Francis Adams says his heathenism is intense, and that everyone in the bush is at heart a pessimist. He has almost lost the power of speech, and his jaws move with difficulty when he attempts it. Henry Lawson, an Australian, tells of the intelligence of the bushman at his highest development in a study entitled "His Colonial Oath." He writes: I recently met an old schoolmate of mine up country. He was much changed. He was tall and lank, and had the most hideously bristly red beard I ever saw. He was working on his father's farm. He shook hands and looked anywhere but in my face, and said nothing. Presently I remarked at a venture:
"So poor old Mr. B., the school master, is dead?"
"My oath!" he replied.
"He was a good sort?"
"My oath!"
"Time goes pretty quickly, doesn't it?"
"His oath (colonial)."
"Poor old Mr. B. died awfully sudden, didn't he?"
He looked up the hill and said, "My oath!"
Then he added: "My blooming oath!"