We reached Port Moresby on the 20th, and on March 6th we baptized Kohu and Rahela, the first two women of New Guinea converted to Christianity.  May they be kept as true ministering women for Christ!

CHAPTER V. THE KALO MASSACRE.

Twelve teachers and their friends killed at Kalo in 1881—­The warning—­The massacre—­The fear for the teachers at Koma—­Mr. Chalmers’s views on the question—­Voyage westwards in the Mayri—­A Sunday at Delena—­Visit of Queen Koloka—­Threatened attack by Lolo natives—­The fight—­Peace—­Miria’s village—­Bad character of the Motu natives—­Visit to the chief of Motu Lavao—­Story of Dr. Thorngren’s murder—­Peace made with the village.

On the 7th of March, 1881, the natives of Kalo, a village at the head of Hood Bay, near the mouth of the Kemp Welch River, massacred their teacher, Anederea, with his wife and two children; also Materua, teacher of Kerepunu, his wife and two children; Taria, teacher of Hula; Matatuhi, an inland teacher; and two Hula boys—­in all, twelve persons.

The earliest news of the tragedy was given in the following letter from the Rev. T. Beswick, dated Thursday Island, Torres Straits, March 24th:—­

On Friday, the 4th inst., Taria, our Hula teacher, left Port Moresby with Matatuhi, an inland teacher, the latter wishing to visit the Kalo teacher for some native medicine.  Reaching Hula on the evening of the 4th, Taria heard a rumour that the Kalo people intended to kill their teacher and his family.  Accordingly he went thither the following day, along with Matatuhi, and requested the Kalo teacher and his family to leave at once.  The teacher refused to place credence in the rumour, and even questioned his chief and pretended friend, who assured him that there was not the slightest grain of truth in the rumour.

The Hula teacher returned, leaving Matatuhi behind.  On Monday, the 7th, Taria, along with five Hula boys, proceeded in a boat to Kalo and Kerepunu, with the view of bringing the teachers and their families to Hula, on account of the ill-health of some of the party.  He called at Kalo on the way thither, and apprised the teacher of his intention to call on the return journey.  At Kerepunu he took on board the teacher, his wife and two children, and one native youth.  The party then proceeded to Kalo.  During the interval of waiting there, the chief and pretended friend of the Kalo teacher got into the boat for a chat.  On the arrival of Matatuhi and the Kalo teacher, along with his wife and two children, the chief stepped out of the boat.  This was the pre- arranged signal for attack to the crowds assembled on the bank.  At the outset, the chief warned his followers not to injure the Hula and Kerepunu boys; but such precaution did not prevent two of the former being killed.  The other four boys escaped by swimming the river.  The mission party were so cooped