Page:The Native Tribes of South Australia (1879).djvu/135

 EXTRACTS FROM JOURNAL. 73 18th December. Visited the camps. It is a curious sight, to sit in the wurley and watch the natives eat their food. To-day I saw them having a meal. One was making for herself a large pot of stirabout. When it was cooked, she took it away behind the rest and began eating, taking out great mouthfuls of it with a flat piece of wood, and devouring it so very hot that I wondered she did not scald her mouth. All the while the rest were quite aware of her doings, and would like a share of the mess; but custom and propriety forbid that they should show it. So one hums a tune, another chats, and the rest try to look indifferent; but at the same time there is a ludicrous expression of interest in their faces, and anxiety that the eater should not devour all the stirabout. Presently, when the owner of the food had appeased her hunger, she divided what was left amongst the others to their apparent satisfaction. Then a damper, which had been cooking in the fire, was taken out. This was common property. One of the elders of the party took it and divided it into equal portions with his knife, and pitched the pieces across to those entitled to a share. It is regarded as very rude amongst natives for two people to converse together in whispers or an undertone in the presence of other people. What is said must be uttered so that all can hear. A tete-a-tete is very offensive and bad manners. 16th. I have been told several times lately that a man is living with the natives on the lower lake who says he has come down from heaven. The natives say he was once called Jimmy Myers, and was a well-known blackfellow who died at Hindmarsh Valley. He represents that he died and went to heaven, but was sent back to the earth again. Of course, they regard such a wonderful person with great admiration. 17th. To-day our boat came from Goolwa, and on board of her is the very man who claims to have returned from heaven. He is a most villainous-looking fellow. He came up to my kitchen very boldly. While he stood there with a lot of blacks around him, I asked him what country he was a native of. He said Africa. I inquired what part of Africa. He answered, "I am a