ound following us. Now we went into a little bit of scrub, and I told
Mr. Kennedy to look behind always. Sometimes he would do so, and
sometimes he would not do so to look out for the blacks. Then a good many
blackfellows came behind in the scrub and threw plenty of spears, and hit
Mr. Kennedy in the back first. Mr. Kennedy said to me: 'Oh Jacky! Jacky!
shoot 'em! shoot 'em!' then I pulled out my gun and fired and hit one
fellow all over the face with buck-shot. He tumbled down and got up again
and again, and wheeled right round, and two blacks picked him up and
carried him away. They went a little way and came back again, throwing
spears all round, more than they did before -- very large spears.

[Illustration. Wild Blacks of Cape York signalling.]

"I pulled out the spear at once from Mr. Kennedy's back, and cut the jag
with Mr. Kennedy's knife. Then Mr. Kennedy got his gun and snapped, but
the gun would not go off. The blacks sneaked all around by the trees, and
speared Mr. Kennedy again, in the right leg above the knee a little, and
I got speared in the eye, and the blacks were now throwing always, never
giving over, and shortly again speared Mr. Kennedy again in the right
side. There were large jags in the spears, and I cut them off and put
them in my pocket. At the same time we got speared the horses got speared
too, and jumped and bucked about and got into the swamps. I now told Mr.
Kennedy to sit down while I looked after the saddle-bags, which I did,
and when I came back again I saw the blacks along with Mr. Kennedy. I
then asked him if he saw the blacks with him. He was stupid with the
spear wounds, and said 'No'; I then asked him where was his watch? I saw
the blacks taking away watch and hat as I was returning to Mr. Kennedy.
Then I carried Mr. Kennedy into the scrub. He said, 'Don't carry me a
good way.' Then Mr. Kennedy looked this way, very bad (Jacky rolling his
eyes). I asked him often, 'are you well now?' and he said -- 'I don't
care for the spear wound in my leg, Jacky, but for the other two spear
wounds in my side and back, and I am bad inside, Jacky!' I told him
blackfellow always die when he got spear wound in there (the back). He
said: 'I am out of wind, Jacky.' I asked him: 'Are you going to leave
me?' And he said, 'Yes, my boy; I am going to leave you; I am very bad,
Jacky, you take the books, Jacky, to the Captain, but not the big ones;
the Governor will give you anything for them.' I then tied