MOTUAN GIRL
Captain Fielden, who had been on Lord Hampden’s staff in Australia, and had been persuaded by Murray to come back with Sir George for a holiday, took it into his head to come and see me off. The day and the ship arrived: I started off in the Custom’s boat, in the face of a strong south-easter; the boat shipped a lot of water, and Fielden complained about it. “Bail out the water,” I said to the coxswain, who was a smooth-water sailor. That worthy promptly pulled the plug out of the bottom of the boat, in order to let the water run out. I did not notice what he was doing, until the boat was half full, and then the plug was lost. Accordingly, we completed our journey with a man sitting in the bottom holding his thumb in the hole, Fielden protesting all the time that we ought to turn back. I knew better, however; for I felt convinced that if I missed that steamer and returned, something would turn up to find a new job for me, and therefore cost me my leave. I have not seen Fielden again from that day to this; but when I returned from leave, Ballantine told me he had growled that I had done my best to drown him and a boat’s crew.
The day before I left Port Moresby, a full parade of the constabulary was ordered by the Governor, for the presentation of medals to Sergeant Sefa and Corporal Kimai, these two men having been recommended by Sir William MacGregor to the Home Authorities as deserving of it. Sir George Le Hunte presented the medals: then, to the amazement of the assembled officers, he also presented one to the officer at that time in command; the medal having a bar with “Tugere” stamped upon it, Sir William MacGregor’s fight with the Dutch natives in the west. Sir George (who of course had not been present at the fight) had himself recommended the Commandant for it. The medals had originally been authorized by the Home Authorities, and were only to be granted for “good conduct” on the part of a private, or some act of conspicuous gallantry on the part of an officer; and it was the sole reward that any officer or private could expect to receive, and was intended by Sir William MacGregor to be a very high one. Sir George Le Hunte, by his hasty though kindly-meant action in granting it unearned, brought it into contempt: no officer afterwards ever recommended a man for the medal; and upon this officer’s wearing it in South Africa, the War Office compelled the Colonial Office to order its recall as unauthorized. In this way was lost the only decoration to which the New Guinea Constabulary could aspire.
On my return to Port Moresby, I busied myself with preparations for the new Division; Sir George, with his usual kindness, putting me up at Government House. He told me that during my absence the Merrie England had visited Cape Nelson, and that he had selected a site for the new Station. “You will have your work cut out for you at first,” he remarked; “the people are as wild as hawks, and carry spears twelve feet long.” Another time he said, “I have made up my mind that before I leave this country, the north-east coast shall be as orderly and safe as any other portion of the Possession. I trust you to make it so.”
I went to Barton, who was now Commandant, about my police. I had asked for, and been allotted, ten men; but after looking through them and finding that they were mainly recruits—and poor ones at that—I pointed out that I had a tall order on hand and wanted the best of trained men. “His Excellency thinks that it is better for you to recruit your own men on the north-east coast,” said Barton; “anyhow, these are the best I can do for you.” “It is insanity for Monckton to recruit his own men on the north-east coast,” said Judge Winter when he heard of the plan; “it will be the Tamata business over again.” Barton then said that, as he could not spare the best of the police, he would give me fifteen men instead of ten, mainly recruits, but including Keke, Poruta, and one other of my old Mekeo men. I got my men detailed, and set Keke and Sara (the corporal) to work, to lick them into shape as quickly as possible. I then found, that recently the constabulary had been increased in strength; but, as for a considerable time no new rifles had been bought, they were very badly armed with old and worn-out Sniders. Barton said an experimental lot of Martinis had been ordered from England, but would not arrive for some time. I examined each man’s rifle separately, and groaned over them all. “I may have fifteen privates,” I then said to Barton, “but after they have been in action for ten minutes, I guarantee I won’t have more than half of them able to fire their rifles.” Eventually Barton gave me an order to the Headquarters’ Officer for a dozen condemned rifles, from which I could take parts as I wanted them, with which to mend my rubbish. The ammunition supplied to me was apparently sufficient in quantity, and I thought of even quality. Government Store had, however, run out of rifle oil; but I managed to cadge a little cylinder oil from the engineers of the Merrie England; we afterwards made oil from pig’s fat, and stinking stuff it was; but it answered the purpose in the tropics.
At last I was ready; and on the 1st June, 1900, the Merrie England pushed her way through a mass of canoes, full of howling men, women, and children, wailing for their relations in the constabulary, whom they thought they were never to see again. Arriving at Cape Nelson, my three months’ stores, men, etc., were landed; a flagstaff was then erected, the Station ensign hoisted, the men of the detachment presented arms to the Governor, and, dipping her flag, away sailed the Merrie England, leaving us in the midst of a howling mob of excited natives.
SIR G. LE HUNTE PRESENTING MEDALS TO SERGEANT SEFA AND CORPORAL KIMAI
