ends warned us against going too far away from the house.
After her arrival we were able to go about among the people again.

CHAPTER II. A FEW TRIP INCIDENTS.

Start eastwards from Heath Island--Naroopoo--Trading with Natives--Landing
at Roux Island--Interview with the Chief--The Man with the club--Effect
of a gunshot on the natives--Ellengowan Bay--Narrow Escape--The steam-
whistle useful--Attempt to go inland unsuccessful--Amazons--Women chief
instigators of quarrels--Toulon Island--The real "Amazons' Land"--How the
report arose--Cloudy Bay--Interview with the Chief--Sandbank Bay--A
hurried time--Dufaure Island--Attack on Mr. Chalmers by Aroma
natives--Defended by some of the natives--Attack due to evil conduct of
white men--Intentions of the natives--Heathen
customs--Pigs--Planting--Trading--Sickness.

The _Ellengowan_ had been thoroughly refitted at Sydney; and in the
spring of 1878, accompanied by my wife, I embarked on a cruise from east
to west along the south coast of New Guinea. The little steamer was
commanded by Captain Dudfield, and manned by an efficient native crew.
Communication was held with some two hundred villages, one hundred and
five were personally visited, and ninety for the first time by a white
man. Several bays, harbours, rivers, and islands were discovered and
named; the country between Meikle and Orangerie Bays, together with that
lying at the back of Kerepunu was explored, and the entire coast line
from Keppel Point to McFarlane Harbour, traversed on foot.

In travelling through a new country, it is impossible not to have many
experiences that may interest those at home, although to the traveller
they may seem of little moment. In May, 1878, I began my journeys on New
Guinea, in parts hereto unknown, and amongst tribes supposed to be
hostile. I resolved, come what might, to travel unarmed, trusting to Him
in whose work I was engaged, and feeling that no harm could come to me
while in His care.

On leaving Heath Island, we really began on new and little-known seas and
country, and we first anchored in a bay we called Inverary Bay. On
landing, we were met by a few men, the others coming out with goods and
chattels. We steamed round by the Leocadie, through what forms a good
harbour for small vessels, and over by the sandbanks in Catamaran Bay. We
called at Tanosina, to the east of the Leocadie, landing with caution, as
these people had been rather troublesome on our first