We explained to the strange natives that we intended to halt for the night in this neighbourhood, and asked them to show us a good spot with plenty of water and grass. At the same time those I had with me stated to the others that unless the women and children came in I would give no rice or flour. This declaration was however wholly unauthorised by my sanction, and arose from their desire of exhibiting their personal attractions to the ladies of these parts; but, feeling rather disposed to see a little savage flirtation, I raised no objection to it.
The oldest of the natives, who appeared to regard me with so much curiosity, went off for the purpose of collecting the women whilst we proceeded to our place of halt. After going about three miles in a due north direction we made a river coming from an east and by south direction, and here called by the natives Goonmarrarup; it lies in rather a deep valley, and at this point consisted of large pools connected by a running stream about 20 yards wide. There was plenty of wildfowl upon these pools and Ugat soon shot some for us.
SCENERY.
The scenery here was very picturesque: high wooded hills were upon each side of us, and the valley was open and rather thinly timbered; but the few trees it contained were of considerable size and beauty. Beneath one of these we prepared our bivouac, the strange natives doing their utmost to render themselves useful. They had never before seen white people, and the quickness with which they understood our wants and hastened to gratify them was very satisfactory.
MEETING WITH NATIVE WOMEN.
After we had tethered the horses and made ourselves tolerably comfortable we heard loud voices from the hills above us: the effect was fine for they really almost appeared to float in the air; and as the wild cries of the women, who knew not our exact position, came by upon the wind, I thought it was well worth a little trouble to hear these savage sounds under such circumstances. Our guides shouted in return, and gradually the approaching cries came nearer and nearer.
CURIOUS SUPERSTITION. CEREMONIES.
I was however wholly unprepared for the scene that was about to take place. A sort of procession came up, headed by two women down whose cheeks tears were streaming. The eldest of these came up to me and, looking for a moment at me, said, "Gwa, gwa, bundo bal," "Yes, yes, in truth it is him;" and then, throwing her arms round me, cried bitterly, her head resting on my breast; and, although I was totally ignorant of what their meaning was, from mere motives of compassion I offered no resistance to her caresses, however disagreeable they might be, for she was old, ugly, and filthily dirty; the other younger one knelt at my feet, also crying.
At last the old lady, emboldened by my submission, deliberately kissed me on each cheek, just in the manner a French woman would have done; she then cried a little more and, at length relieving me, assured me that I was the ghost of her son who had some time before been killed by a spear-wound in his breast. The younger female was my sister; but she, whether from motives of delicacy or from any imagined backwardness on my part, did not think proper to kiss me.
My new mother expressed almost as much delight at my return to my family as my real mother would have done had I been unexpectedly restored to her. As soon as she left me my brothers and father (the old man who had previously been so frightened) came up and embraced me after their manner, that is, they threw their arms round my waist, placed their right knee against my right knee, and their breast against my breast, holding me in this way for several minutes. During the time that the ceremony lasted I, according to the native custom, preserved a grave and mournful expression of countenance.