According to recent reports the natives in Arnhem land have grown strangely hostile and restless. The same has also been said of civilised peoples in recent times, so that it would seem almost that there is something "catching" about the new restlessness that has invaded our globe, and created turmoil here, there and everywhere.

Far away in Arnhmen Land
And old, grey buck harangues his band,
   A seer who's been on "walk-about"
   To puzzle white men's wisdom out.
Now he is seeking to describe
Strange happenings to his wondering tribe
   Tales of a clear contagion spread
   That makes men "sick alonga head."
 
"The white man speak-um this," says he:
"That paper-talk, him tell-um me,
   Bad spirit, called Depreshum, walk
   About all place, an' make-um talk --
Bad-feller talk, 'long everywhere,
Till all man catch-um sick out there.
   S'pose they come here an' make us sick?
   Ah! ... T'ink-it better spear um, quick."
 
"Depreshum, white man say, he come.
Bime-by, all happy feller glum.
   White-man, him catch-um plenty meat,
   Catch plenty, tucker, no can eat.
All talk-um peace, but make-um war --
No feller man he know what for.
   S'pose, maybe, teach black man that trick?
   Ah! ... T'ink-it better spear-um quick."
 
Far, far away in Arnhem's Land
An old, grey buck harangues his band.
   Stone-age men, savages, say we,
   Full of our queer sagacity;
Yet, has our wisom much to give
In teaching black-men how to live?
   "White," growls the buck, "him too much sick.
   Better, mine tink-it, spear-um quick."

"Den"
Herald, 6 October 1933, p6

Also published in The Courier-Mail, 14 October 1933, p18