Around my middle I wore a kind of double apron of emu skin, with feathers.

There were other stripes of different-coloured ochres on my legs, so that altogether you may imagine I presented a terrifying appearance.

Of this, however, I soon grew quite oblivious--a fact which I afterwards had occasion bitterly to regret.

It were, indeed, well for me that I had on subsequent occasions realised better the bizarre nature of my appearance, for had I done so I would probably have reached civilisation years before I did.
At this period, then, you find me a fully equipped war chief of the cannibal blacks, leading them on to battle attired as one of their own chiefs in every respect, and with nearly all their tribal marks on my body.

When we reached the battle-ground, my men sent up smoke-signals of defiance, announcing the fact of our invasion, and challenging the enemy to come down from the mountains and fight us.