This done, I launched my interesting craft on the waters of the lagoon, having so far carried out all my preparations in the strictest secrecy.

When everything was ready I sent out invitations by mail-men, smoke signals, and message sticks to tribes both far and near, to come and see me _set fire to the water_! In parentheses, I may remark, that with regard to smoke-signals, white smoke only is allowed to ascend in wreaths and curls; while black smoke is sent up in one great volume.

As by this time my fame was pretty well established, the wonder-loving children of Nature lost no time in responding to the summons; and at length, when the mystic glow of a Central Australian evening had settled over the scene, a great gathering established itself on the shores of the lagoon.

On such occasions, however, I always saw to it that my audience were not too near.

But anyhow there was little chance of failure, because the blacks had long since grown to believe in me blindly and implicitly.
With much ceremony I set fire to the raft, hoisted a little bark sail upon it, and pushed it off.