“Oli kam, oli kam,” Hillary shouted towards the far end of the forest. “Ol nes long hausik kam long skelim ol pikinini.” Everyone come, everyone come. The hospital nurse is here to weigh the babies.

The nurse and helpers unpacked boxes from the boat and set up the clinic.

One by one and from a number of directions the people emerged from the forest, approaching the team to shake hands. We began the clinic with 25 mothers and 40 children.

Only a few wore clothes, most of them were half-naked wearing only grass skirts. The children were not bathed or dressed. But nursing ethics teaches us not to criticise or judge but to treat and give health education with humility and try to feel how others feel.

“We, the Purailing people, have seven different languages,” some youths from the village who knew Tok Pisin told us. “Six languages are different and no other villages can speak or understand them. We communicate using the one common language.

“Though we look like nomads, we are God’s chosen people looking after his treasure here on earth,” they went on. “We have our own religion and way of worshiping.

“That mountain is called Andewa. It is a city and that’s where we originated. We walk into the bush and disappear back to the city. At the back of the mountain, there is a cave. Inside are an altar, a priest’s white robe, a chalice and a holy communion on top of the chalice with a bible at the side on the altar.

“The place is holy and is always kept clean by unknown people. No one has reached that place. It is guarded by a steep cliff.”

As the youth spoke, a rain cloud started to form and the nearby creek began to rise. “OK, I will finish now as there are signs telling me to stop the topic,” he said. He shook hands and left.

Hilary our skipper continued with the story.

“During mining exploration for gold and copper at Mt Andewa, a helicopter flew back after dropping off the prospectors. As the chopper headed back to Kimbe, after flying for few minutes the pilot sighted a town.

“The pilot circled the chopper down to have a better view. Houses were neatly lined along the street and there were cars on the road and people moving on the streets in and out of shops.

“The chopper flew on but, when it came back later, the pilot could no longer spot the town. It should have been at the same position according to his GPS, but nothing could be seen.”

This story is widely known to surrounding communities and remains a mystery.