Page:The Native Tribes of South Australia (1879).djvu/166

100 TROUBLES FROM NATIVE FIGHTS. on the shore near Paltallock. I went down to Loveday Bay in search, but could find nothing. 31st. —Boat returned from the lower lake. It appears that a native met Mr. Reid at Mundoo Channel on Friday last, and got him to put him across the channel. This man noticed that the boat was very leaky, and expostulated with him about it, saying, "Mr. Reid, by-and-bye you will drown." But he would not listen. The black then baled the boat out for him. He left him, and saw him sail away, and go round Rocky Point. It was very tempestuous. A squall of wind with rain came on, and hid him from the native’s sight. He was seen no more alive. I learn that several friends expostulated with Mr. Reid for sailing in such weather. 5th August. —Mr. Reid’s boat has been found bottom upwards at Point Malcolm. llth. —To-day Putteri found the body of Mr. Reid floating in deep water near Point Malcolm. He put it in his canoe, covered it with a blanket, and brought it here. I had it decently covered and put into our boat, and sent it to Wellington to his friends. The natives expressed great sorrow at seeing it, and behaved most respectfully. The remains were interred next day in Wellington cemetery. Poor fellow! he was a true and loyal servant of Christ, but yet he lost his life through not being sufficiently careful of himself. The extracts from my journals show that some of the principal troubles of the early years of our Mission were the fights continually arising amongst the natives. There were ceremonial and funereal fights, and casual fights, and the whole were a thorough nuisance. The routine of our school-house would be going on as usual, when all on a sudden there would come the tidings of a fight, and off would go children and servants to the field of battle to see how the little affair came off; or perhaps we would be just thinking of going to bed when there would be a shout and a yell and a blaze of light, and then we would see a general scrimmage going on by firelight. One of the worst,