Adventures in New Guinea James Chalmers
Adventures in New Guinea James Chalmers
Adventures in New Guinea James Chalmers
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natives. This part of the pla<strong>in</strong> is dry and barren, with stunted<br />
gum-trees. A party met us when near the village, and a woman with a<br />
child on her shoulder, I suppose see<strong>in</strong>g me look tired, <strong>in</strong>sisted on my<br />
giv<strong>in</strong>g her my bag. I looked at the child, and wondered how she was go<strong>in</strong>g<br />
to manage, but that was soon arranged; she made the child sit on her left<br />
shoulder, hold<strong>in</strong>g her by the hair; then she took my bundle, and away she<br />
went. Some young men have come <strong>in</strong> from one of the districts we wish to<br />
visit, and I hope to keep them until we leave; it will be a help and of<br />
great value as an <strong>in</strong>troduction at this time of trouble. We are 1440 feet<br />
above sea-level.<br />
A fortnight ago there was a great wallaby hunt down at Moumiri, and<br />
natives from all the districts round were present. A native of<br />
Munikahila speared a man from Tabori, who died soon after, so now<br />
Makipili, Epakari, and Efari are said to have jo<strong>in</strong>ed on with Tabori, and<br />
unitedly mean to attack Munikahila. All the natives condemn the murder<br />
of the man, because of the time and place.<br />
31_st_.--Natives all excitement, expect<strong>in</strong>g Munikahila to be attacked.<br />
Every even<strong>in</strong>g the men go armed to Munikahila, and the women, children,<br />
dogs, and pigs to the bush. I am sorry our Ken<strong>in</strong>umu friends should<br />
consider it their duty to assist the murderers. The natives of the<br />
district to which the murdered man belonged are quietly bid<strong>in</strong>g their<br />
time, hunt<strong>in</strong>g wallaby close by us. The k<strong>in</strong>d woman who assisted me the<br />
other day has a son by her first husband liv<strong>in</strong>g at Ken<strong>in</strong>umu, and for a<br />
long time she has not seen him, he be<strong>in</strong>g afraid to come here. She knows<br />
that Maka was return<strong>in</strong>g yesterday, and felt sure her son would accompany<br />
him. When some distance from here, Maka fired a shot, to let us know he<br />
was com<strong>in</strong>g, to which we responded, assur<strong>in</strong>g him all was right. On<br />
hear<strong>in</strong>g the shot, the poor woman became quite excited, came and sat down<br />
by our fire, got up and got us firewood, sat down aga<strong>in</strong>, tell<strong>in</strong>g Kena to