Journals of Two Expeditions of Discovery in North-West and Western Australia, Volume 2Grey, George
History
Journals of Two Expeditions of Discovery in North-West and Western Australia, Volume 2
Grey, George
Natural history -- Australia -- Western Australia; Western Australia -- Discovery and exploration
Killing seals is, from the habits of these animals, necessarily an
exciting species of hunting in the southern and western portions of the
continent. It is only enjoyed by the natives when they can surprise a
seal upon the beach or in the surf, or when they swim off to some of the
small rocky islands which are connected with the main by reefs, and are
at no great distance from it; they are themselves fond of this sport, and
the clambering about the wild rocks of their native shore, at one time
leaping from rock to rock, spearing fish that lie in the quiet pools, in
the next moment dashing into the boisterous surf to spear a large fish,
to battle with a seal, or to turn a turtle, cannot but be an exhilarating
occupation; and when to this we add that their steps are followed by a
wife and children, as dear to them as ours are to us, who are witnesses
of their agility and prowess, and who, when the game is killed, will help
to light the fire in which it is to be cooked, and drag it to the
resting-place, where the father romps with the little ones until the meal
is prepared, and that all this takes place in a climate so mild and
genial that a house is not necessary, we shall perhaps the less wonder
that it should be so difficult to induce a savage to embrace the customs
of civilized life.
There is nothing peculiar in their mode of killing wild dogs; puppies are
of course the greatest delicacy, and are often feasted on; they sometimes
however save these in order to keep them in a domesticated state, and in
this case one of the elder females of the family suckles them at her own
breast and soon grows almost as fond of them as of children. A dog is
baked whole in the same manner as a kangaroo; it is laid on its back in
the hole in the heated sand, and its nose, fore-paws and hind-paws are
left sticking out of the ashes which are scraped over it, so that it
bears rather a ludicrous appearance.
MODE OF KILLING TURTLE AND COCKATOOS.
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