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Chalmers, James, 1841-1901

"Adventures in New Guinea"

" They are scarcely so dark. A few are bright-
coloured, but all have the woolly hair. A goodly number suffer from
sores on feet and other parts of body. Their one want is a tomahawk. The
people seem to live in families. We had a good supper of taro and
cockatoo, the latter rather tough.
19_th_.--The carriers have not yet arrived. In the evening a woman
shouted and yelled; all rushed to their spears, and there was great
running, snorting, and blowing at some imaginary enemy. After the chief
came in, we lay about the fire for some time; then to our blankets. I
was beginning to nod, when some women in a neighbouring house began
giggling and laughing. Our friend wakened up and began talking. I told
him to sleep; he answered, _Kuku mahuta_, (Smoke, then sleep). He had
his smoke, and then began reciting. I remember, as a youth, being told,
when I could not sleep, to repeat a psalm or paraphrase, or count one
hundred to myself, and I should soon drop off. This fellow repeated
aloud and he must have been going over the mythologic lore of his family
for very many generations, and yet he did not sleep.


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