The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 52

Food

Food.

Nothing comes amiss to them in the way of food. Every living thing in the shape of animals, birds, fish, or reptiles, as well as the roots of some plants and a sort of yam, serve to fill the game-bag. Obtaining roots, &c., is generally the duty of the women, who dig them up by means of long sharp-pointed sticks, hardened over the fire, one of which every woman carries about with her.

When not too old, the heart of the palm-tree forms an article of food. This is obtained by splitting each leaf up from the extreme, point, when it is readily detached from the stem. By this method the head of a palm tree can be stripped and opened out in a much shorter time than by means of a tomahawk.

Though they eat the flying fox, the bat is respected. The difference in size may be one reason. On one occasion, on looking behind a loose sheet of bark which was hanging from a dead tree, I saw an immense number of bats closely packed together. On calling the attention of a blackfellow to this, he seemed greatly dismayed at my discovery, and requested that I would not disturb them or mention the circumstance to any other blackfellow.