Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Guinea. The praus had left this village a few months before, and among the murdered men
were the Rajah's son, and the relations or slaves of many of the inhabitants. The cry of lam-
entation that arose when the news arrived was most distressing. A score of women, who had
lost husbands, brothers, sons, or more distant relatives, set up at once the most dismal
shrieks and groans and wailings, which continued at intervals till late at night; and as the
chief houses in the village were crowded together round that which I occupied, our situation
was anything but agreeable.
It seems that the village where the attack took place (nearly opposite the small island of
Lakahia) is known to be dangerous, and the vessels had only gone there a few days before to
buy some tripang. The crew were living on shore, the praus being in a small river close by,
and they were attacked and murdered in the day-time while bargaining with the Papuans.
The six men who survived were on board the praus, and escaped by at once getting into the
small boat and rowing out to sea.
This south-west part of New Guinea, known to the native traders as 'Papua Kowiyee' and
'Papua Onen,' is inhabited by the most treacherous and bloodthirsty tribes. It is in these dis-
tricts that the commanders and portions of the crews of many of the early discovery ships
were murdered, and scarcely a year now passes but some lives are lost. The Goram and
Ceram traders are themselves generally inoffensive; they are well acquainted with the char-
acter of these natives, and are not likely to provoke an attack by any insults or open attempt
at robbery or imposition. They are accustomed to visit the same places every year, and the
natives can have no fear of them, as may be alleged in excuse for their attacks on
Europeans. In other extensive districts inhabited by the same Papuan races, such as Mysol,
Salwatty, Waigiou, and some parts of the adjacent coast, the people have taken the first step
in civilization, owing probably to the settlement of traders of mixed breed among them, and
for many years no such attacks have taken place. On the south-west coast, and in the large
island of Jobie, however, the natives are in a very barbarous condition, and take every op-
portunity of robbery and murder,—a habit which is confirmed by the impunity they experi-
ence, owing to the vast extent of wild mountain and forest country forbidding all pursuit or
attempt at punishment. In the very same village, four years before, more than fifty Goram
men were murdered; and as these savages obtain an immense booty in the praus and all their
appurtenances, it is to be feared that such attacks will continue to be made at intervals as
long as traders visit the same spots and attempt no retaliation. Punishment could only be in-
flicted on these people by very arbitrary measures, such as by obtaining possession of some
of the chiefs by stratagem, and rendering them responsible for the capture of the murderers
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