I did not believe they would touch me, but I feared
they meant mischief to Kabadi and the coast villages. No time could be
lost, as we were in a bad month for rain and storms, and the coast line
is long and bad. The natives said it was too late, yet I resolved to try
it.
On the 5th January, 1881, we opened the new church at Port Moresby, and
baptised the first three New Guinea converts. The church was crowded,
and all seemed interested. I arranged for Piri and his wife to accompany
me to the Gulf, they taking the whale-boat. We cannot call at Kabadi on
our way down, as we must hurry on, but our natives here were going to
Kabadi, and gladly took the news.
On January 10, the flag flying on the boat told all that we were to
start. Our leader ran off to Kaili last night, but Huakonio, one of the
three baptised on the 5th, was willing to go. Our boat's crew were
considered fools, rushing into the arms of death. Wives, children, and
friends were gathered round weeping. The men said, "Cannot you see that
if Tamate lives we shall live, and if he is murdered we shall be
murdered? It is all right; we are going with him, and you will see us
back all right with sago and betel-nuts.
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