Adventures in New Guinea James Chalmers
Adventures in New Guinea James Chalmers Adventures in New Guinea James Chalmers
40 and amongst other things a camp oven, which we miss much. Yet these are things which must be borne, and we can hope that some day their stealing propensities will change. From a very unexpected source, and in a very unexpected manner, the whole prospects of this eastern mission seemed all at once to be upset. I do not think I can do better than extract my journal for the next few days. _December_ 29_th_.--About twelve o'clock three lads from the _Mayri_ came ashore to cut firewood. One of them came to me, saying, "I 'fraid, sir, our captain he too fast with natives. One big fellow he come on board, and he sit down below. Captain he tell him get up; he no get up. Captain he get sword, and he tell him, s'pose he no get up he cut head off; he get up, go ashore. I fear he no all right." They left me and went towards the sawpit. Some men were clearing at the back of my house, some were putting up a cook-house, and the teachers were sawing wood. On the cook-house being finished, I was paying the men, when, on hearing a great noise, I rose up and saw those who were at the sawpit running away and leaping the fence, and heard firing as if from the vessel. I rushed into the house with my bag, and then out to see what it was. I saw natives on board the _Mayri_, and some in canoes; they were getting the hawser ashore, and pulling up the anchor, no doubt to take the vessel. Everywhere natives were appearing, some armed, and others unarmed. Two of the lads from the vessel, wishing to get on board, went to their boat, but found the natives would not let it go. I shouted to the natives detaining it to let it go, which they did. Had I not been near, they would certainly have been fired upon by the two lads, who were armed with muskets. Before the boat got to the vessel I saw natives jump overboard, and soon the firing became brisker. I rushed along the beach, calling upon the natives to get into the bush, and to those on board to cease firing. Firing ceased, and soon I heard great wailing at the chief's house, where I was pressed to go. A man was shot through the leg and
41 arm. On running through the village to the house, to get something for the wounded man, I was stopped to see a young man bleeding profusely, shot through the left arm, the bullet entering the chest. I got some medicine and applied it to both. When I reached the house, I found Mrs. Chalmers the only calm person there. Natives were all around armed. When at the chief's house with medicine I was told there was still another, and he was on board. They kept shouting "Bocasi, Bocasi," the name of the man who was on board in the morning. I found a small canoe all over blood, and two natives paddled me off. On getting alongside, I saw the captain sitting on deck, looking very white, and blood all about him. I asked, "Is there still a man on board?" Answer: "Yes." "Is he shot?" "Yes." "Dead?" "Yes." He was dead, and lying below. I was afraid to remain long on board, and would not risk landing with the body; nor would it do for the body to be landed before me, as then I might be prevented from landing at all; so I got into the canoe, in which one native was sitting. The other was getting the body to place in the canoe; but I said, "Not in this one, but a larger one." So ashore I went, and hastened to the house. I understood the captain to say that they attempted to take his life, and this big man, armed with a large sugar-cane knife, was coming close up, and he shot him dead. The captain's foot was frightfully cut. He had a spear-head in his side, and several other wounds. The principal people seemed friendly, and kept assuring us that all was right, we should not be harmed. Great was the wailing when the body was landed, and arms were up and down pretty frequently. Canoes began to crowd in from the regions around. A man who has all along been very friendly and kept close by us advised us strongly to leave during the night, as, assuredly, when the war canoes from the different parts came in, we should be murdered. Mrs. Chalmers decidedly opposed our leaving.
- 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 and 36: 35 walls and roof finished, when al
- Page 37 and 38: 37 moment, and one in which I am su
- Page 39: 39 natives that I had hoped to go a
- 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-
40<br />
and amongst other th<strong>in</strong>gs a camp oven, which we miss much. Yet these are<br />
th<strong>in</strong>gs which must be borne, and we can hope that some day their steal<strong>in</strong>g<br />
propensities will change. From a very unexpected source, and <strong>in</strong> a very<br />
unexpected manner, the whole prospects of this eastern mission seemed all<br />
at once to be upset. I do not th<strong>in</strong>k I can do better than extract my<br />
journal for the next few days.<br />
_December_ 29_th_.--About twelve o'clock three lads from the _Mayri_ came<br />
ashore to cut firewood. One of them came to me, say<strong>in</strong>g, "I 'fraid, sir,<br />
our capta<strong>in</strong> he too fast with natives. One big fellow he come on board,<br />
and he sit down below. Capta<strong>in</strong> he tell him get up; he no get up. Capta<strong>in</strong><br />
he get sword, and he tell him, s'pose he no get up he cut head off; he<br />
get up, go ashore. I fear he no all right." They left me and went<br />
towards the sawpit. Some men were clear<strong>in</strong>g at the back of my house, some<br />
were putt<strong>in</strong>g up a cook-house, and the teachers were saw<strong>in</strong>g wood. On the<br />
cook-house be<strong>in</strong>g f<strong>in</strong>ished, I was pay<strong>in</strong>g the men, when, on hear<strong>in</strong>g a great<br />
noise, I rose up and saw those who were at the sawpit runn<strong>in</strong>g away and<br />
leap<strong>in</strong>g the fence, and heard fir<strong>in</strong>g as if from the vessel. I rushed <strong>in</strong>to<br />
the house with my bag, and then out to see what it was. I saw natives on<br />
board the _Mayri_, and some <strong>in</strong> canoes; they were gett<strong>in</strong>g the hawser<br />
ashore, and pull<strong>in</strong>g up the anchor, no doubt to take the vessel.<br />
Everywhere natives were appear<strong>in</strong>g, some armed, and others unarmed. Two<br />
of the lads from the vessel, wish<strong>in</strong>g to get on board, went to their boat,<br />
but found the natives would not let it go. I shouted to the natives<br />
deta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g it to let it go, which they did. Had I not been near, they<br />
would certa<strong>in</strong>ly have been fired upon by the two lads, who were armed with<br />
muskets. Before the boat got to the vessel I saw natives jump overboard,<br />
and soon the fir<strong>in</strong>g became brisker. I rushed along the beach, call<strong>in</strong>g<br />
upon the natives to get <strong>in</strong>to the bush, and to those on board to cease<br />
fir<strong>in</strong>g. Fir<strong>in</strong>g ceased, and soon I heard great wail<strong>in</strong>g at the chief's<br />
house, where I was pressed to go. A man was shot through the leg and
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