A NIGHT WITH BLACKS.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 July 1925, Page 14

A NIGHT WITH BLACKS.

THE FOOD OF THE BUSH. LIFE IN AUSTRALIAN WILDS. EXPLORER AND THE BABY. Few men know the Australian native in his natural surroundings better than that intrepid adventurer, Captain G.H. Wilkins, who has considerably added to his knowledge of them by his recent long sojourn in Northern Australia. He has been collecting rare specimens of flora and fauna on behalf of the British Museum and has just returned to Brisbane, where many cases of specimens point 'to fruitful results of his journeyings.

Captain Wilkins relates a story of a visit he paid to the camp of a tribe of savage blacks on Groote Eylandt Where, following his usual custom, he ate the natural food of the bush. He tells of idle way he won the confidence of this shy, wild people. His story is as follows: It was arranged that I should go with a young man named Yarra, who could speak a little English, and live with his tribe. We left their temporary camp at sunrise next morning, and ?n order to interfere with their ordinary life as little as possible I took with me no more than I could comfortably carry. Tlie rain that had fallen almost continuously for the previous few days had ceased on the morning of our departure, but the countryside was flooded. ATTACKED BY LEECIJES. Our way for the first two miles was through a leech infested swamp where the water reached our knees. I wore high canvas leggings, .but the blacks, Who were naked, except for string around their waists, suffered considerably. They were kept busy striking off the loathsome 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 troubles. (I T |lree hours’ walking brought us to a “U” .shaped valley and at this place the blacks indicated that they expected to meet other people. They stopped, and called, and listened, but there was no response. We then approached a smouldering camp fire that had recently been deserted, for there were several coolamons (bark dishes), some old cans, and some pieces of bark lying near the fire.- I inquired if the women had been afraid of me, and if they had rm off at my approach, and I was told that they had gene hunting some ti ae before we had arrived. The men moved off to a distance of about 100 yards and made a fresh camp, saying that we would spend the night at this place. There were seven men and four boys in my escort, and they had not had anything to eat that day. We had secured only one small iguano on our journey, and now this was cooked and eaten, but it was not more than a mouthful for them. BUILDING A HUMPY.

Rain threatened, and without any suggestion on niy . part some of the men set out with their tomahawks and stripped bark from the trees: others carried the bark to the camp, and soon they had constructed a comfortable "A” shaped shelter and paved the floor with the -softest pieces of bruised stringybark. When the tent was finished they placed my things in the centre and indicated that it was at my disposal. The rain camo on and I willingly took advantage of the cover, but the blacks seated themselves outside the door and were prepared to remain out in the rain. When I motioned them to come inside they were quite surprised and hesitated before accepting. One by one they came in and seated themselves on the edge of the bark carpet and looked a s if they thought they were intruding. Good fellowship and friendly feelings were soon established, but ft was evident that they could not quite understand the . attitude of this fraternising white man. . When the rain ceased, two of them went out to look for wild bees’ honey, but most of them sa-t talking by the fire or sleeping. Some of them had catch nothing during the day, but they were quite content to sit' about the camp, and were, no doulbt, certain that they would get something later on. In this they were hot disappointed, for at dusk the women came in and announced their approach by shouting. A small bpy who had been with them brought a bundle of palm hearts, and the men shared them among themselves.

FRIENDS WITH THE BABY. The married., men then left the camp and went to see their women folk, and I wandered to. where a spring was gushing from the hillside. I skirted the women’s quarters widely, but on my return one of the men 'held up a small naked baby, and I walked into his camp to inspect it. At my approach the women showed great, signs of fear and covered themslves with bark, so that they sat between two walls and Irenes th a roof. This seemed to be more or less convention, for when I unostentatiously moved to -the side so as to place them in full view, they d-d not turn, but looked at me with curiosity. The baby was a fat-faced little boy, about six months old, and he grasped the fingers that I held out to him and laughed with all his might. This pleased everybody, especially the women, and one of them put down the covering and smiled. It seemed -by this "ticky chance that I had won their confidence, and, having the approval of the b.iby the women were nc longer afraid of me. 1 had had my supper of condensed food at tie’spring, but soon after mv return to the bark house the small boys brought over a quantity of food, including some baked yams and palm heats for the men and I was offered a share. EXCHANGE OF FOOD. It is my custom to accept and eat a little of the native food if it is offered to me during a meal when I am present, and this seems to please the natives very much. In return I offer them lust a taste of anything that I have brought. If their food is clean and

palatable. I make a meal of it, and can then afford to be more generous with my supplies, and by this means I find that the natives are not only- induced to hunt after their own methods, but they appreciate the friendly exchange. During the night, and in spite of the rain, the men refused to take advantage of my shelter, and slept outside, as did their womenfolk, sheltered only by a few bushes stuck in the ground. The camp was not astir until sunrise, and after I had breakfasted beside the spring I visited the camp where I had

seen the baby. This time' the women did not show fear at my approach, bilk they sat demurejy behind their bark coverings and did not cover their heads. The women had had no breakfast, neither had the men, and soon they indicated that they would move to anotner camping site. The men went first, and the women went their own way. VVe followed the foot of the range for a couple of hours and came to an overhanginp. ledge, under which a cave gavs shelter from all weathers.