Aboriginal Australians -- Government relations; Dunk Island (Qld.); Natural history -- Australia -- Queensland
Such was the potency of the mechanical repetition of the all-healing
words that Tim presently found himself echoing them, and brought himself
up with a jerk.
“It's all haythen rubbish and cussing. The pore fule's daft wid the hate
and the dust and the welt I give him. Shure it's the way I have to be
sorry for the crature.”
Like the refrain of an infectious song, the musical phrase would not be
banished from Tim's mind and lips, and so the tough, rough Irishman
and the gentle exile from the Flowery Land went on their way, scarce
conscious of the grimy miles, both dreamingly hailing the jewel in the
lotus.
Three days later the travel-stained pair arrived at Cooktown, where Hu
Dra--henceforth to be known officially and authoritatively, and in spite
of all protest, as Tsing Hi--was duly consigned to the custody of the
lock-up keeper, to await escort to the town where his sentence was to be
served.
“He's that quare in his hid,” Tim informed Jock Egan, who now had
charge. “He's bin Tsing Hi-in and Hu Rah-in' and Paddy Om-in' (d'ye know
the maan, Jock?) all along the thrack till it's fair fascinated I am.
And barrin' him bein' the very thafe o' the wurrld, it's a poor honest
body he be. Shure it's little enough truble he give me, and me all alone
be meself. An' the swag of him! Glory be to God, I dunno but it's wort
five hundred pounds if it's wort a sint! Yirra! but it's weery I am.
It's little slape I've had. Shure the whole beesely thrack be lousy wid
shnaakes; and show me the man as cud slape shweet wid maybe four of the
varmint all ascroodging and squaaking nath his blanket!”
“It's quare in yer head yerself,” ye're exclaimed Jock. “Be off to bed
wid ye. If the sargint gets ye a-talkin' like that, he'll be afther
thinkin' ye're in dhrink.”
“Then, me sowl to glory; he'll jist be thinkin' fwhat I'm wishful for.
It's that farefull dhry up there on the Palmer I could dhrain a bucket.”
“Get to bed, yer fool! Ye're talkin' that wild, ye'll have no care for
yerself. It's meself that'll git the good woman beyant there to git ye a
cup o' biling hot tay.”
With that Jock got him out, with papers all in order.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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