LITTLE JINNY: IN LIFE AND IN DEATH 301 



And here was the most touching incident of the pathetic 

 scene. We had brandy and blankets and flannels where- 

 with to endeavour to afford relief. Poor Nelly had nothing. 

 Her poverty was grim, but she had some resource. She 

 had no means of alleviating the suffering save those which 

 spendthrift Nature provided — the smooth oily leaf of the 

 " Raroo." She used these aromatic leaves, all that she had, 

 with no little art and tenderness. Warming them over the 

 fire until the oil exuded, she would apply them to the 

 hairy jowl of the girl, and anon to her furry forehead and 

 cheeks. 



While there is life there is hope is evidently Nelly's 

 creed, and so she crunched and warmed the pungently 

 odorous leaves, and rubbed the hands that had often smitten 

 her in anger. Poor Nelly sighed piteously as she continued 

 her work, while Tom massaged the body of the girl, hoping 

 to expel the " debil-debil." His theory was, and is, that 

 some man whom " Little Jinny " had known down about 

 Hinchinbrook had died, and his " debil-debil all the same 

 like dead man," had " sat dovvn " in " Little Jinny's bingey," 

 — hence her distended condition. 



His efforts to cast out this personal " debil " were futile, 

 and as the poor creature lapsed into unconsciousness he 

 would blow gusty breaths upon her big black eyes. It was 

 his method of revivification. In my ignorance I knew none 

 more to the purpose. But it was all in vain. The great 

 eyes of this specimen of uncivilised humanity clouded over, 

 and then brightened. She moaned in response to Tom's 

 well-intended but too forcible massaging. Nelly applied 

 without ceasing the one means of relief that she possessed, 

 the heated " Raroo " leaf, to cheek and forehead, while we 

 exhausted our woefully meagre stock of knowledge in 

 endeavouring to ease the last moments of the dying. 



But poor" Little Jinny's " creditor was not to be denied. 

 He was exacting, cruelly exacting, imperious, implacable. 

 He would have the uttermost farthing's worth of her poor, 

 crude life. 



Nelly might sigh and use the whole armful of " Raroo " 



