Mr. Chalmers sailed back to New Guinea to find a new home and new work at Port Moresby.
CHAPTER VI
KONE
PORT MORESBY is a village on the mainland of New Guinea. It lies to the north and west of the island of Suau. Here Mr. Chalmers made his new headquarters beside Mr. and Mrs. Lawes. Together they planned and began the working of a training-school that they might have New Guinean teachers.
Tamate used to say that to do Christ’s work in New Guinea one was needed to break up the ground, another to sow, and another to reap. Although during his lifetime he saw many of the fierce men of the islands won for Christ, and trying to live as He wishes men to live, still the greater part of his work was to break down the hatred and cruelty of the wildest tribes. So, though he had his house at Port Moresby, he was seldom there for any length of time.
On one of his voyages westward along the coast he sighted three canoes. The men in the canoes were waiting to trade with natives from the village of Namoa. When they saw Tamate they all went ashore and ate together on the beach. Still there was no sign of the Namoans.
“Why not walk to Namoa?” said one.
“Why not?”
“And Tamate will come too!”
He did not wish to go. He was on his way to a village farther west. But the others were very eager to have him with them, and he yielded. As they started he looked round doubtfully.