CHAPTER XI.
MR. CHALMERS' NARRATIVE.
Visit to Killerton Islands—The Juliade Islands—Reprisals for the Murder of Captain and Mrs. Webb—Colombier Point—Unsuccessful attempts to communicate with Natives—Hoisting the Union Jack at Moapa—Inland excursion to Koiari villages—Ascent of Mount Variata—Meet Mr. Forbes—Sogeri, Mr. Forbes' Station—Return to Port Moresby and Hula—Bentley Bay—Ascent of Mount Killerton—Illness of Sir Peter Scratchley—Character of the Coast—The Jabbering Islands—From Collingwood Bay to Cape Nelson—Mountains and Harbours—Departure of the "Blackall" for Australia—Illness of Sir Peter Scratchley—His Death—His Funeral.
HE closing scene of the expedition I was not privileged to witness, but by the great kindness of Mr. Chalmers I have been supplied with a full account of what occurred between my departure in the "Dart," on the 21st October, and the lamented death of Sir Peter Scratchley on the 29th of the following month. That I was spared this painful episode I am thankful. I give an abstract of Mr. Chalmers' narrative in his own words. It commences with an account of a visit to the Killerton Islands, on the 21st October, in consequence of a hostile attitude of the natives of Bon being reported. On the landing of the General and myself, Mr. Chalmers says, all the natives disappeared. Soon one old man, their chief, came out weeping bitterly, and explained the cause of his grief to be the refusal of his men to appear and show the friendliness with the white men and teachers, as they had no quarrel with them, but only with the natives of Barabara. I certainly believed in the sincerity of his professions, and subsequently walked over the largest of the group,
