Adventures in New Guinea James Chalmers
Adventures in New Guinea James Chalmers Adventures in New Guinea James Chalmers
58 "No, I cannot stay; but when I return, then pig-eating"--not a very pleasant employment when, other things can be had. Pigs are very valuable animals here, and much thought of, and only true friends can be regaled with them. The women nurse the pig. I have seen a woman suckling a child at one breast and a small pig at the other; that was at South Cape. I have seen it also at Hula and Aroma. Proceeding to the beach, we parted, old and well-known friends. "Gidage, must you go?" "Yes; I cannot now stay, Tamate." "Go, Gidage; how many moons until you return?" "Tamate, I cannot say; but hope to return." "_Kaione_ (good-bye), Tamate." "_Kaione_, Gidage;" and away he started, leaving Tamate on the beach, surrounded by an interesting crowd of natives. It was near here, a few years after, that a _beche-de-mer_ party of seven were murdered; and on the opposite side of the bay two cedar-seekers were waylaid, and lost their lives. We went into Sandbank Bay, and I landed at the village of Domara. What a scene it was! The women rushed into the long grass, and I was led, after a good deal of talk, up to the village--only to see, at the other end, grass petticoats disappearing, the wearers hidden by the quantity of stuff they were carrying. One poor woman, heavily laden with treasures, had perched above all her child, and away she, too, was flying. Never had white man landed there before, and
59 who knows what he may be up to? The following incident illustrates the shocks a traveller must put up with in New Guinea. It was resting-day at a village, far away from the coast, and, spreading my chart out on the middle of the floor in the small native house in which we were camping, several sitting round, I was tracing our journey done, and the probable one to do, when strange drops were falling around, a few on the chart. They came from a bulky parcel overhead. Jumping up quickly, I discovered that they were grandmother's remains being dried. Our chart was placed on the fire, and the owner was called lustily, who hurriedly entered and walked away with the parcel. It was altogether a hurried time, and spoiled our dinner. Feeling convinced that a suitable locality for the settlement of teachers might be found in the neighbourhood of Orangerie Bay, I resolved on returning thither, and we anchored at Kuragori, on the east side of Dufaure Island, on April 25th, 1879. I went ashore, and found the people delighted to meet me. The chief, Tutuaunei, seems a fine young fellow. The people are good-looking, clear-skinned, and very few suffering from skin disease. They were quite at home with us, and a number accompanied me inland. In strong trade winds, the vessel could lie under the lee of the mainland opposite. We got on board, and steamed round to the north side, anchoring off Bonabona. I went ashore, and was met on the beach by Meaudi, the chief. He is the chief of four villages, some distance from one another, and all a good size. I visited all four. They have good houses, and all looks clean. I saw no mangroves whatever, and no appearance of swamp. The villages are on the beach, and I believe in good healthy positions. We walked from Bonabona to Sigokoiro, followed by a large number of men, women, and
- 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 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: 57 all done up in small parcels, so
- 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
59<br />
who knows what he may be up to?<br />
The follow<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>cident illustrates the shocks a traveller must put up<br />
with <strong>in</strong> <strong>New</strong> Gu<strong>in</strong>ea.<br />
It was rest<strong>in</strong>g-day at a village, far away from the coast, and, spread<strong>in</strong>g<br />
my chart out on the middle of the floor <strong>in</strong> the small native house <strong>in</strong><br />
which we were camp<strong>in</strong>g, several sitt<strong>in</strong>g round, I was trac<strong>in</strong>g our journey<br />
done, and the probable one to do, when strange drops were fall<strong>in</strong>g around,<br />
a few on the chart. They came from a bulky parcel overhead. Jump<strong>in</strong>g up<br />
quickly, I discovered that they were grandmother's rema<strong>in</strong>s be<strong>in</strong>g dried.<br />
Our chart was placed on the fire, and the owner was called lustily, who<br />
hurriedly entered and walked away with the parcel. It was altogether a<br />
hurried time, and spoiled our d<strong>in</strong>ner. Feel<strong>in</strong>g conv<strong>in</strong>ced that a suitable<br />
locality for the settlement of teachers might be found <strong>in</strong> the<br />
neighbourhood of Orangerie Bay, I resolved on return<strong>in</strong>g thither, and we<br />
anchored at Kuragori, on the east side of Dufaure Island, on April 25th,<br />
1879. I went ashore, and found the people delighted to meet me. The<br />
chief, Tutuaunei, seems a f<strong>in</strong>e young fellow. The people are<br />
good-look<strong>in</strong>g, clear-sk<strong>in</strong>ned, and very few suffer<strong>in</strong>g from sk<strong>in</strong> disease.<br />
They were quite at home with us, and a number accompanied me <strong>in</strong>land. In<br />
strong trade w<strong>in</strong>ds, the vessel could lie under the lee of the ma<strong>in</strong>land<br />
opposite. We got on board, and steamed round to the north side,<br />
anchor<strong>in</strong>g off Bonabona.<br />
I went ashore, and was met on the beach by Meaudi, the chief. He is the<br />
chief of four villages, some distance from one another, and all a good<br />
size. I visited all four. They have good houses, and all looks clean. I<br />
saw no mangroves whatever, and no appearance of swamp. The villages are<br />
on the beach, and I believe <strong>in</strong> good healthy positions. We walked from<br />
Bonabona to Sigokoiro, followed by a large number of men, women, and
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