Adventures in New Guinea James Chalmers

66
rivers.
The reader will get some notion of the country, the natives, and their
customs, from the following extracts taken from a journal kept at that
time.
_July_ 15_th_, 1879.--We left Port Moresby at half-past seven, reaching
the Laroki at half-past eleven. We crossed in shallow water near to
where the Goldie joins the Laroki. We had eighteen carriers, four of
them women, who carried more than the men. After resting awhile at the
Laroki we went on about three miles farther to Moumiri, the first village
of the Koiari tribe of Port Moresby. On entering the village we took
them by surprise; the women shouted and the men rushed to their spears.
We called out, _Mai_, _mai_, _mai_ (Peace, peace, peace), and, on
recognizing who we were, they came running towards us with both hands
outspread. We met the chief's wife, and she led us up the hill, where
there are a number of good native houses. It was shouted on before us
that foreigners and Ruatoka had arrived, and down the hill the youths
came rushing, shaking hands, shouting, and slapping themselves. We were
received by the chief under the house, and there we had to sit for a very
long time until his wife returned from the plantation with sugar-cane.
Our carriers chewed large quantities of sugar-cane, got a few betel-nuts,
and then set off on the return journey. We are now thirteen miles northeast
from Port Moresby, 360 feet above sea-level, the thermometer 84
degrees in shade. The people are small, women not good-looking, and
children ill-shaped. The Goldie runs at the base of the hill; the
natives get water from it. The houses are very similar to those inland
from Kerepunu. On the door hangs a bunch of nutshells, so that when the
door is shut or opened they make a noise. Should the occupants of the
house be asleep, and their foes come, they would, on the door being
opened, be woke up. Spears and clubs are all handy.