'To see one for the first
time,' said Sir George, 'produced a great effect upon you. These people
were hardly known then.' They coloured themselves in fearsome style, red
being the favourite daub. No matter, the strangers from over sea would
have greeted them gladly, being anxious to cultivate friendship. The wild
men responded not; but hovered in the distance of the bush, or peered
curiously from some covering of the rocks.
'I did everything I could,' Sir George remarked in that relation, 'to get
acquainted with them, but at this period they would have nothing to do
with me. Their fires might still be smoking, as we beat up a camping
place, but they had left, suspicious of us. When travelling, I frequently
had grave cause to be anxious lest we should be attacked, especially at
night. Therefore, I made my men sleep a little apart from each other, in
order that, if assailed, we might at least have some warning.'
It was full day when the assault did take place; otherwise Sir George
would hardly have lived to describe it. He went back with spirit on the
details, more armour of youth to be placed in the scabbard of age. One
item held a small essay on the influences which determine human action in
a crisis of life or death. He was speaking of the feeling that seized him
when spear after spear cut into his flesh.
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