I may here remark that I only knew two idiots during the whole of my sojourn.

One of these had fallen from a tree through a branch breaking, and he was actually maintained at the expense of the tribe, revered by all, if not actually worshipped.
But the journey I was just describing was a fearful trial.

Sometimes we had to traverse a wilderness of rocks which stood straight up and projected at sharp angles, presenting at a distance the appearance of a series of stony terraces which were all but impassable.

For a long time our charge wore both shirt and trousers, but eventually we had to discard the latter--or perhaps it would be more correct to say, that the garment was literally torn to shreds by the spinifex.

At one time I had it in my mind to make him go naked like myself, but on consideration I thought it advisable to allow him to retain his shirt, at any rate for a time, as his skin was not so inured to the burning sun as my own.
We had to provide him with food, which he accepted, of course, without gratitude.