6 A NATURALIST IN CANNIBAL LAND 



We landed at Rockhampton, Queensland, after 

 seven weeks' voyage, during which I got my first 

 sight of savage people. Thursday Island, which 

 gave me this first knowledge of tropical life, was at 

 that time a particularly interesting place. Now its 

 glory has mostly departed, but it was then the great 

 centre of the pearling fleet in Australian waters. 

 That was in the days before the Japanese had come 

 into the pearling industry, and all the chief divers 

 were white men who had under them as helpers 

 South Sea Islanders. The white divers usually led 

 reckless and extravagant lives. The custom was 

 to spend three weeks at work and then to waste six 

 weeks in a wild spree on shore. Thursday Island 

 was the usual centre for these revels, and I suppose 

 that was how it got its name corrupted in the popular 

 tongue to " Thirsty Island." The pearl shell beds 

 then were very rich, and lay in shallow waters, so 

 that the yields were very good. When pearl shell 

 could be got at a depth of twelve or fifteen fathoms, 

 a diver could stop down collecting it all day. Now, 

 when the fishing is in deeper water, it is impossible 

 to get anything like such good yields, and most of 

 the pearling fleet have left Thursday Island for new 

 headquarters in the Dutch Indies. 



From Rockhampton I went by train to Duaringa, 

 and then fifteen miles further on to Coomooboolaroo 

 Station. At that station I stayed as the guest of 

 Mr. Barnard for some four months, and I think those 



