But Baneelon Continuing Determined,
She Snatched Up In Her Rage One Of His Fish-Gigs, And Dashed It With Such Fury
On The Rocks, That It Broke.
To quiet her apprehensions on the score
of her husband's safety, Mr. Johnson, attended by Abaroo, agreed to remain
as a hostage until Baneelon should return.
We landed our four friends opposite the hospital, and set out for the
governor's house. On hearing of their arrival, such numbers flocked
to view them that we were apprehensive the crowd of persons would alarm them,
but they had left their fears behind, and marched on with boldness
and unconcern. When we reached the governor's house, Baneelon expressed
honest joy to see his old friend, and appeared pleased to find that he had
recovered of his wound. The governor asked for Wileemarin, and they said
he was at Broken Bay. Some bread and beef were distributed among them
but unluckily no fish was to be procured, which we were sorry for,
as a promise of it had been one of the leading temptations by which
they had been allured over. A hatchet apiece was, however, given to them,
and a couple of petticoats and some fishing tackle sent for Barangaroo,
and the other woman.
The ceremony of introduction being finished, Baneelon seemed to consider
himself quite at home, running from room to room with his companions,
and introducing them to his old friends, the domestics, in the most
familiar manner. Among these last, he particularly distinguished
the governor's orderly sergeant, whom he kissed with great affection,
and a woman who attended in the kitchen; but the gamekeeper, M'Entire*,
he continued to hold in abhorrence, and would not suffer his approach.
[*Look at the account of the governor being wounded, when his detestation
of this man burst forth.]
Nor was his importance to his countrymen less conspicuous in other respects.
He undertook to explain the use and nature of those things which were new
to them. Some of his explanations were whimsical enough. Seeing,
for instance, a pair of snuffers, he told them that they were
"Nuffer* for candle," - which the others not comprehending, he opened
the snuffers, and holding up the fore-finger of his left hand, to represent
a candle, made the motion of snuffing it. Finding, that even this sagacious
interpretation failed, he threw down the snuffers in a rage, and reproaching
their stupidity, walked away.
[*The S is a letter which they cannot pronounce, having no sound
in their language similar to it. When bidden to pronounce sun,
they always say tun; salt, talt, and so of all words wherein it occurs.]
It was observed, that a soft gentle tone of voice, which we had taught him
to use, was forgotten, and his native vociferation returned in full force.
But the tenderness which (like Arabanoo) he had always manifested to children,
he still retained; as appeared by his behaviour to those who were presented
to him.
The first wish they expressed to return, was complied with, in order to banish
all appearance of constraint, the party who had conducted them to Sydney
returning with them.
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