a complete account of the settlement-第15章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


。

Supposing；　that　by　a　private　conversation；　she　might　be　induced　to　visit　Sydney；　which　would　be　the　means　of　drawing　her　husband　and　others　thither；　Abaroo　was　instructed　to　take　her　aside；　and　try　if　she　could　persuade　her　to　comply　with　our　wish。　　They　wandered　away　together　accordingly；　but　it　was　soon　seen；　that　Barangaroo's　arguments　to　induce　Abaroo　to　rejoin　their　society；　were　more　powerful　than　those　of　the　latter；　to　prevail　upon　her　to　come　among　us；　for　it　was　not　without　manifest　reluctance；　and　often　repeated　injunctions；　that　Abaroo　would　quit　her　countrywomen；　and　when　she　had　done　so；　she　sat　in　the　boat；　in　sullen　silence；　evidently　occupied　by　reflection　on　the　scene　she　had　left　behind；　and　returning　inclination　to　her　former　habits　of　life。

Nor　was　a　circumstance　which　had　happened　in　the　morning　interview；　perhaps；　wholly　unremembered　by　the　girl。　　　We　had　hinted　to　Baneelon　to　provide　a　husband　for　her；　who　should　be　at　liberty　to　pass　and　repass　to　and　from　Sydney；　as　he　might　choose。　　There　was　at　the　time；　a　slender　fine　looking　youth　in　company；　called　Imeerawanyee；　about　sixteen　years　old。　The　lad；　on　being　invited；　came　immediately　up　to　her；　and　offered　many　blandishments；　which　proved　that　he　had　assumed　the　'toga　virilis'。　But　Abaroo　disclaimed　his　advances；　repeating　the　name　of　another　person；　who　we　knew　was　her　favourite。　　The　young　lover　was　not；　however；　easily　repulsed；　but　renewed　his　suit；　on　our　return　in　the　afternoon；　with　such　warmth　of　solicitation；　as　to　cause　an　evident　alteration　in　the　sentiments　of　the　lady。

To　heighten　the　good　humour　which　pervaded　both　parties；　we　began　to　play　and　romp　with　them。　　Feats　of　bodily　strength　were　tried；　and　their　inferiority　was　glaring。　　One　of　our　party　lifted　with　ease　two　of　them　from　the　ground；　in　spite　of　their　efforts　to　prevent　him；　whereas　in　return；　no　one　of　them　could　move　him。　　They　called　him　'murree　mulla'　（a　large　strong　man）。　　Compared　with　our　English　labourers；　their　muscular　power　would　appear　very　feeble　and　inadequate。

Before　we　parted；　Baneelon　informed　us　that　his　countrymen　had　lately　been　plundered　of　fish…gigs；　spears；　a　sword；　and　many　other　articles；　by　some　of　our　people；　and　expressed　a　wish　that　they　should　be　restored；　promising；　that　if　they　were；　the　governor's　dirk　should　be　produced　and　returned　to　us　to…morrow；　if　we　would　meet　him　here。

Accordingly　on　the　following　day　we　rowed　to　the　spot；　carrying　with　us　the　stolen　property。　　We　found　here　several　natives；　but　not　Baneelon。　We　asked　for　him；　and　were　told　that　he　was　gone　down　the　harbour　with　Barangaroo　to　fish。　　Although　disappointed　at　his　breach　of　promise；　we　went　on　shore；　and　mingled　without　distrust　among　those　we　found；　acquainting　them　that　we　had　brought　with　us　the　articles　of　which　they　had　been　plundered。　　On　hearing　this　account；　they　expressed　great　joy；　and　Imeerawanyee　darting　forward；　claimed　the　sword。　　It　was　given　to　him；　and　he　had　no　sooner　grasped　it；　than　he　hastened　to　convince　his　mistress；　that　his　prowess　in　war；　was　not　inferior　to　his　skill　in　courtship。　Singling　out　a　yellow　gum…tree　for　the　foe；　he　attacked　it　with　great　fierceness；　calling　to　us　to　look　on；　and　accompanying　his　onset　with　all　the　gestures　and　vociferation　which　they　use　in　battle。　　Having　conquered　his　enemy；　he　laid　aside　his　fighting　face；　and　joined　us　with　a　countenance　which　carried　in　it　every　mark　of　youth　and　good　nature。

Whether　Abaroo's　coyness；　and　preference　of　another；　had　displeased　him；　or　it　was　owing　to　natural　fickleness；　he　paid　her　no　farther　attention；　but　seemed　more　delighted　with　us。　　He　had　no　beard；　but　was　highly　gratified　in　being　combed　and　having　his　hair　clipped。

All　the　stolen　property　being　brought　on　shore；　an　old　man　came　up；　and　claimed　one　of　the　fish…gigs；　singling　it　from　the　bundle；　and　taking　only　his　own；　and　this　honesty；　within　the　circle　of　their　society；　seemed　to　characterize　them　all。

During　this　time；　it　was　observed；　that　one　of　the　Indians；　instead　of　mixing　with　the　rest；　stood　aloof；　in　a　musing　posture；　contemplating　what　passed。　When　we　offered　to　approach　him；　he　shunned　us　not；　and　willingly　shook　hands　with　all　who　chose　to　do　so。　　He　seemed　to　be　between　30　and　40　years　old；　was　jolly；　and　had　a　thoughtful　countenance；　much　marked　by　the　smallpox。　He　wore　a　string　of　bits　of　dried　reed　round　his　neck；　which　I　asked　him　to　exchange　for　a　black　stock。　　He　smiled　at　the　proposal；　but　made　no　offer　of　what　I　wanted；　which　our　young　friend；　Imeerawanyee；　observing；　flew　to　him；　and　taking　off　the　necklace；　directly　fixed　it　about　my　neck。　　I　feared　he　would　be　enraged；　but　he　bore　it　with　serenity；　and　suffered　a　gentleman　present　to　fasten　his　black　stock　upon　him；　with　which　he　appeared　to　be　pleased。　　To　increase　his　satisfaction；　some　other　trifle　was　given　to　him。

Having　remained　here　an　hour　we　went　in　quest　of　Baneelon；　agreeably　to　the　directions　which　his　companions　pointed　out。　　We　found　him　and　Barangaroo　shivering　over　a　few　lighted　sticks；　by　which　they　were　dressing　small　fish；　and　their　canoe　hauled　up　on　the　beach　near　them。　On　first　seeing　the　boat；　they　ran　into　the　woods；　but　on　being　called　by　name；　they　came　back；　and　consented　to　our　landing。　　We　carried　on　shore　with　us　the　remaining　part　of　the　fish…gigs　and　spears　which　had　been　stolen；　and　restored　them　to　Baneelon。　　Among　other　things；　was　a　net　full　of　fishing　lines　and　other　tackle；　which　Barangaroo　said　was　her　property　and；　immediately　on　receiving　it；　she　slung　it　around　her　neck。

Baneelon　inquired；　with　solicitude；　about　the　state　of　the　governor's　wound；　but　he　made　no　offer　of　restoring　the　dirk；　and　when　he　was　asked　for　it；　he　pretended　to　know　nothing　of　it；　changing　the　conversation　with　great　art；　and　asking　for　wine；　which　was　given　to　him。

At　parting；　we　pressed　him　to　appoint　a　day　on　which　he　should　come　to　Sydney；　assuring　him；　that　he　would　be　well　received；　and　kindly　treated。　　Doubtful；　however；　of　being　permitted　to　return；　he　evaded　our　request；　and　declared　that　the　governor　must　first　come　and　see　him；　which　we　promised　should　be　done。

The　governor　did　not　hesitate　to　execute　the　engagement　which　we　had　contracted　for　him。　　But　Baneelon　still　resisted　coming　among　us；　and　matters　continued　in　this　fluctuating　state　until　the　8th　of　October；　when　a　fire；　which　they　had　agreed　to　light　as　a　signal　for　us　to　visit　them；　was　observed。　The　eager　desire　by　which　we　were　stimulated　to　carry　our　point　of　effecting　an　intercourse　had　appeared。　　Various　parties　accordingly　set　out　to　meet　them；　provided　with　different　articles；　which　we　thought　would　prove　acceptable　to　them。　　We　found　assembled；　Baneelon；　Barangaroo；　and　another　young　woman；　and　six　men；　all　of　whom　received　us　with　welcome；　except　the　grave　looking　gentleman　before　mentioned；　who　stood　aloof　in　his　former　musing　posture。　When　they　saw　that　we　had　brought　hatchets；　and　other　articles　with　us；　they　produced　spears；　fish…gigs；　and　lines；　for　the　purpose　of　barter；*　which　immediately　commenced；　to　the　satisfaction　of　both　parties。　I　had　brought　with　me　an　old　blunted　spear；　which　wanted　repair。　　An　Indian　immediately　undertook　to　perform　the　task；　and　carrying　it　to　a　fire；　tore　with　his　teeth　a　piece　of　bone　from　a　fish…gig；　which　he　fastened　on　the　spear　with　yellow　gum；　rendered　flexible　by　heat。

＇*It　had　long　been　our　wish　to　establish　a　commerce　of　this　sort。　　It　is　a　painful　consideration；　that　every　previous　addition　to　the　cabinet　of　the　virtuosi；　from　this　country；　had　wrung　a　tear　from　the　plundered　Indian。＇


October；　1790。　　Many　of　them　now　consented　to　be　shaved　by　a　barber　whom　we　had　purposely　brought　over。　　As　I　thought　he　who　could　perform　an　operation　of　such　importance　must　be　deemed　by　them　an　eminent　personage；　I　bade　him　ask　one　of　them　for　a　fine　barbed　spear　which　he　held　in　his　hand；　but　all　the　barber's　eloquence　was　wasted　on　the　Indian；　who　plainly　gave　him　to　understand　that　he　meant　not　to　part　with　his　spear；　without　receiving　an　equivalent。　　Unfortunately；　his　price　was　a　hatchet；　and　the　only　one　which　I　had　brought　with　me　was　already　disposed　of　to　the　man　who　had　pointe