CHAPTER FIFTEEN.
OUR ADVENTURES IN NEW GUINEA.
Next morning, at an early hour, the whole community was on foot. Themen came out, and sat themselves down on their platforms, where theybegan to smoke very curious pipes, made of a single piece of wood, withan upright stalk under the bowl, which either rested on the ground or ontheir knees. The tube was at right angles with this, and the bowlshaped like a cup on the top of the stalk, a knot of wood at the outerend of the tube serving to balance it. The women were seen going alongthe beach to the shore, or descending into the small canoes, weconcluded either to fish, or to collect limpets or other molluscs fromthe rocks for food. Not knowing exactly what to do, we got up and wereabout to follow them, when a shout from Prince Frizzlepate, as we nowcalled him (for he seemed to be the chief of this delectable community),reached our ears. He made signs to us that we were to take two of thecanoes and go into the bay to fish, as the women were doing.
"Dat bery good," observed Macco. "Me know how to catch more fish dandem."
We found a number of lines, with hooks made of the bones of birds, hungup in the house. When we offered to take them, Prince Frizzlepatenodded his permission. Macco also borrowed one of their knives, withwhich to cut some shell-fish from the rocks to serve as bait. We hadfortunately not consumed all our sago or fish; and these, hidden in ourpockets, we took with us, for our masters apparently had no intention ofproviding us with food. We quickly got the bait, and, guided by Macco--he being in one of the canoes, and Oliver and I in the other--we paddledoff to a point near where the women were fishing. Soon after we letdown our lines, Macco hauled up a fine fish. He caught double as manyas Oliver and I together.
We naturally talked of the possibility of making our escape in thecanoe; but where to go to was the difficulty. We saw also that we wereobserved from the huts, a large canoe being apparently kept ready tomake chase should we attempt to paddle off. After a little time, we atethe provisions we had brought with us, turning our backs towards theshore as we did so, for fear our masters might observe it. We werealready beginning to practise some of the arts of slaves. Having caughta good supply of fish, we paddled back towards the shore.
"I vote we land on the beach, instead of going back to those dirtyhuts," I observed. And Oliver agreed with me. Macco, however, seemedrather doubtful that we should bring down on our heads the displeasureof our masters. The women had landed some time before. Either the menwere sleeping, or they did not think it worth while to call us, and,reaching the beach, we landed and hauled up our canoes.
Oliver proposed that we should light a fire and cook some of our fish.A flame was soon produced by Macco, in his usual way, with two pieces ofbamboo; and we soon had our fish cooking before it. Having finished ourmeal, we walked a little way into the country. We had not gone far whenwe observed a small hut, raised from the ground, somewhat like those onthe beach. Near it, leaning on a bank, we saw a woman who appeared verylike the kind person who had brought us our provisions on the previousevening. She was stooping forward, with a small branch in her hand. Ongetting nearer, we saw that she was playing with a little child, who wasseated in a large bivalve shell full of water. It made a magnificentbath for the little black fellow, and it was larger even than the shellswe had found on our island, a magnificent, specimen of the _Tridacnagigas_. The woman was younger and far pleasanter-looking than most ofthe women in the huts.
"Yes, I am sure it is her," said Oliver, when we approached. She seemedsomewhat startled at seeing us, and instinctively lifted her little boyout of the bath, and held him, dripping as he was, in her arms. Thatdid not signify, however, as she was clothed in very scanty garments.We stopped short, not further to alarm her; and then, recoveringherself, she signed to us that we might come nearer. She pointed to thehuts on the beach, and seemed to intimate that we had better go back,lest the chief should be angry at our wandering about the shore withouthis leave. She then patted us on our heads, which we took to signifythat she wished us well. Of this, indeed, from her previous kindconduct, we had no doubt.
"We will give her some of our fish," I said. "It will show her that weare grateful to her for her kindness."
Macco, hearing my proposal, ran back to the boat, and returning withseveral fine fish, placed them at her feet. Having done this, wehurried back to the canoe, and paddled away to the huts. On climbing upthe ladders, we found that the men had been sleeping, which had been thereason, probably, we had been allowed so much liberty. As we werebringing the fish up to the platform, the chief awoke, and seemed wellpleased with our success, for he nodded his head, and graciously gaveeach of us a fish.
For two or three days we were sent out in the same manner, and each timeMacco was successful. We, however, discussed all sorts of plans formaking our escape; for although we were not especially ill-treated, weyet could not tell how soon the mood of our savage masters might change.
I was very anxious to see something of the interior. An opportunityarrived sooner than I had expected. Early one morning, the chief awokeus, and signified that he wanted us to attend him on shore. Itappeared, that having found us so useful as fishermen, he expected thatwe should be equally successful as hunters. Having put bows and arrowsinto our hands, he signified that we should attend him. About a dozenmen were collected together, armed also with bows and arrows and spears.On the ground were several baskets, and just as we were beginning tomarch, some of the men lifted them up, and, without asking our leave,strapped them on over our shoulders--an unmistakable hint that theyexpected us to carry them. I, feeling indignant at this proceeding, letthe basket drop; on which the chief, casting an angry glance at me, gaveme a blow across the shoulder with his spear, which made me feel sofaint that I nearly fell to the ground. My companions wisely took thehint, and, just as they were about to follow my example, re-secured thebaskets. I saw that there was no help for it; so, again lifting upmine, I followed the party as fast as I could.
"You see, Massa Walter," observed Macco, "dem can make us do what deylike, so no use cry out. `Grin and bear it,' as Potto Jumbo say to mebery often."
As we passed through the forest we caught sight of numerous beautifulbirds flying among the trees, and countless numbers of lovelybutterflies flitting to and fro, and beetles crawling over the grass orclimbing the trunks of the trees. "What would not Mr Hooker give to behere!" I could not help exclaiming.
I was going to put my foot on what I thought a large leaf, when I saw itsuddenly rise and spring forward. A little way on I saw anothercreature--for a creature it was--of the same description; and, lookingat it more narrowly, I saw that it was an enormous grasshopper. Thewing covers, which were fully nine inches across, were of a fine greencolour, looking exactly like one of the large shining leaves which hungfrom the trees above. The thorax was covered by a large triangularsheath of a horny nature. Its serrated edges, and a somewhat wavyhollow surface, with a line down the centre, made it also look very likea leaf. At a guess, for I could not measure it, I should say that itwas between two and three inches long. The body was short, but the legswere very long and strongly spined. It did not move very fast, so thatI could examine it easily. Though only at a very short distance, Icould not have distinguished it from the number of fallen leaves amongwhich it moved. Overhead were numbers of cockatoos, parrots, and otherbirds of gay plumage, while now and then we caught sight of abrush-turkey running along rapidly over the ground. Many of thebutterflies we saw were of magnificent size, and all richly adorned withthe most brilliant colours.
At length the savages stopped under some high trees with wide-spreadingbranches, though thinly clothed with leaves. Several of them thenascended, carrying with them bows, and a number of arrows with roundweighted heads, while each man also carried a large piece ofroughly-formed matting at his side. Ascending the trees, they stretchedout the matting across the branches, just above a convenient fork onwhich they took their seats. In a short time, as the sun was tingeingthe lofty
tops of the trees, we heard the well-known sound of "Wawk--wawk--wawk!--Wok--wok--wok!" Soon afterwards we caught sight of aflight of the most magnificent birds of paradise assembled on thebranches, and immediately they began the curious dance we had beforeseen, spreading out their brilliant feathers, which glittered likemasses of gold thread in the sunlight above our heads. The huntersmeantime lay hid under their palm-leaf shelter. Presently, one let flyan arrow, which stunned a bird, and it fell to the ground. Another andanother arrow was shot, few failing to bring down a bird. The lovelycreatures, unconscious of the fate of their companions, continued theirdance, seeming too much interested in themselves to think of the rest.At length an arrow whizzed by one of the birds, which it failed tostrike. This seemed to astonish the rest; and, looking about, itdiscovered one of the hunters. Immediately, with loud cries, the wholerose from the tree, and flew away with rapid wings from the spot. Thesavages then got down the tree to secure their prizes.
Satisfied with their success, they now took out some food, which theycommenced eating. Macco, as before, in spite of their angry looks,carried off a small portion for us and himself. As soon as their mealwas hastily concluded, they began cutting off the wings and feet of thebirds. When the skin was taken off the body, a stout stick was runthrough it, coming out at the mouth. Round this a number of leaves,were stuffed, and the skin was then wrapped up in a palm-spathe. I sawat once how it was that the legend of their having no wings or feet hadarisen. The beautiful flowing plumage appeared to great advantage, butthe body, by this process, was greatly reduced and shortened, and gave avery erroneous idea of the real shape of the bird. While speaking ofthe birds of paradise, I should like to describe the great variety whichexists. Those I have described are very different from the ordinarybird of paradise, with which ladies were accustomed to ornament theirhats and bonnets. That is a very beautiful little bird, but not to becompared to the Great Paradise bird, or the Red Paradise bird, or theKing Paradise bird, or, indeed, to several others which I saw broughtfrom various parts of New Guinea, or from the neighbouring islands. Oneof the most curious and beautiful is the Red Paradise bird, which issaid to be only found in the island of Waigiou. In the same island,another bird, called the Red Magnificent, is found.
The birds having been prepared for travelling, the savages now rousedthemselves, and signified to us that we must continue hunting. We keptclose to Macco, knowing that he was more likely to be successful than wewere. We urged him to try and get away from them, that we might be byourselves.
"But we get lost; we no find our way back," he answered.
"But I thought you were accustomed to your native forests, and that youcould easily find your way," I observed.
"Dis forest not like my forest," he answered. "I dere know de signs.Here bery different. I live here one year, two year, and den I find myway about."
"I thought you could find your way by instinct," I said, "through theforest."
"Macco not know what 'stinct mean," he answered. "Me know de signs onde trees, de way de rivers run or de streams run, where de mountainsare, where de sun rise, where de sun set. Den know de way."
However we managed, while our masters started off in one direction, totake an opposite one; and before long, as we moved cautiously throughthe wood, we caught sight of a cuscus. Macco was quickly up a tree, andsoon captured the poor beast. Not long after we came up with a treekangaroo, to which we gave chase. We caught him as we had done theother on our island, and had now two animals to take to our masters. Wehung them by their feet over a bamboo, and carried them along in thedirection we believed would lead to the coast. We had gone somedistance when we began to doubt whether we were going right. The forestwas far too thick to allow us to get a glimpse of the sea, by which wemight have guided our steps. At length, fatigued with carrying ourheavy burden, we stopped to rest. On a piece of fallen timber on whichwe sat, I observed some curious flies with slender bodies, andwonderfully long legs, which raised their bodies high above the surfaceon which they stood; but the remarkable thing about them was the largehorns which projected from below their eyes, very nearly as long as theanimals themselves, something in shape like the horns of a stag. Theireyes were violet and green, and the bodies and legs yellowish brown, andtheir horns black. We had been silent for some time, each of usoccupied in his own thoughts, when, looking up, we saw a long snoutedanimal approaching slowly and rubbing his nose into the soft ground ashe advanced. "Pig, pig," cried Macco, starting up and giving chase,spear in hand. The pig, however, was far too quick for him, more activeconsiderably than the cuscus or the tree kangaroo, and though Macco ranfast, piggy, who knew the country, ran faster; and in a short time Maccoreturned, somewhat crestfallen at his want of success. "If we killthree animals dey tink we great hunters," he exclaimed. "We look foranother piggy, and try cachy."
We now thought it time to continue our journey. We had not got far,however, when we heard shouts behind us, and turning round, we saw anumber of black fellows, their countenances expressive of rage, pursuingus with clubs uplifted. To fly through that jungle would have beenfolly, so we stopped and faced the savages. I fully believed from theirgestures that our last moments had arrived. They were within a dozenyards of us, and in another moment our brains would have been dashed outon the ground, when a cry was heard coming from one side, and in aninstant afterwards a young woman burst through the thicket, and threwherself between us and our enemies. We recognised her as the kindperson we had seen bathing her baby in the large shell. She held up abranch between us and the men, and appeared to be expostulatingearnestly with them. She used much gesture and spoke with vehemence.Gradually their countenances somewhat calmed, and their clubs, which hadbeen raised, slowly descended to the ground. As they stood leaning onthem she pointed to the animals we had killed. Macco had been watchingboth parties attentively.
"Dey tink we run away. She say no," he observed. "We take dem and givedem to her."
On this we lifted up the kangaroo and cuscus, which we had placed behindthe trunk of a tree, and exhibited them to the savages, laying themafterwards at the feet of the young female; I cannot say our fairfriend, for she was almost as dark as a sloe berry. We then lifted themup again, and inquired of her by signs what we were to do with them.She told us in the same dumb language that we were to accompany her, andpointing to the path up which we had come, she bade us go before,walking herself between us and the men, as if to protect us from them.We went on and on, and now found from the time we took to reach her hut,that we must have been going inland instead of towards the village onthe sea-shore. This naturally made the savages suppose we wereattempting to run away.
On arriving at the hut she again addressed the men, who thereon began tocut up the animals.
They carried away the whole of the cuscus and part of the kangaroo. Theother part we supposed she had claimed as her perquisite. She then madesigns to us that we were to remain. Who she was we could not tell, butwe concluded that she was a chief's daughter, or, at all events, aperson of great influence and probably of rank among them. As soon asthe men had gone, she lighted a fire and cooked the remaining part ofthe kangaroo, placing a savoury piece before us on some palm-leaves, towhich she added some well-made cakes of sago, far superior in flavour tothose we had manufactured.
She now signified to us that we were to build a hut for ourselves inwhich to pass the night, and took us to a spot where we found anabundance of bamboos, and the large palm leave? I have beforedescribed. She seemed much amused at our awkwardness in putting up thebuilding, and quickly set to work to show us the way, so that in a shorttime we had a comfortable little hut for a sleeping place.
"I wish we knew her name!" observed Oliver. "I have often read of actslike these, and of the way in which women have saved the lives of peopleas, I am sure, she has done ours. They are the same all the world over.We have now a proof of it."
We were in hopes that after this we should be employed entirely by thekind
lady, for lady she was in her look and manner, though she had butfew garments and no ornaments.
The next day, however, Prince Frizzlepate made his appearance, andordered us to go off fishing. She nodded to us as much as to tell usthat we had better do so, and accordingly we entered the canoes which wehad used before. We had even more than our usual success, and returnedwith a number of fine fish. On landing we took up the finest to ourfriend.
"I have thought of a name for her," I exclaimed, as we walked along. "Iremember reading of a Princess Serena of some island in the Pacific, andI doubt if she could have been more amiable than this lady; so I proposewe call her Princess Serena."
Oliver agreed with me. Macco only grinned. Probably he saw nothinglike a princess about her--only a kind-hearted girl, who had takencompassion on three unfortunate strangers.
We presented our fish in due form to the princess, and she graciouslyreceived them, being indeed highly pleased with the present. With theremainder we returned to our masters. They received the fish as amatter of course, not deigning in any way to thank us. Without askingtheir leave we slipped back into our canoes, and paddled away towardsthe hut of the princess. The men called after us, but we pretended notto hear them, and were soon afterwards seated round a fire roastingseveral fish we had lately caught.
For several days we were employed in the same manner. At length,however, the fish would not bite, or they had left the bay--at allevents, we caught but few. Each time we returned we were received withscowling looks by our masters; and it was very evident that though theirdisposition towards us had been far from amiable when we firstencountered them, it was now considerably worse.