Lindigo, the White Woman/Chapter 28
CHAPTER XXVIII.
CORROBOREE IN THE HIGHLANDS.
Great were the rejoicings among the tenantry and all others in the district on hearing of the arrival of its present proprietor, Charlie Stuart and his wife, for whom they had mourned for years.
A bonfire on an extensive scale was given by the proprietor in commemoration of the happy event which every person on the estate attended. Games and sports of all descriptions, calculated to enliven the guests, were introduced. After the banquet dancing was commenced which was kept up with great spirit. About one o'clock Charlie led his lovely wife to seek the refreshing, air on the balcony, when they halted on the very spot where ten years before they had exchanged the sighs of ardent love. Ten years! and through what vicissitudes they had passed during that period! So awful that they were now almost afraid to think of them! Would it were in reality a dream! "Yes! ten years!" whispered Charlie, "and you are as lovely as ever."
A great rustling of silk and shuffling of feet could now be heard by them, and the whole company came out to inhale the fresh air.
It was now proposed that a procession should be formed, when each gentleman leading his partner, was to proceed to the side of the lake, and see what was going on there; they accordingly started, the whole being led by Charlie and his wife. Immense cheering, and throwing of hats and bonnets, met the new proprietor and his wife, as they walked among the tenantry, and many blessings were heaped upon them.
Around one of the fires was seen a crowd of curious spectators apparently enjoying something which was quite novel in the Highlands, judging by the strange sounds issuing from the group and the additional spectators it was constantly receiving. Charlie and the party now directed their steps towards it, when they beheld to their astonishment, a representation of an Australian corroboree.
The author of this novelty was John Lom, who had engaged the services of Donald, Quandak, Takawarrant, his old servant and our old acquaintance Popgun. They were blackened and decorated according to Quandak's instructions, and being armed with long spears, they went through their wild dance to the tune of Maria, who was beating time as she sang the strange air in her native tongue.
The impression which this produced among the superstitious Highlanders was most striking. The dark spectres, whose wild and curious attitudes were increased by the glare of the fire, reminded the spectators of descriptions they had heard of the inhabitants of the lower regions.
When the leader of the dance perceived by the looks and gestures of the spectators, that their superstition was raised to its highest pitch, he gave a pre-arranged signal, when they all shook their spears in the air, gave one simultaneous yell, and darted towards the thickest part of the crowd, as if charging them.
This produced great alarm, a passage was made for them through the dense and terror-stricken crowd. Men and women screached and yelled, some were sprawling on the ground, and some clung frantically to each other, while their supposed enemies made their escape to the castle.
Charlie and his friends succeeded, after some time, in pacifying the people, and convinced them that their imagined spectres were really human, and meant to do them no harm. When order was at length restored, they found that the casualties were only a few bruises scratches, &c. The dancing was then resumed, and kept up for some time, until the advancing morning warned them that it was time to return to their homes, when the corroboree became the staple of their future evening fireside tales.
The marriage of George and Catherine was another joyful event, which succeeded the bonfire, and added one more to the links of happiness and friendship, which Charlie and his wife had brought about among the people.