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Sitting Bull stole my didgeridoo

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A digression

There is a little known story of the Australian convict John O’Rourke and Sitting Bull.

O’Rourke had managed to escape Van Diemens land by stowing aboard a British Man of War. Unfortunately he had the bad luck to have chosen the good ship Venerable that was captained by Master Henry Rawlings. The Captain had that day received news from his wife in the UK informing him that she had just given birth to a baby boy. It was great news until Rawlings remembered he had been away from home for 15 months!

Distraught he had decided to end it all and deliberately shipwrecked the boat off the coast of America.

The survivors, O’Rourke amongst them wandered aimlessly for months until they came across a settlement of Native American Indians. In their midst stood the figure of Sitting Bull (The sitting had given him sores so he was more of a Standing Bull now!)

Sitting Bull welcomed the bedraggled survivors and gave them food and water. He was mightily impressed by the giant peace pipe that O’Rourke had with him and demanded to be given it.

O’Rourke refused saying that the didgeridoo( which was what the giant peace pipe was) had sentimental value to him in that it was this very item that he had clung to and that had kept him afloat whilst being buffeted by the waves.

Sitting Bull was not impressed and O’Rourke paid a heavy price for his ingratitude and insolence.

He was offered the choice of a very short haircut or marriage to the Chiefs ugliest daughter. It was no choice for O’Rourke and he bowed his head for the fatal blow uttering the immortal words “ I don’t think I’ll be needing anything for the weekend now!!”