A NIGHT WITH BLACKS

Evening Star, Issue 19003, 27 July 1925, Page 1

A NIGHT WITH BLACKS

THE FOOD OF THE BOSH LIFE IN AUSTRALIAN WILDS Few men know Ihe Australian native in his natural surroundings hotter than (hat intrepid adventurer Captain (L H. Milkins, who lias considerably added to ms knowledge of them by his recent long sojourn in Northern Australia. He has been collecting rare specimens of flora, mid fauna an behalf of tho British Museum, and has just returned to Brisbane, where many cases of specimens point to fruitlul rctsulls of Ins journeying?. , .. Captain Wilkins relates a. story, of a visit ho paid to Hie c.mi|) of a tribe of gavago blacks on Grooto Kylandt, where, following Ids usual custom, ho afe the natural food of lire bush. He tells of (he way ho won tiio confidence of tin? shy, wild people. Mis story is as follows:

It was arranged that- I should go with a young man mimed Yarrn, who could speak a little, English, and live with his tribe. AVc left their temporary camp at sunrise next morning, and in order to interfere with (heir ordinary life as little as possible I look with mu no more than I could comfortably carry. Tho rain that had fallen almost continuously for the previous few days had ceased on tho morning of onr departure, lint the countryside was Hooded. ATTACKED BY LEECHES. Onr way for the first two miles was through a' leech-in tested swamp, where the water reached our knees. I wore high canvas loggings, but the. blacks, who were naked except '"for string around their waists, suffered considerably. They wore kept busy striking oil' the loaths<*» o leeches. Their legs were, streaming blood by the time we reached the higher sandy soil; but once away from the swamps they laughed and joked about their troubles. Three hours’ walking brought us to a “ U ” shaped valley, and at this place the blacks indicated that they expected lo meet other people. They stopped and culled and listened, but there was no response. AVo thou approached a smouldering camp fire that had recently been deserted, for there wore several coolamons (bark dishes), gome old cans, and some pieces of bark lying near the fire. 1 inquired if the women had been afraid of mo and if I hey had nm off at my approach, and I was told that they had gone hunting some lime before we had arrived 1 . T he men moved off to a distance of about 100yds and made -a. fresh camp, saying that we would spend the night at ibis place. There were seven men and four boys in my <scort, ami they had not had anything to eat that day, ' AA r c had secured only one small iguano on our journey, nnd now this was cornual and eaten, but it was no more limn a mouthful for them. BUILDING- A HUMPY.

Lain, threatened, and without any suggestion on my part some of the men set, mil. with their tomahawks end stripped bark from the (rocs; others carried the bark to tile camp, and soon they had' constructed a comfortable “ A’’-shaped shelter and payed the floor with the softest pieces of bruised stringy!,ark. When the tent was finished (hey placed my things in the ceulre «nd indicated that- it wins at my disposal. The rain came on, and I willingly took advantage of the cover, hut. the blacks seated themselves outside the door and were prepared to remain out in the rain. When I motioned them lo come inside (hey wore quite surprised, and hesitated before accepting. One by one they came in and seated themselves on the ■edge of the bark carpel, and looked as if they (bought (hoy were intruding. Good-fellowship and friendly feeding were soon established, hut it was evident that they could not quite understand the altitude of this fraternising white man.

When the rain erased two of them went out to look for wild hecs’ honey, but most of them sat talking by Ihe the or sleeping. ..Some of them had eaten nothin;-' during the day. but they were quite com out to sit about the camp, and were, no doubt., certain that they would get something later •on. In (his they were not disappointed, for at dusk tho women came '■ : ami 'announced their approach by shoaling. A email boy who had been with them brought a bundle of palm hearts, and the men shared them 'among themselves. ITU ENDS AVI'I’M. THE BABY. The married men then left, (he camp and went to see their women folk, and 1 I wandered lo where a spring was, gushing from (he hillside. I skirted the women's quarters widely, but on my return one of the men held up a small naked baby, and 1 walked into bis ramp to inspect it. At my appmieh tho women showed great signs ot fear, and covered themselves with bark, that they sat he I ween (wo walls and beneath a, mof. This seemed to be more or less eonvcnliou, for when 1 unostentatiously moved to the side so as to place them in full view they did not turn, but h. ■•' ■ d at, nr" with enrio'it.y. The baby was a fat-faced little boy about six months old, and he grasped the fingers ibal 1 held out to him ami laughed with all bis might. Th V pleased everybody, especially the women, and one of them put down tho covering and smiled. It seemed by (his lucky chance that [ had won their •■•i.iUdeiiem and, having the approval of the baby, (lie women were no longer afraid of me. t bad my supper of condensed fond at the spring, but soon after my re I urn to the bark house the small boys brought over a quantity of food, including some, baked vain? and palm heorls lor the men. and I was offered a share. EXCHANGE OF FOOD. It is my custom to accept and eat. a litilo of the init.vu food if it h olfcrod to me during a r.Val when 1 am present, and this smiiis lo please the natives very much. In return J offer them just a tame of anvihing lhat I have brought. If their fooil is clean and palatable 1 make a meal of it, and then can afford tb bo more generous with my supplies, and bv this means 1 find (hat th" nil]its are mo, onlv induced to hunt atier their own methods, but they appreciate the trigjuiiy exchange. During tile nicln, and in spite of Uin ram, the men reinsedt to take advanlag-s ol my shelter, amt slept, outside, as did their womenfolk, sheltered only by a lew bushes stuck in the ground. Tito ramp was not astir unlit sunrise, and alter I bad breakfast .beside the spring I v.sitcd (ho camp, where I hud seen the habv. This time the women did not show tear at mv approach, but they sat demurely behind I heir bark covennact and did not cover their h earls, 'The women ].»«3 had no breakfast,, neither had (he men, ami soon t.hev indicated that they would move, to another camping site. The men went, first and (he women went, their own way. We lolloped (be ioot of the range, for a eouole of hours and came to an overhanging ledge, under which a cave gave shelter from nil weathers.