280 CONFESSIONS OF A BEACHCOMBER 



the jungle from his land. They worked, but did not get 

 the anticipated recompense, and thereupon helped them- 

 selves, spearing and eating a bullock, and disappeared. 

 After a time the selector professed forgiveness, and, the 

 fears of the blacks of punishment having been allayed, set 

 them to work again. One day a bucket of milk was 

 brought to the camp at dinner-time and served out with 

 pannikins. The milk had been poisoned. " One fella feel 

 'em here," said my informant, clasping his stomach. " Rim 

 away ; tumble down ; finish. 'Nother boy runaway ; finish. 

 Just now plenty dead everywhere. Some fella sing out all 

 a same bullocky." Possibly this may be greeted as another 

 version of the familiar story of poisoned flour or damper. 

 It is mentioned here as an instance from the bad old days 

 when both blacks and whites were offhand in their relations 

 with each other. Such episodes are of the past. The 

 present is the age of official protection,"and perhaps just a 

 trifle too much interference and meddlesomeness. 



Two blacks of the district confessed upon their trial 

 that they had killed their master for so slight an offence as 

 refusal to give them part of his own dinner of meat. On 

 the other hand, an instance of thecallousness of the white 

 man may be cited. In a fit of the sulks one of the boys of 

 the camp threw down some blankets he was carrying, and 

 made off into the scrub. It was considered necessary to 

 impress the others, and unhappy chance gave the oppor- 

 tunity. A strange and perfectly innocent boy appeared on 

 the opposite bank of the creek. The " boss " was a noted 

 shot, and as the boy sauntered along he deliberately fired 

 at him. The body fell into the water and drifted down 

 stream. One of the boys for whose discipline the wanton 

 murder was committed related the incident to me. 



