1849 INCIDENT AT BRUNY ISLAND 73 



which, half spreading their wings, they make their heads 

 a pivot and spin round in a circle, in a manner which 

 indicates a temporary aberration of the cockroach mind. 

 It is these outbreaks alone which rouse us from our 

 lassitude. Knocks are heard resounding on all sides, and 

 each inhabitant of a cabin, armed with a slipper, is seen 

 taking ample revenge upon the disturbers of his rest and 

 the destroyers of his body and clothes." 



Here, on the other hand, is an oasis, a bartering scene 

 at Bruny Island, in the Louisiade : 



" We landed at the same place as before, and this 

 time the natives ran down prancing and gesticulating. 

 Many of them had garlands of green leaves round their 

 heads, knees, and ankles ; some wore long streamers 

 depending from their arms and ears and floating in the 

 wind as they galloped along, shaking their spears and 

 prancing just as boys do when playing at horses. They 

 soon surrounded us, shouting ' Kelumai ! Kelumai ! ' 

 (their word for iron), and offering us all sorts of things 

 in exchange. One very fine athletic man, ' Kai-oo-why- 

 who-at' by name, was perfectly mad to get an axe, and 

 very soon comprehended the arrangements that were 

 made. Mr. Brady drew ten lines on the sand and laid 



an axe down by them, giving K (I really can't write 



that long name all over again) to understand by signs 

 that when there was a ' bahar ' (yam) on every mark he 

 should have the axe. He comprehended directly, and 

 bolted off as fast as he could run, soon returning with his 

 hands full of yams, which he deposited one by one on 

 the appropriate lines ; then fearful lest some of the others 

 should do him out of the axe, he caught hold of Brady 

 by the arm, and would not let him go until yams enough 

 had been brought by the others to make up the number, 

 and the axe was handed over to him. 



" Then was there a yell of delight ! He jumped up 

 with the axe, flourished it, passed it to his companions, 

 tumbled down and rolled over, kicking up his heels in 



