THE ABORIGINES OF AUSTRALIA.
DETAINED for nearly a week at Balmoral by the breakdown of the coach on
these dreadful roads, I telegraphed to Hamilton for a conveyance; and
the Superintendent of the Sunday School, dear Mr. Laidlaw, volunteered,
in order to reduce expenses, to spend one day of his precious time
coming for me, and another driving me down. While awaiting him, I came
into painful and memorable contact with the Aborigines of Australia. The
Publicans had organized a day of sports, horse-racing, and circus
exhibitions. Immense crowds assembled, and, amongst the rest, tribe
after tribe of the Aborigines from all the surrounding country. Despite
the law prohibiting the giving of strong drinks to these poor creatures,
foolish and unprincipled dealers supplied them with the same, and the
very blankets which the Government had given them were freely exchanged
for the fire-water which kindled them to madness.
Next day was the Sabbath. The morning was hideous with the yells of the
fighting savages. They tore about on the Common in front of the Church,
leading gentlemen having tried in vain to quiet them, and their wild
voices without jarred upon the Morning Service. About two o'clock, I
tried to get into conversation with them. I appealed to them whether
they were not all tired and hungry? They replied that they had had no
food all that day; they had fought since the morning! I said, "I love
you, black fellows. I go Missionary black fellows far away. I love you,
want you rest, get food. Come all of you, rest, sit round me, and we
will talk, till the _Jins_ (=women) get ready tea. They boil water, and
I take tea with you, and then you will be strong!"
By broken English and by many symbols, I won their ear. They produced
tea and _damper, i. e._ a rather forbidding-looking bread, without
yeast, baked on the coals. Their wives hasted to boil water. I kept
incessantly talking, to interest them, and told them how Jesus, God's
dear Son, came and died to make them happy, and how He grieved to see
them beating and fighting and killing each other.
When the tea was ready we squatted on the green grass, their tins were
filled, the _damper_ was broken into lumps, and I asked the blessing of
God on the meal. To me it was unpleasant eating! Many of them looked
strong and healthy; but not a few were weak and dying creatures. The
strong, devouring all they could get, urged me to be done, and let them
finish their fighting, eager for the fray. But having gained their
confidence, I prayed with them, and thereafter said, "Now, before I
leave, I will ask of you to do one thing for my sake, which you can all
easily do." With one voice they replied, "Yes, we all do whatever you
say."
I got their leaders to promise to me one by one. I then said, "Now you
have got your tea; and I ask every man and boy among you to lie down in
the bush and take a sleep, and your wives will sit by and watch over
your safety!"
In glum silence, their war weapons still grasped in their hands, they
stood looking intently at me, doubting whether I could be in earnest. I
urged then, "You all promised to do what I asked. If you break your
promise, these white men will laugh at me, and say that black fellows
only lie and deceive. Let them see that you can be trusted. I wait here
till I see you all asleep."
One said that his head was cut, and he must have revenge before he could
lie down. Others filed past showing their wounds, and declaring that it
was too bad to request them to go to sleep. I praised them as far as I
could, but urged them for once to be men and to keep their word.
Finally, they all agreed to lie down, I waiting till the last man had
disappeared; and being doubly exhausted with the debauch and the
fighting, they were soon all fast asleep. I prayed that the blessed
Sleep might lull their savage passions.
Before daylight next morning, the Minister and I were hastening to the
scene to prevent further fighting; but as the sun was rising we saw the
last tribe of the distant Natives disappearing over the brow of a hill.
A small party belonging to the district alone remained. They shouted to
us, "Black fellows all gone! No more fight. You too much like black
fellow!"
For three days afterwards I had still to linger there; and if their dogs
ran or barked at me, the women chased them with sticks and stones, and
protected me. One little touch of kindness and sympathy had unlocked
their darkened hearts.
Who wonders that the _dark_ races melt away before the _whites?_ The
pioneers of Civilization _will_ carry with them this demon of strong
drink, the fruitful parent of every other vice. The black people drink,
and become unmanageable; and through the white man's own poison-gift, an
excuse is found for sweeping the poor creatures off the face of the
earth. Marsden's writings show how our Australian blacks are destroyed.
But I have myself been on the track of such butcheries again and again.
A Victorian lady told me the following incident. She heard a child's
pitiful cry in the bush. On tracing it, she found a little girl weeping
over her younger brother. She said, "The white men poisoned our father
and mother. They threaten to shoot me, so that I dare not go near them,
I am here, weeping over my brother till we die!"
The compassionate lady promised to be a mother to the little sufferers,
and to protect them. They instantly clung to her, and have proved
themselves to be loving and dutiful ever since.