The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1893-08-04
rne AustraIlan pIacks.

It has been my good fortune to see at diff
ferent times representatives Of all races the
world over. Before going to Australia in
1892 was much interested in the aborig-
ines of that island continent, whom from
my reading was led to regard as the low
est savages in the world, and l am forced
to confess that my actual experience among
them has confirmed this belief. Still in
some respects the instincts of these people
seem superior to the reasoning powers of
the whites, who look down on them with
lordly contempt. Let me illustrate:
One day when riding in the Queensland
bush | came upon a party of native black
fellows out hunting honey. Curious to
know how their methods of search differed
from those of our own North American In
dams, decided to stay near them and OBJ
serve
l noticed that they were ceaselessly dodg-
ing about in quest of bees. After a short
time one of them discovered bee sucking
a flower close by. He at once approached
the insect, and taking from pouch carried
suspended from his waist belt, which, by
the way, was his only article of clothing, a
small portion of swansdown, which had
been touched with gum, he dropped it
adroitly on the bees back.
In an instant the bee felt that something
was wrong and tried to work off the down
with his hin' legs, which of course he was
unable to do.
With an angry drone the bee left the
flower and started for home, as is ever the
case when these insects are alarmed.
Now | could see why the honey hunters
had brought the gummed down with them.
The bee rose up in the air just high enough
to clear the tops of the surroundingtrees
When at that height, it would have been
difficult if not entirely impossible to fol.
low, even with the keenest human vision,
the bee in it's flight. But here the wonder
full instinct and remarkable eyesight of the
natives came into play.
From the instant the native placed the
down on the bees back he and his fellows
never lost sight of it, which, as they had to
run like deer in order to keep up with it,
was no easy matter.
Wishing to see the end of the hunt, |
urged my horse after the party, and a more
remarkable chase | never saw before and
never expect to see again.
The bush or forest was beset with fallen
trees and great masses of prickly ferns. AS
the natives must keep their eyes on the bee
and could not well do this and at the same
time look out for the fallen timber that be-
set the path, their running was series of
kangaroolike jumps, indescribably ludi-
crous to myself, for not being able to judge
of the size of the obstacle in front they
put forward the same effort to clear a stick
inches through that was necessary to get
over log feet in diameter.
After Commute run the natives came
to halt before dead eucalyptus tree with
one of it's branches broken off midway up.
In the hollow, which was plainly visible,
the bee had taken refuge
While was wondering how the blacks
were going to get the honey, one of them
seized the sides Of the tree trunk, and, to
my amazement, he walked up as quickly
and with as little effort as an ordinary man
ascends a ladder.
Why the bees did not drive him away in
stead of escaping themselves | could not
make out. Within very few minutes he
had thrown down at least so pounds of
honey TO his followers at the foot of the tree.