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       Two Years with the Natives in the Western Pacific

                               By

                       Dr. Felix Speiser

        With 40 illustrations from photographs and a map








PREFACE


This book is a collection of sketches written on lonely evenings
during my voyage; some of them have been published in daily papers,
and were so kindly received by the public as to encourage me to
issue them in book form. In order to retain the freshness of first
impressions, the original form has been but slightly changed, and
only so much ethnological detail has been added as will help to an
understanding of native life. The book does not pretend to give a
scientific description of the people of the New Hebrides; that will
appear later; it is meant simply to transmit some of the indelible
impressions the traveller was privileged to receive,--impressions
both stern and sweet. The author will be amply repaid if he succeeds
in giving the reader some slight idea of the charm and the terrors
of the islands. He will be proud if his words can convey a vision of
the incomparable beauty and peacefulness of the glittering lagoon,
and of the sublimity of the virgin forest; if the reader can divine
the charm of the native when gay and friendly, and his ferocity when
gloomy and hostile. I have set down some of the joys and some of the
hardships of an explorer's life; and I received so many kindnesses
from all the white colonists I met, that one great object of my
writing is to show my gratitude for their friendly help.

First of all, I would mention His Britannic Majesty's Resident,
Mr. Morton King, who followed my studies with the most sympathetic
interest, was my most hospitable host, and, I may venture to
say, my friend. I would name Mr. Colonna, Resident de France,
Judge Alexander in Port Vila, and Captain Harrowell; in Santo,
Rev. Father Bochu, the Messrs. Thomas, Mr. Fysh, Mr. Clapcott; in
Malo, Mr. M. Wells and Mr. Jacquier; in Vao, Rev. Father Jamond; in
Malekula, Rev. F. Paton, Rev. Jaffrays, Mr. Bird and Mr. Fleming;
in Ambrym, Rev. Dr. J. J. Bowie, Mr. Stevens, Mr. Decent; in
Pentecoste, Mr. Filmer; in Aoba, Mr. Albert and Rev. Grunling; in
Tanna, Rev. Macmillan and Dr. Nicholson; in Venua Lava, Mr. Choyer; in
Nitendi, Mr. Matthews. I am also indebted to the Anglican missionaries,
especially Rev. H. N. Drummond, and to Captain Sinker of the steam
yacht Southern Cross, to the supercargo and captains of the steamers
of Burns, Philp & Company. There are many more who assisted me in
various ways, often at the expense of their own comfort and interest,
and not the least of the impressions I took home with me is, that
nowhere can one find wider hospitality or friendlier helpfulness than
in these islands. This has helped me to forget so many things that
do not impress the traveller favourably.

If this book should come under the notice of any of these kind friends,
the author would be proud to think that they remember him as pleasantly
as he will recall all the friendship he received during his stay in
the New Hebrides.


BASLE, April 1913.





CONTENTS


    Chap.                                               Page
            Introduction                                  1
    I.      Noumea and Port Vila                         19
    II.     Maei, Tongoa, Epi and Malekula               28
    III.    The Segond Channel--Life on a Plantation     35
    IV.     Recruiting for Natives                       53
    V.      Vao                                          85
    VI.     Port Olry and a "Sing-Sing"                 109
    VII.    Santo                                       136
    VIII.   Santo (continued)--Pygmies                  161
    IX.     Santo (continued)--Pigs                     171
    X.      Climbing Santo Peak                         179
    XI.     Ambrym                                      191
    XII.    Pentecoste                                  224
    XIII.   Aoba                                        241
    XIV.    Loloway--Malo--The Banks Islands            250
    XV.     Tanna                                       270
    XVI.    The Santa Cruz Islands                      277





LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS


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