The Manufacture Of
The "Quid" Mentioned Above Is Interesting.
Cleaning and smoothing a
place in the sand, a small branch from a silvery-leafed ti-tree
(a grevillea, I think), is set alight and held up; from it as it
burns a light, white, very fine ash falls on to the prepared ground.
Now
the stems of a small plant already chewed are mixed with the ashes. The
compound so formed is squeezed and pressed and kneaded into a small,
oval-shaped ball, of sticky and stringy consistency. The ball when in use
is chewed and sucked but not swallowed, and is passed round from mouth to
mouth; when not in use it is placed behind the ear, where it is carried.
Nearly every tribe we saw had such "quids." No doubt they derive some
sustenance from them. Sir John preferred his "chew" to any food we gave
him; though he did not care about tobacco.
For the next two days the sand-ridges seemed to vie with each other in
their height and steepness, between them there was hardly any flat ground
at all; mile after mile we travelled, up one and down and over the next
without ceasing. First came the native and his guard, then in a long,
broken line the string of camels. What a labour it was! Often each camel
had to be urged in turn over the ridge whilst those behind were
continually breaking their nose-lines to lie down or hurry off to the
nearest shade, however scanty, and there await the blows and exhortations
of their driver; those which remained in their places were continually
lifting their feet, for they could not stay still on the burning sand;
then their packs were always being jolted about and thrown out of place,
necessitating reloading, and when at last we had them again in line the
whole performance had to be repeated a few ridges further on.
Sometimes our caravan would cover half a mile or more, the guide and
guardian waiting far in advance whilst the broken line was rejoined and
the stragglers brought in, and away far behind the last camel would
appear alone, with his nose-line dangling and tripping him up. Usually
Billy brought up the rear - nothing would induce him to follow close
behind; a jerk of his head and away went the nose-line, and Billy was
left behind to follow when so inclined. The heat was really tremendous.
It can be fairly sultry around Coolgardie, but never before have I
experienced such scorching heat; the sun rose like a ball of fire, and in
two hours' time had as great power as at any period during the day. How
one prayed for it to set, and how thankful one was when in due course it
did so, sinking below the horizon as suddenly as it had risen!
I am not sure which felt the heat most, poor little Val or the buck. He,
curiously enough, seemed more affected by it than we were. At night he
drank more than we did, and then was not satisfied. Sometimes when
waiting on ahead he used to squat down and scoop out a hole in the ground
to reach the cool sand beneath; with this he would anoint himself.
Sometimes he would make a mixture of sand and urine, with which he would
smear his head or body. Poor Val was in a pitiable state; the soles of
her paws were worn off by the hot sand; it was worse or as bad for her to
be knocked about on the top of one of the loads, and although by careful
judgment she could often trot along in the shade of one of the camels,
she was as near going mad as I imagine it possible for a dog to go. Poor
little thing! She used to yell and howl most agonisingly, with her eyes
staring and tongue hanging. We had, of course, to pack her on a camel
when her feet gave out, and by applying vaseline alleviated her pain.
Our guide took us to two dry wells and watched our disgust with evident
satisfaction, and I had to resort to the unfailing argument of allowing
him no water at all. He pleaded hard by sounds and gesture and no doubt
suffered to some extent, but all was treated as if unnoticed by us.
Thirst is a terrible thing; it is also a great quickener of the wits, and
the result of this harsh treatment, which reduced the poor buck to tears
(a most uncommon thing amongst natives), was that before very long we
were enabled to unload and make camp in one of the most charming little
spots I have ever seen. A veritable oasis, though diminutive in size; but
not so in importance, for without its life-giving aid it is hard to say
how things would have gone with us. The weather, as I have said, was
scorching, the country destitute of feed, almost waterless, most toilsome
to cross, and our camels were worn to skeletons from starvation and
incessant work, and had they not been fine specimens of an exceptionally
fine breed must have long since succumbed. Surely this is one of the
noblest of creatures and most marvellous works of the Creator!
Brave, dumb heroes, with what patience and undaunted courage do they
struggle on with their heavy loads, carrying what no other animal could
carry in country where no other could live, never complaining or giving
in until they drop from sheer exhaustion! I think there are few animals
endowed with more good qualities than the much-abused camel - abused not
only by the ignorant, which is excusable, but by travellers and writers
who should know better. Patience, perseverance, intelligence, docility,
and good temper under the most trying conditions, stand out pre-eminently
amongst his virtues. Not that all camels are perfect - some are vicious and
bad tempered; so far as my experience goes these are the exceptions.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 77 of 125
Words from 77619 to 78623
of 127189
