" . . . Both Ends Of The Shoes Were Rounded Off, And Were Exactly Similar
To One Another, Which Has Given Rise To The Erroneous Idea That Their
Object Was To Prevent The Wearer Being Tracked .
. ."
But no other explanation is offered.
Breaden says tracks of a man wearing these emu-feather shoes are very
indistinct, but has no certain knowledge of their use. Warri, looking at
the bark sandals, said, "Black-fella wear 'em 'long a hot sand."
Questioned about the emu-feather shoes, he gave the usual answer, "I
dunno," and then added, probably to please me, as I had suggested the
explanation, "Black-fella no more see 'em track, I think."
It was clear that no good results were likely to follow further search in
this locality, for the tracks were so numerous, and crossed and recrossed
so often, that nothing could be made out of them. The country to the
North being so uninviting, I altered our course to North-East, and again
to North, when we sighted a smoke, and, following tracks, camped on them.
"Mud and oatmeal for breakfast," September 14th; truly the sage spoke who
remarked, "What does not fatten will fill." Such was our fare, and the
only doubt we had was lest the compound should be turned into brick by
the sun's heat! However, it was sustaining enough to last us all day,
occupied in tracking. Two dry wells, connected by a well-trodden pad half
a mile long, rewarded our labours; and here we had the conviction forced
upon us that the blacks themselves were hard pressed:
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