[Illustration.  Wild Blacks of Cape York signalling.]

“I pulled out the spear at once from Mr. Kennedy’s back, and cut the jag with Mr. Kennedy’s knife.  Then Mr. Kennedy got his gun and snapped, but the gun would not go off.  The blacks sneaked all around by the trees, and speared Mr. Kennedy again, in the right leg above the knee a little, and I got speared in the eye, and the blacks were now throwing always, never giving over, and shortly again speared Mr. Kennedy again in the right side.  There were large jags in the spears, and I cut them off and put them in my pocket.  At the same time we got speared the horses got speared too, and jumped and bucked about and got into the swamps.  I now told Mr. Kennedy to sit down while I looked after the saddle-bags, which I did, and when I came back again I saw the blacks along with Mr. Kennedy.  I then asked him if he saw the blacks with him.  He was stupid with the spear wounds, and said ‘No’; I then asked him where was his watch?  I saw the blacks taking away watch and hat as I was returning to Mr. Kennedy.  Then I carried Mr. Kennedy into the scrub.  He said, ’Don’t carry me a good way.’  Then Mr. Kennedy looked this way, very bad (Jacky rolling his eyes).  I asked him often, ‘are you well now?’ and he said —­ ’I don’t care for the spear wound in my leg, Jacky, but for the other two spear wounds in my side and back, and I am bad inside, Jacky!’ I told him blackfellow always die when he got spear wound in there (the back).  He said:  ‘I am out of wind, Jacky.’  I asked him:  ’Are you going to leave me?’ And he said, ’Yes, my boy; I am going to leave you; I am very bad, Jacky, you take the books, Jacky, to the Captain, but not the big ones; the Governor will give you anything for them.’  I then tied up the papers.  He then said:  ‘Jacky, give me paper and I will write.’  I gave him pencil and paper, and he tried to write, and he then fell back and died, and I caught him in my arms and held him; and I then turned round myself and cried.  I was crying a good while until I got well; that was about an hour, and then I buried him.

“I digged up the ground with a tomahawk, and covered him over with logs and grass, and my shirt and trousers.  That night I left him near dark.  I would go through the scrub and the blacks threw spears at me; a great many; and I went back into the scrub.  Then I went down the creek which runs into Escape River, and I walked along the water in the creek, very easy, with my head only above the water, to avoid the blacks, and get out of their way.  In this way I went half-a-mile.  Then I got out of the creek, and got clear of them, and walked all night nearly, and slept in the bush without a fire.”