iS49 INCIDENT AT BRUNY ISLAND 55 



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 compre- 

 hended 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 the air, and finally, catch- 

 ing hold of me, we had a grand waltz, with various poses 

 plasliques, for about a quarter of a mile. I daresay he was un- 

 sophisticated enough to imagine that I was filled with sym- 

 pathetic joy, but I grieve to say that I was taking care all the 

 while to direct his steps towards the village, which, as we had 

 as yet examined none of their houses, I was most desirous of 

 entering under my friend's sanction. I think he suspected some- 

 thing, for he looked at me rather dubiously when I directed 

 our steps towards the entrance in the bush which led to the 

 houses, and wanted me to go back; but I was urgent, so he 

 gave way, and we both entered the open space, where we were 

 joined by two or three others, and sat down under a cocoa- 

 nut tree. 



" I persuaded him to sit for his portrait (taking care first 

 that my back was against the tree and my pistols handy), and 

 we ate green cocoanuts together, at last attaining to so great a 

 pitch of intimacy that he made me change names with him, 

 calling himself ' Tamoo ' (my Cape York name), and giving me 

 to understand that I was to take his own lengthy appellation. 

 When I did so, and talked to him as ' Tamoo,' nothing could 

 exceed the delight of all around ; they patted me as you would 

 a child, and evidently said to one another, ' This really seems 

 to be a very intelligent white fellow.' 



" Like the Cape York natives, they were immensely curious 

 to look at one's legs, asking permission, very gently but very 

 pressingly, to pull up the trouser, spanning the calf with their 

 hands, drawing in their breath and making big eyes all the 

 while. Once, when the front of my shirt blew open, and they 

 saw the white skin of my chest, they set up an universal shout. 

 I imagine that as they paint their faces black, they fancied that 

 5 



