Whilst the brothers were led into the circle the “friendlies” went away to the chests, soon to reappear, not only in war-paint, but clad in every conceivable form. These northern blacks—men and women alike—were never in the habit of wearing the most minute particle of dress, or even covering.
The contrast, then, between the friendly tribes and the strangers was very great, and the lads took the liberty of attending to the costumes in small particulars. Tim this time clapped his hat on the head of his dark friend, who thereupon assumed a look of conscious pride; for, though it was the only article of dress he had on, yet he guessed that for this occasion the hat had been placed upon the real seat of honour. A pair of spectacles had also been brought to light in one of the rescued boxes. These were being passed around in wonder by the blacks, when our boys placed them on a very skinny old jin, and led her into the ring.
“She looks quite grandmotherly, don’t she, Mat?” said Tim.
When the proper place for spectacles was thus seen, the nude old woman became the envy and delight of the admiring natives.
Then the whole crowd, dressed and undressed, stepped into a ring formed of spears stuck into the ground, all bearing on their faces a look of extreme dignity, which gave them even a more ludicrous appearance than when they were gambolling in like attire on the sea-shore. But when our foresters saw the old granny standing up, as if for her picture to be taken, with nothing on but a pair of big goggles, they could scarcely forbear from going into fits of laughter; however, by great efforts, they controlled their mirth, seeing how grave were the faces of all around them.
This corroboree commenced with a song, which seemed as if it would never terminate, and which evidently entirely referred to the presence of the white men, as they were constantly pointed to.
The strange natives looked on silent and open-mouthed, till it was over, when they all turned to, to examine the shirts and other clothing; after this the brothers were conducted to their gunyah, and upon making signs that they were hungry, food and water were quickly set before them, and they stretched out in their bark hut for a rest: they could see the natives after a time drop off one by one and go to sleep.
More than once that night a visitor would steal up to have a peep at the white men, but Jumper’s ominous growl forbad a too close approach.
Night after night was the same scene enacted, corroboree and singing, as fresh tribes came to take the place of those who had already seen the wonderful white men. At length this trotting-out became so wearisome that Mat and Tim flatly declined upon one occasion to go and be overhauled, and pinched, and have their mouths looked into by every fresh lot of black fellows.
This refusal enraged the natives, who rushed towards them, fiercely swinging their waddies, or clubs, over their heads. Our foresters stood perfectly unmoved, which conduct evidently pleased the dark men, as they dropped their weapons, and did not call for any more exhibitions for some time to come. Most of the tribes also living within “calling distance” had satisfied their curiosity by seeing the strange men; and matters resumed their usual course, the “friendlies” keeping the brothers always well supplied with food, to their great comfort.