Part 24 (1/2)
Occasionally black boys have thewith the best intentions A beche-de-mer schooner sadly in need of a coat of paint, ran into a northern port and brought up alongside a similar but tidy craft, which at the time was laid up In obedience to natural curiosity the captain went on board the idle vessel and had a good look over her, paced off some of her di he brought out a quantity of black paint hich a friend who had taken pity of the weather-beaten condition of his vessel had presented hiin work Then he went ashore, spending ahis friends just before dinner a chu
He replied, ”Oh, before I left I set them to work to paint the shi+p”
”Do you knohat shi+p they are painting?” asked the friend ”Yes! I ao and see how they are getting on” He went, and found all hands e vessel They had in excess of industry covered one of her neat white sides co juht her It was an expensive blunder, and a practical lesson in the chee quantity of white paint had to be bought to smother the black coat, and another lot of black paint for his ooe-begone craft
PRIDE OF RACE
”Harry” was a splendid specient, proud of superior abilities, prouder of his style In his time he played ay shi+rt, tight white littering spurs A bullock driver, when his costume would be more subdued, but when he would be fully equipped, even to the chirpy phrases in which working bullocks are accustorant black, when his attire would be nothing at all in ca the town But in all of his characters he had an unconstrained conte them In the part of a bullock-driver he drew up his teaer shouted--”Don't want that load here, Harry! You tak 'em to back store
You savee?” The ”savee” touched Harry's dignity ”What for you say savee? You take me for a blurry China the race ”Polly,” in her own estihtily before her uncultured cousins Looking across to the mainland beach one day, she said--”White more fixedly, and with all possible disdain in her tones--”No; only nigger!”
Nearly all civilised blacks have exalted opinions of theinal bowler, of Sydney, wanted to join the Australian Natives' association, and on being black-balled said--”Those fellows, Australian natives! My people were leading people in Australia when their people were supping porridge in Scotland or digging potatoes in Ireland” When Marsh and Henry met as rival fast bowlers in a match between Queensland and New South Wales, it was proposed to the former that he should be introduced to the Queenslander ”What!” he ejaculated--”that h to o in to tea with ood to be true, but they at least illustrate a well-recognised phase of aboriginal character
”YANKEE CHARLEY”
At rare intervals one finds a black who kno to drive a bargain
”Yankee Charley” ca a shi+rt The only one available was valued at 2s 6d, and Charley produced 2s, protesting that that represented his total capital, the extre, as it were At that sum the Boss disposed of the shi+rt, for the need of the stranger within his gates threatened to beco, as ”Yankee Charley” possessed few of the ”artificial contrivances that hold society together!” Retiring to the scrub, Charley took off his ruined singlet, cahtful candour tendered 6d for a flash handkerchief He got it for his smartness
MYALL'S BAKING
When blacks are introduced to the ways of white , shy, clu to put on a shi+rt as a pair of ”coure, and the first efforts ofand unskilled cooks tosince a beche-de-ed a crew from the tablelands at the back of Princess Charlotte Bay Never having been on board a schooner before, and being absolutely innocent of the ways of the whites, they found ”daiven theht prepare it after their own methods Some nuts (”koie-ie,” CRYPTOCARIA PALMERSTONI, for exanated with resin) starts into a blaze and the kernel falls out The kernels are then chewed and ejected until sufficient dough is available for a cake, which is flattened out between green leaves and toasted The dough ”rises” as though leavened with yeast, but this lightness is considered a fault, for the dough is taken out, squeezed between hands moistened with spittle until it becoreen leaves in long rolls, and buried in the hot ashes till cooked Such cakes are said to be very nice Theywhoile fellows These Princess Charlotte Bay boys cooked their flour in a soh, dirty daht of which roused the not usually tender susceptibilities of the owner of the boat Taking pity on the untutored boys, he had a proper damper made with soda and acid and a due proportion of salt It turned out a beauty, so spongy and light that it almost lifted the lid off the camp oven, in which it was baked The boys accepted it, but not without manifestations of doubt and suspicion They presently returned in a solid and unani, and had cheated the no ”ki-ki” whatever, while they made ”ki-ki” as dense as the deck, which they tapped with their feet significantly and about which there was no palpably hollow fraud At first the boss failed to understand, for the blacks had little even of pidgin English When he did realise the true state of the case he wasted no breath in explanations The blacks catered for theot fat and saucy on the diet of plain flour and water, so cooked that sometimes it was like half-burnt deal, and as often a sticky, ropy mess
EVERYTHING FOR A NAME
To the blacks of North Queensland there is a great deal in a name When a piccaninny is born, the first request is--”You put 'ee boy, a ets it he is as forlorn as an ownerless dog
Anything does, from ”Adam” to ”Yellow-belly” or ”Belle Vue” He seems as proud of the new possession as a white boy of his first pair of trousers, and soon forgets his original naa you, your country?” I asked an alert boy ”I bin lose 'ea paper!”
THE KNIGHTLY GROWTH
Wallace, in his MALAY ARCHIPELAGO, gives an a account of a native as superbly vain of an isolated tuft of hair on the one side of his chin, the only semblance of beard he possessed A black boy on one of the inland stations left with acattle for the south
When he returned after many days, two hairs had sprouted fro them with pride and pleasure
”hello! Jacky!” exclai hiem plenty whisker now,” and feinted to pluck out the twin hairs
Jacky started back in dismay ”You no broke 'em! You no broke 'ee of vanity which prompts others to dye their hair is felt by the race White hairs began to le with the black of his moustache, and one by one he plucked them out The moustache became thinner and thinner, until the lip was as bare as a baby's cheek, while the fraudulently youthful appearance gave obvious satisfaction
HONOUR AND GLORY
As we sat enjoying the cool ht, Mickie announced that Jinny desired an interview ”All right, Mickie, tell her co” ”No, bi'mby When finish wash 'em plate” That duty disposed of, Mickie--”Now Boss” ”Well, co, Jinny What you want?” ”No, Boss; I no want talk alonga you, Mickie hu Boss, Mickie?”
Jinny was bashful, for the subject was aiety for many weeks Presently she caood--Missis--call--out-- Jinny! Jinny! When ash 'em plate More better you hammer 'em that fella, all asame Essie!” Jinny did not wish that the missis should be chastised, but that she should be su with the po, as the maid used to do in a more civilised home
FIRE JUMP UP
Mickie and Jinny once paid a visit to town, and Jinny,an afternoon call, was invited to have a cup of tea She said, ”Never as stove was available, and Jinny ju from nowhere Wherever the lady of the house pleased to apply a ht round to witness the wonder, Jinny asking--”Missis You show 'em Mickie fire jump up all about!”
SLOP TEETH