Evening star., 1898-10-22

to my own people. had themselves suggest
ed that l might find this mere likely
place for the purpose than the lov-Iying
coast on which their tribe was then en-
camped- They also pointed out 10 me, how
ever. that l SHOULD find it much colder ltv-
Ing IN So exposed a position. But the hope
OF seeing passing sails decided me, and one
morning l took my departure, the whole
nation of blacks coming out in full force
TO bid Us ad!eu. | think the last thing they
impressed upon me. in their peculiar native
way. was that they would always be de-
Hghted and h0nOreI to welcome me back
among them. Yambo Of course. accom-
panied me, as also did my dog and we were
escorted across the bay by d host of nv
native friends in their catamarans. I
pitched upon a fine bold spot for our dwell
Ing place. but the blacks assured me thar
We would find II Gncomfortably cold and
N.Huy- 10 say nothing about the loneliness
which / could not help but feel after %
much Intercourse with the Friendly NATIVES
persisted however. and we AZ Iera:b h
iltcAti our encampment on The bleak
HeaG-i,.d. Occasionally some of our IIaoi-
4!I'A"S would pay US a visit but we could
EeVtc induce them 10 locate their viiIagr
near Us.
Day after day, day after day. I eazad
".ssle4ly over the sea for hours at a time
~ '''tii-S Il san. ana at last
began To grow somewhat despnndenr and
s4SAeG i"r the compdniOnship Of my black
II--H'-S once more. Namba was unrD-
A-il'-.ts II heF ehdeavors TO make life pleas
ant 10. me and keep me wen sunnIi.d
with The best of food. but | co1JId 500 ,b, :
she too. DID not like living on this ex
posed and G"sOlate spot. So. after a few,
WeTNs experience of life there, / decid d
l" return to my bay home. and later on
make preparations for q tourney overland
10 "a point on the Australian coast where
learned ships frequently passed The
b-acks were delighted TO see me on nv
LetItH a.-4 remained with them several
months hetore attempting my next iour-
nt}- They were keenIy anxious thar I
sh"dIH Join them in their fighting expedi-
- ""e / Always declined. on the ground
90 was moi fighting man The fact
% ti-e matter was that ! could never hone
70 throw spear with ANYTHING like III.
CvAterIty they themselves manifested and
a spears Mere the principal weapons used
IL Val iale / was afraid l would not show
Up Wen AT Il critical moment Moreover
the warriors defended themselves So dcx-
ttF".siE with shields as to be all but fnvul-
neTaDle, whereas | had not the slightest
I'ea of no" to handle d shield And
many Tor the AXE Of nv eyer-iudispersa-
bic prestige. l could not afford To r,a;ye
myself ridiculous in their eyes aIvravs
TOOK good care to let the blacks see me
performing only those feats which l feI.
morally certain l could accomplish and
accomplish to their amazement
Mysterious Fixing Spcar.
So far had won laurels enough with nv
mys ri"us arrows or flying spears" as
'l' natives considered Them. and my Prov
eSs with The harpoon ana tornahawk was
sung in many tribes And not the least
awkward thing about my position was that
IaT-d not even attempt a little o1Iiat
practice in spear throwing for fear the
hl5t'KS should come upon me suddenly when
"ri.I most certainly lose cast. | mus.
'''i You that the blacks. when drinking at
d river ar water hole invariably scoop up
IN water with their hands and never nut
ih"ir mouths right down close TO thu. sI1r
lace or n" water one day | was guilty. of
This soirriSm- I had been out on a bUnttnr
expedition, and reached the water hole with
an intense, burning thirst Ny mentor was
not with o. | fell on my knees and fairly
buried my face In the life-giving fluid Ian
ping IL Ike an animal. Suddenly / heard
tnATInUrs behind me l turned presently.
AKA saw q party OF my blacks regarding
me with horror They said ! drank like a
Kangaroo But Yamba soon came to the
rescue ana explained away the dreadful
breach Of etiquette, and solemnly cautioned
M never II 30 il again!
The months passed slowly away and I
Was siil living the same monotonous life
among my yhiacks-acCompanylng them upon
N tr hunting expeditions joining in their
SPORTS and making periodical trips inland
wlth dm0a, in preparation for the great
journey ! proposed to make overland To
Cape York When l spoke to my devoted
companion about my plans. she told me she
was r-Ady 10 accompany me wherever |
Went-to leave her people and be forever
BY my side. Right well l knew that she
would unhesitatingly do these things Her
uoS-hkc fidelity to me never wavered ard
know she would have laid down her life
for at any time.
Do2-Iike Fidelity.
Often told her of my own homo beyond
the seas. and when l asked her whether
she would come with me she would reply;
Your people are my people, and you,
friends my Friends. l will go with you
wherever you take me-"
Al length everything was ready, and
paid final farewell, as / thought 20 ny
black friends in Cambridge gulf They
knew l was venturing on a long journey
overland 10 another part of the country
many miles distant, in the hope of being
able to get into touch once more with my
own people. and, though they realized they
should never see me again. they thought
my departure very natural thing. We
had a very affectionate leave taking and a
Of rf.aI Tor