of freshwater mussel (Unio) called by the natives Maraylya, our joy was
complete.

SUPERSTITIOUS FEELINGS OF KAIBER REGARDING MUSSELS.

I proceeded therefore to collect wood for my fire and ordered Kaiber to
make haste and gather some of these mussels, an order which, considering
the hungry state he was in, I imagined he would gladly have obeyed; but
to my astonishment he refused positively to touch one of them, and
evidently regarded them with a superstitious dread and abhorrence. My
arguments to induce him to move were all thrown away; he constantly
affirmed that if he touched these shellfish through their agency the
Boyl-yas* would acquire some mysterious influence over him, which would
end in his death. He could not state a recent instance of any ill effects
having happened from handling or catching the mussel; but when I taunted
him with this he very shrewdly replied that his inability to do so only
arose from the fact of nobody being "wooden-headed enough" to meddle with
them, and that he intended to have nothing whatever to do with them. This
much he assured me was certain: that a very very long time ago some
natives had eaten them, and that bad spirits had immediately killed them
for so doing.

(*Footnote. The Boyl-ya is the native sorcerer.)

Kaiber was a great deal too sensible a fellow to be allowed to remain a
prey to so ridiculous a superstition as this was; I therefore ordered him
instantly to go and bring some of these mussels to me; that I intended to
eat them, but that he could in this respect please himself. He hereupon,
after thinking for a moment or two, got up to obey me, and walked away
for this purpose; but I heard him, whilst occupied in the task, lamenting
his fate most bitterly. It was true, he said, that he had not died either
of hunger or thirst, but this was all owing to his courage and strong
sinews, yet what would these avail against the supernatural powers of the
boyl-yas. "They will eat me at night, whilst, worn out by fatigue, I must
sleep." Amidst these and sundry other similar exclamations he brought the
mussels to me: by this time my fire was prepared, and in a few minutes I
was making such a meal as the weak state of my stomach would admit of. No
inducement of mine could however prevail upon Kaiber to share with me,
and I therefore handed him the remains of the cockatoo.

As soon as my repast was concluded I walked about three miles up the
river in the hopes of getting a duck,