they understood, and the whole time faithfully adhered to. Never once did they attempt to infringe, and it was considered by them as a privilege when any were permitted inside the inclosure. The children were often allowed to do so, and the parents evidently appreciated the kindness we invariably showed them. Now and then I allowed to approach the tent a few sick adults or those of both sexes who did work for us; the females as washer-women, and good ones too they were, the men as laborers on the vessel, but it was rare, for if one came others would fancy themselves entitled also.

The work done by the males really deserved praise. In discharging the vessel a gang of them cheerfully aided in the task, taking every care not to lose or injure an article. Once something was accidentally dropped in the river, and instantly two of them dived and recovered it. Indeed, it was most gratifying as well as interesting to behold them thus employed. tame, quiet, peaceable, and friendly as they then were, I have, at other times, seen the same people, men and women, in one moment roused to the aspect and the acts of demons! An instance or two I will presently mention.

OUR TENT.

were very anxious to try and do the same, and I thought it well to let them make the attempt. But first of all I bared the bark of a tree, and then at a fair distance sent in a rifle ball so that they well perceived the effect. I next took out the revolver (at that time revolvers were little known even by white settlers on that coast), and successively discharged four of the barrels, directing the blacks to mark the result. It greatly astonished them, especially when, still holding the weapon in my hand, a fifth barrel was discharged; and they evidently seemed to think there could be no end to its deadly power. But still more were they surprised and alarmed when I loosely charged the rifle again and, giving it to Sam, intimated that he was to fire. Seeing what I had done, he raised the gun to his shoulder and pulled the trigger. It was enough. The concussion he instantly received so frightened him that he dropped the gun and fell upon his Yet back on the ground as if in convulsions. I offered the rifle to another one, but neither Sam nor any of the rest would again handle it, and ever afterward the whole of them were in wholesome dread of the white man's guns. It is true that Mr. C- had before used such in their presence, but, as he said, he had never given the blacks such a practical trial as that. My object in this was to maintain the white man's prestige. However much we of civilization may despise the savages of wild lands, it is a fact that rarely do they not deem themselves equal to, if not superior to us, and verily in much with some show of reason. Few pale-faces can hunt, fish, track the animals of the bush, scent their game, or see the bird on a tree, so well as they. Then, too, the lazy, unfettered life of an Australian savage makes him positively look with contempt upon a civilized man, toiling and often slaving as we do, braced in garments that seem to the wild man much like what we should consider plated armor to be. Hence, when a voyager or traveler can, it is well for him to show as much superiority of tact, ingenuity, and physical power as possible.

My tent fixed, and all the material on shore, the vessel was hove down and the repairs commenced. While these were being done I took the opportunity to mix freely with the natives and enjoy myself as well as I could for the time. I soon found that kindness, tact, and management, combined with firmness, did all that was necessary. I could leave my tent with perfect confidence during the day, and often have I gone shooting for a few miles in the bush, with half a dozen or more blacks for my only companions. On one of the first occasions I was out early in the morning, and for the following purpose had taken my revolver and rifle in addition to a double-barreled fowling-piece; a native that we called "Sam" carrying the latter unloaded. When at about a mile in the woods, I charged the piece, and making sure of my aim, brought down a couple of birds. Sam and his comrades

One day I got them to ascend a high tree in that singular mode the Australians are so apt in. Directly the men had come down there was a grunt signifying that such was more than I or my men could do. Whereupon I fastened a piece of iron to a string, threw it over a low branch so that it should come down the other side, and then hauled over a line. By this I ascended, sailor-fashion, hand over hand, and by the same process got up to a higher branch, and thence to such smaller part of the tree that I could better climb. On descending again, the head man among the blacks came forward, and condescendingly said, in a mixture of two or three English words with their native tongue, Budgeree you. By-by you tumble down, white fellow, and come up black fellow;" meaning, "Well done you. By-and-by you will die as the white man, and then have the honor to reappear as a black man!"

a partner for life from the softer sex, gentle and persuasive means, with often a long courtship, are adopted to try and win the fair one's hand. But in Australia the aborigines have quite a different mode. They watch an opportunity when some damsel suited to their taste, and not belonging to their own tribe, is near, and then with the blow of a "waddie" (wooden club) very coolly knock her down, and carry her off as a prize. If he gets her thus away the affair is looked upon as perfectly correct, and all that has then to be done is for the two tribes-the husband's and that of his abducted bride-to fight it out. Of course it often happens that neither of the tribes have had a desire to fight, for it takes a long time to screw up their courage to a pitched battle, and, therefore, the ardent swain and his selected damsel frequently meet with ill-grace from their respective people. Harry's case was precisely this. He went away to a place where probably he had seen the damsel before, and there hiding himself in a thicket, waited for her approach. She came, poor, unsuspecting maiden! He knew she was not a wife, for the lapet or apron worn by females before marriage with a man, and thrown away afterward, was to be seen, therefore he determined to have her as his own. Watching an opportunity he suddenly sprang out of his lair, and, One day I found that Mrs. C- and my wife dear loving swain, with a heavy blow of his had taken under their care a new-comer, a club upon her head felled her to the ground. young woman belonging to another tribe. On He then bore her away, and, as we must suppose, inquiry, I ascertained that she was the captured by some other more tender means, persuaded bride of a rather handsome black called "Har- her to be his wife. Certain it was that a day ry," who had been working upon the schooner. or two afterward Master Harry reappeared at This Harry was a remarkably intelligent man, our quarters, bringing with him the buxom and really a good carpenter. He had been sud- young stranger. Immediately a fierce hubbub denly missed, and as we knew there was a fight ensued. The whole of the female portion of to take place with the Richmond blacks, it was Harry's tribe repudiated the poor girl, whether supposed he had gone thither. In this we were because she was really good-looking, or from mistaken. Harry had wanted a wife, and, ac- fear of their own husbands having to go and cording to the custom of his people, went away fight about it afterward, I can not say. But to a different tribe for the purpose of finding " "Kitty," as we white people soon christened her, was instantly refused admission into the Now, in the civilized world when a man seeks family circle of the dusky dames around us.

A few days after our arrival a coasting-vessel came into the river, and all my crew not liking to remain where they still felt themselves unsafe, left me, except the mate and steward. This was awkward, especially as no others could be obtained, and to prosecute the voyage or return to Sydney without men would be almost impossible. However, I made the best of it, and patiently awaited the cutter being repaired.

one.

he her. Give her up, therefore, he would not, | and the males of his tribe admitted his right to have a wife in such manner. Therefore there was no alternative but to fight. The messengers were hospitably entertained by Harry's people. They had a few presents from me; and away they went to prepare for the grand encounter, which was to take place in a fortnight's time on a clear space of ground some few miles from where we were. The result of this encounter I will presently state.

Meanwhile the affair caused an immense commotion among our friendly blacks. They can never do any thing important without great preparation; and now the furbishing up of the helimar or shield, the gathering together of waddies, boomerangs, and spears; the painting themselves over in the most hideous forms; and the grand coorobboree, that must always take place on such occasions, kept the neighborhood in one din of confusion during the whole time. Friends and connections were apparently called in from wherever they might be, for numerous strange faces daily presented themselves before mesome of them far from being so mild and peaceable to us as those we had longest known. Indeed one man, who seemed to have authority among the new-comers, was so ferocious and evil-disposed that the C-s and myself had to be carefully on our guard. Once he wanted to enter my tent with some of his roughest looking followers, and would have done so had I not very quickly intimated what I would do if he persisted, by igniting a train of powder quickly laid, and blowing up an empty cask within the inclosure, at the same time firing my revolver once or twice, and showing there was more powder within the tent. Yet I did not feel we were quite safe at that time, nor did the C-s. An incident that occurred then will show it.

One night, after I had been in bed an hour or two, I was awoke by a fearful noise. Taking up my fire-arms and rushing to the outside of our tent, I heard the most unearthly yells that could ever be uttered by mortal beings. For a moment I was all but paralyzed—for the night being dark, and the gloom of the forest making it still more sombre, I could not directly get to see what might be the danger. I had nothing but my shirt and trowsers on, and thus barefooted, with rifle in hand and revolvers stuck in the waist, I watched, for the moment, positively alarmed. Nothing, however, could I see to indicate where danger was. All around me was as black as Erebus, and thus while I stood I had that strange feeling of horror come upon me which will occasionally attack a man no matter how nerved he may generally be. This was, for a second or two, increased by suddenly hearing a stealthy footstep near me. I turned to the spot whence the sound came, and pointing the rifle, put my finger on the trigger ready to fire. One second more and I believe that I should have done so, but a voice in English came upon my ear as a figure approached.

My

"Hush! 'Tis I William C. brother and his wife, with the mate and steward, are at my cottage. I have come to call you there. The blacks have a coorobberee tonight. There are about three hundred of them; for many strangers came here last evening, and some of them are fierce. Be on your guard." And while thus speaking he came to my side. "This is foolish of you," he continued, as I lowered my gun. "What a good mark for a spear you are in a white shirt. You should be more cautious at such times as these. Somehow or other they are not all friendly disposed. It may end in a fight among themselves, and then we shall stand poor chance. Latterly the blacks have been grieved about some of their number being taken to Sydney and imprisoned for offenses against one or two settlers farther up the river, and these strangers may break loose among us."

"What is best to be done, then ?" said I. "Our wives! where shall we place them for safety?"

"I know not," he replied. "All the years I have been here nothing like this before has occurred. That fellow who tried to get in your tent is at the head of any mischief occurring. He had a brother hung at Maitland for murder, and he does not forget it. Another one called

Sydney Bill," a fine handsome chap, was sent, I believe unjustly, to prison for a year, and every settler within forty or fifty miles of this is aware that he means revenge. But the blacks also know that the authorities are awake, and that a body of native police are on the look-out. Therefore I think it will be all right yet for us. Only we must be on our guard, while showing no distrust, or seeming to know what they are about."

We went inside the tent. My wife was dressed, and, having been through not a few wild scenes before with me, was cool and collected. She had armed herself, and now calmly gave me such portion of my apparel as I had not put on. Ascertaining what was the matter, she showed no timidity, but readily accompanied us to the cottage. All this time the yells, the shrieks, the unearthly noises increased. They came from a clump of trees encircling a slightly cleared eminence at the right of us, about a quarter of a mile off. Presently, and directly after we had arrived, a sight met our view as we gazed from the window that was truly startling. Over a hundred of the natives, more resembling spectres than human forms, owing to their naked bodies being streaked in a peculiar way with white ochre, were seen in the dark night emerging from the wood toward the open space around the cottage. I held my breath. I looked around me. I saw the features of my companions pale with natural dread. I beheld my wife still calm but likewise colorless; and I could perceive the other two women absolutely overcome. Perhaps never before had I felt so strangely as I did then. We had been saved from the gaping ocean: we were now apparent

them, and indeed many of our own blacks, to be bad in the extreme when once yielding to their evil passions. For ourselves on this occasion, it is enough to say that the night passed on without more fear of danger, and the morning saw the whole neighborhood free of the natives, who had all gone to Harry's fight, as I shall call it, except a portion of the women, the children, with the aged and sick.

ly doomed to be the victims of these ferocious er so or not, I am unable to say. They were a cannibals. One mode of escape alone present-wild looking lot; and events transpired, after ed itself. "The boat! The boat!" I ex- I had left that part of the world, which showed claimed. "Let us all to the river, and take that chance, if it is really going to be an attack upon us! But even as I spoke we could see the band of natives suddenly halt not above a stone's-throw off. A more hideous and uncouth lot of beings it was perhaps impossible to behold. There were now, at least, three hundred of them; and by the glare of a fire which had been lit we perceived they were engaged in fierce and angry altercation. Presently the sound of contention ceased. A low humdrum sort of noise then followed. A large portion of the number sat down; others, evidently females, took another position, and in a moment more we heard the singularly low and plaintive notes of their wild songs as they kept time to a sort of drum, which I was informed was made from an opossum rug.

Unfortunately I was not able to witness this particular fight for a dusky bride. So much on deck during our three weeks at sea had made me unfit to be long away from the medicine chest. My hands and legs were covered with sores, and though I could walk a few miles, yet I was not sufficiently recovered to be absent for days. The best medicine, however, was that obtained from the vegetable productions around us. The marshmallow proved very effective; and about a week after this time I was quite healed.

We breathed again! We now felt safe from instant death and destruction such as we had feared might come upon us, and this was more confirmed when a soft tapping at the door was Meanwhile the battle took place. It was deheard, and, on guardedly opening it, Kitty with scribed to me afterward by one who had wittwo other females and a man whom we used nessed it. The contending parties were arranged to call Charley made their appearance. A few in long lines facing each other. The girl, Kitty, words from these faithful creatures convinced was placed between them. The fight comus of our safety. Our friendly blacks, though menced. Spears, boomerangs, and nulla-nulless in number than the strangers, were true, las, were thrown backward and forward, more and, as far as we could understand, had in- in wild confusion than with any regular system fluenced the rest not to molest us, even if such, of warfare. Now Harry's tribe would gain the as was probable, had been their intention. Wheth-advantage, and then Kitty would be seized by