our party moved into it. We had a curtain of unbleached calico put up between the teachers' end and ours, and curtains for doors and windows, but were glad to get into it in that unfinished state: the weather was breaking, and we felt anxious about the teachers sleeping in the tent when it rained, and we had no privacy at all where we were, and were tired of squatting on the ground, for we could not get a chair in our part of the house; indeed, the flooring was of such a construction that the legs of a chair or table would have soon gone through it. On the 13th, we were busy getting the wood we had cut for the flooring of our house into the sea to be rafted along; got ten large pieces into the water by breakfast-time. After breakfast, Mrs. Chalmers and I were at the new house, with the captain of the _Mayri_, when we heard a noise like quarrelling. On looking out, I saw the natives very excited, and many of them running with spears and clubs towards the house where Mrs. Chalmers, about five minutes before, had left the teachers rising from breakfast. I hastened over, and pushed my way amongst the natives till I got to the front, when, to my horror, I was right in front of a gun aimed by one of the _Mayri's_ crew (who had been helping us with the house) at a young man brandishing a spear. The aim was perfect: had the gun been fired--as it would have been had I not arrived in time--the native would have been shot dead. I pushed the native aside, and ordered the gun to be put down, and turned to the natives, shouting, _Besi_, _besi_! (Enough, enough!). Some of them returned their spears and clubs, but others remained threatening. I spoke to our party against using firearms, and then I caught the youth who was flourishing his spear, and with difficulty got it from him. Poor fellow, he cried with rage, yet he did me no harm. I clapped him, and got him to go away. All day he sat under a tree, which we had frequently to pass, but he would have nothing to say to us. It seems a knife had been stolen, and he being the only one about
Page 1 and 2: 1 Adventures in New Guinea James Ch
Page 3 and 4: 3 Partial surveys of the south coas
Page 5 and 6: 5 by the natives, has added enormou
Page 7 and 8: 7 vegetable products--fine timber,
Page 9 and 10: 9 take long for the natives to lear
Page 11 and 12: 11 "To all to whom these presents s
Page 13 and 14: 13 We left Sydney by the Dutch stea
Page 15 and 16: 15 Murray Island. We went ashore th
Page 17 and 18: 17 of the Loyalty Island teachers,
Page 19 and 20: 19 We had a bath, then supper, and
Page 21 and 22: 21 been about thirty miles off, and
Page 23 and 24: 23 We walked about seven miles thro
Page 25 and 26: 25 About three in the afternoon, an
Page 27 and 28: 27 exchanging names with us, in hop
Page 29 and 30: 29 were still mourning. There had b
Page 31 and 32: 31 came off to us in a small one. W
Page 33: 33 who considers himself the chief
Page 37 and 38: 37 moment, and one in which I am su
Page 39 and 40: 39 natives that I had hoped to go a
Page 41 and 42: 41 arm. On running through the vill
Page 43 and 44: 43 child. The people continued trou
Page 45 and 46: 45 Communication was held with some
Page 47 and 48: 47 astern, that the first canoe wou
Page 49 and 50: 49 formation of the land and the ma
Page 51 and 52: 51 me, I shall return." It had the
Page 53 and 54: 53 "Oh no, my friends; pull, you mu
Page 55 and 56: 55 A girl steals out from the crowd
Page 57 and 58: 57 all done up in small parcels, so
Page 59 and 60: 59 who knows what he may be up to?
Page 61 and 62: 61 in the distance, numbers more si
Page 63 and 64: 63 When in the boat, we asked the H
Page 65 and 66: 65 When sickness is in the family,
Page 67 and 68: 67 16_th_.--Ruatoka, Joe (an Africa
Page 69 and 70: 69 20_th_.--Yesterday evening, abou
Page 71 and 72: 71 gave him some on his taro. He be
Page 73 and 74: 73 "If you go on you will be devour
Page 75 and 76: 75 teeth, hold with one hand, and w
Page 77 and 78: 77 understand them. It is very conv
Page 79 and 80: 79 to get tobacco and salt, their h
Page 81 and 82: 81 Owen Stanley. There will be plen
Page 83 and 84: 83 20_th_.--Last night, after turni
Page 85 and 86:
85 _Nao_, _nao_! (foreigners), and
Page 87 and 88:
87 They seem very much attached to
Page 89 and 90:
89 Seeing there was nothing for it-
Page 91 and 92:
91 Sogerians. I was sitting on the
Page 93 and 94:
93 natives. This part of the plain
Page 95 and 96:
95 streams from the Astrolabe Range
Page 97 and 98:
97 places precipitous rocks. The fa
Page 99 and 100:
99 true it was the Great Spirit or
Page 101 and 102:
101 grass bound tight at one end, a
Page 103 and 104:
103 afraid, expecting a raid, and a
Page 105 and 106:
105 "I am going to Motumotu, and no
Page 107 and 108:
107 the sea was too high, breaking
Page 109 and 110:
109 different. To get into Motumotu
Page 111 and 112:
111 I landed with them, and went up
Page 113 and 114:
113 In the afternoon we held servic
Page 115 and 116:
115 CHAPTER V. THE KALO MASSACRE. T
Page 117 and 118:
117 and, after the first moments of
Page 119 and 120:
119 at once offered me as much land
Page 121 and 122:
121 fighting all round, avenging Oa
Page 123 and 124:
123 not stay if they were to be con
Page 125 and 126:
125 and praying that He would care
Page 127 and 128:
127 at from aft, fell overboard, an
Page 129 and 130:
129 CHAPTER V. EAST CAPE IN 1878 AN
Page 131 and 132:
131 at East Cape on a Sunday. Morni
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Adventures in New Guinea James Chalmers

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