The Confessions of a BeachcomberBanfield, E. J. (Edmund James)
History
The Confessions of a Beachcomber
Banfield, E. J. (Edmund James)
Dunk Island (Qld.); Natural history -- Australia -- Queensland
"Why you no stop? That very good place."
"Nahr! No blurry good."
"You get plenty tucker--plenty everything that place!"
This provoked a trailing exclamation of dissent and disgust. "N-a-hr!
Blenty ask it--no get 'em. Ebery morning tell that big fella Boss (with
an upward jerk of the head) gib it daily-bread. Dinner-time tell it gib
it daily-bread. One time more alonga tea tell it that big fella Boss gib
it daily-bread."
"Well, you get plenty."
"N-a-hr! No get 'em. Get 'em corn (with a spit) all asame horse."
Hominy, with prayer, is the standing dish at that station.
HUMAN NATURE
Among the most cunning of civilised blacks was a gentleman, well up in
years, known as Michael Edward. He had been everywhere and had seen
everything, and was full of what we call worldly wisdom. His conceit in
himself led him to eat abundantly, drink all he could and at anybody's
expense, smoke continuously, do as little work as possible, though
apparently with lavish expenditure of industry, dress flashily and talk
big. In pursuit of these things he behaved as should a cute student of
human nature. Sent by Mrs Jenkins, his then mistress, with a message, he
arrived as some tempting pastry was taken from the oven. He eyed it all
with such riotous admiration, that an invitation to taste a tart was
felt compulsory. Michael Edward assented with a "Yus, please, Missis."
The tart was but a trifle light as air in his capacious maw, and another
went the same way with loud smacking of huge lips. Then, with a lively
sense of the continuance of such favour, he said--"My word, Missis you
mo' better cook than Missis Jenkin!"
A police magistrate had a blackfellow in his employ very much addicted
to beer. The black was brought before His Worship charged as a "drunk
and disorderly." The magistrate lectured him severely, but paid his fine
on condition that he would never drink again. A month later the culprit
was again in the court, and the magistrate, who was rather in love with
his own eloquence, proceeded to read the offender a severe lecture and
to threaten him with awful punishment At the most impressive point the
black broke in with--"Go on, Croker! Shut up and pay 'em money. Me want
finish 'em fence!"
AN APT RETORT
A meeting between a steamer smartly captained and a sailing boat steered
by a smart black boy familiar with the rules of the road at sea was
taking place. The steamer having too much way on, the boat narrowly
escaped being run down. "Why didn't you keep out of the road," yelled
the captain, "Why do you let the nigger steer?" Tom in reply, "Why you
no luff up? You got blurry steamer, I no got 'em!"
MISSIS'S TROUSERS
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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