I explained that we were great chiefs who had lost our way; that our ship had sunk and that we desired to go to the Government station on the other side of the range. If the men would guide us there, I said, the Government would give them any amount of treasure—salt, tobacco, knives and tomahawks, calico cloth.
The interpreter spoke to the others. They seemed dissatisfied, but they came out of the brush into the clearing and we were able to see them.
“Marky,” I said, “we’ve got to keep our eyes skinned; these seem to be Koiroros, and they’re among the worst cannibals in New Guinea. Probably they’ve never seen white men before up here; it’s all unexplored country.”
“Do you suppose we shall be eat?” asked the Marquis.
“Not necessarily. Cannibals aren’t always eating other people. We may be able to make friends and get them to guide us.”
With a view to this, I collected any little trifles we could spare—a tin match-box, a silk tie, a small penknife—and offered them to the tallest man, who seemed, by his demeanor, to be something of a chief.
He was a splendidly made fellow, quite naked save for a bark waist-cloth, and all hung over with shell and dog’s tooth ornaments. I looked anxiously for any trade beads in his jewelry, but didn’t see any, nor had any of the party steel knives or tomahawks. They were armed, besides the spears, with stone-headed clubs and long daggers made of human thigh-bone. It seemed plain that they had had no dealings with civilized men; and this was so much the worse for us.
The chief seemed pleased with the gifts, and said something to the man who could speak Mambare. It appeared that he wanted us to come to his village, which was only a little way off. He said that he would give us guides; but I noticed that he looked at the ground as he spoke and did not face us.
“We had better go,” I told the Marquis. “I don’t like making friends with natives as a rule; nine times out of ten it’s a mistake—but want of tucker gives us no choice. We’ll try and get carriers there, and some yams to take us on.”
The way proved to be very much longer than we expected, but, tired as we both were, the sight of the village aroused us when it came into view. It was certainly one of the strangest things I had seen, even in strange New Guinea.