The Germ Growers: An Australian story of adventure and mysteryPotter, Robert
Science
The Germ Growers: An Australian story of adventure and mystery
Potter, Robert
Science fiction, Australian
Bomero came towards us with spear in hand, and two men on each side of
him also with spears. We made a sort of military salute, which he
seemed to understand, and made an attempt to return. Then he began to
talk. When he ceased, I turned to Gioro and said, “What says Bomero?”
Gioro looked first at Bomero, and then at me, then quite rapidly,
“Bomero, say, know all about white fellow; white fellow ride on horse,
keep cattle, keep sheep, carry fire spear. Bomero say white fellow
hold fire spear in hand, throw away only point, but point kill.
Sometime one point, sometime two, three points, two three. Bomero say,
Good-morrow to white fellow. White fellow all same black fellow. Black
fellow take white fellow to great Corrobboree far away west when the
one[2] white star rise, and red star and little stars go.”
I replied with all the dignity that I could muster, “Right, all right;
say to Bomero, ‘thanks.’ King Bob and king Jack all same king Bomero.
King Bob and king Jack will go with king Bomero to great Corrobboree
when the one[2] white star rises, and the red star and the little
stars go.”
[Footnote 2: The red star is certainly Aldebaran, and the little
stars the Pleiades. I could not for a long time understand “the
one white star.” There is at present no large white star in
opposition to Aldebaran. I first thought that Arcturus might be
meant, and that the feast had perhaps come down from a period when
Arcturus was a white star. But I now think that Spica Virginis is
“the one white star.” I think that by “rises,” or more properly,
“has risen,” Gioro meant “has culminated;” for Gioro usually spoke
of “rising” and “setting” as “coming” and “going;” so if he had
meant to speak of stars in opposition he would have said, “when
the white star comes and the red star goes.” Spica culminates
about the time that Aldebaran sets; also there are no large stars
near Spica, and this may be why it is called “the _one_ white
star.” I think I have read that some people for the same reason
call it “the lonely one.” Gioro probably meant, “When the lone
white star has culminated, and the red star and the little stars
are set.”—R. E.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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