252 THE PORT DARWIN DISTRICT 



profuse sweat. When he was covered with white foam the 

 flies did not care to pitch on him. 



The night was very close and sultry, and in the early 

 morning there was a violent thunderstorm, with heavy 

 showers. This drove away the insect pests, including the 

 gnats which had made their appearance at dusk. The 

 following day was sultry, but not so hot as the previous 

 one ; and I rode about twenty-five miles through a similar 

 country to that already described, except that the only 

 water met with was a few shallow pools left by the recent 

 rain. 



This day I met a party of natives thirty in number, of 

 whom twelve were full-grown men. Some of them ran 

 forward, dropping their spears, and gesticulating with 

 their hands. Perceiving that they wished to speak with me, 

 I thought I might venture to permit them to come up, and 

 that it would be good policy to evince no fear of them. 



They came on quickly, followed by the women and 

 children, who, I noticed, picked up the dropped spears. 

 Still, I felt no fear, for, though a different opinion exists 

 amongst many persons acquainted with the Australian 

 black, I have never found him treacherous. Others no 

 doubt have had a different experience, but have they 

 always recorded the whole truth ? If he means outrage 

 he shows his teeth at once, and without hesitation throws 

 his spear. I have never known a case of his inveigling 

 his victims with a show of friendship and then treacher- 

 ously turning upon them without provocation. I am sorry 

 to add what in justice to the blackman I feel I ought to. 

 There is an opinion among the rougher classes of 

 colonists that the black is always ready to sell his wife 

 for a plug of tobacco or a peg of whisky. Sad to relate, 

 this is too often the case in some parts of the country ; 

 but generally the native who has not been corrupted by 

 the delights of the dram-shop is jealous of the virtue of his 

 womankind, and the " treacherous incidents " we some- 

 times hear and read about have, almost invariably, their 

 origin in just resentment of undue interference with the 

 women, 



