) "Black-fellow
all come with me for washee; lubras and piccaninnies (_i.e._, women and
children) all go with white women for washee." (Continued grumbles of
discontent.) "Clean black-fellow," continued Jack, "get new shirtee,
clean lubra new gowna." Then, seeing that even this magnificent bribe
failed to reconcile the natives to the idea of soap and water, Jack, to
the amusement of Maggie and myself, settled matters by shouting out the
ultimatum: "No washee--no shirtee, no shirtee--no feastee," and stalked
away, followed submissively by the aboriginal lords of creation.
The men, indeed, and, in a lesser degree, the children, showed
themselves amenable to reason that day, and were not wanting in
gratitude; but in spite of Maggie's care and mine, the gins (the gentler
sex) worthily deserved the expressive description: "Manners none,
customs beastly."
They were repulsive and dirty in the extreme. They gloried in their
dirt, and clung to it with a closer affection than they did to womanly
modesty--this last virtue was unknown.
We, on civilising thoughts intent, had provided a number of large tubs
and soap, and brushes galore for the Augean task, but though we got the
women to the water, we were helpless to make them clean.
Their declaration of independence was out at once--"Is thy servant a dog
that I should do this thing?" Wash and be clean! Why, it was contrary to
all the time-honoured filthy habits of the noble self-respecting race of
Australian gins, and "they would have none of it.
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