And Boladeree Added That Not Only He But All The Rest
Of His Tribe Were 'caradyee' Of Especial Note And Skill.
The Doctors remained with us all night, sleeping before the fire in the
fullness of good faith and security.
The little boy slept in his father's
arms, and we observed that whenever the man was inclined to shift his position,
he first put over the child, with great care, and then turned round to him.
Friday, April 15th, 1791. The return of light aroused us to the repetition
of toil. Our friends breakfasted with us, and previous to starting Gombeeree
gave a specimen of their manner of climbing trees in quest of animals.
He asked for a hatchet and one of ours was offered to him, but he preferred
one of their own making. With this tool he cut a small notch in the tree
he intended to climb, about two feet and a half above the ground, in which
he fixed the great toe of his left foot, and sprung upwards, at the same time
embracing the tree with his left arm. In an instant he had cut a second notch
for his right toe on the other side of the tree into which he sprung,
and thus, alternately cutting on each side, he mounted to the height
of twenty feet in nearly as short a space as if he had ascended by a ladder,
although the bark of the tree was quite smooth and slippery and the trunk
four feet in diameter and perfectly strait. To us it was a matter
of astonishment, but to him it was sport; for while employed thus he kept
talking to those below and laughing immoderately. He descended with as much
ease and agility as he had raised himself. Even our natives allowed that
he was a capital performer, against whom they dared not to enter the lists;
for as they subsist chiefly by fishing they are less expert at climbing
on the coast than those who daily practice it.
Soon after they bade us adieu, in unabated friendship and good humour.
Colbee and Boladeree parted from them with a slight nod of the head,
the usual salutation of the country; and we shook them by the hand,
which they returned lustily.
At the time we started the tide was flowing up the river, a decisive proof
that we were below Richmond Hill. We had continued our march but a short time
when we were again stopped by a creek, which baffled all our endeavours
to cross it, and seemed to predict that the object of our attainment,
though but a very few miles distant, would take us yet a considerable
time to reach, which threw a damp on our hopes. We traced the creek
until four o'clock, when we halted for the night. The country, on both sides,
we thought in general unpromising; but it is certainly very superior
to that which we had seen on the former creek. In many places it might be
cultivated, provided the inundations of the stream can be repelled.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 76 of 128
Words from 39143 to 39657
of 66960
