-which were by this time almost as highly trained as those of the
blacks themselves--suddenly fastened upon a thin stream of some greenish
fluid which was apparently oozing out of the rocky ground. Closer
investigation proved that this was not water. I collected a quantity of
it in a kangaroo skin, but this took a considerable time, because the
liquid oozed very slowly.

I would not have taken this trouble were it not that I was pretty certain
_I had discovered a spring of crude petroleum_. Immediately, and by a
kind of instinct, it occurred to me that I might make use of this oil as
yet another means of impressing the blacks with my magical powers. I
told no one of my discovery--not even Yamba. First of all I constructed
a sort of raft from the branches of trees, thoroughly saturating each
branch with the oil. I also placed a shallow skin reservoir of oil on
the upper end of the raft, and concealed it with twigs and leaves. This
done, I launched my interesting craft on the waters of the lagoon, having
so far carried out all my preparations in the strictest secrecy. When
everything was ready I sent out invitations by mail-men, smoke signals,
and message sticks to tribes both far and near, to come and see me _set
fire to the water_! In parentheses, I may remark, that with regard to
smoke-signals, white smoke only is allowed to ascend in wreaths and
curls; while black smoke is sent up in one great volume. As by this time
my fame was pretty well established, the wonder-loving children of Nature
lost no time in responding to the summons; and at length, when the mystic
glow of a Central Australian evening had settled over the scene, a great
gathering established itself on the shores of the lagoon. On such
occasions, however, I always saw to it that my audience were not too
near. But anyhow there was little chance of failure, because the blacks
had long since grown to believe in me blindly and implicitly.

With much ceremony I set fire to the raft, hoisted a little bark sail
upon it, and pushed it off. It lay very low in the water, and as the
amazed onlookers saw it gliding across the placid waters of the lagoon
enveloped in smoke and flames, they did actually believe that I had set
fire to the water itself--particularly when the blazing oil was seen in
lurid patches on the placid surface. They remained watching till the
fire died down, when they retired to their own homes, more convinced than
ever that the whit