On the 5th January, 1881, we opened the new church at Port Moresby, and baptised the first three New Guinea converts. The church was crowded, and all seemed interested. I arranged for Piri and his wife to accompany me to the Gulf, they taking the whale-boat. We cannot call at Kabadi on our way down, as we must hurry on, but our natives here were going to Kabadi, and gladly took the news.
On January 10, the flag flying on the boat told all that we were to start. Our leader ran off to Kaili last night, but Huakonio, one of the three baptised on the 5th, was willing to go. Our boat’s crew were considered fools, rushing into the arms of death. Wives, children, and friends were gathered round weeping. The men said, “Cannot you see that if Tamate lives we shall live, and if he is murdered we shall be murdered? It is all right; we are going with him, and you will see us back all right with sago and betel-nuts.” Huakonio told me in the boat that every means imaginable but physical force were used to prevent their accompanying me; and he added, “We know it is all right; the Spirit that has watched over you in the past” (naming the various journeys) “will do so now; and if we return safe, won’t the people be ashamed?”
We left Port Moresby about nine a.m. with a light
head wind; outside found the current very strong, setting easterly. We arrived at Boera at four p.m., and found Piri and his wife ready to start at once. Piri has a Boera crew, and we increased ours here by two. Here the natives did not seem at all afraid, and many wished to accompany us.
On leaving Boera, it was a beautiful clear and moonlight night, and there was a light land breeze. Pulling brought us to Varivara Islands, in Redscar Bay, about two a.m., where we anchored until six when we tried to make Cape Suckling. As it was blowing hard from the north-west, we had to put into Manumanu. The Motu traders did all they could to persuade us to give up Motumotu, and to visit Kabadi. Both crews would gladly have given up; their friends told them to leave us, and return in the trading canoes. They came to me to say “the bad weather has set in, the winds and rains are here, we cannot go on.”
I replied, “Think, my children, of the disgrace. We started to go to Motumotu, and at the first breath of contrary wind we put back. It must not be. Let us try it a little longer, and if the wind increases we can put back, and not feel ashamed.”
“You are right,” they rejoined; “we will go on with you.”
At sunset we all got into our boats, and were ready for a start. A fellow who has just returned from Kabadi thought to get over me by saying, “Tamate,
Kabadi are looking daily for you, and they have a large present ready; feathers in abundance and sago; your two boats cannot take half.”
“I am going to Motumotu, and not all the feathers in Kabadi, nor all the sago they can prepare, will turn me now, until I have made a fair trial, and then, if driven back, I will visit Kabadi.”