Three Expeditions into the Interior of Eastern Australia, Volume 2 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 490 pages of information about Three Expeditions into the Interior of Eastern Australia, Volume 2.

Three Expeditions into the Interior of Eastern Australia, Volume 2 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 490 pages of information about Three Expeditions into the Interior of Eastern Australia, Volume 2.
poor fellow as an intelligent native, I thought it necessary to send him back this morning in company with a mute young savage, also from Cudjallagong, who seemed much inclined to become a follower of the camp.  Our stock of provisions could not be too carefully preserved and such followers, when beyond their beat, might have had claims on it not to be resisted.  There then remained with us, besides Piper and his gin, two intelligent native boys, each being named Tommy, together with The Widow and her child.  The two Tommies obtained new chronometrical surnames, being known in the party as Tommy Came-first and Tommy Came-last.  The former had been told plainly to go back, upon which he was heard to say he should follow the party, notwithstanding Majy’s orders, as he could always find opossums in the trees.  I was pleased with his independence on being told this, and allowed him to accompany the party as well as his friend Tommy Came-last, whom he had picked up somehow in the woods.

A FAMILY OF NATIVES FROM THE MURRUMBIDGEE.

Our female guide maintained that there was a waterhole some miles onward at Pomabil; and we accordingly proceeded in that direction, regaining first the firm plains outside the trees growing on the river margin.  We reached the part to which she had pointed and she went forward to look for the water but, on her calling out soon after that natives were there, we advanced into the wood, when we observed smoke arising and natives running away, pursued by The Widow.  At length, perceiving that she stood talking to them, we went up.  The strangers consisted of a family just come from the Murrumbidgee, and presented such a picture of the wild and wonderful that I felt a strong desire to make a sketch of the whole group.  One man who was rather old being in mourning, as I was told, for the death of a brother, had his face, head and breast so bedaubed with white that he resembled a living skeleton; the others had large sticks, snakes and other reptiles in their hands, but they were perfectly naked and, crowding around him, presented a strange assemblage.

INCONVENIENT FORMALITY OF NATIVES MEETING.

I was anxious to learn from the principal personage the situation of the water; but on this first meeting it was necessary, as usual on all such occasions, to continue for some time patient and silent.  This formality was maintained very remarkably by the old man and Piper.  In vain did I desire the latter to ask him a question; each stood silent for a full quarter of an hour about eight yards apart, neither looking at the other.  The female however became the intermediate channel of communication, for both spoke alternately in a low tone to her.  At length Piper addressed the old man, raising his voice a little but with his head averted; and the other answered him in the same way; until at length by slow degrees they got into conversation.  We were then informed that water was to be found a mile or two on, and the

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Three Expeditions into the Interior of Eastern Australia, Volume 2 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.