The Grenada gazette., 1889-04-04
known among remote tribes who have

known among remote tribes who have
never themselves come into contact
with Europeans.
Next TO tobacco, my revolver was
OF the greatest importance TO me.
Very luckily, the natives, who do not
themselves possess even bows and ar
rows, have the greatest respect for
firearms. 1t 10, however, necessary TO
keep up your reputation as u good
narksman, else you will soon lose
their respect Their astonishment Is
equally great when you hit kanga
roo, in a resting position. Or when you
bring down bird On the wing. They
were especially afraid of my revolver,
which they looked upon as inexhaust-
ible. | made it my business to keep
this fear constantly awake, and every
night before creeping into my hut |
discharged my baby-gun. as they
called it, just in order TO refresh their
minds as to the existence OF this
oicduiui "edpon.
In the evenings, Just before sunset,
we pitched our camp and settled down
for the night had hut made by
the natives every evening in their or
dinary way. The huts are built in q
few minutes and consist of palm leaves
stretched across slight framework OF
boughs. They are about three TO four
feet high, and have large opening on
one side. always had my hut made
so long that | could lie down at fun
length but the natives / generally
found lying two or three closely hud-
died together In each hut, with tleir
feet projecting outside.
''Happily for me, felt in the winter
time the cold at night, owing TO the
great contrast with the heat OF the day
time, and in consequence l awoke sew
eral times every night and had TO wake
the blacks to keep the fire burning be-
fore our huts. This gave the blacks
the impression that the white man
slept but little, and that he was always
on the alert and had the baby-gur
ready. 1t was necessary always to be
on ones guard, as the blacks are OF
very treacherous and cunning nature.
and one OF the most important precau.
tious that a colonist learns to take is,
never to have black fellow behind
you The blacks never seem to
lose their inherited impulses as the fol-
lowing experience OF squatter OK
Thompson river will show: tie hal,
one day, gone shooting with his black
boy, and as he was walking in the for
est in front OF his servant the latter
clapped him on the shoulder and said;
Let me 60 in front Of you and shoot;
behind | feel too great longing to
kill you"
DR.. Lumholz then went on to rela te
his experiences with the ennnihalistie
tribes OF the interior. He told OF their
treachery to each other as tribes, how
they have territories over whose b0r-
ders they can only step Mt the risk Of
being hunted and killed and that when
thus killed they are often eaten. While
DR.. Lumholz was among them they
made something Of a secret Of their
fondness for human flesh. He was
glad, nevertheless. to learn that they
did not look upon white men us very
available food, us 1t was reported to
make them nauseated. During his
stay OF n year or more among these
people he heard OF only two cases OF
cannibalisu. He further dwelt upon
the strange customs OF the abOrigines,
their modes of living marriage GUS
toms. methods of warfare, domestic
social liie closing with the following:
Il had a good deal OF unpleasant
ness and many troubles through their
deceit and cunning. which often made
me so tired and worried that was on
the point Of giving up the expedition.
but the thought of perhaps being able
to make valuable discoveries in this
strange and interesting country always
kept my spirits up, and | must say
th.t ] was not disappointed. but have
returned with interesting facts and
specimens OF natural history new 10
science, and with an intimate knowl-
edge of the habits and life of the Aus
tralian aborigines- one OF those un-
fortunate races that are rapidly dying
out, On the other hand | was cheered
in my work by the many delightful
impressions received Of the grand aud
splendid scenery around me on my
wanderings. sights ! shall never for
get When the tropical sun rose in
the early morning above the trees of
the lofty Australian forest and awak
ened nature with its bright. dazzling
rays, or when the moon appeared
above the mountain ridge and threw
her pale light over the vast plains be-
low. while the mystic voices of the
night birds rang out on the still. quiet
night, there was beauty over the
landscape which | could not possibly
do Justice to If | were to attempt to
describe it, and regretted only that ]
had no companion to share it with me-
s~-------
A Patient Critic.