The morning times., 1896-11-22
An
Artist
King.

His name is ''Old Mickey"-at least that
among the white 1OlKs- bot among his
own people e-the savage aborigines or the
great Australian DacKwousLs, AZ: ..os another
soorlquet, difficult OF pronunciation, and
signifying ''Wondrous Maker OF Pictures"
ruf "a such Is tLe oGc .p.4Iion oil '-Uid
Mickey" He is a painter-a born artist
,, and portrayer Of men.
II - tue iasiion Vi those who teach US
seicnce to declare tnaJ the Australian
'atongine ranks lowest in the scale or man.
These suIien natives, So IHe etEnolOgIsJs,
are absolutely ignorant and incapable of
art. To these oracles comes Old Mickey
and siaps their JLeoiies IN tue ia,e with
facile brush. He is an artist, and Con-
siderlnS his opportunities, materials, and
surroundings, by No means Il mean one.
Once upon 4 time, before he discovered
tndt lie could paint, 'Oiu Mickey was q
dangerous Chief, and King or the Ulia-
dulla tribe, which rodmed along the pic
turesque southern coast OF New South
Wales. He is probably eighty years old
now and ON his last legs, and but little
remains OF the courage and agility which
served him So well in the rv me warrior
days. But bis name is household word
Over thirty years ago gentleman In
eNpinriEg the ieuses or he tooionqatta
Cone discovered some strange tracings on
the rocks. Rude pic. ures UI noTses, dogs,
trees and the like extended for miles along
the gray surface. On inquiry these were
found TO be the work OF the king OF the
Ulia-iullas, who led the traveller to his
studio, a den in the rear ranges, and pointed
out many fantastic frescoes, painted with
pigments dug from the beds OF streams
eThPtyinS mo tn nan-.irt,y NaIey-home
OF outlaws and "black-fellows."
The wanderer, returning to civilization.
brought wieh hiin news ". vhi' Indigenous
genius discovered in the wilderness. There
after niigrifnages To the fuSky chieitian's
abode became common, and the squatters,
| in recognition OF the artists skill, nick
namvd nIn ~HicnauI -.UE,iO.' MS was
his title Tor years, until a humorous son of
Erin shortened it To Mickey" The pre-
fix old became tackled On in process Of
time as the native painter descended into
the vale OF years
odd Mickey's' works and fame spread
far and near through the culpny- Scientists,
amazed al tins direct rcfu,a lOn oil their
beliefs, yearned Tor a interview with thu
savage painter. Finally the New South
WaieS authorizes t0rt. t't.-F"" -'1 '"- fsir
protecting wing, and carried him off tS
Sydney.
When he returned TO his native Businesses,
he found that mere language could not
cunver To his men the wordcrs ne had 81 en.
Hence he took up his beloved BRUSHES and
painted pictures of Sydney ,ife instead.
This is his graphic deScFipi lon OF the huge
general pusioffIce builEiug and its high
tower. He took q stick, walked as far
as he could over The acres of open ground,
around. across the grass TO the sea beach,
and back then, ruaEing 4 mad dash, as If
cutting the heavens, TO indicate height,
said:
That uig. and it snagged the clouds"
Then the wild man related the sights ne
saw.
7 he'll he turned to his crude brush to
reproduce these impressions on paper for
Hself He drew u large house-pre-
sumably government hOusr-and ske:ched
about it many incidents OF city Hfe-the
street doings of tOwnfOlk; goose: Nor
folk Island pines: the signal nag and pole.
The street "Gidos'' OF the city people
amused him. An these in one picture
combiued his idea of his trip To Govern
ment House. and Port jackson.
After all, wild Highland chief, visiting
London or Ediuhurg in he times of Henry
VIII or James V, would have done little
better. Hun of Attila's army. return
ing to the banks of Daunbe. after the sack
of Rome, might not have done we'll
Even since that memorable trip to Sydney,
"OId Mickey" has continued to paint scenes
from civilization for the benefit Of his
trheSmen. The ueighhoriug sqUatr.rs
collect these works OF art. and not few
of them have diftei home to quiet fire
sides in England with less interesting me
mentOes of the colonies