n - University of Newcastle

TEE KEY. .89
with many others, on a moonlight night, under the 1)loe canopy of hea~en,
preparing for the illiclilight ball to be helcl on the greeu swarcl, with no
other covert than a growing bush, wit11 none other blaze tllall that from the
numerous fires kincllecl arouncl the ulystic ri11g in ~t-hich to trip the light
fantastic t,oe. Then they inight be seen reciprocally ronginn each other's
cheek with pigiuent of their om1 preparing, ancl impartiilg fa%ness to their
sable skin on the neck and forehead with the purest pipeclay, uutil their
counteilances beainecl ~rith rapturous delight at each othey's chal.111~. The
cumbrous garments of the clay were laic1 asicle, and in all the inajesty of
nature they danced as Britons clid in clays of old.
On points of aboriginal honor N'Gill was esceeclingly sensitive. "I
must go," saicl he one clay, " to stand my punishmellt as a inan of 110110r,
though I have clone no xvroi~g." The hostile message had been cloly sent,
and faithfully delivereel by the seconcls; one of these was an elderly female,
'who made her verbal commnnication with all the accustomed vituperation
of daring challenge to the offended party ; it was tluly accepted ; the
w&apons nanied, the cndgel, shield, ancl spear ; the time was appointed,
a certain day when the sun was oue quarter high ; the place, a plain in
a certain well-known vicinity attachecl to our dwelling. Messengers were
clespatched to gather in the clistant tribes, aud on the mountain-tops were
seen the signal-fires silnounciiig their approach to witness the a&ir of
honor. JTihea the tribes had assemhlecl, a mutual explailatioil ensnecl
betwixt the parties, ancl the evening dance aid supper of game peacefully
teriniuatecl the business of the clay. The course usually pursued when
matters take a hostile form is this : the offending party is the first to stoop
and offer his head for his antagonist to strike with his weapon ; ancl, if not
disabled or killed by the blow, he rises froill l~is beilding posture, shaking
the streaming blood fro111 his bushy hair, and the11 his opponent fairly and
honorably bends forxvarcl his heacl, ailcl presents it in returll to receive his
blow; and so this reciprocally coatjnnes until the assemblecl parties aild the
'combatants themselves are satisfied. But should either strike clishonoral~ly
on the temple, thus sho~viog an illtentioil to kill, or in any other way than
on the fairly offered cranium of his antagonist, a sliorver of well-clirected
spears mould instantly be sent against the comarclly assailant,, ~ hshould o
dare to be guilty of such a breach of the lams of honor. RI'CTill iilforuled
me that formerly it was a custom an~ongst certain of the northern tribes
that, when the first blow actually killed the person, the spectators I+-onld
roast and eat the body of him who so nobly fell in the canae of honor, if lle
were a young man in good collclitioil of body; as a matter of taste, M'Gill
expressecl hinlself clissatisfiecl with the cnstom, and stated that he thought
it had fallen into clesuetude, as it tended to no goocl gurpose but to check
the spirit of duelling.
Picturesque or alarming as in many i~lstauces these scenes were, all have
for ever passed away, and the once numerous actors, who usecl to cause the
woods to echo with their clin, now lie iniilgled xi~itl~ the dust, sal-e soltle few
solitary beings who here and there still stalk abroad, sooi~, like their
ancestors. to become as " a tale that is told."