Imagini ale paginilor
PDF
ePub
[graphic][merged small][merged small][merged small]
[merged small][merged small][graphic][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

IN 1871 an attempt was made to occupy as mission stations several islands in Torres Straits, as a stepping-stone to New Guinea. The men selected for the work were Loyalty Islanders, a race allied to the Papuan. Messrs. Murray and Macfarlane landed teachers on Tauan, Erub, and Tut. Associated with the Rev. A. W. Murray, the writer spent two months in the latter part of 1872 in strengthening the mission in Torres Straits, and in inaugurating a mission on the mainland of New Guinea.

It was on September 22nd that we entered the "Inner Route," by Curtis's Channel, from the blue Pacific. On board the John Williams were thirteen teachers and their wives, designed for the islands in the Straits and for New Guinea. On October 11th we anchored at Somerset, and met with a kind reception from F. Jardine, Esq., the magistrate in charge. This station is occupied by five whites and a number of native police. An uninhabited house was assigned to Mr. Murray as a residence, this being a convenient spot from which to superintend the infant mission.

On the 17th we bade farewell to our friends in the mission bark and steamed for the Straits proper.

We anchored off Horn's Island amongst a number of pearl-diving boats. The water on the Great Barrier Reef (1,100 miles in length) is a light green. In many places one can see the coral wonders at the bottom. Torres Straits are about eighty miles across at the narrowest point. The ship-channel of this highway of nations is but five miles wide. It is usual to anchor at sunset, on account of the intricacy of the navigation. The multitudinous islets studding the Straits like so many emeralds, the dreamy haziness of the atmosphere, and the many marine marvels, powerfully affect the imagination. Kingfish in hot chase of prey sometimes leaped clean out of the water, three or four being captured at a time. Turtle, fast asleep, often floated past us. Seaserpents of many species and beautiful colours wriggled about on the glassy surface. They were usually six or seven feet in length, and are never eaten by the islanders, as they are supposed to be poisonous.

[ocr errors]

Anxious to obtain the assistance of "Joe," who as interpreter helped to introduce the teachers in 1871, we sailed in our little mission boat on the 17th of

October to the Prince of Wales's Island. We passed the rock where Gascoigne's vessel was dragged ashore, and all save one woman were massacred. When we saw on Muralug the scene of the more than ample revenge exacted by the whites, we wished the gospel had been earlier introduced to these dark places of the earth.

One side of the Prince of Wales's Island is abandoned to the pearl divers, whose store-ships were lying at anchor. We found Joe inhabiting a hut thatched with the leaves of a cycas. A number of these graceful palms, which yield a kind of sago, grow near the beach. The island is of great size, but very rocky and barren. Opposite to where we landed is Hammond's Island, recommended as a station for the water-police instead of Somerset.

hope that they may hereafter prove useful to shipwrecked mariners.

Most of the Straits islands are covered with a valuable tree, the Mimusops Kauki, the fruit of which is sweet and highly nutritious. In some islands the inhabitants subsist chiefly on it during one season of the year. The Mimusops grows on the mainland of the Greater and Lesser Daudai.

On the 25th of October we landed on Jervis's Island (Mapuagi), which is much smaller than the islands we had left. Its aspect is barren, despite a few cocoa-palms. The population, which is about 300, are all engaged in pearl-diving, but in consequence have unwisely ceased to cultivate the soil. They live in villages, one of which we inspected. These islanders have a very sinister expression of countenWith the kind consent of his employer, Joe ac- ance. Not many months since they tried to capture companied us on our missionary voyage. We spent a schooner, but were beaten off. A Scotchman in several days in Mooa (Mua) Pass, a narrow strait charge of the pearl-shelling business was half-dead between Batu and Mooa, both large islands, but at with dysentery. It was pleasant, some weeks later, the period of our visit burnt up by the sun. We to learn that "under God he owed his life to the landed several times on Mooa, or Banks's Island, to timely aid afforded him by Mr. Murray." The cause select a site for a mission station. Unfortunately the of the complaint was drinking unboiled the almost water is very bad, and the natives occupy only the putrid water of the island. Suffering greatly from interior and the weather side of the island. These thirst, we were almost driven to drink of the same people are noted for their cruelty to defenceless horrible pool. Throughout the Straits there is great whites, but are themselves fearfully oppressed by difficulty in procuring drinkable water. the men of Batu (Mulgrave's Island) and their allies, the Jervis Islanders. We eventually succeeded in stationing a teacher on Banks's Island. The main difficulty he will have to contend with is the vagrant habits of the natives. We advised him to cross over to Batu to see whether it be possible to do any good amongst a race who, like the aborigines of Australia, build no houses, and have no fixed place of abode. The motive for this bird-like mode of existence seems to be this-the Batu people live on fruits and roots growing spontaneously. They never plant; so that, like tramps, they are compelled to be continually on A white woman, the only survivor from Gascoigne's ship, was detained here in captivity until her death, which recently occurred. This reminded us of the romantic story of Giom (Mrs. Thomson), who lived amongst the Prince of Wales's Islanders four years and a half ere she effected her

the move.

escape.

A number of natives paid us a visit. They are perfectly black, and seemed to be a fierce, intractable race. One could sing an English song, learnt possibly from a white in charge of a "shelling" station here, who, finding the heat to be oppressive, goes about with only a shirt! Throughout the Straits the ears of the men are slit so as to hang like ear-drops; strings of "Job's tears (coix lachrymans) are attached. Necklaces of these light-blue seeds are often worn.

A fine pheasant (Leipoa ocellata), shot on Mooa, proved excellent eating. A large iguana ran up a tree opposite to the landing-place. Several venomous serpents were driven out of their hiding-place and killed in clearing a spot of ground for a hut. An alligator was seen in the freshwater pool about a mile distant.

To us, coming straight from the South Sea Islands, it seemed strange to see the large islands of the Straits without a cocoa-nut-tree on them, and that under a burning sun where the delicious water furnished by the young nut would be so acceptable. In sailing up the Inner Route, in the John Williams, we planted fifty cocoa-nuts on different islets, in the

We came upon an armed party in search of "treasure-trove." They were unsuccessful; it had been dug up and carried away by the shellers.

We saw a number of recent graves; two forked posts were set up at the head, and two at the feet. Sand was neatly piled over the dead, as with the last resting-places of the poor in country churchyards. The top was ornamented with dugong skulls and ribs; also some large helmet-shells (Cassis tuberosa). Altogether it was most tastefully done. The body only is permanently buried. The head is carefully preserved by the relatives as an object of affection and worship. Three skulls were hung up on one of the posts nearest to the shoulders of the deceased. They first desiccate the body. Eventually the mummy is buried, reserving the skull for worship; but in some cases the family suspend the mummy permanently, as at Erub and Mer. A male mummy was hanging in the mangroves close to the village to enable the relatives to see the deceased whenever so inclined. The Torres Straits Islanders hold feasts in honour of the dead, who are supposed spiritually to partake of the essence of these offerings. The rascally offerers, after entreating the good offices of the dead in consideration of these gifts, eat the food themselves, pretending that the essence is gone. Females take part in the mourning ceremonies, which are numerous and fantastic, but may not partake of the food. They fast and howl, and hide inside their huts, until the spirits for the nonce take their departure!

Large shells (Cymbia regia) are used for saucepans throughout the Straits islands. They have no pottery, like the natives of New Guinea. These shells are supported by stones, the family squatting all round to watch the stewing of octopi, or other fish.

From Cape York (inclusive) to the south-western coast of New Guinea, i.e., in all the islands of the Straits, the males are absolutely nude, but the females wear a sufficient covering of leaves from the waist to the knees. To this there is one bright exception, Murray Island.

One of the teachers volunteered for Jervis's Island. Happily it is exempt from fever and ague. The most

interesting thing on it is a devil-tree, or ancient ban- | Saibai warriors came over frequently to bully the yan, with large shells and dugong bones growing teachers and to rob their plantations. This was in into its trunk or suspended by rope-like tendrils consequence of a hint from Sauai "that he wished from lofty branches. Here was supposed to be the to be rid of the driftweed." The idea was to pick a home of a mighty spirit, whose favour it was desir- quarrel with the teachers, as a pretext for murdering able to propitiate by offerings. Under one side of them. These insults were meekly endured. Prothis immense tree is built the house of the shelling videntially at this juncture Lieutenant Chester touched at Tauan and heard of these things. He at once went over to Saibai and spoke to such purpose that the annoyances ceased.

master.

Shortly afterwards a child was born to one of the teachers. A happy thought occurred to the parents all-they would name it "Sauai," after the irate chief. The old man felt flattered. I have often seen him caressing the child most tenderly. Sometimes he would send his favourite wife with presents of food for the little one.

Touching at Kepara, or Two Brothers, for an interpreter (Mamut), we pressed on to Tauan, where we spent a week ashore. Tauan consists of one long hill, and is nine miles in circumference. The best water in the Straits is easily obtained here at seasons. We found six boats watering, and at the morning service were gratified with the attendance of forty Loyalty Islanders who are engaged in the shelling business. At midday a number of Saibai men sailed across the Strait in their splendid canoes (bought on New Guinea), and were nearly all of them present at the afternoon service.

On first stepping ashore on Tauan, I thought the island abounded with ducks; but the noise proved to be the croaking of frogs, a strange sound to one who had spent half his life in Polynesia. After making a visit of inspection to the mainland of New Guinea, we were left on this rock about four miles from the low and seemingly interminable coast of Daudai, awaiting the arrival of the "Viking." Sometimes one would sit for hours dreamily gazing at the unknown land, wondering at the secrets hidden in its bosom, and fondly hoping that a brighter day was about to dawn upon that dark country.

One day I unwittingly trod on the head of a whipsnake (Hoplocephalus coronoides) and crushed it. On another occasion Josaia's wife felt something cold crawling over her naked foot. She instantly leaped aside, and with a stick killed it. It was a whip-snake four feet long. We saw a large iguana, which is reckoned a delicacy by these islanders. A new and beautiful variety of star-fish abounds in the mud-flat facing the village.

We fell in with a magnificent bread-fruit-tree one day, but the lazy natives allow the fruit to drop, in order to save the trouble of climbing. Cocoa-palms are numerous. Everywhere amongst the boulders, which are scattered all over the island in wild confusion, grow thousands of nutmeg-trees. On their fruit the nutmeg-pigeon (Carpophaga luctuosa) feeds exclusively. This remarkable bird, which furnished us with several dinners, arrives from New Guinea for the purpose of breeding about the beginning of November, and leaves at the end of the rainy season, when its young are sufficiently strong. It is astonishing that so small a bird should be capable of swallowing the nutmeg entire-the mace being the real nutriment of the bird. At Tut the natives await the annual migration of these birds across the Straits, and kill numbers with sticks and stones. Even birds learn from experience, for of late years the host fly a short distance from the island to avoid their foes.

Sauai is chief of Tauan; his brother lord of Saibai. The former has six wives, or slaves. Some of them attended service, but on leaving, instead of going through the door, would slink off unperceived (as they imagined) through some distant open casement. Heathenism invariably degrades woman. One day Sauai's eldest son, about twenty-two years old, crossed over from Saibai. Already he has four wives.

On the departure of the missionaries last year,

[ocr errors]

The eldest daughter of Sauai was stolen away by a party of pearl-divers, who also robbed the plantations by open day. Of course these marauders were well armed. "But," remarked Sauai to us, as soon as the teachers settled here all these depredations ceased. Boats water and go away without stealing an article. My heart is soft towards the teachers, for they are a wall of defence to me and my people."

[graphic][merged small][merged small]
« ÎnapoiContinuă »