PACIFIC ISLAND DIARIES WITH CHARLES BETTERIDGE “Queen Emma” in 19th Century . Part 2.

n the last episode, Emma Coe and her partner Thomas Farrell, had left Samoa Iin late 1878 and settled on Mioko Island in The Duke of York Island group midway between and in New Guinea. It was from Mioko Island that they were to start a large trading empire.

Mioko, which the Farrells chose as their home, is within sight of New Britain and New Ireland. The Duke of York group are in the centre of a vast region of big and lit- tle islands, of palm-shaded beaches, fertile coastland and plateaus, jungle-clad moun- tains, shining seas and swift rivers. It looked The trading station and ship supply depot of Thomas Farrell and like an earthly paradise; but the questing Emma Coe on Mioko Island, 1881 Europeans of the 1870’s, trying to settle into them. Both went armed with revolvers, al- this area, found that socially it more nearly The natives, bounteously supplied by nature, ways. resembled hell. wanted of life little more than they had – ex- cept protein. If they could capture a stranger, By arrangements with Godeffroys, a German The jungles of the New Britain mainland white or black, and get him into their primi- brig from Samoa met the Farrells at Mioko, swarmed with a Melanesian people rated tive kitchens, they were well satisfied. It and provided them with goods and equip- then, among the most ferocious and treach- was noticed that whenever a choice had to ment. Thus they were able to erect build- erous cannibals known. If the stranger es- be made, for culinary purposes, between the ings of native materials, stock a trade-store, caped the axes, spears, clubs and cooking- Europeans and their native crew-men, the and put a handy little cutter, the Lelea, into fires of the prowling natives, he inevitably dark-skinned bodies were preferred. The commission, all in a short time. The German collected one or other of the virulent local cannibals said the white-skinned meat was brig had also brought Emma’s brother, John diseases - malaria, dysentery, or well-nigh ill-favoured. Coe, then aged 20, and three Samoans, two incurable tropical ulcers. Despite appalling risks, the traders came in of them married, who became trusted serv- ants and station staff. Fijian sailors joined Behind the cannibals and diseases there was increasing numbers, for the trade was lucra- them later. a terrifying line of smoking and often bel- tive. The natives developed a great desire lowing volcanoes. This line actually extends for beads, red cloth, mirrors, knives and to- Farrell himself went straight into trading and from the East Indies (Indonesia), eastward bacco. The Godeffroy men, as they had done recruiting, and soon was competing actively along the north coasts of New Guinea and already in Samoa, showed them how to dry with the Godeffroy and Hernsheim men. New Britain, and on into what then was un- coconut kernel and make copra, and this the Early in 1879, shortly after their arrival, he known and forbidding Bougainville. medium of exchange. One palm-frond car- rying-basket would contain from three to left for Samoa with a shipload of labourers for the German plantations there. His part- When Emma took her first long look at east- twelve pounds of very dirty copra and the ner (Emma), with equal energy, attacked ern New Britain, about 1878, there was not rate of exchange was one thimble-full of the problems of organising a household, a a dozen Europeans domiciled in the whole coloured beads for one pound of copra. trading station, a supply of fresh food, and region. There were four emaciated Wes- security. Emma found no difficulty in direct- leyan missionaries (who had been led into The traders also sought tortoiseshell, pearl ing trading operations; but her Coe vision the merciless place by the Reverend George shell, candle-nuts, and the bark of the “fow- reached far beyond the raw little trading Brown in 1875), and five or six other traders bash tree” which was taken to Europe and station, to the exciting possibilities in those who hovered off the coasts in little schoon- made into paper. A trader could hire a na- wild fertile plains around Blanche Bay, over ers and sought tortoiseshell, pearl shell, rare tive boatman for a stick of tobacco, or a clay there on the Gazelle Peninsula. She knew woods and the allegedly aphrodisiacal sea- pipe, per day. There were 28 sticks of twist why the Germans had planted coconuts in slug, beche-de-mer, eagerly sought for mar- in one pound of tobacco. Samoa. But even Emma was staggered by kets in China. They were always liable to the tales of brutality, murder and treachery a sudden attack from the natives and when It scarcely seemed an environment to be which reached her, as she came closer to they were killed, they usually were eaten. sought by a handsome, cultured, ambitious young woman. But Emma knew where she terms with her scattered white neighbours. Two or three Godeffroy traders already were was going and welcomed the opportunity. Emma had seen unclothed folk in many there in 1876, with a small schooner, and a She and Farrell were experienced traders Pacific islands, but none like these in New head station in Mioko. That same year an- and sailors, Emma by now having become a Guinea. They were completely naked, and so other merchant from Hamburg, Edward confident navigator. They were accustomed dirty that they stank. Their skin was covered Hernsheim, arrived in The Duke of Yorks to handling difficult island natives, but these with the scaly disease –grille – peculiar to and established a trading station in Makada in the New Britain area were something that area, and their teeth were stained black Harbour. quite new, and they did not underestimate with betel-nut and lime, which they chewed 2828 October - November 07 DUNOON AND DISTRICT GAZETTE October/November 2011 her most trusted friends from The incident had stirred up all the local her earlier days, villagers, and the missionaries and traders the Reverend were in grave danger. Taleli, having settled George Brown, the missionaries, then set out after the who had teacher’s wives and children but a Godeffroy sheltered her in trader, got them away just as the cannibals Savaii in 1864, were actually creeping upon them, and and who had handed them over to Brown. As a reprisal the tried to guide Europeans went out in two punitive parties her in 1873. In on April 18, 1878. the tempestuous years since 1869, The avengers had moved in so quickly that her contacts with the natives had no time to prepare their usual clergymen – and defence – the spear-pits at the entrances to the clergywomen villages, cleverly camouflaged with leaves The European graveyard at Mioko Island, 1898 - had not been and branches on top and with spear-heads friendly. But she, and needle-sharp bamboo splinters at the constantly. The women carried the burdens, like most people bottom, waiting to impale those incautious while the men, darting suspicious glances who knew him, admired and revered Brown, enough to fall into them. The punitive parties in every direction, never let their spears or whose tolerance of sinners and readiness to got right into the villages and burned the clubs or stone axes out of their hands. Emma sacrifice himself for others placed him high houses to the ground, destroyed gardens and knew their reputation. She and her brother in the Pacific’s list of honoured Christian canoes, and shot at least a dozen natives. It kept their hands on their pistols. missionaries. He had always been the trusted was real 19th century justice, and understood friend and adviser of Emma’s father, and of by both parties. Only a few weeks earlier, the explorer, Wil- her husband, James Forsayth. fred Powell, ran his ketch, Star of the East, up Brown had other horrors, apart from on a beach of Utuan Island, for repairs, and Mr. Brown spoke optimistically of his work recalcitrant natives, to warn Emma about. wandered into the scrub by himself, examin- among the incredible savages of that area, The bad fever of the area was, in most ing plants. Suddenly he was confronted by a (New Britain), but warned her to go always respects, even more dangerous than the chief and three or four men, who obviously armed and guarded. There was no law, he told local cannibals. He warned her to keep planned to catch him. Revolver in hand, he her. She was liable to be seized at anytime by away from the swamps and never sleep on began to trot backwards, down to the track. primitive men from the jungle, who would damp ground. Malaria was believed then The chief followed, his spear at the ready. eat her, and by “civilized” men, from the to be carried in a miasma that came out of trading ships, who would make another use wet, rotting vegetation. They knew quinine Powell tripped and fell, and the chief ran of her body. Brown told Emma of an incident as a cure, in 1879, but had not yet learned in for the kill. Powell tried to shoot, and in April, 1878, where he sent a Fijian the source of malaria- of how the tireless his weapon misfired. He diverted the next ordained minister, and three Fijian teachers Anopheles mosquito carried the malaria spear with his hand, which was grievously to establish teaching-posts in villages on the parasite from one person to another. And this wounded. It looked like the end of Mr. tablelands beyond Simpsomhaven (across is what Emma Coe walked into, a life among Powell, when Rover intervened. Powell the harbour, opposite to where Rabaul now cannibals, murderers, and deadly diseases. carried three big dogs with him on the ketch, stands). Because they trusted a notable and and his favourite, Rover, had followed him powerful chief, Taleli, Brown directed the Note: Mioko Island, in the Duke of York up the track. Before the next spear thrust party to go in from Ratavul, Taleli’s village Island group, is approximately 3 km long came, Rover had seized the chief’s ankle. on the north shore of Mother-and-Daughter and 2 km wide at its widest point and has a The chief screamed, and struck at Rover, but peninsula. small but wonderful protective harbour at its the dog dodged and while the natives were southern end – shaped like a fish-hook. It is thus diverted, Powell sprang up and ran and On what they afterwards discovered were at this harbour where Emma and Farrell set got onto the beach. His companion came Taleli’s orders, the party of four were up their first trading post. running from the boat with a musket, and put ambushed and murdered, and their bodies the natives to flight. cut up and distributed among the cannibal To be continued... villages of that district. “They had no arms Powell later sent an appeal across the Channel (guns), and no chance,” the missionary told to Nodup, on the New Britain shore, and his Emma.” It was a horrible massacre. One died friend, Chief Torotoru, came over with a from a spear, driven through his back to his party of warriors, and hunted the murderous chest. Another was clubbed to death and a Utuans until they paid a fine of 100 fathoms third dodged and fought with his bare hands, of diwara, the native currency of the day, but fell with many spears in his body. The made of shells ground into flat discs and last Fijian, fought like a lion. He grabbed •Martin C’s Print Shop• strung on pandanus fibre. The natives on the an unloaded fowling-piece from one of the City Printing ~ Country Service Duke of York and Mioko islands were not savages, and used it as a club, and got away More than 25 years experience in quality printing at very competitive prices. regarded as very dangerous, but Emma knew from them. He ran to Taleli’s village, for - Pick up & delivery - that these Utuans were a constant menace. protection...he did not guess that Taleli had phone or drop in for friendly advice ordered the massacre. Taleli beheaded him, Ph: 6622 3111, Fax: 6622 2474 A few days later, Emma had a visit from one of and divided his body between the villages. 111 Dawson Street, Lismore October/November 2011 DUNOON AND DISTRICT GAZETTE October-November 0729 29