The night passed as Bracewell had predicted, without a visit from the
natives; and as he assured us that they were not at all likely to attack
four armed men in the day-time, we, being anxious to become better
acquainted with them, agreed before setting off to pay a visit to their
camp. They were sure indeed to find ours out; so that it would be as
well to show that we had no fear of them, and to gain their friendship.
On examining the birds we had cooked the previous evening we found they
had been nearly devoured by the white ants, a large nest of which we
discovered a short distance from the camp. We had therefore to look out
for some fresh provisions. Bracewell was a much better shot than either
of us; and, taking my gun, in a few minutes he killed a small kangaroo
which he found as it was about to spring out of the bush where it had
spent the night, scarcely a hundred yards from the camp. Having skinned
it in the most scientific fashion, the joints were put on to roast. We
had now an abundance for our noon-day meal; for, as the animal was about
four feet long, including the tail which was nearly half its length, it
afforded us a good supply of meat. We should have preferred starting at
day-break, but without food we none of us felt inclined to commence our
journey. Toby indeed gave us to understand that he could not think of
leaving while so much good meat remained to be eaten. Having given him
as much as we all three consumed, we packed up the remainder in our
saddle-bags and then--I insisting that Bracewell should mount my horse
while I walked--we set off for the native village which we caught sight
of a short distance to the north of our camp. The inhabitants were
lying about in front of it, evidently enjoying the _otium cum
dignitate_. The men mostly stretched on the ground surrounded by their
dogs, while the women were squatting outside their leafy bowers. The
huts, if so they can be called, were placed in a semi-circle, and were
formed by thick boughs stuck in the ground joining at the top on which
other boughs were lightly thrown. They were scarcely more than four
feet in height and might be described rather as screens than huts, as
their only object appeared to be to keep off the wind from the
inhabitants and the small fires which burnt before them. On the outside
were stuck their spears ready for instant use. Except some pieces of
opossum skin round their loins, the men wore no garments, though several
of them had fillets bound round their brows. Two or three were smoking
short clay pipes obtained from shepherds or hut-keepers with whom they
had come in contact. Several of the men started up, and seizing their
spears advanced as they saw us approach, but the greater number lay
gorged with food on the ground, not apparently noticing us. Bracewell,
who could speak Toby's lingo, told him to say to the black fellows, that
we wished to be their friends; that their corroborree had afforded us a
good deal of amusement; and that if we could kill a kangaroo we would
give it to them to make another feast the next night.
As soon as Toby had translated what had been said, the blacks began
chattering away in the most extraordinary fashion.
As they ceased Toby informed us that they were highly pleased with our
offer. They wished to remain friends with the white men, and if we
chose to stop with them we should be welcome. Of course, we had no
inclination to do this, but we asked if two or three of them would
accompany us to carry home any game we might kill. They however
declined the invitation, saying that they were well filled already, of
which fact their distended condition was sufficient evidence.
"Well then, as we cannot turn back, you will have to go without a
kangaroo, even though we may shoot one," said Bracewell, and telling
Toby to wish them a friendly farewell we rode on.
As I was very active and had been accustomed to running at school, I
easily kept up with the horses. At length however, as the sun grew
hotter, I should have been glad enough to remount. Bracewell, observing
that I was becoming fatigued, insisted on getting off his horse, but of
this I would not hear. He however dismounted, when Guy made him get on
again and put me on his own horse. Before long, however, my brother was
nearly knocked up, and seeing this I proposed that he should remount,
and that I should ride Toby's horse. Toby made a wry face, for,
although better able to run than any of us, he considered that it was
more dignified to ride.
As we rode along we kept a look-out for kangaroos, as we should have
been glad to kill one for ourselves, although our black friends were not
likely to benefit by it.
We had gone some way when we caught sight of a dark object appearing
just above a thick mass of leaves some two hundred yards away. Standing
up in my stirrups I saw that it was the head of a kangaroo who was
engaged in pulling off the foliage. I called to Bracewell and my
brother, hoping that if we could get nearer before the creature moved
away, we might shoot it.
Throwing the halter of the baggage-horse, which I had been leading, to
Toby, I rode towards the spot, unslinging my rifle and as I did so
ramming down a ball. The creature was more wide-awake than I had
supposed. I had just got near enough to fire, when it broke from its
cover in fine style and, after taking a few jumps to see in what
direction to go, it started forward over the open ground without
apparent effort.
"That's a large _boomer_, an old one!" shouted Bracewell, "he'll give us
a long run. If we had dogs we should soon however catch him."
In the excitement of the chase, forgetting that we ran great risk of
knocking up our horses, away we started. Although the animal had only
two legs to run on and had an enormous tail to carry, which does not, I
really believe, help it, though it serves to balance itself in its
upright position, so far did it get ahead of us that it was useless
firing. I had scarcely noticed the direction it was taking, but on
looking round I found that it was leading us back to the spot from which
we had come. How far it had got I cannot say, when four or five black
fellows started up with spears in their hands uttering loud shouts and
shrieks. The _boomer_ saw that it had no chance of escape in that
direction, being perhaps better acquainted with its black enemies than
with the strange creatures on four legs which had been pursuing it. It
therefore stopped and gave us time to approach before it bounded round
and made off to the right. I had thrown myself from my horse, for I had
no notion at that time of firing from my saddle. I took a steady aim
and pulled the trigger. My bullet must have hit it on the hinder leg,
for it slackened its pace. In the meantime Bracewell and Guy dashed
forward. The creature, instead of continuing its flight, again stopped,
and facing the horsemen as they approached struck out with one of its
hinder claws, and had not Bracewell suddenly turned his steed, so
furiously did it strike that he would have been severely wounded.
Turning round however he dealt it so heavy a blow on the head with his
riding-whip that it staggered, and Guy firing brought it to the ground.
The natives, whom we recognised as our friends of the morning, now came
up and claimed the prize. Bracewell gave them to understand that we
must first cut out as many steaks as we required. When this was done we
handed the body over to them. They appeared highly delighted and
especially struck by the moderate quantity we claimed. We had now to
turn back to where we had left Toby in charge of the baggage animal. I
had some secret apprehensions that, if not honest, he might bolt with
our traps and be received with open arms as a wealthy man among some of
his countrymen. I was not aware at the time that he belonged to a tribe
regarded as hereditary enemies by the people inhabiting the country we
were travelling through, and that he was as likely to lose his life at
their hands as any white man would be. We looked about in all
directions and at length, to our no small satisfaction, espied him still
standing by the horses and wondering what had become of us. We had lost
considerable time by our hunting, though we had obtained a good dinner,
and of course had been delayed also by one of the party having to
proceed on foot.