170 RAMBLES IN THE DESERT 



some of his comrades ; and for a moment I feared that 

 unpleasant consequences would ensue. But those blacks 

 who had been among the whites of Swan River took my 

 part, saying that the fellow had only got what he deserved. 

 The majority took this view, and we became friendly all 

 round, even the fellow I had punished professing friend- 

 ship for me. 



The whole party moved on with us ; and afterwards I 

 saw about twenty women and children following behind, 

 but no more men appeared. Those with us were armed 

 with spears and throwing sticks, and some had waddies 

 (a kind of club) ; and the women, I could see, were carry- 

 ing bundles of spears. But I did not think this a 

 suspicious circumstance, as the natives always go armed ; 

 and, indeed, must do so in the desert, as they live on that 

 which they can catch or slay. 



The women did not attempt to come up to us, but kept 

 a long way off, until I inquired the reason. I then heard 

 that some of the women, on a former occasion, had 

 received attentions from a party of wandering stock- 

 riders which had excited the jealousy, or mistrust, of 

 their relatives. On my assuring the men that the women 

 should not be molested, they were called up, and on my 

 giving the children a few presents, the whole party ceased 

 to be troublesome ; satisfied at length, I suppose, that I 

 felt nothing but goodwill towards them. 



The poor women were pitiable-looking specimens of 

 their sex ; but some of the young children were pretty 

 little things, with bright, intelligent-looking eyes. With 

 the exception of one old woman, all the females had a few 

 rags fastened round them ; but the men and the children 

 were quite naked. One woman had a kind of apron made 

 of the skin of an emu with the feathers still on, and 

 another had the hide of a large wallaby thrown over her 

 shoulders. The miserable clothing of the others consisted 

 of linen rags and fragments of old blankets which must 

 have been obtained from white people, the whole of the 

 rags being in a disgustingly filthy state. 



This tribe followed us for about eight miles, and parted 



