JOYFUL INTERVIEW WITH A FRIENDLY TRIBE. KAIBER'S OPINION OF THEM.
We therefore approached them but as we came near they withdrew. Kaiber was now called into consultation; he scrutinised them long and carefully, and then announced that they were "mondak yoongar," wild natives; and, after a second survey of them, declared that they had the "mondak kurrang kombar," or great bush fury, on them, or rather, were subject to wild untutored rage. After making this announcement he squatted down under a bush to conceal himself, and then recapitulating rapidly all the dangers we had gone through, conjured me not to bring him into a fresh scrape by having anything to do with such a numerous party of his countrymen in our present weak state.
The men, who understood enough of what he was saying to know that he thought these natives had never seen Europeans, became extremely uneasy and begged me to allow them to fire a gun as a signal to them: "For if we are so near Perth as you suppose, Sir," they said to me, "these natives will come to us." Kaiber hereupon told me that the instant the gun was fired he should run away. This was rather too ridiculous a threat when the coward was afraid to move five yards from us; I therefore ordered a gun to be fired, and then, telling the men to remain steady and prepared in case of accident, I walked off towards the natives, Kaiber, in the meanwhile, sitting on his haunches under cover, muttering to himself, "The swan, the big head, the stone forehead;" and, as these denunciations reached me, I could not, even in all my misery, forbear smiling at them.
DISCOVERED TO BE FRIENDS.
The natives no sooner heard the gun and saw me approaching than they came running to me. Presently Kaiber called out to me, "Mr. Grey, Mr. Grey, nadjoo watto, nginnee yalga nginnow," "Mr. Grey, Mr. Grey, I am going to them; you sit here a little;" and he then, with his long thin ungainly legs, bounded by me like a deer. "Imbat, friend," I heard him cry out, as a young man came running up to him. I grew giddy; I knew Imbat by name, and felt assured that at all events the lives of a great portion of my party were safe. In a few minutes Kaiber had given an outline of our adventures and present state. Fearing such mischances as had really happened to me, I had, previously to my departure to the north, done my utmost to cultivate the friendship of the northern natives; and most of them, even to the distance of sixty or seventy miles from Perth in that direction, had received presents from me. My name was well known amongst them as a tried friend, although indeed my common denomination was "Wokeley brudder," or Oakley's brother; for, from my giving them flour, they concluded that I was a relation of the baker of that name at Perth.
HOSPITABLE RECEPTION BY THEM.
The women were soon called up, bark baskets of frogs opened for us, by-yu nuts roasted, and as a special delicacy I obtained a small fresh-water tortoise. "Now, friend, sleep whilst I cook," said Imbat, and lighting a fire he made me lie down and try to slumber whilst he roasted some frogs and the turtle for me. I was not over-well pleased at the skill he chose to exhibit in his cookery, for he thereby delayed me for a longer time than was agreeable, but we were all soon regaling on this native fare.
Anxious questions were put by the men as to their distance from Perth, and the natives all told them they would see it the next morning, "whilst the sun was still small;" and on further enquiry it turned out that a kangaroo hunter of the name of Porley was at a hut distant only seven miles from us, and according to the account of the natives he had a supply of provisions with him. As soon therefore as I had a little recruited my strength I started on with Imbat to the hut, leaving the men to follow in company with the other natives as rapidly as their strength would allow them. Imbat carried my gun and everything but a book or two and my papers, which, being precious documents, I had never trusted out of my own possession, however heavy my labours and misfortunes had been. He moved merrily along, trying to win me from my moody thoughts by relating all the news of the settlement both as concerned the Europeans and natives; for like all other idle people the natives are great gossips and really love a little scandal. Worn out from fatigue, I was rather petulant and ill-tempered, but Imbat talked on unmindful of this, or only laughed at me, and jeered me for it.
IMBAT'S NOTIONS.
My intentions in going on were to have everything prepared for the men on their arrival at the hut; but when I reached it I found it deserted, the owner having returned to Perth. I however lit a fire and laid down, Imbat again beginning to cook, and then chattering: "What for do you who have plenty to eat and much money walk so far away in the bush?" I felt amazingly annoyed at this question and therefore did not answer him. "You are thin," said he, "your shanks are long, your belly is small, you had plenty to eat at home, why did you not stop there?" I was vexed at his personalities, besides which it is impossible to make a native understand our love of travel. I therefore replied, "Imbat, you comprehend nothing, you know nothing." "I know nothing!" answered he; "I know how to keep myself fat; the young women look at me and say, Imbat is very handsome, he is fat. They will look at you and say, He not good, long legs, what do you know? where is your fat? what for do you know so much if you can't keep fat? I know how to stay at home and not to walk too far in the bush. Where is your fat?" "You know how to talk; long tongue;" was my reply; upon which Imbat, forgetting his anger, burst into a roar of laughter, and saying, "and I know how to make you fat," began stuffing me with frogs, barde, and by-yu nuts. The rest of the party arrived just before nightfall, and, searching the hut, found a paper of tea, and an old tin pot in which they cooked some, and then eating frogs, etc., for their supper, we all laid down to sleep, and in the silence of the night I rendered fervent thanks to my Maker who had again brought us so near the haven where we would be."