194 INTERVIEW AVITII THE KING OF THE BOGAN. [CH. III. 



in which my guides were evidently much interested, as they 

 kept me waiting nearly an hour for 



" Th' unseen genius of the wood." 



At length a man of mild hut pensive countenance, athletic 

 form, and apparently about fifty years of age, came forth, 

 leading a very fine boy, so dressed with green boughs, that 

 only his head and legs remained uncovered ; a few emu- 

 feathers being mixed with the wild locks of his hair. I 

 i-eceived him in this appropriate costume, as a personification 

 of the green bough, or emblem of peace.* 



One large feather decked the brow of the chief; which 

 with his nose, was tinged with yellow ochre. Having presented 

 the boy to me, he next advanced with much formality towards 

 the camp, having " Tackijally" on his right, the boy Avalking 

 between, and rather in advance of both, each having a hand 

 on his shoulder. 



The boy's face had a holiday look of gladness, but the 

 chief remained so silent and serious, without, however, any 

 symptoms of alarm, that my recollections of him then, and as 

 he appeared next day, when better acquainted, are as of two 

 distinct persons. 



To this personage, all the others paid the greatest defe- 

 rence, and it is worthy of remark, that they always refused 

 to tell his name, or that of several others, while those of 

 some of the tribe were *' familiar in our mouths as house- 

 hold words." The boy, who was called Talambe Nadoo, 

 was not his son ; but he took particular care of him. This 

 tribe gloried in the name of " Myall," which the natives 

 nearer to the colony apply in terror and abhorrence to the 

 " wild blackfellows," to whom they usually attribute the 

 most savage propensities. 



• The Grecians used to supplicate with green boughs in their hands, and 

 crowns upon their heads, cliiefly of olive or laurel, whence Statius says : 



Mite nemus circa 



Vittatcc launis, et sup]ilicis arbor olivrn. 



