The Explorers of Australia and their Life-workFavenc, Ernest
History
The Explorers of Australia and their Life-work
Favenc, Ernest
Australia -- Discovery and exploration; Explorers
"I and Mr. Kennedy," said Jacky, "watched them that night, taking it in
turns every hour that night. By and by I saw the blackfellows. It was a
moonlight night, and I walked up to Mr. Kennedy and said: 'There is
plenty of blackfellows now;' this was in the middle of the night. Mr.
Kennedy told me to get my gun ready.
"The blacks did not know where we slept, as we did not make a fire. We
both sat up all night. After this daylight came and I fetched the horses
and saddled them. Then we went a good way up the river, and then we sat
down a little while, and then we saw three blackfellows coming along our
track, and then they saw us, and one ran back, as hard as he could run,
and fetched up plenty more, like a flock of sheep almost. I told Mr.
Kennedy to put the saddles on the horses and go on, and the blacks came
up and they followed us all day. All along it was raining. I now told him
to leave the horses and come on without them, that horses made too much
track. Mr. Kennedy was too weak, and would not leave the horses. We went
on this day until the evening; raining hard and the blacks followed us
all day, some behind, some planted before. In fact, blackfellows all
round following us. Now we went into a little bit of scrub, and I told
Mr. Kennedy to look behind always. Sometimes he would do so, and
sometimes he would not do so to look out for the blacks. Then a good many
blackfellows came behind in the scrub and threw plenty of spears, and hit
Mr. Kennedy in the back first. Mr. Kennedy said to me: 'Oh Jacky! Jacky!
shoot 'em! shoot 'em!' then I pulled out my gun and fired and hit one
fellow all over the face with buck-shot. He tumbled down and got up again
and again, and wheeled right round, and two blacks picked him up and
carried him away. They went a little way and came back again, throwing
spears all round, more than they did before -- very large spears.
[Illustration. Wild Blacks of Cape York signalling.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account