Adventures in New Guinea James Chalmers

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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
Page 101 and 102:
101 grass bound tight at one end, a
Page 103 and 104:
103 afraid, expecting a raid, and a
Page 105 and 106:
105 "I am going to Motumotu, and no
Page 107 and 108:
107 the sea was too high, breaking
Page 109 and 110:
109 different. To get into Motumotu
Page 111 and 112:
111 I landed with them, and went up
Page 113 and 114:
113 In the afternoon we held servic
Page 115 and 116:
115 CHAPTER V. THE KALO MASSACRE. T
Page 117 and 118:
117 and, after the first moments of
Page 119 and 120:
119 at once offered me as much land
Page 121 and 122:
121 fighting all round, avenging Oa
Page 123 and 124:
123 not stay if they were to be con
Page 125 and 126:
125 and praying that He would care
Page 127 and 128:
127 at from aft, fell overboard, an
Page 129 and 130:
129 CHAPTER V. EAST CAPE IN 1878 AN
Page 131 and 132:
131 at East Cape on a Sunday. Morni
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Adventures in New Guinea James Chalmers

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