Adventures in New Guinea James Chalmers
Adventures in New Guinea James Chalmers Adventures in New Guinea James Chalmers
50 bye, Tamate; I shall be off in the morning to see you." Arriving on board late, we were welcome: they feared we had been spirited away. The following day we got round to Ellengowan Bay. After visiting all the villages, I went right up to the head of the bay to see Silo and its chief. The tide was very low, and after pulling the boat some distance through mud we left her in charge of the two rowers, the mate and I going to the village. He had hoop-iron cut in seven-inch lengths in his pockets. The old chief received us graciously, and began giving me a long story of what he wished to do in the way of pigs and food, if I would only stay two days. It was a sickly looking hole, and not being quite rid of fever, I hoped to get on board and away in an hour. A large crowd gathered round, all under arms, very noisy, and certainly not gentle. A slight scuffle took place, but was soon over. The mate missed some of his hoop-iron, caught one young man with a piece, and took it from him. The crowd increased. I told the chief I should prefer his people unarmed, and not so noisy. He spoke to them, some put down their clubs and spears; but they were hidden in the bush close by. We bade the chief good-bye, but he expressed a great wish to see me in the boat. Apparently with great carelessness, we made towards the beach, attended by a noisy crowd, all arms now picked up. Remembering the difficulty we had in landing, and knowing savages preferred killing out of their own villages, hospitality having ended when friends left the precincts, I determined not to have that crowd near the boat. I asked the chief to send them back; but to him they would not listen, and still the noisy crowd followed on. I shouted to them to return, and not come troubling us, as we were getting into the boat. No use; on they followed, and the boat they meant to visit. I stood still, and not feeling particularly cheerful, I told them to go on, and go off to the vessel--that I should wait and return to the village. Stamping my foot, as if in a towering passion, I told the chief, "Go with all your people to the boat; as for
51 me, I shall return." It had the desired effect. The people fled, and the few who remained listened to the old man, and came no further. We got to the boat and away, glad to escape without any unpleasantness. Entering Orangerie Bay, we anchored off the village of Daunai, from which the whole district takes its name. When here, our Chinese cook lost his knife, and, spotting the thief, determined to have it; but our captain prevented him from jumping into one of the canoes, and so avoided trouble. There were over one hundred canoes round the vessel, and altogether over four hundred men. We stopped all trading, and frightened the canoes away by blowing the steam whistle--they were much afraid of it, and kept at a very respectful distance. We went up the long sheet of water we saw when we crossed Meikle Bay, finding it in every way suited to its native name, Paroai, or piggish water, and quite useless as a harbour for anything larger than an ordinary boat. I went ashore in one of the canoes, to be landed at Bootu, and walk across to Milne Bay. Before leaving the vessel I engaged with the natives to take me right away to the head of the lagoon, and when I had seen Milne Bay, to return me to the vessel, when they would be paid for all their trouble. So with our bags and a few eatables, we started; when about a mile away from the vessel, they headed the canoe more in towards the right shore, and no amount of talk in calmness or wrath would get them to do otherwise. We touched at a place not far from a village we visited overland--some left us, and we were certainly now too weak to proceed. We ran down to the village, where we landed with my bag, and away went my native canoe men. Love or money would not move the villagers, and they were exceedingly impudent, knowing well that we were quite in their hands. My friend the mate, who insisted on accompanying
- 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 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: 49 formation of the land and the ma
- 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
50<br />
bye, Tamate; I shall be off <strong>in</strong> the morn<strong>in</strong>g to see you." Arriv<strong>in</strong>g on<br />
board late, we were welcome: they feared we had been spirited away.<br />
The follow<strong>in</strong>g day we got round to Ellengowan Bay. After visit<strong>in</strong>g all the<br />
villages, I went right up to the head of the bay to see Silo and its<br />
chief. The tide was very low, and after pull<strong>in</strong>g the boat some distance<br />
through mud we left her <strong>in</strong> charge of the two rowers, the mate and I go<strong>in</strong>g<br />
to the village. He had hoop-iron cut <strong>in</strong> seven-<strong>in</strong>ch lengths <strong>in</strong> his<br />
pockets. The old chief received us graciously, and began giv<strong>in</strong>g me a<br />
long story of what he wished to do <strong>in</strong> the way of pigs and food, if I<br />
would only stay two days. It was a sickly look<strong>in</strong>g hole, and not be<strong>in</strong>g<br />
quite rid of fever, I hoped to get on board and away <strong>in</strong> an hour. A large<br />
crowd gathered round, all under arms, very noisy, and certa<strong>in</strong>ly not<br />
gentle. A slight scuffle took place, but was soon over. The mate missed<br />
some of his hoop-iron, caught one young man with a piece, and took it<br />
from him. The crowd <strong>in</strong>creased. I told the chief I should prefer his<br />
people unarmed, and not so noisy. He spoke to them, some put down their<br />
clubs and spears; but they were hidden <strong>in</strong> the bush close by. We bade the<br />
chief good-bye, but he expressed a great wish to see me <strong>in</strong> the boat.<br />
Apparently with great carelessness, we made towards the beach, attended<br />
by a noisy crowd, all arms now picked up. Remember<strong>in</strong>g the difficulty we<br />
had <strong>in</strong> land<strong>in</strong>g, and know<strong>in</strong>g savages preferred kill<strong>in</strong>g out of their own<br />
villages, hospitality hav<strong>in</strong>g ended when friends left the prec<strong>in</strong>cts, I<br />
determ<strong>in</strong>ed not to have that crowd near the boat. I asked the chief to<br />
send them back; but to him they would not listen, and still the noisy<br />
crowd followed on. I shouted to them to return, and not come troubl<strong>in</strong>g<br />
us, as we were gett<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>to the boat. No use; on they followed, and the<br />
boat they meant to visit. I stood still, and not feel<strong>in</strong>g particularly<br />
cheerful, I told them to go on, and go off to the vessel--that I should<br />
wait and return to the village. Stamp<strong>in</strong>g my foot, as if <strong>in</strong> a tower<strong>in</strong>g<br />
passion, I told the chief, "Go with all your people to the boat; as for
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