Earth, page 18
*
‘Alfie, give us a hand will ya. Take an oar.’
‘You tired Grandpa?’
‘My oath I am. Arnie an’ me have been pluggin’ posts all day in this heat.’
‘Better out here on the bay.’
‘It is that.’
‘Grandpa, I met an aunty down by the river this morning. On my way to school. Aunty Hatpin.’
‘Never heard of her.’
‘She’s Yorta Yorta, from up on the river. She told me her people have been lookin’ after mum.’
‘And?’
‘And she died.’
‘Did she. She died. And . . . and how can . . . I’m sorry, Alf, sorry you had to hear like that . . . ’
‘Aunty sat with me all day. Told me to cry.’
‘Did she.’
‘She said you need to cry too.’
‘Did she.’
‘Mum sent a message through Aunty Hatpin that she loves you and Grandma . . . and me . . . and she’s sorry.’
‘Sorry was she.’
‘She woulda come if she could.’
‘Of . . . of course she would. Well, we’re coppin’ it from all sides, Alf. Everything and everyone.’
‘Not our people, Grandpa.’
‘No, but our people aren’t going to get us back our house, or our Claudie, or our Gertie.’
‘No, Grandpa but they didn’t take them either.’
‘That’s right I suppose.’
‘Uncle Reggie says Woorer Woorer and Cecily need us.’
‘Said that did he. Uncle Reggie’d be a genius. Think we don’t know that?’
‘Uncle says we gotta give everything to the new people.’
‘You are the new people, Alf, who’s givin’ to you? Everyone’s takin’ stuff off you.’
‘You’re givin’ to me Grandpa. Uncle Reggie, Aunty Hatpin, Aunty Betty – ’
‘Aunty Betty, eh? Seems she’s got eyes on tellin’ us what to do.’
‘Uncle Reggie told her to.’
‘Uncle Reggie tellin’ is he? Seems everyone’s takin’ and tellin’. What about leavin’ us alone.’
‘Grandpa, I want them to help us. I don’t mind bein’ told what to do. How else would – ’
‘That’s my job, Alf, I’m your grandfather.’
‘But you’ve been too sad, Grandpa.’
‘Well, I have, I’ve had me guts ripped out. Felt like I couldn’t give a . . . Alf I’m sorry if I couldn’t help you.’
‘That’s alright, Grandpa, I understand.’
‘That’s it, Alf, you have to understand too much. You’ve lost your mother and grandmother and here you are worryin’ about me.’
‘Aunty Hatpin reckons I’m lucky to have what I’ve got, kids like me are always being taken away from their families she says. Anyone with a family can count themselves lucky. But I wish I’d seen mum. I can’t remember when I was little.’
‘Oh, she loved you, Alf and we loved her. She met this bloke. Nice enough fella, your father, but . . . a drifter you know, not too keen on settlin’ down. She loved him, of course, an’ when he took off an’ left her, she sort of broke up, lost her heart. We thought goin’ ta Melbourne for work might have picked her up a bit but it seems to me she just felt like she’d let everyone down, you, Claudie, me. She didn’t have enough schoolin’ for that secretarial thing, how were we to know, we didn’t even know what one was, we didn’t know it meant all that writin’. Poor Gert she must ‘ave felt
‘Aunty Hatpin reckons we can go and see her grave.’
‘Does she?’
‘We should. I want to, Grandpa, I want to see the grave.’
‘Yeah, me too! But how are we goin’ to do that with the babies . . . an’ work, an’ . . . ’
‘Betty says she’ll look after them. We could follow Bunjil.’
‘You believe all that malarky, Alf?’
‘It’s not malarky.’
‘But you know what I mean. Alf, we’ll follow the cart track, nothin’ to do with Bunjil.’
‘Bunjil told Aunty Hatpin where we were.’
‘Did he? Good old Bunjil. Look, Alf, I’m havin’ a bit of trouble with the creators. If they were so bloody smart they’d be more careful with what they took away.’
‘Moorabool said you should go an’ see the old fellas.’
‘To have me skin cut an’ teeth bashed in? Look, Alf, I’m sorry, mate, I know you’ve been through that business, but I can’t, not when I feel . . .so bloody prickly. You’ll make a better blackfella than me, Alf. I can’t even be a half decent white fella. Look at me, no house, no wife, three kids to look after, not two pennies to rub together. How do they expect . . . ’
‘I don’t know, Grandpa, but all I know is we’ve gotta keep goin’. Please Grandpa we’ve gotta find – ’
‘Alright, Alf, alright, let’s just get these fish on to the jetty. Here’s Snodgrass pacin’ up an’ down already.’
‘Palmer, where’ve you been. I’ve got people linin’ up for their dinners, an’ they all want flathead an’ crayfish.’
‘The crayfish can’t read the time, Mr Snodgrass, they take their own time to be caught.’
‘Alright, just get them up to the kitchen.’
‘Could you pay us today, Mr Snodgrass, we’re tryin’ to start a new house.’
‘Sshhh, Alf.’
‘The fishmonger from Footscray Market asked us yesterday to sell fish to him, tuppence the flatties, six shillings the crays but we said we’ve gotta look after the Mornin’ Star first.’
‘That right, young Alf? Your new business partner is it, Palmer?’
‘No, I’m his, Mr Snodgrass, I just row the boat.’
‘Alright then tuppence flatties, six bob the crays.’
‘Two an’ six for the snapper, two bob the whiting.’
‘How old are you, son?’
‘Nearly thirteen, Mr Snodgrass.’
‘Well, you’re a great example of what can become of a black child with a bit of British education. Here’s the money, now take them up to the kitchen – ’
‘Didn’t you want the whiting, Mr Snodgrass?’
‘Of course! There’s people waiting.’
‘Well they’re two bob each, that’ll be an extra guinea Mr Snodgrass, discount of a shilling.’
‘You’re doing well at school, I see.’
‘Aunty Betty taught me to count, sir.’
‘Alright, there you are, now hurry up, I’ve got to get back to the bar.’
‘Alfie, that’s a lot of bulldust about Betty teachin’ you to count. Claudie – ’
‘I know, Grandpa, I just wanted to let him know we’re not stupid. That we can work things out for ourselves.’
‘You’re a bloody mystery box, Alfie. If I’d said that, Snodgrass would have given us the sack. An’ here we are with . . . four pounds, two and six. Do you know how often I’ve held that much money in my hand?’
‘I know, Grandpa, but do you know how many are linin’ up for their fish at the Star on Friday nights?’
‘Not a bad time to sell is it, Friday afternoon?’
‘That’s what Betty reckons. Mary and Elsie have been selling oysters and mussels to Snodgrass for months, every Friday. The Catholics, Grandpa.’
‘Do you mind if I go home an’ have a smoke, Alf, I’m feelin’ tired after all this merchandisin’.’
‘We could get a billy of beer Grandpa, or one of them new bottles.’
‘You’re too young for that, Alf.’
‘Not me, Grandpa, for you, a bottle of that Richmond Lager, for the trip home in the cart.’
‘Well, one wouldn’t hurt perhaps.’
‘As long as Betty didn’t see. Uncle Reggie told her good and proper about that.’
‘Did he?’
‘Told her what Moorabool said about Billy Wurrun, an’ stayin’ alive, not givin’ in.’
‘Well, have I given in?’
‘A glass of beer, Grandpa, is not giving in.’
‘Look, there’s that Valda, I’ll ask her. Hey, Valda, I’d like a bottle of that Richmond Lager. Would you be able to get it for me?’
‘Celebratin’, Frank? Do you good, you look tuckered out.’
‘Thanks, Valda, Alf an’ me been out on the high seas fishin’ from the other side of the boat.’
‘Well, good on you both, I haven’t had one bit of cheek from you, Frank, since Claudie died.’
‘Thanks Valda . . . How is it, Alf that everyone thinks they’ve got the right to tell me how to get over the death of my best friend . . . and my daughter . . . oh, I know you have to as well but I’m not as tough as you, Alfie.’
‘You’re as tough as kelp, Grandpa.’
‘Anyway, let’s have a look in this brown bottle. I tell you what, Alf, not bad, not bad at all. How do you reckon they keep it cold like this?’
‘In the well. They’ve been keepin’ the bottles in a case at the bottom of the well.’
‘You don’t say. Damn good. Damn good.’
‘Here comes Mr Tomkins, Grandpa.’
‘Arnie, Arnie, whoa there Arnie, ride that bag of bones over here and taste this, me grandson’s bought me a bottle of Richmond. Have a drink, mate’
‘G’day there, Frank, young Alf. Hooo, not bad is it.’
‘Have another go, Arnie, I’ve been givin’ it a hidin’, makes me head spin that bottled beer.’
‘Won’t do you no harm to have ya head spin, Frank, better’n havin’ it hung down like a knackered horse.’
‘You too, Arnie, you tellin’ me to buck up too?’
‘It’s been three months now, Frank, there’s not enough time for it. Those babies aren’t babies anymore, they’re children and they need their father and stepfather or whatever else you are. If it wasn’t for them you could sit down on a stump and mope all you like.’
‘Mope? You been waitin’ to say that Arnie?’
‘Too right.’
‘Me mate, waitin’ ta give me the rounds of the kitchen?’
‘You haven’t got a kitchen. There’s no time to be polite, Frank, there’s things to be done. An’ you’d better hurry up too, I saw Betty on the way, an’ she said to tell you the stew’s on.’
‘Possum, more bloody possum.’
‘Well, ya wrong, wallaby, Uncle Reggie’s brought in a wallaby an’ he looks like an ol’ man who wants to talk to another ol’ man. So here, finish off this Richmond brew an’ hide the evidence, you know how severe he is on the bottle.’
‘Another lecture cornin’ up for ya Grandpa, Alf, someone else ready with a bit of advice.’
‘Yeah, well Frank, you could listen for once, it’s all been good advice. And you’re lucky Betty’s around to keep the pot boilin’, I wouldn’t be too quick to turn ya nose up at stew.’
‘Alright, Arnie, I never asked her an’ I’ve been lookin’ after young Woori all this time.’
‘Well, she could have fixed that, Frank, she could have taken him away and left you in the lurch but she hasn’t, she’s stuck by you because she reckons she owes it to you an’ Claudie but the debt’s runnin’ out. So, see ya, Frank, see ya, Alf, see you at the fence tomorrow, Frank, an’ if Uncle Reggie’s still talkin’ I can wait, alright?’
‘Bloody hell, Alf, the world is full of missionaries, black and white.’
‘And Pharisees.’
‘Now, now, Alf, none of that book stuff against your Grandpa.’
‘It’s not book stuff, Grandpa, it’s the Bible.’
‘Well, that’s what I meant, that’s where the trouble starts.’
*
‘Mr Too roo rer, my name is Captain Hindsmith and this is Miss Alwyn Hope who used to live at Lockington and we have the honour to introduce Prince Albert, the prince regent of the British Empire, son of the King.’
‘Yueh.’
‘The Prince would like to learn a little of your life, particularly since the European settlers have arrived. The Prince.’
‘Yueh.’
‘Mr Tooberrer, I’ve come all the way from England on the urging of my father to discover if the native people have flourished under the British monarchy.’
‘Yueh.’
‘And housing. Your accommodation, is it satisfactory?’
‘Yueh.’
‘And something we’ve been wondering, Mr Tooberrer, how long would you say your people have been in this land?’
‘The Prince is wondering Mr Too roo rer, how long you’ve been in possession of Australia.’
‘This place? Alla time.’
‘How long?’
‘We bin ‘ere alia time.’
‘A long time Your Excellency, Mr Too roo rer says his people have been here a very long time.’
‘Thank you, Captain Hindsmith . . . and now one rather difficult question the Archbishop has expressly urged me to ask . . . do they take the Lord God as their Saviour?’
‘Ah . . . hmmm . . . ah, Mr Too roo rer, Prince Albert would like to know if you believe in God.’
‘God?’
‘Yes, do your people believe in God?’
‘Yueh.’
‘And that he gave us his only begotten son so that we might be saved.’
‘God?’
‘The Holy Spirit.’
‘Spirit? Yueh, mirrouk bil bangondedook, bilwa, bil Bunjil, yueh, mirrouk plenny good us mob.’
‘Well, Captain Hindsmith, what was all that about?’
‘Ah, it would seem they have some faith in the spirit.’
‘The Holy Spirit?’
‘Your Excellency, the people have a faith in a higher power.’
‘A higher power, Miss Hope, but so does the negro.’
‘But these people are very . . . righteous, Your Excellency, in my experience.’
‘Of course, Miss Hope, experience in the Colonies is a fine thing, very fine indeed, and we rely on your knowledge to advise us in the habits and abilities of the people to whom we must show the utmost humanity . . . but, tell me, Miss Hope, Mr Tooberer wears trousers under his skin . . . coat, and smokes a pipe, I notice, how are we to consider the effect of the British settlement on his people?’
‘There has been acceptance of some things, Your Excellency, but often after the insistence of our missions that the people be clothed as Englishmen before receiving –’
‘I’ve heard, Miss Hope, that alcohol has been very badly used by these people, quite depraved I’m told by Sir William Angliss.’
‘Yes, Your Excellency, but Mr Too roo rer is a teetotaller and his life has been sorely disrupted by the occupation of his traditional lands by the settlers.’
‘I’ve heard they consider their haunts to be quite extensive and yet made no attempts at agriculture.’
‘There were root crops, Your Excellency, yams and other green – ’
‘Roots?’
‘Yes, Your Excellency, quite extensively tilled.’
‘Well, of course, roots are all very well.’
‘The potato is a root, Your Excellency.’
‘But Mr Angliss denies their root crops ever existed, certainly not cultivated. You see, I’ve read your reports, Captain Hindsmith, but there seems so little support for your assertions.’
‘The sheep and cattle eat the top off the yam, Your Excellency, it has all but disappeared.’
‘You can understand, Captain Hindsmith, Miss Hope, that I have difficulty in bringing the opposing views into a consistent whole such as I might present for the deliberations of the King and Parliament.’
‘Of course, Your Excellency, but much of the damage was done within a few years of the stock and plough arriving, the houses of the people – ’
‘Houses?’
‘Yes, Your Excellency, these people had substantial houses. I’ll ask Mr Too roo rer to confirm . . . ah, Mr Too roo rer your people built houses out of stone and turf.’
‘Yueh, plenny waurn, plenny minne, plenny tucker alright.’
‘He says, Your Excellency, that there were plenty of houses.’
‘Yes, Captain Hindsmith, but where are they now?’
‘Burnt, Your Excellency, destroyed.’
‘And the people have not the will to replace them.’
‘Where, Your Excellency? The people no longer have land on which to erect a house, there are no longer enough men to rebuild them and when they do the shepherds and settlers burn them down again, to the settlers they represent ownership, they – ’
‘Yes, yes, Miss Hope, a very passionate defence, but I must balance all arguments against my own observations. But, I thank you both for an enlightening conversation with Chief Tooberer. Would that be correct? At any rate, goodbye Chief, from my country to yours I bid you well.’
‘Yueh.’
‘Perhaps I’ll meet you both at the Governor’s garden party on Saturday.’
‘There have been – ’
‘Oh, yes, of course, pardon me Captain Hindsmith, I forgot there had been some unpleasantness during your earlier commission, but if you wouldn’t mind I have to visit the woollen mills at the . . . Barwon, is that it . . . Barwon River. And tell me, does it have an English origin, I don’t seem to . . . ’
‘It is a Wathaurong word, Your Excellency, it means the river which descends from the mountains to the sea.’
‘Charming. But I must be on my way, thank you both so much. Goodbye Chief Tooberer.’
‘Yueh.’
‘He wasn’t very sympathetic, was he? Angliss, Barry, Snodgrass, Roadknight, Campbell and company have done their planning well.’
