The Confessions of a Beachcomber

Confessions of a Beachcomber,
The

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Title: The Confessions of a Beachcomber
Author: E J Banfield
Release Date: February, 2004 [EBook #5113] [Yes, we are more than

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CONFESSIONS OF A BEACHCOMBER ***

Produced by Col Choat [email protected]

The Confessions of a Beachcomber by E J Banfield

"If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is
because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which
he hears." THOREAU
To the Honourable Robert Philp, M.L.A. "Exact in his life, Extensive in
his charity, Exemplary in everything he does," THIS BOOK IS
RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED BY ONE WHO OWES TO HIM
MUCH OF HIS LOVE FOR TROPICAL QUEENSLAND.

CONTENTS


PART I
INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER I
THE BEACHCOMBER'S DOMAIN OFFICIAL LANDING OUR
ISLAND EARLY HISTORY SATELLITES AND NEIGHBOURS
PLANS AND PERFORMANCES
CHAPTER II
BEACHCOMBING TROPICAL INDUSTRIES SOME DIFFRENCES
ISLAND FAUNA
CHAPTER III
BIRDS AND THEIR RIGHTS A CENSUS THE DAYBREAK
FUGUE THE MEGAPODE SWAMP PHEASANT
"GO-BIDGER-ROO" BULLY, SWAGGERER, SWASHBUCKLER
EYES AFLAME THE NESTFUL TREE "STATELY FACE AND
MAGNANIMOUS MINDE" WHITE NUTMEG PIGEON FRUIT
EATERS AUSTRALIA'S HUMMING BIRD "MOOR-GOODY" THE
FLAME-TREE'S VISITORS RED LETTER BIRDS CASUAL AND
UNPRECISE
CHAPTER IV
GARDEN OF CORAL QUEER FISH THE WARTY GHOUL
"BURRA-REE" FOUR THOUSAND LIKE ONE THE BAILER
SHELL A RIVAL TO THE OYSTER SHARKS AND SKIPPERS
GORGEOUS AND CURIOUS TURTLE GENERALLY THE
MERMAID OF TO-DAY BECHE-DE-MER
CHAPTER V
THE TYRANNY OF CLOTHES SINGLE-HANDEDNESS A
BUTTERFLY REVERIE THE SERPENT BEGUILED ADVENTURE
WITH A CROCODILE THE ARAB'S PRECEPT

CHAPTER VI
IN PRAISE OF THE PAPAW THE CONQUERING TREE THE
UMBRELLA-TREE THE GENUINE UPAS-TREE THE CREEPING
PALM MAUVE, GREEN AND GREY STEALTHY MURDERERS
TREE GROG
CHAPTER VII
"THE LORD AND MASTER OF FLIES" A TRAGEDY IN YELLOW
COLOUR EFFECTS MUSICAL FROGS ACTS WELL ITS PART
GREEN ANT CORDIAL WOOING WITH WINGS THE GREED OF
THE SNAKE A SWALLOWING FEAT

PART II
STONE AGE FOLKS

CHAPTER I
PASSING AWAY TURTLE AND SUCKERS A "KUMMAORIE"
WEATHER DISTURBERS A DINNER-PARTY BLACK ART A
POISONOUS FOOD MESSAGE STICKS HOOKS OF PEARL
"WILD" DYNAMITE A CAVERN AND ITS LEGEND A SOULFUL
DANCE A SONG WITHOUT WORDS ORIGIN OF THE
SOUTHERN CROSS CROCODILE CATCHING SUICIDE BY
CROCODILE DISAPPEARANCE OF BLACKS
CHAPTER II
GRORGE: A MIXED CHARACTER YAB-OO-RAGOO:
OTHERWISE "MICKIE" TOM: HIS WIVES: HIS BATTLES
"LITTLE JINNY": IN LIFE AND IN DEATH THE LANGUAGE

TEST LAST OF THE LINE
CHAPTER III
ATTRIBUTES AND ANECDOTES COMMON AND INDIVIDUAL
RIGHTS THE "DEBIL-DEBIL" CLOTHING SUPERFLUOUS
BROTHER AND SISTER THE RAINBOW SWIMMING FEATS
SMOKE SIGNALS THUNDER FACTORY THE ORACLE A REAL
LETTER A BLACK DEGENERATE JUMPED AT A CONCLUSION
PRIDE OF RACE "YANKEE CHARLEY" MYALL'S BAKING
EVERYTHING FOR A NAME THE KNIGHTLY GROWTH
HONOUR AND GLORY FIRE JUMP UP SLOP TEETH A
FASCINATED BOY AWKWARD CROSS-EXAMINATION THE
ONLY ROCK SAW THE JOKE ZEBRA'S VANITY LAURA'S
TRAITS ROYAL BLANKETS HIS DAILY BREAD HUMAN
NATURE AN APT RETORT MISSIS'S TROUSERS DULL-WITTED
STRATEGY LITERAL TRUTH MAGIC THAT DID NOT WORK
ANTI-CLIMAX LITTLE FELLA CREEK SAILOR A FATEFUL
BARGAIN EXCUSABLE BIAS THE TRIAL SCENE A
REFLECTION ON THE HORSE TRIUMPH OF MATTER OVER
MIND THE RUSE THAT FAILED THE BIG WORD MICKIE'S
VERSION HONOURABLE JOHNNY THE TRANSFORMATION
MONEY-MAKING TRICK HONOURABLE CHASTISEMENT
"AND YOU TOO" PARADISE
CHAPTER IV
AND THIS OUR LIFE
* * * * *


PART I

THE CONFESSIONS OF A BEACHCOMBER

INTRODUCTION
Does the fact that a weak mortal sought an unprofaned sanctuary--an
island removed from the haunts of men--and there dwelt in tranquillity,
happiness and security, represent any just occasion for the relation of
his experiences--experiences necessarily out of the common? To this
proposition it will be for these pages to find answer.
Few men of their own free will seek seclusion, for does not man belong