第98章

In order to give you some idea of the nervous horror I had of losing prestige, I may tell you that, far from being satisfied with what I had done to vindicate the great Sovereign whose special ambassador I was supposed to be, I soon decided to give yet another demonstration which should impress even those who were inclined to cavil--if any such existed.I pointed out that whilst the Queen, great and powerful and beloved ruler though she was, could not lead her warriors into battle in person, yet she was represented in war time by her eldest son, who was a most redoubtable warrior and spear-thrower, and acted on behalf of his illustrious mother on all occasions when she could not appear.But as mention of the Prince of Wales called for a demonstration of HIS personality also, Idetermined to make another experiment in portraiture,--this time in the direction of sculpture.I think it was having come across a very damp country, abounding in plastic clay, that put this idea into my head.First of all, then, I cut down a stout young sapling, which, propped up in the ground, served as the mainstay of my statue; and from it I fastened projecting branches for the arms and legs.

Round this framework I built up my figure with blocks of clay; and at length, after, perhaps, three or four weeks' industrious modelling, I completed a statue of his Royal Highness which measured about seven feet six inches in height.The body and limbs were of abnormal development, much on the lines of my representation of his august mother.Fuller details would be interesting, but hardly edifying.This statue I "unveiled" at another of my monthly receptions, and, judged by its effect, it was even a greater success than the colossal portrait of the Queen.Amonster corroboree was held alongside the Prince of Wales's statue, but, unfortunately, he went to pieces in a day or two, when the fierce sun beat down upon the clay, and cracked it.This gradual disintegration of the great ruler's deputy vastly amused the blacks, and I eventually had to hasten the Prince's end, lest their mirth should compromise my dignity.

You will hardly be surprised when I tell you that the blacks looked to me for everything.I was judge, wonder-worker, and arbitrator.

Often they would pick up one of my possessions, and, whilst not exactly coveting it, they would ask for one like it.

Take, for example, the reed flutes which, when played by me, were such a source of joy to the blacks and their children.Well, I was soon called upon to make flutes for the natives, which I did out of long reeds; but these instruments only had two holes in them at first, as the blacks could not play them when other holes were added.The great drawback to these flutes was that the reed dried very quickly and became useless for musical purposes; so I was kept pretty busy, more especially as I did not want to create jealousy by refusing some and gratifying others.

Although the immediate country in which I established my home was fertile and extremely rich in tropical vegetation, the adjoining ranges were in striking contrast to it; many districts being rugged and slaty and painfully difficult to traverse on foot.There were, however, many interesting natural curiosities which beguiled the time in travelling.

Once I came across a certain kind of spider, whose web was so strong and thick that it only broke under considerable pressure from the finger.The spider itself was fully two inches or three inches long, and had formidable claws.Inland fishing, too, Ifound extremely interesting.Of course, the inland blacks have a very different method of fishing from that adopted by the coast tribes.Often the inland people would build a fire on the banks of the lagoon, and throw something into the water to attract the fish to the surface.When the fish rose they would promptly be speared.

Some of them weighed as much as ten pounds, and proved excellent eating.The blacks themselves never inquired how the fish came into these inland holes; it was enough for them to know they were there and were good eating.The usual fish-hooks were of bone; and although I experimented with hooks of gold and copper I found them practically useless, and, in the long run, reverted to articles of native manufacture.In a certain limestone country, which I struck in the course of my wanderings, I discovered some extraordinary caves with water-holes, in which blind fish existed.They certainly had indications of eyes, but these were hidden beneath a kind of permanent skin covering.In any case they would have had no use for eyes, because the water-holes were situated in the most profound darkness.In other caves I discovered quantities of extraordinary animal-bones, probably of prehistoric origin.

If I have omitted to mention Bruno in connection with every incident related in these pages, it must not be supposed that my faithful companion did not play an important part in my daily life.

He was always with me; but it must be remembered that he was now growing old, and the natives around me were by no means so keen to possess him as the tribes of Carpentaria had been in the days gone by.

All kinds of extraordinary incidents befell me whilst on the "walk-about." Many a time have I been deceived by mirage.One most complete deception befell me one day whilst Yamba and I were tramping over a stretch of low, sandy country.Suddenly I fancied I descried the boundless ocean in the distance, and with my usual impetuosity rushed frantically forward in the firm belief that at last we had reached the coast.Yamba explained that it was only a mirage, but I would not stay to listen, and must have gone miles before I gave up in disgust and returned to my patient wife.This brings me to another and perhaps still more extraordinary illusion.