He Broke The Wings Of Both And Concealed
Them Under Water.
It is a singular custom of the natives, that of
breaking the wings upon killing an emu; as the wings could only slightly
assist the animal in making its escape, should it revive.
But in
conversation with Brown as to the possibility of one of the emus having
escaped, he said very seriously: "Blackfellow knows better than white
fellow; he never leaves the emu without breaking a wing. Blackfellows
killed an emu once, and went off intending to call their friends to help
them to eat, and when they came back, they looked about, looked about,
but there was no emu; the emu was gone - therefore the Blackfellows always
broke the wings of the emus they killed afterwards." This was, however,
very probably one of Brown's yarns, made up for the occasion.
I sent Mr. Calvert and Charley to fetch the game, whilst we loaded the
bullocks, and by the time they returned, we were ready to start. The emus
were fine large birds, but not fat; this season seemed to be unfavourable
for them. When we came out into the plain, we saw the smoke of the
natives to the southward, and I steered for it, supposing that they were
either near the river, or at all events not far from fresh water. After
two miles travelling, we crossed another creek with fine Polygonum
water-holes, and, emerging from it into a second plain, we saw a flock of
emus in the distance.
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