SWIMMING FEATS 309 



BROTHER AND SISTER 



As they grow up, brothers assume towards their sisters 

 an attitude of reserve almost amounting to repugnance. 

 The boy will not eat anything the sister has cooked, nor 

 knowingly touch anything she has handled. The more 

 contemptuous and austere his bearing towards her the 

 more proper it is. Nelly's brother paid a visit to the 

 island, and she cooked a huge damper at the kitchen 

 stove. When it was taken to the camp, hot and fragrant, 

 "Billy" at once inquired who had cooked it. Nelly, 

 wishing that her brother should not deprive himself of his 

 share, told a white lie in the one word, " Missis ! " Billy 

 ate heartily and was none the worse, while Nelly, who is 

 fond of Billy, notwithstanding his official detestation of 

 her, chuckled at the successful deception. 



THE RAINBOW 



One of childhood's most fascinating fables was, that at 

 the places where the rainbow touched the earth would be 

 found a bag of gold and glittering gems. Among some 

 North Queensland blacks almost exactly the same fairy 

 tale is current. " Muhr-amalee," remarked a boy, pointing 

 to a rainbow which seemed to spring from the Island of 

 Bedarra. "That fella no good. Hot, burning. Alonga 

 my country too many. Come out alonga ground, bend 

 over, go down. Subpose me go close up kill 'em along 

 spear, run away and plant. Bi'mby come back, find plenty 

 red stone, yalla stone. Fill 'em up dilly-bag. Old man 

 bin tell 'em. Me no go close up along Muhr-amalee. 

 Too fright ! " 



SWIMMING FEATS 



In their endurance as long-distance swimmers, and in 

 the ease with which they perform various incompatible 

 operations in the water, there are few to equal the coastal 



