Among cannibals; an account of four years' travels in Australia and of camp life with the aborigines of Queensland; . greatleaps ; gradually the conversation became more lively, thewarlike ardour increased, and all held their weapons inreadiness. Suddenly an old man uttered a terrible war-cry, andswung his bundle of spears over his head. This acted, asit were, like an electric shock on all of them ; they at oncegathered together, shouted with all their might, and raisedtheir shields with their left hands, swinging swords, spears,boomerangs, and nolla-nollas in the air. Then they allrushed with
Among cannibals; an account of four years' travels in Australia and of camp life with the aborigines of Queensland; . greatleaps ; gradually the conversation became more lively, thewarlike ardour increased, and all held their weapons inreadiness. Suddenly an old man uttered a terrible war-cry, andswung his bundle of spears over his head. This acted, asit were, like an electric shock on all of them ; they at oncegathered together, shouted with all their might, and raisedtheir shields with their left hands, swinging swords, spears,boomerangs, and nolla-nollas in the air. Then they allrushed with a savage war-cry through the grove of gum-treesand marched by a zigzag route against their enemies, whowere standing far away on the other side of the plain. Atevery new turn they stopped and were silent for a moment,then with a terrific howl started afresh, until at the thirdturn they stood in the middle of the plain directly oppositetheir opponents, where they remained. I fastened up my horse at some distance and followedthem as quickly as I could ; the women and children abohastened to the scene of A WARRIOR IN GREAT EXCITEMENT JUST BEFORE BORBOBY COMMENCES. To face page xiz. IX THE DUELS 123 The strange tribes on the other side stood in a group infront of their huts, which were picturesquely situated nearthe edge of the forest, at the foot of the scrub-clad hill. Assoon as our men had halted, three men from the hostile rankscame forward in a threatening manner with shields in theirleft hands and Svvords held perpendicularly in their heads were covered with the elegant yellow and whitetopknots of the white cockatoos. Each man wore atleast forty of these, which were fastened in his hair withbeeswax, and gave the head the appearance of a largeaster. The three men approached ours very rapidly, runningforward with long elastic leaps. Now and then they jumpedhigh in the air like cats, and fell down behind their shields,so well concealed that we saw but lit
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