|
H. Wilfrid Walker - Wanderings Among South Sea Savages
would not go with me, and begged me not to go, saying, in a mixture of English and Spanish, "What will
your father, your sister, and your brother say to me when Buquil arrow make you dead?" Needless to say
I was not keen on stalking Buquils who were waiting for me with steel arrows in long grass, and, besides,
if I went with the gallant little nine hundred, I should miss my steamer. I never heard the result of that
fight, much as I should like to have known it. After the meeting had dispersed, we returned to the river
and rested. I bathed and took a swim in a big, deep pool under a huge tree, which was one mass of
beautiful white flowers. I have never enjoyed a swim more. Vic also took a wash, and to my great
surprise one of the Negritos proceeded to copy him, and as Vic soaped himself the Negrito tried to do the
same thing with a stone, with which he succeeded in getting rid of a great deal of dirt. It surprised and
amused the other Negritos, both men and women, who jeered and roared with laughter at the unusual
spectacle of a Negrito washing himself.
I signed to them to give our boy carrier a wash, as he seemed the noisiest of the party, and two men got
hold of him to duck him, but he seemed so terrified that I stopped them. The youngster evidently hated
me for the fright he had received, as later on when I made him a present of a silver ten-cent piece to
make up for his fright - this is a very handsome present for a Negrito - he threw it on the ground and
stamped his foot in anger. The Negritos shot several fish and large prawns with a special kind of long
pointed arrow; these we ate with our rice by the river side before returning. The night I stayed with my
old friend, the comic chief, I found him actually in tears and much cut up at the idea of his two sons
having to take part in the fight. I suppose it was compulsory for them to fight, but it appeared rather odd
to me that a chief should object to his sons taking part in a fight, as the Negritos are considered very
plucky fighters. The chief sent four Negritos to carry my things down to Florida Blanca. The following
day I started back to Manila, where I caught my steamer for the southern Philippines. Vic was much
distressed at my departure and shed many tears as I said good-bye to him, his grief being such that even a
handsome tip could not assuage it.
In the Jungles of Cannibal Papua.
CHAPTER 7. On the War-Trail in Cannibal Papua.
Expedition against the Doboduras - We hear reports about a Web-footed Tribe - Landing at the Mouth of
the Musa River - A Good Bag - Barigi River Reached - A Flight of Torres Straits Pigeons - A Tropical
Night Scene - Brilliant Rues of Tropical Fish - Arrival of Supplies - Prospects of a Stiff Fight - Landing
of the Force - Pigs Shot to Prevent them from being Cooked Alive - Novelty of Firearms - A Red Sunrise
- Beauty of the Forest - Enemies' War Cry First Heard - Rushing a Village - Revolting Relics of Cannibal
Feast - Doboduras eat their Enemies Alive - Method of Extracting the Brains - Extensive Looting - Firing
at the Enemies' Scouts - An Exciting Chase - When in Doubt Turn to the Right - Another Village Rushed
- Skirmishes with the Enemy - Relics of Cannibalism general in the Villages - Camp Formed at the
Largest Village - Capture of Prisoners - An "Object, Lesson" - Carriers ask Leave to Eat one of the Slain
- Arigita's Opinion - Cannibal Surroundings at our Supper - Expectation of a Night Attack.
We were three white men, Monckton was the resident magistrate, while Acland and I myself were
NON-OFFICIO members of the expedition, being friends of Monckton.
We had been some time at Cape Nelson, where the residency was, a lonely though beautiful spot on the
north-east coast of British New Guinea. Whilst here I had made good collections of birds and butterflies,
and had made expeditions into the surrounding and little known country, including the mountains at the
back, where no white man had yet been. And now (September 17th, 1902) we were off on a government
|
