At break of day, I heard a great noise and talking; at length I saw that a quarrel had ensued, for they began to flourish their spears as a token of hostilities. I should here observe, that these spears are very formidable weapons, about twelve feet long, sharp at one end; others are about half that length, being made of a kind of reed with pointed sticks joined to them; these are sharpened with hard cutting stones, or shells. The boomerang is another weapon of war, something like a half-moon. The throwing-stick is one made, or shaped, for flinging the spears.
The colonial reader is aware of all this, but I beg him, or her, to remember, that I cherish the hope of my adventures being read elsewhere, as well as in the Australian Colonies; and that this circumstance will be received as a sufficient apology for the insertion of particulars, which, otherwise, might very properly be considered useless.
After a little time, and a great deal of challenging bluster, the two tribes commenced fighting in reality. When my relations, for so for convenience, I suppose, I must sometimes call them, saw what was going on, they led me a short distance off, where they remained with me, looking at the conflict. It was any thing but play work—it was evidently earnest. One man was speared through the thigh, and removed into the bush, where the spear was drawn. A woman of the tribe to which I had become attached, was also speared under the arm, and she died immediately. At last peace was restored, and the parties separated, except about twenty
