Spinifex and Sand / A Narrative of Five Years' Pioneering and Exploration in Western Ausralia

Journey

nd successfully withstood the trials of the journey, including heat, fever, and blacks. The latter were very numerous, and gave great trouble to the early diggers, spearing their horses and very often the men themselves. Many skirmishes ensued, and, so it is said, "Mother Deadfinish" handled her Winchester with the best of them! Eventually she arrived at the diggings, and has been there ever since, making a living by the sale of goat's milk, fowls, eggs, and a few vegetables. She is quite a character and worth talking to, but not always worth listening to; for her language is notorious; indeed, it is a recognised form of amusement for

n 41: Group

is cut off by what is locally known as the "Sandsto

ds, a fine plain of grass stretches out, surrounded by rough and rocky hills. As charming as their little place were the owners, the most kind-hearted and hospitable folk it is possible to imagine. Here we stayed a few days to get some meat salted for our journey; nothing would satisfy the two brothers but that they must find the finest bul

able; for not only had they been running loose for some time, but had never been well behaved or well looked after. Bluey was a dreadfully wild brute, and all but brought Warri, who was riding him, to grief; after bucking

the dust. Breaden luckily was able to rest in a dark room at Flora Valley and recovered, or at least sufficiently so to be able to travel; Godfrey was very bad indeed, quite blind and helpless. At night we pitched his mosquito-net for him-for these insects are simply ravenous, and would eat one alive o

ion 42: J

ttle in peace and contentment. Terribly rough, uncouth chaps, of course? Not a bit of it!-two men, gentlemen by birth and education, one the brother of a bishop, the other a man who started life as an artist in Paris. A rough life does not necessarily make a rough man, and here we have the proof, for Messrs. Stretch and Weekes are as fine a pair of gentlemen as need be. How they came to migrate to such a spot is soon told; they brought cattle over during the rush, hoping to make a large fortune; however, the rush "petered out," half their cattle d

me many interesting things. Their marriage laws were expounded to me over and ove

ed out the following relationships, bu

IAGE

d that these laws have for their object prevention of consanguinity and incest. The laws are strictly adhered to, any offender against them being punished by death. I owe

been greatly aided by a paper by Mr. Gillen, published in the Horn Scientific Expedition, on the McDonnell Rang

ore particularly to the Sturt Creek. These natives are descended from eight original cou

ght there were four original classes. This will illustr

names of the four classes-to on

ss A may only intermarry with class B, and native

intermarrying classes is of a differe

oman of class A, but their offspr

esent a mal

male of class A, and

who belong to class A,

ow be set d

+ Bf Cf +

----- ----

Cp

, i.e., Dp can only marry one of class C-though neither the father

mother all members of classe

ning their relationships to others. An old man, for instance, may point out a young girl and sa

es A and B are brothers and

represent the proge

Bm Ap

-- --

D

on) as brothers and sisters. For this reason there is no absurd

ves as he can get, so long a

grees of kindred are p

a woman of class B, whose parents must therefore have belong

d father belong to classes wit

a man may

ther-i

of his wi

of his wi

r of any one

e marry h

e may

(sisters by blood

prevents a man from marrying his