Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-08-21
A Day on Shore No. 6.

| to Liverpool Among her naeeareer.
| were the famous cricket club "AI
| IInglands Eleven" Although the son,
| of lords and dukes and wearing dia.
m0nds and other precious stones If
| painful profus!on. they struck Gla as
| being about the "homlicst" odd nun.
| Der of human beings | ever ~ b,,ocbod
| toge Their.
The coast here is very little different
| from other portions Of western Aus
| traiia. Sand in mountains, sand on tho
| level stretching inland for miles and
miles in truth Il great sea of sand, en-
lVened by lSianhS Of exceeding fer
| tility, where grow immense trees Of
| 5hc-oak. banshca. mahogany and TAFT.
The underbrush is cleared away and
in the shadow of the wide sprradinr
branches grow abundant cropa of
wheat. oats. rye ana barley. corn and
potatoes. Three crops Of the latter are
sometimes grown on the same cround
in one year; that raised in the rainy
season being lit for little else than to
feed to stock.
Twenty varieties Of grapes, delicious;
peaches and figs that melt in the mouth
but the apples and pears are of Il
very inferior quality. Bananas have
been cultivated With some success.
Cattle range half Wild over large
ranges of territory. Horses there are
also running wild-are captured with
the lasso and many of them are mar
keted in the Isle of France. Sheen are
counted by the hundreds of thousands
and many a runaway from a Yankee
WhaleShip, finding employment as a
herdSman or stock hunter. half a hum
dred miles from the habitation of a
white man. has wished himself back
ON board the Old "blubbor-hlntel"
and sighed for his regular rations Of
salt grub
The Wild animals % western New
Holland al" not numerous. Kangaroo,
which are found in drovcs or families
can be found within three hours ride
of the coast. furnishes good sport and
"nliddlin good eatin," tasting not an
like mutton that is wholly grass fed
The pOsSunl. out of whose skin is made
the much admired 'possum rug" used
by bushmen in place of Il blanket to
protect them from the chilly night
deWs, is shot or trapped in large guam
market among the visitors to this coast
The kangaroo rat, the pigmy image of
the six foot "boomci" is not more than
a foot in height ana are found every
where. Native do-S-not unlike our
prairie does-havo the same cowarily
traits and at times make sad havoc
among the young lambs that stray
away from the flock. 4 lizard that
grows to the size of small alligator,
perhaps four fact in length, furnish, $
Il dish at which the initiated never
turns up his ncse and the natives would
leave the best meal that white skill
could produce for medium smack
of this rcptiie-half cooked.
OF the feathered tribe. the emu or
Australian ostrich is the queen. Grow
ing in some instances to il height Of
seven feet he is no mean antagonist
when wounded ana has been known TO
break mans LEG or knock him in
sensible with q single kick.
or snakes that. are everywhere, ]
nave already told YOU. The natives
are of u dark chocolate color-har
straisht-iarg@ head-noSe Hat ana
mouth ornamental With two rows ri
as fine teeth as could be designed 10y
the best dentist in the land, with limbs
Of the class known as spindle shanks.
mark their physical conformation. They
are sharp sighted. quick Of movement
and their hearing is very acute. In in
tvtect they are vastly inferior to any
race ever saw.
Inland the wearing apparel consists
of piece of kangaroo skin made fast
around the waist for the men and the
'holla, q kangaroo skin - trimmed
to hang properly thrown over the
shoulder and reaching to the knee, for
the women. OF course the native picks
up east off clothing OF his white brother
and an old petticoat or pair of over
hallis is a dress suit for them and IL
makes little difference whether shirt
goes with the outfit or not.
TO obtain food he resorts to the
'geeja" or spear which they handl,
with great deXterity. This spear is
from eight to ten feet in length and a
strong half inch in diameter, seasoned |
and hardened over the
fire, pointed and sometimes tipped with |
Il sharp stone or glass. fastened to the |
wood with a resinouS cement made |
from the gum of the black boy" tree |
The boomerang" or kylcr that is |
thrown and returns to the feet of the |
throWer' is a much abused weapon. | |
have seen them thruWn-go circing |
through the aif-cut up lots nf antics
but my experience was that it was just |
as likely to return TO somebody else's |
feet as to those Of the thrnwer
Every town has its barracks where |
the "lnGS" (conVictS) are houScd-itS |
Jail, hospital and Sogshops. Convicts |
are driven out In a chain gang every |
under guard, to labor on the |
roads or in the saw pits and driven |
back again at night. Thus for years
they pay the penalty of their crimes |
For certain amount of good behavior |
they are allowed to work for them
selves as ticket of leave men" and |
usually take the first opportunity to |
ieaNe-stoW-a- on board a ship
are caught more than half the time
taken back to the chain gang-receive |
an extra dose of punishment and Try It
aGaln when opportunity offers. Many |
however having served time" begin |
their life over again and become sue |
ceSSlul farmers or sheep raiSerS, pur- |
chase Il wife from among the female |
sent out by paying her pass |
age money. forget the old country and |
1--we happily | presume-at least that's |