238 CONFESSIONS OF A BEACHCOMBER 



life when once his primitive condition is disturbed by the 

 wonder-working whites. Bent wire represents a cheap 

 and effective substitute for fish-hooks of pearl-shell, which 

 cost so much in skill and time, and ever so shabby and 

 worn a blanket more comfortable and to the purpose than 

 the finest beaten out of the bark of a fig-tree. 



Many of the wants of the race are supplied through the 

 agency of the whites, and there are so many new tasks and 

 occupations and novelties generally to occupy attention, 

 that the decent and often ingenious handicrafts lapse and 

 are lost. Our blacks still decorate rocks and the bark of 

 trees with rude charcoal drawings ; but the art of making 

 stone axes is lost, though trees yet exhibit marks of those 

 handled by the fathers of the present generation. 



In passing, an example of the difficulties that must 

 inevitably be faced by inquirers a few years hence who 

 may seek information first hand may be cited. The 

 grandfathers of the blacks of Hinchinbrook Island and the 

 islands of Rockingham Bay have been popularly credited 

 with the art of making out-rigger canoes, such as were 

 common a few miles to the north. One living represen- 

 tative of the race gave me a detailed description of this 

 style of canoe, and pointed out with pride the particular 

 tree whence it was invariably fashioned, by hollowing out 

 a section of the trunk, leaving the ends solid and shaping 

 them. A different and very buoyant timber, according to 

 him, was used for the out-rigger. This boy had travelled. 

 He had seen the canoes further north as well as those of 

 New Guinea, and it was found on investigation that his 

 description of the local craft was quite imaginary. Captain 

 Philip P. King, who came hither from Sydney in 1818, 

 anchoring at Goold Island, thus describes the canoe of the 

 period — " Their canoes were not more than five feet long, 

 and generally too small for two people ; two small strips of 

 bark five or six inches square serves the darkie's purpose of 

 paddling and for baling the water out, which they are con- 

 stantly obliged to do to prevent their canoes from sinking.'' 

 These details are applicable to the canoes of the present day. 



