282 CONFESSIONS OF A BEACHCOMBER 



of which is presented as an example of unbowdlerised 

 pidgin English. 



George — " You bin hear about Mr Limsee have fight ? 

 My word, he fight proper ; close up killed. We three fella 

 ride about. Cap'n — big strong boy that — me and Mr 

 Limsee. Wild boy — boy from outside ; Myall — beggar 

 that fella — longa gully. Hit Mr Limsee. He bin have 

 long fella stick, like that one Tom take a longa fight — 

 short handle. Heavy fella that — earn lif 'em easy, one hand. 

 Mr Limsee tumble down. Get up. That boy kill 'em one 

 time more hard. My word, strong fella boy that. Catch 

 'em Mr Limsee — tchuk longa ground, hard fella — like that. 

 Me and Cap'n come. Mr Limsee alonga ground yet — 

 ' Hello ! Mr Limsee, you bin hurt ? ' ' Yes, my boy ! hurt 

 plenty. Not much ; only little bit. That fella boy hit me 

 alonga sword. You catch that fella. Hold 'em.' Me and 

 Cap'n say — ' You no run away, you boy.' ' Me no fright." 

 He have 'em spear. Me tell 'em — ' You no run away. Me 

 catch you.' He say — 'Me no fright, you fella.' Me say 

 — ' You no run away. I shoot you.' He say all a time — 

 ' Me no fright. Me fight you.' Me say — ' You fool, you 

 earn fight alonga this fella bullet. He catch you blurry 

 quick.' That fella stop one place. We two fella go 

 up alongside. Cap'n he say — ' Hold up your hand. Le' 

 me look your hand ? ' He hold up hand. Quick we put 

 'em han'cup. That fella no savee han'cup before. He bin 

 sing out loud — loud like anything. We two fella laugh 

 plenty. Mr Limsee tie 'em up hand longa tree, and belt 

 him proper. Belt him plenty longa whip. My word, that 

 fella sing out — sing out — sing out. Mr Limsee belt him 

 more. All time he sing out. Bi'mby let 'em go. He bad 

 fella boy that altogether. We fella — go home along camp. 

 Mr Limsee feel 'em sore tchoulder. Nex' day that boy — 

 very tchausey fella — come up along camp. He say — ' Me 

 want fight that fella Cap'n.' Cap'n come up. That fella 

 catch 'em, Cap'n tchuk him hard alonga ground. Get up ; 

 tchuk him two time. Head go close up alonga stone. 

 Two fella wrastle all about long time. Cap'n strong fella. 



