Poor creatures! they did all the hard work of the camp-building, food-hunting, waiting, and serving.
Occasionally, however, the men did condescend to go out fishing, and they would also organise _battues_ when a big supply of food was wanted.

These great hunting-parties, by the way, were arranged on an immense scale, and fire figured largely in them.

The usual routine was to set fire to the bush, and then as the terrified animals and reptiles rushed out in thousands into the open, each party of blacks speared every living thing that came its way within a certain sphere.

The roar of the fast-spreading fire, the thousands of kangaroos, opossums, rats, snakes, iguanas, and birds that dashed hither and thither, to the accompaniment of bewildering shouts from the men and shrill screeches from the women, who occasionally assisted, flitting hither and thither like eerie witches amidst the dense pall of black smoke--all these made up a picture which is indelibly imprinted on my mind.
As a rule, hosts of hawks and eagles are to be seen flying over the black man's camp, but on the occasion of a bush fire they follow its train, well knowing that they will obtain prey in abundance.

With regard to the fishing parties, these went out either early in the morning, soon after sunrise, or in the evening, when it was quite dark.