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During the day I witnessed a very interesting ceremony, which I take the liberty of describing in Monckton's own words, given in his report to the Government. He says: "October 7th. Found that some of the mountain people had been out to Notu and wished to make peace with them.
Towards evening we landed at the spot where we had started inland last time against the Doboduras. Here we determined to camp. We immediately sent down to Notu for our carriers and the rest of the police, who arrived after dark, all seeming delighted and relieved to be with us once more.
A peace-offering was brought from the mountain people, which the Notu people asked me to receive for them. The ceremony was strange to me, and had several peculiar features. Two minor chiefs came to where I was sitting and sat down. About twenty men then approached and drove their spears into the ground in a circle with the butts all leaning inwards.
We were helped over by police on each side of us, who half dragged us across, otherwise we should have been washed off our legs, so great was the suction. I was very fond of these strong, plucky, good tempered and amusing Papuan police. In the evening we found ourselves back in the Notu villages, and were met by many Notus bearing coconuts, which they opened and handed to us.
We left very early the next morning in our whaleboat for the Kumusi River, but left all our carriers and stores with most of the police behind in one of the Notu villages to await our return, as we now felt sure that we could trust the Notu tribe. It was a hot and uneventful voyage.
That evening four Notu chiefs came into camp to thank us for killing their enemies, and they brought with them presents of dogs' teeth and shell necklaces, and seemed greatly excited, all talking at once, each trying to out-talk his fellows, and wagged their heads at us in turn.
The police had captured a middle-aged woman, whose face and part of her body were thickly plastered with clay. This was a sign of mourning. We learnt that she was a Notu woman, who had been captured some time previously by the Doboduras. She was much alarmed, and whined and beat her breasts, and caressed some of the police.
Further Expedition Planned Thank-offerings of Notu Chiefs The Voyage A Gigantic Flatfish Negotiating a Difficult Bar Moat Unhealthy Spot in New Guinea Hostility of Natives Precautions at Night Catching Ground Sharks and a "Groper" Shark-flesh a Delicacy to the Natives Wakened by a War Cry A False Alarm A Hairbreadth Escape Between "Devil and Deep Sea" Dangers of the Goldfield Two Miners Eaten Alive Unexpected Visit from a White Man "Where's that Razor?"
The next morning saw us up long before daybreak, and in the dim light we could see small groups of Notu warriors wending their way amid the tall coconuts in the direction of our camp, till about seventy of them had assembled. The sun soon rose above the sea a very red colour, and a superstitious person might have considered it an omen of bloodshed.
A little later some of the Notu tribe from further north arrived by canoe. They had again been raided by the Dobodura tribe, and many of them killed and captured. They said the enemy were very strong, and Monckton told us that it was more than likely that they could raise one thousand to fifteen hundred fighting men.
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