The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-04-26

uli1culG TASK, cnleuy because OF The feelIng
of opposition on the part of the colonial
government against explorations in that
part of the country inhabited by this
strange people. | sailed as far as Port
Darwin in small schooner, and found,
after much difficulty, eight fine specimens
of aborigines, who consented to go with
me to the United States, but, when on the
point Of embarking, police inspector
frustrated my plans by telling the blacks
they would never return home, which
statement so frightened them that they
ran away into the bush.
81 then sailed to Townsville, Queens
land, and chartering another schooner
started on a cruise. | took an interpreter
with me. We encountered difficulties and
danger in going among the different tribes.
| offered red handkerchiefs, tobacco and
similar articles for the purpose of propi-
tiating them and afterward money, if they
would go to the United States 1t was
several weeks before could gain the con-
sent of the people whom afterward exhib-
tied in America and in Europe.
Il took them to Sidney, and while there
l was arrested on the charge of kidnapping.
The matter was brought up for discussion
in the parliament of New South Wales, be-
sides being investigated at the same time
in the police court. After several days
delay the charge was dismissed, and was
given permission to take the natives out
of the country, no objection being made on
their part.
'When found them in the bush they
were perfectly nude, and in most filthy
condition-their normal state. The Aus
tralian aborigines are a distinct race of
people, and represent the lowest type Of
humanity. In color they are quite as dark
as the negro, but far lower in intelligence
and physical development. They subsist
| chiefly on roots, herbs, beetles, snakes, fish
and kangaroos, and when they manage to
kill one of those animals will continue
eating, at short intervals, until they have
| consumed every piece of the flesh. They
| are especially fond of human flesh. 1 fire.
quently talked with my blacks about how
they used to eat their captives when at
home.
Human flesh, they declared, was very
much like chicken meat, but they did not
| fancy white mems flesh as much as that of
| black men. The former had salty taste,
probably due to the food which white men
eat, but as for the flesh of black men, who
lived like themselves, chiefly on vegetable
food, they said 'Ah, him very good HUI
man flesh they eat almost always at night.
Such a performance is always preceded by
native dance called the 'corrobboree,'
which takes place in the freight. Before
beginning they decorate themselves with
white and scarlet paint. A favorite pat
tern is the skeleton each rib being
marked by broad stripe of white paint,
and a similar stripe running down the
breast and along the legs and arms, the
face being painted in a similar fashion.
The effect produced by this strange pat
| tern is most startling.
illuminated only by the light of the fire,
the black bodies and limbs are scarcely
visible against the dark background, so
that as the performers pass backward and
| forward in the movements of the dance
they look exactly, like a number of skele-
tons endowed with life by magic power.
This effect is increased by the curious
quivering of the legs, which are planted
! firmly on the ground, but to which the
dancers are able to impart rapid vibra-
| tory movement from the knees up, while
| their clubs and boomeraugs are held in
| their hands.
"The latter is essentially the national
| weapon of Australian aborigines. 1t is
made of hard, heavy and tough wood, is
slightly convex on the upper surface and
fat below, and is bent at an angle of As
| dogs. 1t can be thrown distance of from
800 to 800 feet, and always returns to the
| thrower
''In some parts of Queensland the gov
eminent has established sort of native
police force, or black crackers, as they are
more generally termed. Their familiarity
with the vast UNEMPLOYED tracts that lie be-
yond the settled districts is remarkable,
and their ability to follow an almost in
discernible trail phenomenal. They are
employed to track white men who have
lost their way in the immense bush or for
ests, to track fugitives from justice, follow
| captured men or women or guide the
white police to the retreat of desperate
| robbers on whose heads price has been
set by the government"
The accompanying photograph shows
three of Mr.. CuEninghams aborignals-
one woman and tvo men.
JOHN C, KLEIN.