KING PETER.
One strange native arrived, after many cooeys, from a distance; whereupon the chief of the fishing-tribe (whom we styled king Peter) led him to us and introduced him to my particular attention. The tribe also took great interest in this introduction, and I, on our part, met the stranger as favourably as I could, by sitting down opposite to him in the midst of the tribe to which king Peter had led me. While I sat thus, under a dense group of bawling savages, I perceived that the most loquacious and apparently influential of all was the female who came up to us on the morning of the 8th, carrying a net. She was now all animation, and her finely shaped mouth, beautiful teeth, and well-formed person, appeared to great advantage as she hung over us both, addressing me vehemently about something relative to the stranger. He, all the while, sat mute before me while I continued not only silent but quite ignorant of the purport of what was said. My handkerchief was at length taken out, and many hands being at length laid upon me, I retired as ceremoniously as circumstances permitted, but not until I had been so manipulated by fishy paws that the peculiar odour of the savage adhered to my clothes long after.
I next allowed Peter to approach my tent, upon looking into which he set up a loud but feigned laugh, instead of evincing any surprise on seeing many objects to him so very strange. He afterwards came up with the old man and the stranger, proposing that the three should go in and examine it; but I positively refused to let them enter the tent together, for a bull in a china-shop were no hyperbole compared to pilfering savages in a tent among barometers, sextants and books.
At length I found to my regret king Peter's hand in my pocket, pulling at my handkerchief several times, although I had given him a tomahawk and breastplate. They began to see (as I hoped) that they could not easily get more from us. I perceived a messenger despatched across the river, and asked this chief by gestures and looks the object of the mission, when he made signs that others would come to dance. It was clear the man was sent for another tribe as:
The messenger of blood and brand.
Still their numbers did not exceed sixty, though gathered along the riverbank for many miles back; and my men, with twelve muskets, were strong enough when kept together; but this could not be, and it was a time of considerable anxiety with us all. About noon the whole tribe took to the river, with the exception of the two old men, the tall man, and their two gins.
PLATE 17: SCENE NEAR THE DARLING. 11TH JULY 1835.
DISPLAY OF DETERMINED HOSTILITY BY MESSENGERS FROM A TRIBE.
T.L.M. del. A. Picken Lith. Day and Haghe Lithographers to the Queen.
London, Published by T. and W. Boone.
SINGULAR CEREMONIES.