James Chalmers, His Autobiography and Letters [Ed.] by R. Lovett (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1902. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER IX LIFE AND WORK AT MOTUMOTU For some time after his return to New Guinea Chalmers remained at Port Moresby with his old friends Mr. and Mrs. Lawes. He had returned more enthusiastic than ever in the prosecution of his plan to extend the mission westwards up into the Gulf of Papua and among the strong tribes of Elema and Namau. The death in 1887 of the brave young Samoan teacher whom he had stationed some years before at Motumotu, or, as it should more correctly be called, Toaripix, was a great blow to him personally, and a serious hindrance to the work. Tauraki, the teacher in question, was the son of Elikana, a native of Rakaanga, one of the islands of the Penrhyn Group. This man, in a series of adventures among the most romantic and striking in the history of the Pacific, was the agent in introducing Christianity into the Ellice Islands 2. Tauraki, his son, had been educated at Malua in Samoa, sent to New Guinea, and duly stationed at Toaripi. Chalmers, in a letter dated September 28, 1887, tells the story of his end, and in so doing adds another to the long series of examples of the self 1 Toaripi is the native name, Motumotu the name given to it by the Port Moresby natives. 1 See my History of the London Missionary Society, vol. i, pp. 422-449. sacrificing bravery of the Polynesian teachers in New Guinea: -- Tauraki, who was murdered, his wife and child and ten natives, left their homes one Sunday night about ten o'clock, and went down some distance to an island just at the mouth of a river, and slept there, so as to be ready for an early start in the morning. They wished to ascend the river, and collect the bulb used in making the best arrowroot. Monday and Tuesday were spent in collecting this bulb. They returned down the river on Tuesday aft...