In the summer of 1906, Öberg resigned from
Mongal for a new position at Mortlock Island
(Takuu Atoll or Marqueen Island) (fig. 3). He
describes his dissatisfaction with J. O. Mouton
& Co. since their relationship had become difficult,
Öberg stayed there until the following summer
of 1907, after which he became manager of
a trading station at Matamkabang, again for
E. E. Forsayth/Queen Emma, on the north
coast of New Britain (Neu Pommern). As he
puts it, this was “at the foot of a
fire bubbling volcano,” and he
had expected to be offered a different
103
job. The goods at the station
consisted mostly of beer, wine,
cognac, whiskey, schnapps, etc., and
were, according to Öberg, under no
circumstances to be sold to the native
population.32
In early 1908, Öberg took a job as
plantation manager on the Tasman
atoll (Nukumanu), again for Forsayth.
The atoll had been a copra
plantation for many years, and he
had often visited before. In addition
to his work, he spent time making
use of his nautical knowledge to survey
the atoll and draw a careful and
fine map, on which he made some
personal notations such as “native village” and
“my home” (fig. 34). A unique and previously
unnoticed finding among his surviving papers,
it is interesting to compare to the scientifically
recognized map made in 1910 by Ernst Sarfert.34
Also among these papers is a letter intended
for E. E. Forsayth at Ralum, dated 25 July 1908,
Tasman Plantation, with the headline “Labor
list.” It provides the name of deceased a individual
as well as those of forty-six native individuals,
also noting their original place of origin,
including Arawe, Talasea (both southern New
Britain), Buka (Solomon Islands), and New Ireland.
During the South Seas cruise of the writer
Jack London and his wife, Charmian, a call was
made to the atolls east of the Solomon Islands,
including Lord Howe (Ontong Java) and Tasman,
and in her book, The Log of the Snark,
Charmian recalls:
CARL WILHELM ÖBERG
FIG. 21 (above):
Lime container.
Admiralty Islands.
Photo © Bart van Bussel
FIG. 22 (right):
Admiralty Islands figure.
Photo © Bart van Bussel.
A description in the inventory list
was made as no. 26, which was most
likely intended for this figure, noted
as “Unmarried woman from the
Admiralty Island. The hair is now set
up, but when she marries, it is cut
off with shark teeth.”
could be found at Käwieng (Kavieng).
At nearby Kapsu, he mentions having
purchased various goods and materials
at the trading station, established and
run by Hernsheim & Co. His urge for
strong drink was not great, according to his
notes, but he had a great fondness for plenty of
tobacco and coffee.
Though years apart, Öberg made visits of various
lengths to family and friends in his Swedish
hometown. Sometimes, he wrote, he came
home as a happy sailor and had many exciting
adventures to relate, bringing gifts to family and
friends. Other times, he returned miserable after
malaria or other diseases and, notably on one
occasion, plundered of all of his belongings.30
On one of these return trips, while in London
he took the time to visit the Empire of India and
Ceylon Exhibition of 1896 at Earl’s Court. Later
he arrived at the port of Gothenburg, Sweden,
and made his way northward to Stora Skedvi by
train and by horse-drawn carriage.31 His return
to the Pacific was by ship from Gothenburg to
Bremerhaven, where he sometimes in advance
had made reservations with the Norddeutscher
Lloyd onboard their ocean liner to Australia. At
other times, he signed on as a sailor on a ship
heading to the Pacific.