Adventures in New Guinea James Chalmers
Adventures in New Guinea James Chalmers Adventures in New Guinea James Chalmers
36 the house when it was missed, was accused of taking it. One of the teachers was winding line, and he caught the young fellow by the arm to inquire about the knife. The lad thought he was going to be tied up with the line; he struggled, got free, and raised the alarm. Only the night before I had to warn the teachers against using firearms to alarm or threaten the natives. An axe was stolen; every place about was searched for it, and for some time without its being found. At last, a native found it buried in the sand near where it was last used. It had evidently been hidden there till a favourable opportunity should occur of taking it away. During the search, the owner of the axe (one of the teachers) ran off for his gun, and came rushing over with it. I ordered him to take it back, and in the evening told them it was only in New Guinea that guns were used by missionaries. It was not so in any other mission I knew of, and if we could not live amongst the natives without arms, we had better remain at home; and if I saw arms used again by them for anything, except birds, or the like, I should have the whole of them thrown into the sea. In the afternoon of the 14th, I went over to the house in which we had been staying, to stir up the teachers to get the things over more quickly; Mrs. Chalmers remaining at the new house to look after the things there, as, without doors or flooring, everything was exposed. I went to the seaside to call to the captain of the _Mayri_ to send us the boat ashore, when, on looking towards my left, I saw twenty armed natives hurrying along. Though painted, I recognized some of them as those who were very friendly on board the _Bertha_, and spoke to them; but they hurried past, frowning and saying something I did not understand. They went straight on to the chief's house, and surrounded our party. I passed through, and stood in front of them. One very ugly-looking customer was brandishing his spear close by me. It was an anxious
37 moment, and one in which I am sure many would have used firearms. I called out to the teachers, "Remain quiet." Our chief sprung out on to the platform in front of the house and harangued. He was very excited. Shortly he called to the teachers, in signs and words, to bring out their guns and fire. They refused. He then rushed into the house and seized a gun, and was making off with it, when one of the teachers caught hold of him. I, seeing the teacher with the chief, thought something was wrong, and went to them. We quieted him, and did our best to explain to him that we were no fighters, but men of peace. The babel all round us was terrible. By-and-by a request was made to me to give the chief from the other side a present, and get him away. I said, "No; had he come in peace, and as a chief, I would have given him a present, but I will not do so now." They retired to deliberate, and sent another request for a present. "No; no presents to men in arms. If the chief returns to-morrow unarmed, he will get a present." It seems they are vexed with our living here instead of with them, because they find those here are getting what they consider very rich by our living with them. When quiet was restored, we returned to the carrying of our things. When we came to the last few things, our chief objected to their removal until he got a farewell present. He had been paid for the use of the house before any of us entered it; but we gave him another present, and so finished the business. Our large cross-cut saw was stolen during the hubbub. It belonged to the teachers of East Cape. It had only been lent to us, so we had to get it back. The next morning the chief from the other side came to see me. He received a present, and looked particularly sheepish when I tried to explain to him that we did not like fighting. All day I took care to show that I was very displeased at the loss of the saw, and by the evening I was told that it had been taken by those on the other side; and offers of returning it were made, but I saw I was expected to buy it from
- 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 and 34: 33 who considers himself the chief
- Page 35: 35 walls and roof finished, when al
- 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
36<br />
the house when it was missed, was accused of tak<strong>in</strong>g it. One of the<br />
teachers was w<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g l<strong>in</strong>e, and he caught the young fellow by the arm to<br />
<strong>in</strong>quire about the knife. The lad thought he was go<strong>in</strong>g to be tied up with<br />
the l<strong>in</strong>e; he struggled, got free, and raised the alarm.<br />
Only the night before I had to warn the teachers aga<strong>in</strong>st us<strong>in</strong>g firearms<br />
to alarm or threaten the natives. An axe was stolen; every place about<br />
was searched for it, and for some time without its be<strong>in</strong>g found. At last,<br />
a native found it buried <strong>in</strong> the sand near where it was last used. It had<br />
evidently been hidden there till a favourable opportunity should occur of<br />
tak<strong>in</strong>g it away. Dur<strong>in</strong>g the search, the owner of the axe (one of the<br />
teachers) ran off for his gun, and came rush<strong>in</strong>g over with it. I ordered<br />
him to take it back, and <strong>in</strong> the even<strong>in</strong>g told them it was only <strong>in</strong> <strong>New</strong><br />
Gu<strong>in</strong>ea that guns were used by missionaries. It was not so <strong>in</strong> any other<br />
mission I knew of, and if we could not live amongst the natives without<br />
arms, we had better rema<strong>in</strong> at home; and if I saw arms used aga<strong>in</strong> by them<br />
for anyth<strong>in</strong>g, except birds, or the like, I should have the whole of them<br />
thrown <strong>in</strong>to the sea.<br />
In the afternoon of the 14th, I went over to the house <strong>in</strong> which we had<br />
been stay<strong>in</strong>g, to stir up the teachers to get the th<strong>in</strong>gs over more<br />
quickly; Mrs. <strong>Chalmers</strong> rema<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g at the new house to look after the<br />
th<strong>in</strong>gs there, as, without doors or floor<strong>in</strong>g, everyth<strong>in</strong>g was exposed. I<br />
went to the seaside to call to the capta<strong>in</strong> of the _Mayri_ to send us the<br />
boat ashore, when, on look<strong>in</strong>g towards my left, I saw twenty armed natives<br />
hurry<strong>in</strong>g along. Though pa<strong>in</strong>ted, I recognized some of them as those who<br />
were very friendly on board the _Bertha_, and spoke to them; but they<br />
hurried past, frown<strong>in</strong>g and say<strong>in</strong>g someth<strong>in</strong>g I did not understand. They<br />
went straight on to the chief's house, and surrounded our party. I<br />
passed through, and stood <strong>in</strong> front of them. One very ugly-look<strong>in</strong>g<br />
customer was brandish<strong>in</strong>g his spear close by me. It was an anxious
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