Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-07-31
ound proceeded. Slowly. silently, SOL

emmy Guey marched, tnelr DOules DENT al
ostdouble, which position my friend signed
me TO observe. There was something very
unearthly in the phantom-ike procession.
The dusky, indistinct, muffied forms Gid
ing noiselessly forward through the mid,
night woods, sometimes entirely lost in the
shade of large tree, and again emerging,
to be lost again. Fears began to take pos
session of me. Why was this singular
method of approaching the corroborree
ground observed? l had heard of cere-
monies of dark and secret character
being practiced among those tribes at which
no white man ever was present, Was
! such one to take place now! Was my
life only spared before that it might be
sacrificed now? My blood began to curdle
and my flesh to creep. thought of flY-
ing, forgetting for the moment the utter
impossibility of getting away from the
nimble-footed, sharp-eyed savages. My
tall friend, however, seemed to divine my
intentions, for he patted my breast, then
pointed to himself assuringly, then to the
large camp of natives which we were near
ing, and shook his head, splitting with
apparent disgust, and once more patted
himself and me. I could not exactly tell
what he was driving at, but it seemed to
indicate friendly intentions toward myself,
and that the other camp was occupied by a
hostile tribe. This Iafterward learned was
the case. We had approached within
| about dozen yards of the dim fires toward
which we had been making our way, when
a similar signal to that already given was
uttered by some one in the other camp.
Upon this my companions, still retaining
their bent positions, turned their faces to-
| ward their own camp and remained wait
ing, and of course l followed their example.
Another cry succeeded, and almost imme-
diately bright blaze followed, illumina
ting the dark woods in ruddy circle.
| Flinging off their coverings and turning
| simultaneously round, the crowd of blacks
about me gave vent to general "Ah!" Of
wonder and SURPRISE not unmixed with a
superstitious fear
1 understood it now. The tribe were
being. initiated in a corroborree they had
never seen before. At the same time it
commenced. A half circle of fires burned
brightly in front of us. Between us and the
| fires were seated rows of women, across
whose knees were lightly stretched their
| 'possum cloaks. They held boomerangs in
their hands, which they beat together as
they Gang, keeping the most exact time,
occasionally varying the accompaniment
by beating on the skins, producing drum
like noise. On the far side of Che fire row
of forked stakes had been driven into the
ground, and poles laid on the forks about
six feet above the ground. About twenty
| savages, painted in the most grotesque
| fashion, were seated all along this rail.
| Their long hair was tied tightly in a knot
on the top of their heads, from the middle
of which rose tuft of cockatoo crests.
The soft white down from the breasts of
the same bird chung to their eyebrows,
moustaches and boards. a red fiilet passed
round the forehead and encircled the head.
Their bodies were painted with pipeclay to
initiate skeletons. Boomerangs, stone tom
ahawks and knives hung from their Cir
dies. Holding their elbows close to their
sides, they moved their forearms and hands
IN a segment of circle from their waist
to their ears, first the right, then the left,
in time to the barbarous chant. Beyond
these, the chief figures in the assembly,
stood dense crowd of fierce eyed sable
warriors, leaning on their spears. Look
ing round | found the men of nv party
had assumed the same attitude, while the
women had taken up position little
apart. In spite of the feeling of insecurity
and alarm with which my position filled
me-for | knew that all present would
think nothing of knocking me on the head
if the whim seized them-I felt rather
amused at the absurd climax Of their prep
arations, and its monotony soon got tire
some to themselves. Jumping down from
their perch, the painted savages cleared
away their posts and rails and commenced
npa nf ba ,1oua1 Il oft hn
country, Iii which they were joined. by
many others who had taken no part in the
first performance.
My tall friend, spreading his rug on the
ground, planted a spear at each corner and
sat down, motioning me to take place be-
side him--all the Others followed his exam
pie. The dance was now most vigorously
prosecuted, and it carried with it certain
amount of dramatic effect. Issuing from
the dark background of solemn gloom, the
mass of vague dusky shadows danced their
way into the circle Illuminated by the fire,
their hands held in front of their breasts
after the manner of kangaroos, their
bodies bent and their feet stamping. AS
they got nearer the fires, which divided
them from the orchestra, the singing and
dancing became more energetic, till at last
q DlltllduO OldLC ia fluR pCCu pkOuuCCu ny
means of dry leaves kept on purpose, the
ering of legs, and shaking of heads, wind
appearance of the whole party into sur
rounding darkness. This was repeated for
hours, and l thought they never would
leave off At last all seemed to weary,
and my tall friend and his followers re-
turned to their own ground, taking me
with them. Here found my horse ready.
After good deal more of talk and many
gestures he signified that | might go. l
stripped myself almost naked in making
presents. Then Selling his weapons he
called on a friend to accompany him, and
both came with me as an escort. had
little difficulty in persuading them to pro.
coed all the way, and they were SO much
pleased With their treatment that they asked
permission to bring their tribe in, which
they did, and we had no more difficulties
afterward.
THAT was a capital fellow, that long mig |
GER" said Fitzgerald. Did you ever find |
out why he took fancy to your ="
"Ob, that WAS all mistake on bis part. |
It seems that when up the river In pursuit |
of the tribe which killed poor Donnelly he |
happened to be among the crowd we at |
tackled. He had hidden himself under
log upon which l had taken up my posi-
ton. He said that kept looking at him,
but allowed him to escape, and it was in |
gratitude for this supposed service that he
saved my life.
Then you did not know that he was
under the log ?" asked John.
.sNot r. would T am afraid have |
been bad day for both of us had l."
How ESeIIsH WOMEN DREss.-It can.