Adventures in New Guinea | Page 7

Piri is a strong, hearty fellow; the climate seems to
have had little effect on him. They remained some time on board, when
they went ashore in the vessel's boat--Piri taking the teachers and their
wives ashore with him. The wind was ahead, and too strong for the

canoe, so the men who came off in her with Mr. Lawes and Piri
remained on board the Bertha till midnight, when the wind abated.
When the boat was leaving, they shouted to Mr. Lawes to tell us not to
be afraid, as they would not steal anything. They remained quietly on
board till two a.m.
Mr. McFarlane and I went ashore in the morning. The country looked
bare and not at all inviting. This is now the most western mission
station on New Guinea proper. Piri has a very comfortable house, with
a plantation near to it. The chapel, built principally by himself and wife,
is small, but comfortable, and well suited for the climate. The children
meet in it for school. The village has a very dirty, tumbledown
appearance.
The widows of two teachers who died last year shortly after their
arrival in the mission were living with Piri. We took them on board,
with their things, to accompany us to the new mission. I returned
ashore with the boat to fetch away the remainder of the things and
teachers who were ashore, and when ready to return found the vessel
too far off to fetch her, so, after pulling for some time, we up sail and
away for Port Moresby. Piri and his wife came with us in their large
canoe. We saw several dugongs on the way, which some esteem extra
good food. Tom, one of the Loyalty Island teachers, who was in the
boat with us, expressed their edible qualities thus: "You know, sir, pig,
he good." "Yes, Tom, it is very good." "Ah, he no good; dugong, he
much good." It must be good when a native pronounces it to be better
than pork.
We arrived at Port Moresby about six o'clock. I cannot say I was much
charmed with the place, it had such a burnt-up, barren appearance.
Close to the village is a mangrove swamp, and the whole bay is
enclosed with high hills. At the back of the mission premises, and close
to them, is a large swampy place, which in wet weather is full of water.
There can be no doubt about Port Moresby being a very unhealthy
place. We went ashore for breakfast next day, and in the afternoon
visited the school; about forty children were present--an unusually large
number. Many of the children know the alphabet, and a few can spell

words of two or three letters. In walking through the village in the
afternoon we saw the women making their crockery pots, preparing for
the men's return from the Gulf, the next north-west season, with large
quantities of sago. We visited the graves of the teachers, which are kept
in good order. They are all enclosed by a good fence. Within the same
enclosure is one little grave that will bind New Guinea close to the
hearts of Mr. and Mrs. Lawes. Over them all may be written--"For
Christ's sake."
In returning from the graves, we met a man in mourning, whose wife
had been killed in a canoe by natives about Round Head. He and his
friends had resolved to retaliate, but through the influence of the
teachers they did not do so. The teachers from the villages to the east of
Port Moresby came in this afternoon, looking well and hearty. Some of
them have suffered a good deal from fever and ague, but are now
becoming acclimatized. The natives of the various villages are not now
afraid of one another, but accompany their teachers from place to place.
Men, women, and children smoke, and will do anything for tobacco.
The best present you can give them is tobacco; it is the one thing for
which they beg.
As it was decided that the vessel should not leave before Tuesday of the
next week, Mr. McFarlane and I took a trip inland. I was anxious to see
for myself if anything could be done for the natives living in the
mountains. Mr. Goldie, a naturalist, with his party, was about ten miles
inland. He himself had been at Port Moresby for some days, and, on
hearing of our plans, he joined us, and we proceeded first to his camp.
We left Port Moresby about half-past five on Thursday morning, and
crossed the low ground at the back of the mission house. We ascended
the hill which runs all along the coast in this district at a part about
three hundred feet high, and then descended into a great plain.