the time transformed him into a
riding-camel, and so two of us were mounted. On nearer approach we pulled
up to give our steeds a blow, and, unseen ourselves, we watched the
natives hunting, all unsuspicious of the near presence of beings and
animals so strange in colour and form.

Advancing slowly from opposite directions, we were able to get within a
hundred yards of them before our silent approach was noticed. No words
can describe the look of terror and amazement on the faces of those wild
savages. Spellbound they crouched in the black and smouldering ashes of
the spinifex, mouths open and eyes staring, and then with one terrific
yell away they ran, dodging and doubling until a somewhat bushy beefwood
tree seemed to offer them means of escape. How many there had been I do
not know, but the tree harboured three, the man, woman, and child, that
we had first singled out. All kept up a ceaseless screaming and
gesticulating, reminding me of the monkey-house at the "Zoo"; but above
the others could be distinguished the voice of the old gin who, with
frantic haste, tried to screen the man with branches broken from their
tree of refuge, and who in the intervals between this occupation and that
of shaking a stick at us, set a light to the surrounding spinifex either
as a signal or with the hope of keeping us at a distance; for with all
her fear she had not let drop her firestick. Thinking that they would be
completely overawed by the appearance of the rest of the caravan, and so
make no further attempt to escape, we sat sentinel on our camels and
awaited the arrival of the main party. Presently they appeared, and the
trembling fear of the natives was painful to witness--never by any
possibility could they have seen camels or white men, though considering
the extent to which articles are passed from tribe to tribe, it is
probable they had heard of the "white-fella." Even to European eyes a
camel is not the canniest of beasts, and since these people had never
seen an animal larger than a dingo, and, indeed, no animal save this and
the spinifex rat, their surprise may well be imagined on seeing a thing
as large as their whole camp marching solemnly along.

Putting down the caravan we approached them, and from a mad, incoherent
yelling their protestations gradually died down to an occasional gulp
like that of a naughty child. Making soothing sounds and patting their
breasts and our own in turn, in sign of friendship, we had ple