Part 10 (2/2)

On ordinary days we indulged in a variety of ga a form of ”rounders” I ht soft bark of the paper-tree, and stitched with gut We used a yam-stick to strike it with My native women attendants often joined in the fun, and our antics provided a vast airls taught me cricket, and in due tiame, but with little success We made the necessary bats and stumps out of hard acacia, which I cut doith my tomahawk The natives themselves, however,flat their waddies; and they soon became expert batsmen But unfortunately they failed to see why they should run after the ball, especially when they had knocked it a very great distance away Running about in this manner, they said, was only fit work for wonity Yamba and I fielded, but soon found ourselves unequal to the task, owing to the enormous distances we had to travel in search of the ball Therefore we soon abandoned the cricket, and took up football, which was very e football oose-skin stuffed with the paper bark; and in considering our gaear of any kind were quite unknown The great drawback of football, from the native point of vieas that it entailed so much exertion, which could be otherwise expended in a far ued that if they put the exertion requisite for a gah meat to last them fortheard to the abandoned cricket, they delighted in hitting the ball and in catching it--oh! they onderfully expert at this--but as to running after the ball, this was quite iirls showed , which I quickly picked up and soon becaht of the natives, who never tired of watching yrations I kept them in a constant state of wonder--commanded their respect and adirl, whilst her sister whistled an old fae circle arounddrums that I had made and presented to them The bodies of the drums were made from sections of trees which I found already hollowed out by the ants

These wonderful little insects would bore through and through the core of the trunk, leaving only the outer shell, which soon becaht and dry

I then scraped out with h inner part that remained, and stretched over the ends of each section a pair of the thinnest wallaby skins I could find; these skins were held taut by sinews froaroo I tried eood, as they soon became perforated when I scraped thelistening sea in the hope of sighting a passing sail One vessel actually caht into our bay froht back on the course she had coreyish-white, and of about fifty tons burden She was probably a Government vessel--possibly the _Claud Hamilton_, a South Australian revenue boat stationed at Port Darwin--as she flew the British ensign at the mast-head; whereas a pearler would have flown it at the peak The ht of that shi+p I am afraid we lost our heads We screamed aloud with excite branches and yelling like , luxuriant hair Unfortunately, the as against us, blowing from the WSW We were assisted in our frantic demonstration by quite a crowd of natives with branches; and I think it possible that, even if we had been seen, the people on the shi+p would have mistaken our efforts for a more hostile demonstration

When it was too late, and the shi+p alht, I suddenly realised that I hadthe blacks with irls been alone on the beach I feel sure the officers of the shi+p would have detected our white skins through their glasses But, indeed, we ether

There was a terrible scene when the supposed Government vessel turned back on her course and passed swiftly out of sight The girls threw themselves face doards on the beach, and ildly and hysterically in the very depths of violent despair I can never hope to tell you what a bitter and agonising experience it was--the abrupt change froht into our bay, to the despairing shock of beholding it turn away froirls in sun-bonnets--I advise the blacks--Fatal excitement--Last moments--The catastrophe--I cannot realise it--A fearful contrast--”Only a withered flower”--Bruno's grief--Steering by the ant-hills--Avoiding the forests--Myriads of rats--The flowing of the tide--Rats and the native children--Clouds of locusts--Fish frorew into months, and still ere apparently no nearer civilisation than ever Again and again we irls to reach Port Darwin overland; but, unfortunately, I had painted for them in such vivid colours the tortures of thirst which I had undergone on my journey towards Cape York, that they were always afraid to leave as now their hoo forth unprovided into the unknown Sometimes a fit of depression so acute would come over them, that they would shut themselves up in their room and not show themselves for a whole day

We had a very plentiful supply of food, but one thing the girls missed very much was ions We had a fairly good substitute, however, in a certain crea juice which we obtained froot used to it, we found excellent when used with the green corn The corn-patch was carefully fenced in froaroos, and otherwise taken care of; and I may here remark that I made forks and plates of wood for my fair corant eucalyptus leaves and grass for bedding For the cold nights there was a covering of skin rugs, with an overall quilt irls made themselves sun-bonnets out of palm-leaves; while their most fashi+onable costuly stitched together by Yaust we camped at a more sheltered spot, a little to the north, where there was a range of ar-loaf

I frequently acco expeditions, but did not use ain met so powerful an enemy as we had battled with on that memorable occasion My people were often victorious, but once or te got beaten by reason of the other side having drawn first blood My natives took their reverses with a very good grace, and were never very depressed or inclined to vieith less favour because of their want of success We were always the best of friends, and I even ventured gradually to wean them from cannibalism

I knew they ate hury, but because they hoped to acquire the additional valour of the warrior they were eating I therefore diplomatically pointed out to them that, in the first place, all kinds of dreadful diseases which the dead ht have had would certainly be communicated to thee epide anklets, bracelets, and other ornaments out of the dead braves' hair, they could acquire for themselves in a much more efficacious manner the valour and other estimable qualities of the departed warrior

Whilst I was on this subject I also advised thely and impressively never wantonly to attack white men, but rather to make friendly advances towards them I often wonder nohether explorers who follow in my track will notice the absence of cannibalism and the friendly overtures of the natives

Two half painful, half merry years, passed by We had seen several shi+ps passing out at sea, and on ht by previous lessons, had jumped into our canoe and pulled for irls watching us eagerly from the shore But it was always useless, and ere co accomplished our purpose; we merely inflicted additional pain on ourselves

I now come to what is possibly the most painful episode of my career, and one which I find it impossible to discuss, or write about, without very real pain Even at this distance of ti intoremorse which can never co my actions, ask me why I did not do this, or that, or the other In terrible crises I believe we become almost mechanical, and are not responsible for e do I have often thought that, apart fro has a will of its own

Well, one gloriously fine day we sighted a shi+p going very slowly across the gulf, several miles away Would to God we had never seen her! We were thrown, as usual, into a perfect frenzy of wild exciteirls dashed here and there like people possessed Of course, I deterirls at once expressed their intention of co with me I attempted earnestly to dissuade them from this, but they wept pitifully and iovernable longing to get away--the sah well fed and kindly treated, soars aithout a ainst ment, I let theu ready the canoe I rushed fro, i I pointed out to them that they could propel their catamarans faster than I could paddle my canoe; and I promised them that if I reached the shi+p I would send them presents froaily coloured cloths and gorgeous jewellery But they were only too ready to help me without any of these inducements; and in an incredibly short ti one or two men, put off from the shore in my wake and made directly towards the shi+p, whilst I struck off at a tangent so as to head her off I now see that without doubt we must have presented a very formidable appearance to the people on the vessel as we paddled over the sunlit seas, racing one another, yelling, and gesticulating like ht they were being attacked by a savage flotilla But in the exciteht Had I only left ht have been well Yahbourhood of the shi+p first

As we approached, the exciteirls was painful to witness

They could scarcely contain themselves for joy; and as I forcibly prevented the up in the frail canoe, they contented the the the vessel I was surprised to see the top-sail being hoisted, but, strange to say, the crew kept well out of sight This was easy to do, considering the spread of canvas She was not a Malay vessel, being decidedly of European rig She was only a small craft, of perhaps ten or fifteen tons, with onea main-sail and stay-sail, in addition to the top-sail that had been hoisted as we approached To us, however, she was a ”shi+p” We were now about one hundred and fifty yards away, and I suddenly leapt to my feet and coo-eed several times Still no one showed himself, and not a soul was visible on board My own joyful excitement speedily turned to heart-sickness, alarm, and even terror By this time the flotilla of catamarans was close behind me; and just as I was about to sit down and take to ain, so as to advance still closer to the vessel, the loud report of a gun was heard; and then--well, what followed next is exceedingly difficult for me to describe accurately Whether I ounded by the shot, or whether the girls suddenly stood up, causing me to lose h, I do not know

At any rate, I crashed heavily overboard in spite of Yaotten all about the shi+p, and was only conscious of Ya hted the canoe and climbed in as quickly as we could I think I was dazed and incapable of any coherent thought As I collapsed in the bottom of the canoe, I suddenly realised that Yairls, the girls! Where are they? Oh, where are they? Wewaves, and they never rose again

True, they were expert swimmers, but I suppose the terrible excitement, followed by the sudden shock, was too much for the to each other in the embrace of death

God knows best Perhaps it was better that He should take h the terrible years that followed