THE PRINCES IN THE BUSH.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 3310, 7 May 1885, Page 3

THE PRINCES IN THE BUSH.

Following is an extract from the diary of Prince Edward and Prince George of Walea, just published : — We rode on to Marbhip, where we arrived about 4 p.m., thirty miles from Albany, at Mr Young's farmhouse and clearing. The mantelpieces, the tables, and all the furniture, are made of mahogany, or the darker jarrah wood. The broad, large inglenook, with seats on either side, looks uncommonly snu« with the iron dogs . for the logs, a pile of which last are stacked m the verandah outside, so as to be conveniently handy for throwing on the fire all night through. Mr and Mrs Young, their two sons and two daughters, gave us a hearty welcome, and after taking a draught of warm fresh milk (of which there seems an inexhaustible supply all over the place), we walk up to the small shanty m which we are to stay. This consists of two rooms completely empty and with bare floors ; each, however, has a large open fireplace and plenty of jarrah wood stacked for use during the night. Two grand wood fires are already burning, bright and dry, such a contrast to what we have had for the last few weeks on board ship. A small two- wheeled cart that has brought our mattresseß and rugs, and what few things we wanted for the night, has arrived before us, and we proceed at once to make our toilet m the open air, for there is plenty of fresh water m the tank outside, arid a small wooden trough does

duty by turns for each of the party. Bevis, a large kangaroo dog, a sort of huge, brown, Scotch greyhound, looks on as we make ourselves ready for Mrs Young's tea-supper, for which we returnto the farmhouse, and there everyone waß very hearty and jolly, and did ample justice to the fowls, minced kangaroo, the jam, cream, scones, and no end of beautiful fresh milk and butter, such as we have not tasted since we had left England (for there is none, or very little, of either of these two last at the Cape or m South America). The day has been cloudy, but there has been no rain, though everyone says there is every sign of it being wet and windy to-morrow, one of which is that the hills m the distance are intensely blue. After tea found our way up across the paddock to our nightquarters, and there we slept as soundly as possible (nine m the two rooms), with the windows open and fires burning. There are two pails of fresh milk, which some drink neat and others prefer to take mixed with a little whisky before turning m. Some fall asleep at once, others not so soon, the American doctor's cheery ringing laugh sounding long on the quiet night air, as he and the commander tell alternately the most astounding yarns, each with a denoument more startling than the last. In the silent pauses between the tales, while they are collecting their wits, we can hear the croaking of the frogs away m the distance on the borders of the marsh, and with these two sounds alternately ringing m our ears we fell asleep. The sound of a lamb's bleat reminded one also of England, where to-day is the longest day, though here it is the shortest m the year. The sky is leaden, and though there is no frost, there is a feel about the clear air like a black winter. After dinner, which was at 6 p.m., we went to see a korrobboree, where the black-fellows were encamped at a short distance from the house. There were two tribes of these, and about 200 of them m all. They were painted with white and black streaks across the face and chest, and got up m correct style with skins and spears and boomerangs, and by the light of the fires which were kindled m a circle around they looked sufficiently hideous. The tribes danced alternately, and the watchwords of their songs appeared to be half English half native. A great' deal of the action of the dance consisted m striking the ground at the same moment, so as to cause an echoing ' thud with their feet. One of the repeated actions was to cause the muscles of the leg and thigh to quiver simultaneously from toe to stomach m a most extraordinary manner. At the end of each figure they brought themselves up sharp with a strange deep - toned sound, half hurrah, half grunt, " Wir — r — r — wuh !" They would then wheel right across the inclosed space m line, and chattering as fast as they could, upon the women who were Bitting on the ground, and also singing a sort of chorus of a few notes ; the line would then wheel back, break up into twos and threes, brandishing their short sticks and clubs over their heads, each man vociferating quickly to his mate, and then all of a sudden these incoherent Bounds would all coalesce together into a chorus, and the band, again united, would cause the ground once more to vibrate to the reiterated cadence of their stamp.