This old man, a few weeks before, at the close of a meeting at Port Moresby, said, addressing us—­

“Listen, you think we Motumotuans are not attending to your words; but you are mistaken.  Before you came here, we were always fighting and were a terror to all, east and west, but now it is different.  We are at peace all round; we go about unarmed, and sleep well at night.  Soon our fathers’ ancient customs will be given up, and you will see us, old and young, coming to be taught the word of the great and good Spirit.”

I was aroused about two a.m. by shouting, and, looking over the gunwale, saw a large double fighting canoe alongside of Piri’s boat, in which all were sound asleep.  On awaking, they were startled by the appearance.  They were asked by those on the bridge—­

“Who are you?”

“Tamate and Piri going to Motumotu.”

Soon all were friends, chewing betel-nut and smoking tobacco.  On each canoe with paddles were over thirty men, and on the bridge adjoining the canoes were armed men and a large supply of sago and betel-nuts.  They were going to Lese to purchase uros.  They came alongside of our boat, received and gave presents, and then an order was given by one from the bridge, and away they went at full speed.  It was a pretty sight in the moonlight to see the canoe move swiftly on, when nearly eight paddles as one touched the water.  We rolled ourselves up again for another hour or two’s sleep.

At sis a.m. we weighed anchor, and were off to Motumotu.  There was a great crowd on the beach; but it was all right, as boys and girls were to be seen there, as noisy as the grown-up folks.  A chief rushed into the water, and called on us to come.  “Come, with peace from afar; come, friends, and you will meet us as friends.”  We went round and entered the river in deep water, close to eastern bank near to the village.  Until we had a talk, I would allow none but Piri’s friend and my friends, Semese and Rahe, near the boats.  They had been told that we were going to fight if they visited us, and that all women and children were to be sent back to the Keiara, and the Keiari fighting men were to be in league with all the foreigners about.  Then they heard that I had been murdered, and were terribly sorry; but now they saw I was alive, and had come a long way in a “moon” in which neither they nor their forefathers had ever travelled.  So now they must make peace.

I said, “You must not again go near Kabadi, and all along the coast we must have peace.”

“It is right, we shall not again visit Kabadi.  Lealea feasted us with pigs, and pressed us to attack Kabadi, to pay off an old attack on them.  It suited us, because Kabadi thought themselves strong; but now it is peace.”