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Chalmers, James, 1841-1901

"Adventures in New Guinea"

After service we had all the children and young men to
school. A goodly number have got a pretty fair hold of letters. Some
would beat native cloth, and Kone grew very angry, and, because they
would not listen to him, threatened to pull up his recently buried child.
I sent word that he must on no account do that, and must say no more to
the men beating cloth; that by-and-by the people will become enlightened,
and then they will understand the Sabbath. Poor Kone's idea is that now
and at once they should understand.
On June 6th, I once more left Delena to proceed to Maiva, and, although a
heavy sea was running at the time, landed safely about eleven a.m. at
Miria's village, on the Maiva coast. I saw a number of people with
_karevas_ (long fighting sticks), and wondered what was the matter. I
said to my old friend Rua, who met me on the beach, "Are you going to
fight?" "No, no; it is all right now." I gave him a large axe for
Meauri and party to cut wood for a house at their village. Meauri and a
number of followers soon made their appearance: it seemed strange that
they should have come down so soon.


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