IN THE NORTH-WEST.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 11129, 31 July 1907, Page 2 (Supplement)

IN THE NORTH-WEST.

DOGSi THE SIZE OF. RATS^

INTERESTING EXPLORING 1?R1I\ PERTH, June 20.; ' iMr. Canning . returned yesterday from his North-west stock route exploration trip.' ;'..- - -■■ '.• -'.'"-.. In the course of an interesting interview Mr Canning said he found natives plentiful, |>ut in small - families. Generally they were not hostile, -but they would spear a solitary individual. He had no little difficulty in. getting natives for, guides, and ftp show him water,; but sometimes he had to 'chase Jthem. When their, first fear was overcome they 'acted readily enough. One native, when caught^ kept feeling over tne horse on which he had been chased,. and laughing at his first fright-r-neVer having seen a horse before. ' After leaving Wiluna the party picked up a native boy, six years of age. JLe was half-starved, ; and they_._ took -him along. ]He went right thix>ugh the trip, and ultimately returned to his own country very fat. The tribal territories usually extended about 40 or 60 miles north arid south and east and west, the language varying little. '-'■!"■

Near Lake Auld a native showed the party a large hole in the limestone, with a tunnel at the bottom, and offered to take Mr Canning dbwn. He followed the native, and found a pool, 30ft wide, and 6ft deep, in which he had a bath. On returning he found 20 armed natives hiding in the bush; ready to spear hifia. His native guide, being onfe of the tribe, asked them to lay down -Jheir spears. Just them Ml- Canning fireclf_at and shot three cockatoos. which were flying o v '' head. This had a salutary effect. ' • * r ' Mr Canning found miniature ? - „ size of rats,, which were no* the living oh lizards and groo^ > marsupial, caught two alive, but ■•" • d vermin. :He by accident. they, were killed