Another missionaries went (out) and bought a site for a house

It was decided that the Patons would settle at Port Resolution on the island of Tanna. First John Paton and another missionary went and bout a site for a house and church. The chiefs seemed to want the missionaries to live among them, but perhaps it was only to get things like axes, knives, fishhooks, blankets and clothing.

Hi,

For a start, is it better to insert "out" after "went" in the above to make the meaning clearer?

Secondly, does the bolded part in the above mean "but perhaps which was only for the purpose for the natives to get ...?" Thanks.