Missions -- New Guinea; New Guinea -- Description and travel
It was five o'clock on January 12th before we got to Namoa, near Cape
Suckling. Maiva canoes passed with wallaby from Namoa. When ashore,
cooking breakfast, Koloko and her husband, with uncles and aunts, and men
and women from the village, came down. The two former were going to
Maiva, and the crowd followed to see them embark in one of the large
Maiva canoes. After the bamboo pipe had been passed all round, the
embarkation took place, men and women weeping as if taking a final
farewell.
When they had gone, we told the people we wished to sleep, and they left
us undisturbed. In the afternoon we came to Delena, where we had right
hearty welcome. They are truly glad we are going to Motumotu, as they
fear an attack, and hope our visit will benefit them. They feel sure
Motumotu will receive us well, and seeing that I specially visit them,
they say it will be all right. The crews feel encouraged, and are at
present ashore feasting on dugong, sago, and betel-nuts. Some have been
off for tobacco, and are now laughing at the folly of their friends. The
sorcerer is not in Delena; but even he would do nothing to prevent our
going on. We are all ready to start with a land breeze. The crews have
sent us word, "When you wish to start, call out; you will see us gladly
spring into the water."
On leaving Delena with a light breeze and pulling, we reached the Kaveri
beach near Cape Possession, about eight a.m. When near Maiva, we met a
Motumotu canoe. At first they were afraid to come alongside of us, but
after a little talk we got near them, exchanged presents, and were soon
friends. They seem glad we are going to their home; they say peace will
be arranged. The Motumotu have said that if we only were to visit them,
they would gladly make peace.
It seems that they are very badly off for _uros_ (earthenware pots), and
the native tribes along the coast to the west of them are crying out and
blaming them for the scarcity. They are certainly blaming the right
party; but for Motumotu, the Pari, Vapukori, Port Moresby, Boliapata, and
Boera trading canoes would all have been down the coast last season. The
principal man in the canoe, knowing that all, except our boatman, Bob
Samoa, had friends at Motumotu, made friends with him, rubbing noses and
handing his lime gourd, which is to be shown on arrival, and his father
and friends will receive Bob as his friends. They go on to Lolo in quest
of _uros_.
We landed to cook food. On awaking from a sleep, I was astonished to
find a crowd of natives close by, and my friend the Kaveri chief, Arana,
sitting near me. Two boys, who were on the beach fishing, seeing us
land, ran inland and reported, and he, with two of his wives carrying
food, followed by men and women from the villages, came down. His two
wives are now busy cooking, and he is trying to persuade me to call on
our return and get his present of sago and food. I could not promise,
and he seemed disappointed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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