TOM: HIS WIVES HIS BATTLES 291 



of securing a hatful of grubs, which, together with the 

 chrysalids and the full-grown beetle (brown and glossy) 

 were devoured after being warmed through on the ashes. 

 When the tomahawk in the process of cutting out damaged 

 a grub, Mickie with a leer of satisfaction would eat the 

 wriggling insect with a feigned apology " Me bin cut that 

 fella." Baked in the ashes the chrysalids have a wholesome, 

 clean appearance, with a flavour of coco-nut, and the 

 " white fella " always came in for his share. 



Mickie's bush craft, his knowledge of the habits of birds 

 and insects and the ways of fish, is enviable. Signs and 

 sounds quite indeterminate to " white fellas " are full of 

 meaning to him. Of course, by failure to comprehend such 

 things, no doubt he has many a time gone hungry, and the 

 keenness of his appetite has so sharpened his perceptions 

 that he is seldom at fault now. The scratching of a scrub 

 fowl among decayed leaves is heard in the jungle at an 

 extraordinary distance, and a splash or ripple far out on 

 the edge of the reef tells him that a shark or kingfish is 

 driving the mullet into the lagoon, where he may easily 

 spear them. He can tell to a quarter of an hour when the 

 fish will leave off biting ; he hears the scamper of the 

 iguana in the grass when the " white fella " fails to catch a 

 sound, and knows when the giant crabs will be " walking 

 about " in the mangroves. He is trustworthy and obliging, 

 and ready to impart all the lore he possesses, an expert 

 boomerang thrower, a dead shot with a nulla-nulla, and an 

 eater of everything that comes in his way except " pigee- 

 pigee." Having long had the pleasure of his acquaintance, 

 I can cordially wish him a never-failing supply of " patter " 

 and tobacco, and surcease of " monda " ; and what more can 

 the heart of a blackfellow desire save rum ? 



TOM : His WIVES His BATTLES 



Tom has been thrice married at least he has possessed 

 three wives. For a few months he had two at a time, and 

 placidly endured the consequences. 



