The Confessions of a Beachcomber

ractice of primitive forms of amusement, and are in many respects entertaining subjects to those who apply themselves, though superficially,

any of the sports and pastimes, as well as the language and habits of the blacks, being impressed with the urgency of so doing by the rapid decrease in their numbers. Many have been hastened from the world by a new and seductive vice. Chinese cultivators of bananas found the blacks useful, and rewarded them with the ashes from their opium-pipes. Mixed with water the dregs form a warm and comforting beverage, but its effects were terrible. The fiery liquors of mean

unaccustomed light upon attributes not generally understood, and show that the Australian

D INDIVID

pportunity of establishing goodwill by a friendly understanding. The day following, another patriarch of the camp appeared and made it known that he, too, had property rights in the trees, and demanded payment. Without formally recognising his claim, but with the idea of strengthening the bond of good-fellowship, his price was also paid. Again a third old man made a similar demand, explaining that neither of the others had the right of disposing of his individual interests. He, too, was sent away content. In the course of a day or two a young man presented his claim, expounding the law of the country and the camp, which was to the purpose that no single person or any number of persons, individually or collectively, was or were entitled to barter the rights a

DEBIL

Subpose," said the terrified boy, "black fella might hear 'em, that debil-debil tching out, altogether no more yabber little bit (keep silence). Altogether tell 'um um-boi-ya (medicine man). That one trow'um wookoo (message-stick) alonga scrub. He trow'um pire stick, ung-kurra, eparra ung neera, arwonadeer (north, south, west, east). He sit down little bit. Bi'mby that one ah-anaburra (scrub turkey) he plenty 'tching out. Altogether black fella make 'um big fella fire. He no more sleep. He look out all time. Bi'mby, longa morning he altogether yan. He looked

bil-debil!" "Big fella. All asame dead man. All bone, no

NG SUP

the only covering they had. Not every one possessed even a fig-tree blanket. During inclement weather they squatted in their humpies, or braved the elements "with honour clad." Thinking no evil, clothing for decency's sake was superfluous.

or the favourite costume for the walk-about is that of the previous generation. Having spent the whole day in bl

R AND

g towards her the more proper it is. Nelly's brother paid a visit to the island, and she cooked a huge damper at the kitchen stove. When it was taken to the camp, hot and fragrant, "Billy" at once inquired who had cooked it. Nelly, wishing that her brot

RA

ale is current. "Muhr-amalee," remarked a boy, pointing to a rainbow which seemed to spring from the Island of Bedarra. "That fella no good. Hot, burning. Alonga my country too many. Come out alonga ground, bend over, g

MING

at home in deep water as upon land, and when put to the test their strength and hardihood are extraordinary. Boys employed on beche-de-mer boats become almost amphibious. Some, as they swim and dive, collect the fish into a heap on the bottom of the sea until they have a parcel worthy of being taken to

taken him out towards the Barrier. He swam for a long time, and at last got tired and went to sleep, and for the best part of that frantic night he slept as he swam. Then the wind changed, and he came in with it, landing very litt

ce swam to a beacon marking a submerged reef about a mile away, but Tom and Mary, being caught in the current, were swept past the only available resting-place. They were 8 miles from shore. Tom soon began to flounder, but Mary, keeping her heart and her precious blanket, cheered him on, and, changing her course, took a "fair wind down," as she afterwards said, towards a distant point of the mainland. Lifting the giant despair from her boy's shoulders with encouraging words, holding him up occ

E SI

cial there, "Steamer him come on; him sit down lame fella," and began to limp across the room. He sa

HRIE slowly entered the port wi

ER FA

ly to a reverberating peal of thunder asked-"

ry place where it is made. The swirl of a creek in the mainland has excavated a circular water hole in a soft rock, brick red in colour. This hole is the local thunder factory, and

OR

out hunting, bringing back a wallaby. The entrails were removed, and an old woman-the Atropos of the camp-stretched them between her fingers in half-yard lengths, simultaneously pronouncing the title of a tribe in t

AL L

Russell River scrub, sp

k, he come up fight

w, Sam?" ask

had been torn. Three of the seven had been turned down at the terminal point, and Sam continued his explanation. "H

ick and had expected the challenge conveyed by the

and the two had an earnest, honourable and

K DEGE

ending to the dying gin, noticed that one of the men seemed to find her sufferings most diverting. He laughed, wandered away, and returned time after time, repeating to himself before each outburst-"My word, plenty kick it, that fella!" Somebody remembered that this black, who rejoiced in the name of Tommy Simpson, had been almost tickled to death when he saw a dog dying at the station from strychnine. He was watched, and some of the powder he had stolen from a bottle in the store discovered in a piece of opossum skin inside a very dilap

AT A CO

of black paint with which a friend who had taken pity of the weather-beaten condition of his vessel had presented him, and ordered his boys to begin work. Then he went ashore, spending a most agreeable morning among his friends. just before dinner a chum asked him what his boys were doing. He replied, "Oh, before I left I set them to work to paint the ship." "Do you know what ship they are painting?" asked the friend. "Yes! I am jolly well sure it's mine." "Well, you had

E OF

me would be more subdued, but when he would be fully equipped, even to the chirpy phrases in which working bullocks are accustomed to be addressed. Then as a vagrant black, when his attire would be nothing at all in camp, and little more than a frowsy blanket when visiting the town. But in all of his characters he had an unconstrained

ughtily before her uncultured cousins. Looking across to the mainland beach one day, she said-"Whiteman walk about

ralia when their people were supping porridge in Scotland or digging potatoes in Ireland." When Marsh and Henry met as rival fast bowlers in a match between Queensland and New South Wales, it was proposed to the former that he should be introduced to the Queenslander. "What!" h

EE CH

e extreme limit of his financial resources-his uttermost farthing, as it were. At that sum the Boss disposed of the shirt, for the need of the stranger within his gates threatened to become shocking, as "Yankee Charley" possessed few of the "

L'S

ble for a cake, which is flattened out between green leaves and toasted. The dough "rises" as though leavened with yeast, but this lightness is considered a fault, for the dough is taken out, squeezed between hands moistened with spittle until it becomes sodden. Then it is bound again tightly in green leaves in long rolls, and buried in the hot ashes till cooked. Such cakes are said to be very nice. They must be nutritious for the blacks among whom Koi-ie is one of the principal foods are fat and agile fellows. These Princess Charlotte Bay boys cooked their flour in a somewhat similar way. The result was a sodden, tough, dirty damper, the sight of which roused the not usually tender susceptibilities of the owner of the boat. Taking pity on the untutored boys, he had a proper damper made with soda and acid and a due proportion of salt. It turned out a beauty, so

ING FOR

"comes in" he wants a name, and until he gets it he is as forlorn as an ownerless dog. Anything does, from "Adam" to "Yellow-belly" or "Belle Vue." He seems as proud of the new possession as a whit

IGHTLY

is chin, the only semblance of beard he possessed. A black boy on one of the inland stations left with a mob of travelling cattle for the sout

ing him on his return for the first time. "You catch gem pl

dismay. "You no broke

began to mingle with the black of his moustache, and one by one he plucked them out. The moustache became thinner and t

R AND

longa you, Mickie humbug you. What for you humbug Boss, Mickie?" Jinny was bashful, for the subject was momentous, touched her pride, and had been depressing her gaiety for many weeks. Presently she came and with emphatic deliberation said-"Boss-No-good-Missis-call-out- Jinny! Jinny!

JUM

e no burn." A gas stove was available, and Jinny jumped and exclaimed as the blue flame sprang from nowhere. Wherever the lady of the house pleased to ap

P T

t of which she tendered half-a-crown, promising "two bob more" as wages accumulated. This is a fact, and therefore comparable with the anecdote which tell

CINAT

away the time until the weather calmed. In the afternoon, fortune smiled. Another cutter came in sight, and with the assistance of those on shore, managed to get into safety and shelter. All hands were liberally treated to needful refreshment. "Say when!" said the cheery Boss, as he poured a reviv

CROSS-EX

runette. The contrast in the types of the girls puzzled Mickie. He took an early opportunity to cross-examine one from whom he thought he could obtain confidential information. "Wha

ONLY

t in a light centre-board cutter, the Boss, who was steering, asked Willie, whose local knowledge was being relied on: "Any stone here, Willie?" "Yes," was the response, "one fella." The w

THE

verified with a pair of powerful field glasses, but not to be thought inferior in this respect, he solemnly declared that he saw Jinny's cousin on the beach strike a light for his pipe. At first the irony of the remark was not appreciated, then Jinny (after vainly peering across the sea), saw the joke and gave a wild exhilarating exhibition of amusement. She sat down and rolled about shoutin

A'S

g, she was amazed to find one of the big rooms open, and to hear the buzz of a sewing machine. Zebra, trouserless, scarcely took the trouble to look round as he infor

A'S

wash. The State Orphanage was not far away, and the children thereof paraded every day on their way to the State school. Gazing at the long procession marching two by two Laura, with a far away look in her eyes, said-"Missis. Me no like wash 'em plate belonga these fellas!" Laura was wont to be sent to Sunday school, where her ways were precise and demure, and where her natural smar

ance. Among the "freaks" were General Mite and his consort. Laura c

L BL

ly upon it upside down. A pair of fine photographs of King Edward and Queen Alexandra in all the sumptuousness of their coronation robes was shown her, and she was told that "fella King b

AILY

where the blacks of the neighbourhood are gathered together and, under discipline tempered with a strong religious element, taught to take care of themselves. The system is

urhood, presented himself at the head office, and with a rather rueful countenance answered a few of th

stockrider belonga Yenda. Com

to Fraser Island

in alonga

top? That ver

No blur

ucker-plenty ever

y morning tell that big fella Boss (with an upward jerk of the head) gib it daily-bread. Dinner-time

you get

Get 'em corn (with a

, is the standing d

N NA

though apparently with lavish expenditure of industry, dress flashily and talk big. In pursuit of these things he behaved as should a cute student of human nature. Sent by Mrs Jenkins, his then mistress, with a message, he arrived as some tempting pastry was taken from the oven. He eyed it all with such riotous admiration, that an invitatio

but paid his fine on condition that he would never drink again. A month later the culprit was again in the court, and the magistrate, who was rather in love with his own eloquence, proceeded to re

PT R

sea was taking place. The steamer having too much way on, the boat narrowly escaped being run down. "Why didn't you keep out of the r

S'S T

s, and black gins employed as stockriders wear shirts and trousers, which are returned to the store when not in active service. One bleak evening-and it can be bleak on the North-Western Downs

t trousers

got

nd the storeman produced two pairs wel

sting with indignant language. "What for, you bl

L-W

taking that generous hint, the natives invariably cut out from the fence what they wanted. On another station in the same district, when a fence was under construction small coils of

RA

he station hands were busy erecting buildings in newly opened up country, the blacks sent an envoy to engage their attention while others of the tribe c

RAL

been sent to fill a couple of tubs with water, sauntered

oy, as a preliminary, had f

HAT DID

imagining it to be a charm, by the magic of which she would become a white girl. Twenty-four hours of patient expectancy passed without any change in Lucy's complexion, so she lost faith in the golden symbol, and bart

I-C

esperado who had given the New South Wales police much trou

you do

punch 'e

ELLA CRE

memory is honoured by tombstones, was once taken by his master to Sydney. He saw m

way among the mountains with his master

r, Bob?" a

to. I'm s

or," responded P

l you true.

lor. You only little fella creek sailor. You n

EFUL

e boy to swim alongside him, in case of emergency. Halfway across, just as the Boss was feeling that there was some risk in swimming a flooded river in which were many snags, Charcoal cheerily observed-

SABL

r respective dinghies. Tom, the silent black boy, a more experienced boatman than either, list

t to go out in big wind and big sea, which boat you ta

xpert, paused in the exercise of his judgment

RIAL

stood his trial for a serious offence. On returning to his fr

p would be His Honour's associate; twelve chips were the jurymen; three were the lawyers; a big chip betwe

s properties, the

in' Down, you hear me? You guinty-y

as he attempted it, his narrative of the proceedings ended in such violent mirth that his hearers could not restrain themse

TION ON

follow. The horse cantered up grandly, seemed to gather himself for the jump, and baulked. The boy shot out of the saddle and

F MATTER

of foot that it was decided to enter him in sports which took place at Normanton and Croydon. In order that the public might be properly

ley was told that he was not to win, because h

f the way, made a spurt, and bre

m. "Look here, Charley, what's the matter? I bin tell

ick. Carn help i

SE THA

upon hastily tom margins of newspapers. A cute old black fellow named Bill who had frequently been entru

rekeeper naming one of his customers

om bin m

his fel

a; two stick Derby," and, as a br

nd bye," remarke

e pledging of Tom's credit had failed, stole away, convinced no doubt that th

BIG

argely to his burden of original sin and knowledge of English-stole a valuable diamond ring from the landlord of an hotel. Detec

arge remarked- "Well, Billy, you lucky fella. You on

, me bin think me be

E'S V

y reason of a slight verbal twist. As the boys toiled to supplant a glorious strip of primeval jungle by

on fine! Getting on

nd trees, and then Mickie swept the scene with a comprehensive glance,

RABLE

he was taking his case, while others toiled packing stones on a breakwater. One of them called out-"Why you no work, Johnn

ANSFOR

s unobtainable in the Bush. When the hour of departure arrived, the blacks about the place loudly expressed their sorrow. One softhearted creatu

MAKING

ers he had seen, announced that he could make money. Satisfaction at such gift being tempered by doubt, the boy took his stand before the expectant semicir

investigation showed that the boy had a trained confederate in the person of his gin, who, standing apart, on the word,

BLE CHA

, please sir, me bin hammer 'em that fella. That fella too flash; me no bin hammer 'em all asame black-fella. Hammer 'em all asame white man, alonga strap." Considering the customary means a black adopts

YOU

t in the shade of a mango-tree, smoked incessantly and did nothing placidly. At dinner-time the latter began to chatter volubly, and the mistress of th

abber, yabber, plenty-

RA

ed have no faith whatever in statements as to existence following upon death. Others assert that a delightful country is reached after a l

oad to the aboriginal paradise. He was reminded that he was a good fe

ll asame place? That fell

t. Catch 'em blenty close up. Bi'mby me go long way. Me come more better country-blenty everything. Father belonga me sit down. He got two

as par