Narrative Of The Overland Expedition Of The Messrs. Jardine, From Rockhampton To Cape York, Northern Queensland By Frank Jardine And Alexander Jardine
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Frank Jardine
Here Owns To A Feeling Of Savage Delight At The Prospect Of Having A
"Shine" With These Wretched
Savages, who, without provocation, hung
on their footsteps dogging them like hawks all through the thickest
of their troubles, watching
With cowardly patience, for a favourable
moment to attack them at a disadvantage. Even then, however, he
would not be the agressor, but allowed them to come within sixty
yards, and ship their spears in the woomerahs, before they were fired
upon. The two foremost men fell to the only two shots that were
discharged, and their companions at once broke and fled; nor was the
advantage followed up, as the travellers were careful to husband
their ammunition, and their caps were running short. This, however,
was the last occasion on which the party was molested, their sable
adversaries having, probably, at length learned that "they were worth
letting alone," and never again shewing themselves. The distance
travelled was 8 miles. N.E. by N.
'January' 15. - This being Sunday and horses, cattle, and men, being
in want of rest after the work of the last two days, it was
determined to make a rest day. The party employed part of the time
in spreading out the contents of the pack bags to dry, everything
having become mouldy with the constant wetting. The day was marked
too, by a grant feast of "stodge," doughboys, and jam, stodge being a
delicacy extemporised for the occasion, consisting of "flour boiled
with water to the consistency of paste, with some small pieces of raw
meat thrown into it"!! The Brothers spent part of the afternoon in
the mutual good offices of picking the pandanus thorns out of each
others feet and legs, the blackboys following their example.
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