Adventures in New Guinea James Chalmers
Adventures in New Guinea James Chalmers Adventures in New Guinea James Chalmers
60 children, who were much interested in my boots, clothes, and hat. The chief lives in Gokora, and when on the platform in front of his fine large house I gave the present, and we exchanged names. By adopting his name, it meant I was to visit all his very special friends, and give them also presents. I called an old woman sitting by to come to me. Very hesitatingly she came, and stretched forth her arm to receive a present. I asked her to come nearer, which she did, when assured by the chief it was all right, and I put her present of beads round her neck. Then all the people shouted, clapped their hands, and danced with delight. After that, all the old women were produced. We were well known by report to them, and so Tamate passed as a great _taubada_ (chief). Dufaure is a fine island, quite equal to any I have seen in the South Pacific--plantations on all sides, right up to the mountain tops. They know nothing of firearms, for, on inquiring if there were birds on the island, they asked if I had a sling. The people are a much finer race, and freer than any I have seen further east. The two races seem to meet here--that from the Kerepunu side, and that from the east. We are anchored some distance from the shore in three fathoms, and further out it is shallower. The opposite shore on mainland looks low and unhealthy. There are ten villages on the island, five of which we have visited. After visiting the Keakaro and Aroma districts, our journeyings were nearly brought to a sudden termination. When we got halfway between the point next to McFarlane Harbour, and Mailu, where there is a boat entrance, we saw the boat, and waved to them to approach. They came near to the surf, but not near enough for us to get on board. The native of Hula, from Maopa, got on board. The Hula boy got on board early in the day, leaving us to go on alone. I called out to them to proceed to the boat entrance at Mailu. Great numbers of natives were with us; we saw,
61 in the distance, numbers more sitting on the beach, and armed. Some of those following us were armed. When within two miles of where the boat was to await us, we came upon a crowd of men and women; the former carried spears, clubs, or pieces of hard wood, used in opening cocoa nuts; the women had clubs. Some time before this, I said to the teacher and Loyalty islander, "Keep a good look-out; I fear there is mischief here." When we came upon the last group, I asked for a cocoanut in exchange for beads; the man was giving it to me, when a young man stepped forward and sent him back. We hastened our steps, so as to get to the village, where the strangers from Mailukolo and Kapumari might help us. The teacher heard them discussing as to the best place for the attack; and, not knowing that he knew what they said, he heard much that left no doubt in our minds that murder was meant. I carried a satchel, which had beads and hoop-iron in it; they tried to get it. I gave presents of beads; some were indignantly returned. I was in front, between two men with clubs, who kept telling me I was a bad man. I held their hands, and kept them so that they could not use their clubs. The Loyalty islander had a fowling-piece--thinking we might be away some days, and we might have to shoot our dinners. They tried hard to get him to fire it off, and twice tried to wrest it from him. They know what guns are, and with reason. They tried to trip us; they jostled us. On we went. Two men, when near the village, came close up behind me with large wooden clubs, which were taken from them by two women, who ran off to the village. Things looked black, and each of us prayed in silence to Him who rules over the heathen. Soon a man came rushing along, seized the club, and took it from the man on my left, and threw it in the sea. He tried to do the same with the one on my right; but he was too light a man, and did not succeed. An old woman, when at the point, came out and asked them what they meant, and followed us, talking to them all the way, so dividing their thoughts. An old chief, whom we saw on our way up,
- 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 and 58: 57 all done up in small parcels, so
- Page 59: 59 who knows what he may be up to?
- 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
60<br />
children, who were much <strong>in</strong>terested <strong>in</strong> my boots, clothes, and hat. The<br />
chief lives <strong>in</strong> Gokora, and when on the platform <strong>in</strong> front of his f<strong>in</strong>e<br />
large house I gave the present, and we exchanged names. By adopt<strong>in</strong>g his<br />
name, it meant I was to visit all his very special friends, and give them<br />
also presents. I called an old woman sitt<strong>in</strong>g by to come to me. Very<br />
hesitat<strong>in</strong>gly she came, and stretched forth her arm to receive a present.<br />
I asked her to come nearer, which she did, when assured by the chief it<br />
was all right, and I put her present of beads round her neck. Then all<br />
the people shouted, clapped their hands, and danced with delight. After<br />
that, all the old women were produced. We were well known by report to<br />
them, and so Tamate passed as a great _taubada_ (chief).<br />
Dufaure is a f<strong>in</strong>e island, quite equal to any I have seen <strong>in</strong> the South<br />
Pacific--plantations on all sides, right up to the mounta<strong>in</strong> tops. They<br />
know noth<strong>in</strong>g of firearms, for, on <strong>in</strong>quir<strong>in</strong>g if there were birds on the<br />
island, they asked if I had a sl<strong>in</strong>g. The people are a much f<strong>in</strong>er race,<br />
and freer than any I have seen further east. The two races seem to meet<br />
here--that from the Kerepunu side, and that from the east. We are<br />
anchored some distance from the shore <strong>in</strong> three fathoms, and further out<br />
it is shallower. The opposite shore on ma<strong>in</strong>land looks low and unhealthy.<br />
There are ten villages on the island, five of which we have visited.<br />
After visit<strong>in</strong>g the Keakaro and Aroma districts, our journey<strong>in</strong>gs were<br />
nearly brought to a sudden term<strong>in</strong>ation. When we got halfway between the<br />
po<strong>in</strong>t next to McFarlane Harbour, and Mailu, where there is a boat<br />
entrance, we saw the boat, and waved to them to approach. They came near<br />
to the surf, but not near enough for us to get on board. The native of<br />
Hula, from Maopa, got on board. The Hula boy got on board early <strong>in</strong> the<br />
day, leav<strong>in</strong>g us to go on alone. I called out to them to proceed to the<br />
boat entrance at Mailu. Great numbers of natives were with us; we saw,
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