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H. Wilfrid Walker - Wanderings Among South Sea Savages
good, man he very good." It can be imagined it must be really good, as the Papuan thinks a great deal of
pig. We had a good appetite for supper, in spite of the fact that we ate it within a few yards of a
half-burnt heap of human skulls and bones, which appeared quite fresh. Our various tribes were all
camped separately, and they looked very picturesque round their different camp fires, with their spears
stuck in the ground in their midst, their clubs and shields by their sides, and the firelight flickering upon
their wild-looking faces.
To our astonishment, our late man prisoner returned and said that his chief wished to see us that night. At
once there was a great commotion among our police and the Notus, who all spoke excitedly together, and
were unanimous that this implied treachery, and that behind the chief would come his men, who would
attack us unawares. We also learned that it was not their usual habit to make friendly visits at night.
Monckton thought the same, and told the man that if the chief or any of his people came near the camp
that night they would be shot. The man also informed us that all his tribe had returned; no doubt swift
messengers went after them to bring them back. The man went, and we waited expectantly for what
might happen. Everyone seemed certain that we should be attacked, and if so, we had a very poor chance
with from a thousand to fifteen hundred well-armed savages making a rush on us in the semi-darkness, as
there was no moon, and it was cloudy.
The enemy would rush up and close with our people, and while we should not be able to distinguish
friend from foe, we should not be able to fire in the darkness at close quarters. They could then spear and
club us at will. Now we had always heard that Papuans never attack at night, but the police and Notus
told us that these Doboduras nearly always attacked at night, and if we had known this before we should
most certainly have made ourselves a fortified camp outside the village. But it was too late to think of
this now, and we knew that we were in a very awkward position. The fact that they could gather together
so large a force as was alleged, was estimated by Monckton from the size of these villages, which
showed that they were a very powerful tribe.
The whole police force were put out on sentry duty, as also four or five Kaili-kailis who had been taught
at Cape Nelson to use a rifle.
CHAPTER 8. We Are Attacked By Night.
A Night Attack - A Little Mistake - Horrible Barbarities of the Doboduras - Eating a Man Alive - A
Sinister Warning - Saved by Rain - Daylight at Last - "Prudence the Better Part" - The Return - Welcome
by the Notus - "Orakaiba."
I was busily engaged in writing my notes of the day, with my rifle by my side, when suddenly a shot rang
out, followed by another and another, then a volley from all the sentries on one side of the camp, and the
darkness was lit up by the flashes of their rifles. Then came the thrilling war-cry, "Ooh-h-h-h! ah-h-h-h!"
that made one's blood run cold, especially under such surroundings. All the camp was now in the utmost
confusion, and there was a great panic among our carriers, who flung themselves on the ground yelling
with fear. Never was there such a fiendish noise! I sprang to my feet, flinging my note-book away and
picking up my rifle, and ran back to where Monckton was yelling out: "Fall in, fall in, for God's sake fall
in!"
Two houses were hastily set on fire, and instantly became furnaces which lit up the surroundings and the
tops of the tall coconut palms over-head, which even in this moment of danger appeared to me like a
glimpse of fairyland. I noticed a line of fire-sticks waving in the darkness outside. They seemed to be
slowly advancing, and in the excitement of the moment I mistook them for the enemy - and fired!
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