The Confessions of a Beachcomber, by E. J. Banfield

Part I

Introduction

Chapter I

• The Beachcomber’s Domain
• Official Landing
• Our Island
• Early History
• Satellites and Neighbours
• Plans and Performances

Chapter II

• Beachcombing
• Tropical Industries
• Some Differences
• Island Fauna

Chapter III

• Birds and Their Rights
• A Census
• The Daybreak Fugue
• The Megapode
• Swamp Pheasant
• “Go-Bidger-Roo!”
• Bully, Swaggerer, Swashbuckler
• Eyes Aflame
• The Nestful Tree
• “Stately Face and Magnanimous Minde”
• White Nutmeg Pigeon
• Fruit-Eaters
• Australia’s Humming-Bird
• “Moor-Goody”
• The Flame-Tree’s Visitors
• Red-Letter Birds
• Casual and Unprecise

Chapter IV

• Garden of Coral
• Queer Fish
• The Warty Ghoul
• Burra-Ree
• Four Thousand Like One
• The Bailer Shell
• A Rival to the Oyster
• Sharks and Skippers
• Gorgeous and Curious
• Turtle Generally
• The Mermaid of to-Day
• Beche-De-Mer

Chapter V

• The Tyranny of Clothes
• Single-Handedness
• A Butterfly Reverie
• The Serpent Beguiled
• Adventure with a Crocodile
• The Arabs Precept

Chapter VI

• In Praise of the Papaw
• The Conquering Tree
• The Umbrella-Tree
• The Genuine Upas-Tree
• The Creeping Palm
• Mauve, Green and Grey
• Stealthy Murderers
• Tree Grog

Chapter VII

“The Lord and Master of Flies”

• A Tragedy in Yellow
• Colour Effects
• Musical Frogs
• Acts Well its Part
• Green-Ant Cordial
• Wooing with Wings
• The Greed of the Snake
• A Swallowing Feat

Part II

Stone Age Folks

Chapter I

• Passing Away
• Turtle and Suckers
• A “Kummaorie”
• Weather Disturbers
• A Dinner-Party
• Black Art
• A Poisonous Food
• Message-Sticks
• Hooks of Pearl
• Wild Dynamite
• A Cavern and its Legend
• A Soulful Dance
• A Song Without Words
• Origin of the Southern Cross
• Crocodile Catching
• Suicide by Crocodile
• Disappearance of Blacks

Chapter II

• George: A Mixed Character
• Yab-Oo-Ragoo, Otherwise “Mickie”
• Tom: His Wives — His Battles
• “Little Jinny”: In Life and In Death
• The Language Test
• Last of the Line

Chapter III

• Attributes and Anecdotes
• Common and Individual Rights
• The “Debil-DeBIL”
• Clothing Superfluous
• Brother and Sister
• The Rainbow
• Swimming Feats
• Smoke Signals
• Thunder Factory
• The Oracle
• A Real Letter
• A Black Degenerate
• Jumped at a Conclusion
• Pride of Race
• “Yankee Charley”
• Myall’s Baking
• Everything for a Name
• The Knightly Growth
• Honour and Glory
• Fire Jump up
• Slop Teeth
• A Fascinated Boy
• Awkward Cross-Examination
• The Only Rock
• Saw the Joke
• Zebra’s Vanity
• Laura’s Traits
• Royal Blankets
• His Daily Bread
• Human Nature
• An Apt Retort
• Missis’s Trousers
• Dull-Witted
• Strategy
• Literal Truth
• Magic that Did Not Work
• Anti-Climax
• Little Fella Creek Sailor
• A Fateful Bargain
• Excusable Bias
• The Trial Scene
• A Reflection on the Horse
• Triumph of Matter Over Mind
• The Ruse that Failed
• The Big Word
• Mickie’s Version
• Honourable Johnny
• The Transformation
• Money-Making Trick
• Honourable Chastisement
• “And You Too”
• Paradise

Chapter IV

• And this Our Life