They remained for some time near the
shore, getting all the news they could about us from the shore-folk; then
the leader amongst them stood up and caught his nose, and pointed to his
stomach--we doing the same. The large canoes went ashore, and the chief
came off to us in a small one. We gave him a present, which greatly
pleased him. After breakfast, we went ashore to hold a service with the
teachers. We met under a large tree, near their house. About six
hundred natives were about us, and all round outside of the crowd were
men armed with spears and clubs. Mr. McFarlane preached. When the first
hymn was being sung, a number of women and children got up and ran into
the bush. The service was short; at its close we sat down and sang
hymns, which seemed to amuse them greatly. The painted and armed men
were not at all pleasant-looking fellows.
At two in the morning (Monday), we weighed anchor and returned to Moresby
Island. The wind was very light, and we had to anchor at the entrance to
Fortescue Straits.
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