With it came the aboriginals
in great number, accompanied, as they always are, by crowds of
repulsive-looking mongrel dogs.
Maggie was greatly excited, and not a little indignant, at seeing many
of the gins carrying their dogs in their arms, and letting their infants
toddle along on trembling legs hardly strong enough to support their
little bodies, and much astonished when, on her proposing to send all
their dogs away, I told her that this would result in the failure of the
intended feast, as they would sooner forsake their children than their
mongrels, and if the dogs were driven away, every native would
indignantly accompany them.
Maggie, with a sigh and a curious look on her face that told of the
disillusioning of sundry preconceived English ideas regarding the noble
savages, turned to look at Jack, and her lips soon twitched with
merriment as she listened to him masterfully arranging the day's
campaign.
[Sidenote: A Magnificent Bribe]
Marshalling the blacks before him like a company of soldiers--the women,
thanks to my prudent instructions, being more or less decently dressed,
the men considerably less decently, and the younger children of both
sexes being elegantly clad in Nature's undress uniform--Jack vigorously
addressed his listeners thus: "Big feast made ready for plenty
black-fellow to-day, but black-fellow must make clean himself before
feast." (Grunts of disapprobation from the men, and a perfect babel of
angry protestation from the women here interrupted the speaker, who
proceeded, oblivious of the disapproval of his audience.
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