Part 8 (1/2)
The earliest news of the tragedy was given in the following letter from the Rev T Beswick, dated Thursday Island, Torres Straits, March 24th:--
On Friday, the 4th inst, Taria, our Hula teacher, left Port Moresby with Matatuhi, an inland teacher, the latter wishi+ng to visit the Kalo teacher for so of the 4th, Taria heard a rumour that the Kalo people intended to kill their teacher and his fa with Matatuhi, and requested the Kalo teacher and his family to leave at once The teacher refused to place credence in the rumour, and even questioned his chief and pretended friend, who assured hirain of truth in the ru Matatuhi behind On Monday, the 7th, Taria, along with five Hula boys, proceeded in a boat to Kalo and Kerepunu, with the view of bringing the teachers and their families to Hula, on account of the ill-health of some of the party He called at Kalo on the way thither, and apprised the teacher of his intention to call on the return journey At Kerepunu he took on board the teacher, his wife and two children, and one native youth The party then proceeded to Kalo During the interval of waiting there, the chief and pretended friend of the Kalo teacher got into the boat for a chat
On the arrival of Matatuhi and the Kalo teacher, along with his wife and two children, the chief stepped out of the boat This was the pre- arranged signal for attack to the crowds assembled on the bank At the outset, the chief warned his followers not to injure the Hula and Kerepunu boys; but such precaution did not prevent two of the for the river The mission party were so cooped up in the boat, and spears flew so thickly and fast, as to render resistance futile and escape impossible Taria resisted for a time, but a fourth spear put an end to his resistance The others were dispatched with little trouble A single spear slew both mother and babe in the case of both women The only bodies recovered were those of the Kerepunu teacher's wife and her babe; the natives of Hula and Kerepunu severally interred the two bodies The rest of the bodies becaators For the two Hula boys ere slain speedy compensation was made by the Kalo people The whale-boat, too, was recovered by the Hula natives
[A Hula girl: 167jpg]
The above sad intelligence reached Port Moresby at early morn of the 11th, just as the _Harriet_ was about to leave for Thursday Island, and the _Mayri_ about to takefor the East End The news, of course, upset all arrangements, and, after the first moments of excitement were over, our next concern was about the safety of the two Aroroundless forebodings of coe party of us left for Aroma About ten am of the 14th, we reached there, and whilst our three boats lay off a little, so as not to arouse suspicion, a teacher and ratitude I heard that both teachers and natives were ignorant of the massacre In less than an hour the two teachers and their fa along with theiven By these norance as to the cause of our erratic
At Kerepunu we experienced considerable noise and worry Here, too, we judged it prudent to re to the deceased teacher At Hula, s stolen were oods, until soe to say, at Hula, where we expected the least trouble and danger, there we had the greatest; indeed, on one or two occasions, affairs assumed a rather serious aspect The e of us in our weakness and sorrow After a very brief stay at Hula, we left there on the 15th, reaching Port Moresby the following day; and on the 17th I left for Thursday Island
The natives of Hood Bay attribute this massacre to the influence of Koapina, the Aronersas an illustration theout at the sareat fame that had thereby accrued to his own people The Kalo people have not been slow in acting upon his advice I visited Hula and Kerepunu within six weeks of theof the people in both places that I should have been glad to have re-occupied both stations immediately
I should have visited Kalo, but was afraid of co the mission, as it is possible the natives ether free from blas with the natives, and not over-careful in what they say; there has also, perhaps, soard to expense on our part A very few pounds spent at a station like Kalo in the first years would, I believe, prevent much trouble, and probably ot the most tobacco and tomahawks, and that their share was s all the thatch required for the other stations--only obtainable at Kalo--we got the teachers, with their boys, to get it We meant it well, to save expense My experience teaches me to throw all I can in the way of natives not connected with our head station At this station--Port Moresby--for the next few years the expenses will be considerable in buildings, laying out the land, and in presents to the constant strea and a civilizing effect upon a large extent of country
On the 24th of May, 1881, left Port Moresby in the _Mayri_, and, having taken on board four natives at Boera, continued a westerly course, anchoring next day in Hall Sound, opposite Delena Early on theof May 26th, Kone and Lavao, our old friends, ca to Maiva, as we cannot land; but we can go and see for ourselves, and they will accos and hand the, they led e, where I was astonished to find a fine tract of land for a splendid position for a house Kone at once offeredit over on board, I decided on building I landed tents, and pitched thee My experience is that places quite exposed to south-east wind are _a there were more deaths on the ard side of the island than on the leeward
On the Sunday after landing, ent down and had service in the village
Kone interpreted into Lolo When telling the people we had no work for the to be _helaka_ (sacred) to-morrow” I asked him, ”Come, Kone, how do you know?” ”Fro the Lord's Prayer in Motu, and found he had been taught by Piri The Motu tribe has already had great influence, and will haveclass of children, and hope, before we leave, they will know their letters well
What nonsense one could write of the reception here--such as ”Everybody at service thislistened attentively; commented on address or conversation; children all coly anxious to learn; and, altogether, prospects are bright” At ho converted; see the speedy triues, pure and si in the prospect of an unlimited supply of tobacco, beads, and tomahawks
Paura, a chief fro _helaka_ day, I could not meet hi felloith a mild, open countenance Kone told hiren, that, if they wished peace and friendshi+p, they o to thee a wooden house at Delena, hteen feet, material for which was easily procurable On the 30th of May, Queen Koloka, her husband, and a number of men and women came in The Prince Consort first came up, all over smiles, followed in half an hour by his wife andher, I presented Mrs Lawes's present I unloosed the parcel, and turnedbetel- nut, but that did not prevent , the front becath I succeeded, and, after fastening the dress, tied a pretty kerchief round the royal neck There was great excitement, in every mouth a thumb, a few moments of silence, and then every soul spoke and shouted It was a to see her husband, uncles, ather round the royal presence, wonder and admire, and then shout, _Oh misi haine O_! (Mrs Lawes) Ah, Koloka, I wonder how you are going to get out of that dress to-night; will you understand buttons, hooks, and eyes?
During my stay at Delena, one of those warlike incursions by hostile tribes so common in New Guinea took place My presence and influence happily brought about an early and satisfactory settle from my journal:--
_June_ 2_nd_--Our friends see earnestness is somewhat abated I find they have heard that the Lolo tribe intend reat hope is that we shall use our guns, and so frighten the invaders I tell them that we cannot do this; that we are hten any one It seeing Oa's death, and may soon be expected here
Maiva would not interfere with us, but Lolo I would not trust
We shall have to keep a good look-out to-night Our friends see that any one co near our camp must call out my name and his or her own No one can co, as , so their valuables to hide away in the bush Bob asks, ”Suppose Lolo natives come to us, e do?” ”Of course they will not come near to us unless they uns are ready It is not pleasant; but I fancy they will notwe are well cared for by Hiet to be known, and the purpose for which we co]
3_rd_--Last night I slept lightly, with Flora on watch, and Bob easily aroused After hts beyond tents on each side, and so arranged that the light would strike on any native nearing carandchild, goods, and chattels for safety The Loloans were coe At four, we called out for Kone, who ca us that we should be first disposed of, then Delena I went to the village, and saw the old friendly chief fro over the brow of the hill eapons we should consider as coht, and ere ready At five, wos, and asked for protection Certainly; we shall do e can for the arood look-out--and that we shall It is now daylight, so we do not care e So after Delena natives, rush uphill; arn theo to the village and fight I leave Bob with guns and cartridges to keep watch over camp I have more confidence in the skires to think I have coht I shout out _Maino_, and soon there is a hush in the terrible store, disarm one or two, and, on e, he whispers tohinize in him the man introduced to me on a former visit, and who in wrath cleared out froht be his time to pay me out
I take his weapons from him, link him on to me, and walk hi, and tell him we are _maino_, and warn hiht, he will stop the fighting I sit down to write this, when again they rush up forBob with are, and without my hat More canoes have arrived What a crowd of painted fiends! I get surrounded, and have no way of escape Sticks and spears rattle round I get a knock on the head, and a piece of stick falls on ets hold of me and walks me to outskirt Arua and Lauma of Lolo assure me they will not ascend the hill, and we had better not interfere with theht, friend; but you must stop, and on no account injure o are; but then we dare not stay here twenty-four hours after I can do lad I am able to mix with both parties; it shows they mean us no harm, and speaks well for the future No one was killed, but several were severely wounded, and a few houses destroyed
They have e with all; the Loloans have promised to be quiet I told the In the afternoon the chiefs came up, and I promised to visit them all My head aches a little Had I been killed, I alone should have been to blame, and not the natives The Delena natives say: ”Well, Tamate, had you not been here, one to Naara, never to return” There is soes
The next Sunday we had a splendid service All the young fellows dressed for it by painting their faces It was a to hear them interpret all I said from Motuan into Loloan; and when I attely pronounced orot a pretty fair hold of letters Sory, and, because they would not listen to him, threatened to pull up his recently buried child