The Hawaiian gazette., 1878-09-18
WEDNESDA SEPT. Is, 1878.
Among the Wild Blacks in the For
ests of Australia.
Especial Correspondents Of the Gazette.l


stained houses sits among the trees, with the
black muddy river winding its gurgling way
through the assemblage of frontier huts and rick
ETY. sheds The scene reminded me of back
woods town on the border of Arkansas, with the
gnarled and shaggy trees standing IN files along |
the river, its bottoms and standing ponds of stag
nant water. Beyond the river stretches the deep |
thick woods into the unknown regions OF New |
South-Wales. On the banks lay barges, river
boats, fats and dugoats; farther down the river
puffs little black steamer with red flag iut-
tering in the wind, as signal for her departure
down the stream with its little smoke stack
about the size of stove-ppe it resembles verl-
table prototype of that little tug on which Charles
Dickens made his advent into the wild woods of
America. Gathered around on stumps on the
river side are groups of long grizzly bearded men,
clad in coarse SHIRTS, leather vests their legs en-
cased in heavy boots, wild looking fellows, who
nhabit the outskirts OF the frontier and roam the
woods of liberty, as free as the wild fowls on
which they subsist. Riyermen are encamped
along the bank with their households sitting at
q wood fire by the tents with the dogs, ROSTERS
and pigs collected around, into mixed happy
family. | take a walk out through the tents
among the watermen. Buxom girls, thick-waisted
and heavy breasted, with unkept hair, sit cross
legged on the logs, chewing gum and watching the
water eddying and spinning around in whirlpoos
by the bank They make Sleeps eyes at me as
| pass.
| was told that village OF native blacks were
encamped on the banks 10 a river bend some
miles up the Murray. After being assured that
they were passaby tame, and that | stood IN no
immediate danger OF being served up for dinner,
decided to visit this camp of the blacks. En-
gaging a riverman, embarked in little canoe
dugout, and began padding our little craft up the
river
The Murray is about the size of the Columbia
river in Washington Territory. AS we glide
over the water around bends of the river, by
reeds ferns, brakes and thickets, wild geese with
a shrek, go flying up the river. Again all is
still but the dip of the oars and the twltter OF
some river bird, and the distant thump of woods
mans axe, when the quack of q wild drake sends
flock OF green-necked ducks sailing up the
stream. Along the tree-waed river, the big
gum trees on either side lift their giant limbs on
high aad stretch their naked white arms athwart
the water, while long black vines hang from the
big trees, dangling like great black halters from
their rugged branches aud curtains OF grey moss
fall from the trees like the cyprus swamps on
the Pee-Dee. 1t seemed like entering the wooded
lair of Jacques Laftte, the pirate of the gulf,
hero of Byrons Corsar and threading the jungle
mOrasses and marshy Businesses OF Rarataria. AT
every crack of bush l half expected to see some
fierce, belted buccaneer step out with orders to
stand and deliver
By-andby around a curve in the bushy brakes
of the river, the blue smoke is seen curling up
through the tree tops, and drifting of IN vapory
wreaths and the bark huts of the native camp
of aboriginal blacks appeared on the north side
of the river scattered through the trees, with the
blacks squatted about on the stumps and logs
stretched at their ease at their doors, lolling
around the fires, laughing and telling hunting
yarns; while others are stretched in the sun
shine upon piles of brown straw, asleep and
dreaming savage dreams of the chase, kangaroos,
emu and the javelin, and of the good old days
when the white mans desecrating foot never trod
their shores, or invaded their hunting grounds !;
when in barbarous freedom he roamed the forest,
monarch of the Willis, when game and fowls were
as the forest leaves, for the multitude A crowd
of dusky women are huddled around bag of
game, skinning and getting it ready for the Goals.
Little black boys are playing in the dirt, riding
the limbs and bushes, and the little girls are ma
king cakes out of the wet sand Others are prac-
tlciDg with their bow and javeln, and the mar
velous wonders they perform with these barba-
rous inventions of savage ingenuity, are equalled
only by the feats of the Ephranites, or somebody
whom Moses tells US could sling stones at a
hairs breadth and never miss, forget the num-
Der of yards and have not got the scriptures
handy. l enter winding pathway, pass through
| the reeds and bushes, and enter the camp. The
bark of watchdog waking up the woods with
its echo, announces our approach. They cease
their chatterng and talk, and all stand up and
| stare at me as if at some wild beast The little
boys walk around me- noting my pecuarties
with as much curiosity and effectiveness as if
taking my dimensions for q pot. My riverman
| explains to them in native that am harmless,
| unassuming individual from America, of high
standing among the Indian chiefs, a particular
friend of Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, Big Tree
and Winnemucca. Their stern, fierce features
relax at the reception of this friendly lntelli.
gence, and my distinguished reference and as
sumo q more amicabe type of countenance.
They regard me with critical scrutiny, as if to
discover some trace of kinsmanshp. They all
| sit down. am allowed to stroll through their
camp and inspect their bivouac at my leisure
The huts are ranged in rows and stand in clus
ters, about through the woods, rudely built, some
| OF rough boards some of bark others of poles
| covered with kangaroo hides. Pools Of black
water stand in front; stone pots followed out oil
rocks dried meat and rows of smoked hams
swing from the tent poles. Some are coming in
| from hunting scout in the woods, with birds
and kangaroOs others are leaving for tramp
into the forest wilds. The camp smells of boil
ing grease. Long-legged dogs are shifting about
the skins and offal. A black cat levels her cop
per colored eyes at me, then disappears like a
streak of lightning. Big rats are seated on
their launches gnawing stolen rations. Skins
are stretched across the logs and nailed to the
trees like notices of sheriffs sales.
The aboriginees are as black and sidney as the
blacklist son OF Ethiopia. with big bunchy heads
of straight, black, wiry hair. They wear coarse
skins over their shoulders like mantle, with
softer skins falling to the knees. Their huts are
like the wigWams of the Digger Indians about
Washoe. From whence come these dark tribes
of the forest |? Echo answers where They are
not negroes nor Hottentots, neither Indians, Hin.
docs, TransPscifc or Malays, neither do they
amaIgamate with the Poynesians, Ceylonians oil
| New Zsalanders. 1t is true that from Siam uE
to Liberia We have the gradations of color, bui
the clImatical theory never would hold water
| Humboldt tells US that under the equator, the
aboriginal or black natives of South America
before they had contact with, or knew the eau.
casian race, they gave birth to children white as
the driven snow, with blue eyes and light hair
They were worshIpped as angels. The swarthy
clay-colored Icelanders on Greenlands frozen
shores, says DIR. Kane, have children with com.
plexious as fair as bleached linen. Livingstone
says he found white negroes in Central Africa