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Chalmers, James, 1841-1901

"Adventures in New Guinea"

A tomahawk for a piece of sugar-cane would be throwing
money to the winds. We are E.N.E. from Moumiri.
17_th_.--Rather cold during the night. Five natives who slept in the
house with us kept a fire burning all night. A child sitting in front of
the house has a taro in one hand, a bamboo pipe in the other; takes a
bite of the taro, then a draw from the charged pipe, and the mixture
seems to be thoroughly relished. Feeling sure we should get carriers
here, we took no supplies with us, so are now eating the best we can get,
doing Banting to perfection. A number of men have been sitting all day
about the house making spears, the jawbone and tusks of the wild boar
being the only implements.
18_th_.--Thermometer at sunrise 70 degrees. A number of ugly painted and
feathered fellows came in this morning on their way to the village in the
valley. The people here are much darker than the coast tribes, and their
hair is woolly. Joe said on arriving here, "Hallo, these people same as
mine, hair just the same.


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