NEW GUINEA.

Inangahua Times, Volume X, Issue 1521, 20 March 1885, Page 2

NEW GUINEA.

• V It was msv intiji-ion to make this trip in onr new mission yaiiiil i.f iittei-n Ol" twenty ttin.-s, which W..< are iiHiidin^ in tin 1 Papuan industrial school hen*. bU as it is not y» t ready for .^a, and this beinj; thfl l >ost sf:is) i of t'le year for crmsinj; in tin? mifcuvvoyed waters of t!u« P>ipmn (fulf, I decided to star; in our little Venture, registered four and tli/ef 1 q'wrter tons, which has rendered sndi ,u T ()"il service daiiti^ the last two y j ars. Sin 1 is a in,'^e-r Imiit of IL'ht di-aiulit, whii-li «v i>n:\:!r.ise<l f>r thirty ponnds, re-l>oftnm^?, re ma«t>-l, and 'fitted f.>r wo-.-k. Wh koop h»-r C(i-ißt:i:it!v rniiiti'ij: about ainoi.^sr: our in ih»" \vo-it'*rn '>i mcli at' New (JllIMO' liiissl-.in, :»!!fl Sil»* i.=l kiIOSVH 1)V all tho natives, ai.ci rr-y;;ir.!<<l a nif-s .-a i,'orofpp.icf. AfLi'itlioioii^ls'iv repiiri .^, ami painting the littl-; craft, ti in.r'te her as safe and comf.irtabV as |»os3:i)'p \v loaded her with supplies for th ■ missinn st;ition-=, hail a m«st interesting ; vale<lietory service with th<* two new i teachers appoiuted to the Fly Riv«*r i from oiu 1 Papuan BOiuTnury. and left 'Murray Island on the Bth NovctnU-r ;-with a fair f'vsh l>n t z>* for Dan. lev, which we reached alter a six hours' .' }>?issa«:i\ and were I propased spending ; t.lfi Salih-itli. This islaiul is likely to i become of pv<at i«>»noria-'C« c^ the Papuan Giiii opens up to roiu- ; njfiu'e, It, is situated in a \vyy centra! ! , position for cominiini.catinn with the ; wliole jr»lf between the F*lv Riv.-v and Hall Sound, with a fair wind each way ; during both inot.soonß, has go<>d I ain:l)ora<jt\ plenty of «ood waMr ; is fertile and healthy, and contains -mt a scanty pojujlation. 'he passage for I all vessels passing through Torres i Strait lies between it and Brauible jßty. It is e;!sy of access for the 1 ir- ! L'^pt shif-P. within bo:iti«i.«r distance of i Tlinisdav I?la;!<t, :«nd mako a jood (Irpot and sin-itoi mm for the (Julf trade. Already there are sis bt'che-de-nier fishing stations estanlished there ; yet these very advantages for a comini'ivial centre iviuler it lea^ suitable than the in i 1 : island of Muriiiy j fur the educational centre of our mis sion. Mnrniv has for U3 ail the ad Vfintasjes of IXirnley,. wifli the addi tion;il one of neiiiv' a little out, of the track of vessels, and surrounded by e.-ts. wiiidi secures to us comparative' qr.i.-tiuss in our work. We have. .^retore, decided to ni kj Mu/i'i; !h penii-inent centre a d si i I'.r-m 1 f our rapidly-exienuit^ mission;., t.f P.sy;;an G"i:-

A L >vf- y .^»-rr-«»-4NT» m S Qt>r.. Hi) a:t .'i'ival sit D.irufc-v. we werft m>-t by nl! '-he uuivrs .-infJ tile 3ont!l S -a Ha- d >;s who li3lop:j to tlie b»«chf-U'-nn r ti-ihisn; sti f io'i9 there. Aftfr" oif eVi-ui 11^ !ii *i' "v-» lay o i th-? 2 *'* en liwn ii f :<■ it of the teacher's hon*e oi> tin 1 lii!!. und^v tlm sh?»<Io v or' cocoft'jMt pal 'up. with a m-iguifici'iit view of suiu'l island and extensive reefs before m. -<i roil n I which tie crestOv4 wave wore rollijis and thundering, and and throwing theimel* es in wiM fury against the cjuhp of their oHslnictioM with tremendous force ; then with a loml c -v. tlicy f'li broken and tsX "i.. v , ilu ._;. " 'fi 10 sfttsM^*?!!".!, so indes-erib-ibly beautiful in these parts, wns throwing its golden rays upon tho dancing waves. Hiding primatic beauty to the si'euc ; and long ere we had finished our conversation upon matters ?o. .rial (fur we have to adjudicate upon | :i!l sorts of q/iestirvis liulv), the mnn | had cam* 1 fo!i,!i " like a fair shepherdess I with her full fl>ck of stars."' forming fi-iother beautiful picture. It was on« of tlios- meetings long to Imj rmne.in-t't-i-^d, and yet tint very night is ! perli-ips 9 pretiy fair sample of | missionary iife, and, indeed, o: all i inninn life*, f>r it has a dark s de. Affor writing a coupip nf letters I sM'ctc-hed myself upon a raised platform i i the teacher's house, hoping t>t dream ; of my happy home and family faraway ; i hit n'*< ! foi 1 our hopes and dreams. ; Tli ere aiv> jj-eater antmyances than ; n'osiuitcs in most of these gi*ass j houses, especially whern, as in this ; c-t^e, t lcre is a find tlv>r. I was -\tj tacked nn nil R-de« Iv th" 1 vtrions , little pesla, and obliged to get up,. h^lit tho lasnp. tike oJf my eiiKMt-s, tun them inside out, and shake off tV-se native rompmions. I dare not I.- on the gpis* outside, owing to tho li?avy dew. There was no escape ; so 1 I d e',v my «ock3 over my trmißpr*. i»utt"!!".-| up my coat, and endeavoured to kc»"i them on the outside : l»;it all my eilnis wtre in vain. Like the s■• i.»!, p-Titit ai. and re'igious flaaa t i it a'inoy and worry us in our daily 1 iV, I was kept in a purgatory all n ;^ ; if. These sort of nights and thos« sp'-nt in onr little Veuturo, whan a ifliMred off a uivary part of the \\n in ! 1a 1 !■■.! ooa<t where mosquitoes a'v.ni'.d. and tho ni*w!!t is d>n°k. rainy aid s i!tt v. ohii^ing you eit'rer to stt rr.i tle-'k I'lifl.T an uliihrell-i, or lie on the !r.?k»T s!i«*lf helow, where there i^ only f»ir inches clear space 1-etween i ynr nose and the d«vk,av-d to get in • ai-.d out of whirh berth is qni c a work ; of ait — and then to be devoured by mosquitoes — theee are the Fort of ' lik'htf « lien one really Ix-jins to think ::hont t : -!> hardships of missionary life. Hut i: i? all forgotten next day in t!)« brigiit .-J'uisiii-e and excitement of viiiti;^ S''ii;«> vi'!:ip».