Adventures in New Guinea James Chalmers
Adventures in New Guinea James Chalmers Adventures in New Guinea James Chalmers
44 dangling from their neck and arms. The child was spared for a future time, it being considered too small. Amidst all the troubles Mrs. Chalmers was the only one who kept calm and well. The _Ellengowan_ arrived on January 20th. The natives were beginning to think no vessel would come; but when it arrived, they were frightened, and willing to forget the _Mayri_ affair. A few days before she arrived some of our friends warned us against going too far away from the house. After her arrival we were able to go about among the people again. CHAPTER II. A FEW TRIP INCIDENTS. Start eastwards from Heath Island--Naroopoo--Trading with Natives--Landing at Roux Island--Interview with the Chief--The Man with the club--Effect of a gunshot on the natives--Ellengowan Bay--Narrow Escape--The steamwhistle useful--Attempt to go inland unsuccessful--Amazons--Women chief instigators of quarrels--Toulon Island--The real "Amazons' Land"--How the report arose--Cloudy Bay--Interview with the Chief--Sandbank Bay--A hurried time--Dufaure Island--Attack on Mr. Chalmers by Aroma natives--Defended by some of the natives--Attack due to evil conduct of white men--Intentions of the natives--Heathen customs--Pigs--Planting--Trading--Sickness. The _Ellengowan_ had been thoroughly refitted at Sydney; and in the spring of 1878, accompanied by my wife, I embarked on a cruise from east to west along the south coast of New Guinea. The little steamer was commanded by Captain Dudfield, and manned by an efficient native crew.
45 Communication was held with some two hundred villages, one hundred and five were personally visited, and ninety for the first time by a white man. Several bays, harbours, rivers, and islands were discovered and named; the country between Meikle and Orangerie Bays, together with that lying at the back of Kerepunu was explored, and the entire coast line from Keppel Point to McFarlane Harbour, traversed on foot. In travelling through a new country, it is impossible not to have many experiences that may interest those at home, although to the traveller they may seem of little moment. In May, 1878, I began my journeys on New Guinea, in parts hereto unknown, and amongst tribes supposed to be hostile. I resolved, come what might, to travel unarmed, trusting to Him in whose work I was engaged, and feeling that no harm could come to me while in His care. On leaving Heath Island, we really began on new and little-known seas and country, and we first anchored in a bay we called Inverary Bay. On landing, we were met by a few men, the others coming out with goods and chattels. We steamed round by the Leocadie, through what forms a good harbour for small vessels, and over by the sandbanks in Catamaran Bay. We called at Tanosina, to the east of the Leocadie, landing with caution, as these people had been rather troublesome on our first arrival at South Cape, and were very anxious to avenge the man shot on board the _Mayri_. They did not receive us heartily, and seemed inclined to be impudent, so I thought it best, after giving one or two presents, to get quietly to the boat and away. I may here say that in after-times these people were very friendly, and helped us much in our work. We visited all round the bay, returning to South Cape. After getting a supply of water and fuel on board, we started again, going east round Rugged Head to Farm Bay, and well up to the head of the
- Page 1 and 2: 1 Adventures in New Guinea James Ch
- Page 3 and 4: 3 Partial surveys of the south coas
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- 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
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- 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
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- 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
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- Page 39 and 40: 39 natives that I had hoped to go a
- Page 41 and 42: 41 arm. On running through the vill
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- 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
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- Page 67 and 68: 67 16_th_.--Ruatoka, Joe (an Africa
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- Page 73 and 74: 73 "If you go on you will be devour
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- Page 79 and 80: 79 to get tobacco and salt, their h
- Page 81 and 82: 81 Owen Stanley. There will be plen
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- Page 85 and 86: 85 _Nao_, _nao_! (foreigners), and
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44<br />
dangl<strong>in</strong>g from their neck and arms. The child was spared for a future<br />
time, it be<strong>in</strong>g considered too small. Amidst all the troubles Mrs.<br />
<strong>Chalmers</strong> was the only one who kept calm and well.<br />
The _Ellengowan_ arrived on January 20th. The natives were beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g to<br />
th<strong>in</strong>k no vessel would come; but when it arrived, they were frightened,<br />
and will<strong>in</strong>g to forget the _Mayri_ affair. A few days before she arrived<br />
some of our friends warned us aga<strong>in</strong>st go<strong>in</strong>g too far away from the house.<br />
After her arrival we were able to go about among the people aga<strong>in</strong>.<br />
CHAPTER II. A FEW TRIP INCIDENTS.<br />
Start eastwards from Heath Island--Naroopoo--Trad<strong>in</strong>g with Natives--Land<strong>in</strong>g<br />
at Roux Island--Interview with the Chief--The Man with the club--Effect<br />
of a gunshot on the natives--Ellengowan Bay--Narrow Escape--The steamwhistle<br />
useful--Attempt to go <strong>in</strong>land unsuccessful--Amazons--Women chief<br />
<strong>in</strong>stigators of quarrels--Toulon Island--The real "Amazons' Land"--How the<br />
report arose--Cloudy Bay--Interview with the Chief--Sandbank Bay--A<br />
hurried time--Dufaure Island--Attack on Mr. <strong>Chalmers</strong> by Aroma<br />
natives--Defended by some of the natives--Attack due to evil conduct of<br />
white men--Intentions of the natives--Heathen<br />
customs--Pigs--Plant<strong>in</strong>g--Trad<strong>in</strong>g--Sickness.<br />
The _Ellengowan_ had been thoroughly refitted at Sydney; and <strong>in</strong> the<br />
spr<strong>in</strong>g of 1878, accompanied by my wife, I embarked on a cruise from east<br />
to west along the south coast of <strong>New</strong> Gu<strong>in</strong>ea. The little steamer was<br />
commanded by Capta<strong>in</strong> Dudfield, and manned by an efficient native crew.
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