CHAPTER X.
SOUTH COAST.
I had never been west of South Cape, but had often had a desire to visit Port Moresby. Finding that a vessel was leaving Samarai in a few days for that place, I decided to embrace the opportunity, as I should not like to leave New Guinea without having visited it. We passed "Kerepunu" and "Hula," two native towns built in the sea, and did not anchor until we reached Moapa, Aroma district.
This latter is the largest and most important district to the westward.
Here I was introduced to the celebrated chief "Koepina."
He can place 4,000 fighting men in the field at a few hours' notice. He is an old man, very tall and erect, with a Roman nose, austere looking, and seldom speaks, but like the renowned parrot, "is a devil to think."
Strange to say, in this district and to the west of it the men are absolutely nude, while the women wear the customary grass petticoat.
All the villages have a high palisade fence facing the sea, and extending the whole length of the beach. This acts as a break-wind.
Koepina frequently makes a raid on tribes in the adjoining districts and generally returns successful. The natives of this part speak the Motu language. I spent some time on shore and visited several of the villages.