284 CONFESSIONS OF A BEACHCOMBER 



was still valorous and would live to fight again, was not 

 clear, but " Danger nebber dead," probably represents the 

 only aboriginal aphorism extant. 



George is not the least superstitious. He takes every- 

 thing for granted. Rain, in his opinion, comes from a big 

 tank up above somewhere. Asked as to his belief in the 

 personal " debil-debil," of whom the mainland boys have 

 such dread that few will stir out after dark, he said with a 

 guffaw — " Me nebber bin see one yet. Suppose me see 'em, 

 me run 'em ! " George is, therefore, as yet unable to give a 

 description of the fiend ; but from hearsay authority declares 

 that it possesses three eyes, two in the^ordinary position, 

 and one at the back of the head. It is believed that the 

 third eye insures the " debil-debil " against all possible sur- 

 prises, thus preserving the mystery of identity. 



Though he has not a shadow of respect for the " debil- 

 debil," George has a firm faith in the existence in the 

 neighbourhood of Cooktown of a camp of what he calls 

 "groun' gins." His experience with these mysterious 

 subterranean sirens he thus describes — 



" Little bit outside Cooktown camp belonga groun' gins. 

 Me and Sargen' go look big corrobboree ; my word. Some 

 gins come out alonga groun' from hole. When go down, 

 groun' close up himself, like winda. My word, me fright. 

 Me shake. One good fella nice gin come up. Sargen' 

 say — ' You go corrobboree dance along that fella.' Me 

 say — ' We go home now, me fright. We want go alonga 

 town. This no good place.' Sargen' laugh little bit. 

 He say — ' No, my boy, you no fright. All right here. 

 You dance alonga that fella gin — good nice gin.' Me go 

 up. Me feel 'em fright. Feel 'em cold inside. Too much 

 fright. My word ; han' belonga that fella gin — cold like 

 anything. That gin say — ' Where you from ? ' Me say — 

 ' Me come from alonga town.' That gin say — ' What you 

 look out ? ' Me say — ' Me look out bullocky, musser 'em 

 cattle. Tail 'em up. Look out weaner alonga paddick. 

 Plenty hard work.' Me dance little bit alonga that gin. 



