FIGHTING FOR WIVES.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1835, 22 August 1913, Page 11

FIGHTING FOR WIVES.

SPEARS AND WADDIES, ABOIUGIXAT, SCBNH IN THR -VOH'J'JI. Courtship as a preliminary to marriage is dispensed with aimcig the blacks along tho Gljf of Carpentaria, and love is an clement that does not enter much into tho contract. None but tile brave can win a wife. Tho lady goes to the man, not with tho warmest heart, bu,t with the strongest arm and tho steadiest nerve. ■Mr. 11. Matthews, superintendent of tlicMitchell River station, controlled by tho Australian Board of Missions, who "is at preiont on furlough in Sydney, described tot woek one (f the marriage ceremonies, if such a term can bo used, that ho had witnessed a few months ago, and tile story is best told in his own words.

"Just before 1 loft." lie said, "some of the bush blacks intimated their intention of fighting for the possession of sotno of the girls on our station, who we had lioped would marry some of our own 'boys.' When I heard of this 1 was naturally ooncorned, and called the boys and girls together to discuss tho matter, and seo what nieaJis cou;!d be taken to avoid the conflict. Somewhat to my surprise, they would, not hear of (hat course. The boys raid that the procedure was quite correct ,and tie girls said tho same. So that there was nothing for it but to await for tho appointed day. No undue, advantage was taken by either side. Everything was straight and above board. I was allowed to be present at the proceedings, and never have I sepn a fairer light." "All tho already married mon sat in two lines facing each other. Tho married women ranged themsulves in groups at the back. TJie girls lor whose hands these dusky knights were to contend were hidden somewhere in the bush. Tho combatants faced caoh other in the middle of the linos, entering tho fray in, pairs, i'irst they started throwing sprars at each other, and this was no child's play, I can assure you. Invariably the missiles wore deftly. warded off with their shMds, their sight and their nerve being quito remarkable. ]f alter they had'exhausted their supply of spears none had taken effect, they threw boomerangs at each other. Those aro not t'ho ordinary boomerangs that go circling through' tho air, but bigger weapons that are thrown with all their forco on tho ground, and bounco up at the object aimed at with terrific speed. This was far and away tho most dangerous of tho methods us'ed, and only the very skilful succeeded in avoiding being laid out Where tlio boomerang fight failed to end tho contest, it was brought to a conclusion with tho wackly, tho combatants going at it hammer and tongs in quarters till one was knocked out or till ho Had. Then amid the plaudits of tho spectators the conquering li:ro went and claimed his bride."

The Mitchell Kivcr Station lies about 180 miles north cl Normanton, and there aro about lftOO natives in the ncigbbouihood. Jlr. Matthews says tliat they are n kindly disposed people, who never give any trouble. Some of them aro boing taught agriculture, and the children are given a mdimontary nliicatibn. Tho blnckicllow was a'valuable asset to- the eouttry". It was hard to say how tho stations would fare v ithout his services. He saw no reason why tho aboriginal should vanish from tho land. Tl'o believed if property oared for that the blackfel'low had a good chanco of surviving.