The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1892-03-10
AUSTRALIAN SAvAcsS.
No Black Fellow believes In Such =
Thug rs Natural Death.

A very curious fact, SAYS London
Field. which greatly Influences the
lives Of Australian al"riginals. Is that
no black fellow believes in such Il
thing n rratssr;.! death. Death by old
age rarely h:sp;:ens Among the tribes,
When too old ~ accompany ths rest ir
their wan.ierin.s. or wheT the y1t1nX
men are tired Of CARRYING them from
place 10 place, blow from club
ends the life of the old warrior or
erone, and the body j. buried with
many lamentations. Death Ivy spear
wonn,: rr stroke IF wa'I,ii the ahori ginai
can understand. but death hy disease
or old ag. he does no: believe In. at
tribufiny it. in every case. t" sOrcery.
exercised by the wizards of some alien
tribe.
When white men FIRST appear among
tho blacks. Che latter often have
strange supcrs.i,ious iie:.s atn,ut them.
taking them for the ghosts Of reincar.
nntinns of their own deal relatives.
The pr"icc. ion Ivy the Conper's Creek
blacks of King. the only survivor OF
the Burke aud Wills expedition. was
probably owing to this bellies. an:s also,
that If Buckley. hn was discovered by
the frs. settlers of Port Pnilip. also tho
asccnhency which some white men.
such ~ Walker Pelric aud others
| sometimes obtain over the bpriyinals.
These blou.i feu!s and constant en-
! nifty to all strangers of t"eir own
| color cause these people to I've exceed
inyly cautions in their dealings with
any Of whose identity they arc not MS
sured.
| l was once witness OF cnr;nus
scene Illustrative of this fact. a black
fellow. belonging 20 an Edward River
tribe. VINO lia.t left his native district
four years before to serve in the border
police. returned to hi: tribe. his term
Of service having expired. The tribe
was Qrite aware that h" wou.d return
on certain d,y. AMI that he would
bring with him 4 wifi. "f strange
tribe; the captive. probably. of his
spear. A large number Of his set had
assembled some days before to meet
and welcome the wauslcrcr. and there
was niue, talking ut night and excite
ncnt. especially anon. his nearer re-
latives. Preparations hal been male
~ welcome him with feast. The ex-
policeman made his appearance. fol-
lowed by his gin. on the morning of
the day on which he had been expect
e.l. walkel .ioAn to within 100 yards
Of the camp in which were about
four--c,rc If his trtln,>,ncn, and then
sat down with his wife on the bank oil
the river. in dead silence. and without
unpacking bis swa. or making any
lire. In tue usually Noisy camp there
was also utter silence. broken only
by the represscd gr"wls of the dogs.
Every Que sat like Il statue. with eye.
ixe.i on the strangers. who steadily
averte.i their gaze from the camp
This silence continued for fully two
hours, when. ON a word from one of the
old men. II small boy ran across to one
of the strangers with fire stick. and
laid it by them.
The travellers still kent silence. but 9
hum Of voices arose in the assembly,
and presently an old man got up. and
after sl"echifyiny for n few minute.
encrgr,ic,lly. called out few wor.i.
at the top of his v"icc. Then tht
strangers arose AMI walked into til,
camp. " here they were received with q
c nrus OF shrick> from tine Old women.
and noisy talk from TIT. rest. aud tho
Wander. r. were fed aud lodged. They
had walked 6 10 miles, n,o>ti. ut might
+, and had run the gauntlet OF many hostile
tribes.