Adventures in New Guinea James Chalmers
Adventures in New Guinea James Chalmers
Adventures in New Guinea James Chalmers
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49<br />
formation of the land and the manner of clouds hang<strong>in</strong>g over it, that<br />
there must be a lake or some large sheet of water, and that there must be<br />
considerable streams carry<strong>in</strong>g off the water of the Lorne Range and Cloudy<br />
Mounta<strong>in</strong>s, as no stream of any size came to the sea on the coast-side. I<br />
got the chief of the village at the head of the bay and a large follow<strong>in</strong>g<br />
to show us the way. We travelled for some miles through good country,<br />
and at last came out opposite a large sheet of water, stretch<strong>in</strong>g well up<br />
towards Cloudy Mounta<strong>in</strong> and away towards the head of Milne Bay. See<strong>in</strong>g<br />
the Stirl<strong>in</strong>g Range, I was able to take a few positions.<br />
Our mate, who had his fowl<strong>in</strong>g-piece with him, saw a very pretty parrot on<br />
a cocoanut tree. He approached until close under--the natives, about<br />
forty <strong>in</strong> number, stand<strong>in</strong>g breathlessly round, and wonder<strong>in</strong>g what was<br />
go<strong>in</strong>g to happen. Bang! Down dropped the parrot; a wail, hands to ears,<br />
a shout, and we were left alone with the chief, who happened to be<br />
stand<strong>in</strong>g close by me. Those natives only ceased runn<strong>in</strong>g when they<br />
reached their homes.<br />
We visited several villages, and at sundown returned. In the dark we<br />
travelled along the bed of a creek, pass<strong>in</strong>g small villages, whose<br />
<strong>in</strong>habitants were terribly alarmed, but none more so than our chief. Poor<br />
fellow, he _was_ frightened. How nimbly he ascended his platform on our<br />
arrival at his house, where his two wives were cry<strong>in</strong>g, but now rejoiced<br />
to see him <strong>in</strong> the body. Long ago the escort had returned with a terrible<br />
tale, and they feared whether their husband could have lived through it<br />
all. But he was now considered a veritable hero, to be sung <strong>in</strong> song and<br />
shouted <strong>in</strong> dance. Friends gather round; he tells his tale; presents the<br />
bird; the wives exam<strong>in</strong>e it, then the crowd of relatives. He afraid! oh<br />
dear no! But he looked pale for a native, and no quantity of hoop-iron<br />
would <strong>in</strong>duce him to move from that platform and the side of those dear<br />
wives that night. Enough for one day, one month, one year, so, "Good-