oon--I gave a kind of reception to my
people, and also to the neighbouring tribes. At this interesting
function I would always contrive to have some new wonder to unfold. My
visitors never outstayed their welcome, and I always managed to have an
abundance of food for them.

Well, I came upon the cave region a few weeks after my unfortunate
blunder about the Queen; and I determined to have my great portrait ready
for the next reception day. Taking some blocks of stone of handy size, I
first wetted the surface of the rock and then commenced to rub it, until
I had a pretty smooth face to work upon. This took some time, but whilst
I was doing it Yamba got ready the necessary charcoal sticks and pigments
such as the blacks decorate themselves with at _corroborees_. I had a
slight knowledge of drawing, and climbing up on some projecting stones I
commenced to draw in bold, sweeping outline, what I venture to describe
as the most extraordinary portrait of Queen Victoria on record. The
figure, which was in profile, was perhaps seven feet or eight feet high,
and of more than equally extravagant proportions in other respects. Of
course, the figure had to be represented entirely without clothing,
otherwise the blacks would simply have been puzzled. Now to describe the
portrait as much in detail as I dare. The crown was composed of rare
feathers such as only a redoubtable and cunning hunter could obtain; and
it included feathers of the lyre-bird and emu. The sceptre was a
stupendous gnarled waddy or club, such as could be used with fearful
execution amongst one's enemies. The nose was very large, because this
among the blacks indicates great endurance; whilst the biceps were
abnormally developed. In fact, I gave her Majesty as much muscle as
would serve for half-a-dozen professional pugilists or "strong men." The
stomach was much distended, and when I state this fact I am sure it will
excite much curiosity as to the reason why.

Well, as the stomach is practically the greatest deity these savages
know, and as food is often very hard to obtain, they argue that a person
with a very full stomach must necessarily be a daring and skilful hunter,
otherwise he would not be able to get much food to put into it.

This extraordinary portrait was finally daubed and decorated with
brilliant pigments and glaring splashes of yellow, red, and blue. I also
used a kind of vivid red dye obtained from the sap of a certain creeper
which