They
appeared quite friendly, and free from shyness. They brought their
curios to barter for beads, red cloth, and the much-valued hoop-iron. The
whole country looked productive and beautiful. After breakfast, we went
ashore, and were led through swampy ground to see the water. On our
return to the shore, we went in search of a position for the mission
settlement, but could not get one far enough away from the swamp, so we
took the boat and sailed a mile or two nearer the Cape, where we found an
excellent position near a river. Mr. McFarlane obtained a fine new house
for the teachers, in which they are to remain till they get a house
built. We took all the teachers' goods ashore, which the natives helped
to carry to the house. One man, who considered himself well dressed,
kept near us all day. He had a pair of trousers, minus a leg: he
fastened the body of the trousers round his head, and let the leg fall
gracefully down his back.
On the following morning, two large canoes--twenty paddles in each--came
in from somewhere about Milne Bay.
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