Page:The Aborigines of Victoria and Riverina.djvu/132

127 matter how urgently their services may be required at the time they will take themselves off all the same, even although there may he a chance of their forfeiting wages already earned by so doing.

It frequently happens that the taarp deposit is fifteen or twenty miles away from water (the most arid spots in the locality are the ones usually chosen by the insect, if the young gum-shoots be available), but, notwithstanding the distance and absence of water, every member of the tribe who can crawl at all, including children, start off to the taarp field in the jolliest of spirits, carrying all manner of things wherein to pack the expected treasure. Seeing them in their high glee preparing to start on one of these expeditions is a most amusing sight, and conveys to the mind of the observer the impression that he is looking upon the happiest community of people in existence; there is, however, another side to the picture which is the reverse of pleasing, and that is this:—Ere half-a-dozen miles have been travelled by the jolly taarp-seekers the frail and weak ones of the party begin to groan and moan as none but aboriginal human nature can; finally, of course, they knock up entirely, and so come to a stand-still, the strong ones however, do not pay the least attention to these laggards, but continue in their course quite nonchalantly.

The willing spirit of the weakly searchers after this aboriginal sweet has to succumb to physical incapacity, therefore they have to sit down in their tracks to recuperate their energies to enable them to return to the camp, from which, of course they feel that they should not have started.