Adventures in New Guinea James Chalmers

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but too excited to succeed. The women had shut themselves indoors with
the children, and the men had gone into the bush close by with their
weapons.
6_th_.--From Janara to Epakari there are several steep ridges to go up
and down, and the last ascent is truly steep. It took us three good
steady hours' walking and climbing to get to Karikatana, the first of six
villages in this district. Dawes and Stone were at a village, I believe,
on a ridge nearer to Port Moresby. The chief, Nikanivaipua, received us
graciously, and insisted on our taking his house. We paid off our
friends, and they departed well pleased. We received presents of cooked
food and smoked wallaby. They were prepared for us, having been shouted
to an hour before we arrived at the village by our friend Lohiamalaka.
The village looks to be in a fine healthy position, close to the west end
of the Astrolabe, the high bluff bearing N.E. They have plenty of all
kinds of food. We crossed from the Janara, a good-sized mountain torrent
flowing S.W. to Bootless Inlet. We are 700 feet high. High bluff of
Astrolabe, N.E.; Bootless Inlet, S.S.W.; peak of Astrolabe above Kaili,
E.S.E.
7_th_.--Our friend Lohiamalaka turned up again last evening; he did not
like leaving us. This morning he really set off, promising to visit us
at Port Moresby in October; that is, not this moon, nor the next, but the
one that follows. I asked for a little ginger to eat, and they have
brought it me in bundles. It is really good when green, with salt. A
large number of natives attended our service, and were truly orderly--not
a whisper, and during prayer every head bent. On the Astrolabe, the
other day, Lohiamalaka said he felt anxious for us in entering Janara.
Rua, through Kena, told him not to fear anything on our account, as the
Great Spirit was with us, and no harm could come near us. Last evening,
he was telling the people here of his fears, and what Rua said, "and how