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CHAPTER VI.

THE ABORIGINES.

SOME surprise will perhaps be felt that the Aborigines have not been earlier noticed, but though I saw several of them, both in Melbourne and the country around, and could have introduced them to the reader, yet, with the exception of the volunteer corps, I preferred presenting them in a body rather than separately, as a better and more concise view of them would thus be obtained. It is proposed, therefore, to devote the present chapter to their exclusive mention, reserving the concluding one for some general observations on New South Wales, and its superior eligibility as a colony to which to emigrate.

There are many distinct tribes of aborigines in Australia, occupying different districts, and varying somewhat in personal features, customs, and modes of sub

sistence. They are said to be daily diminishing in number, which there is little reason to doubt. If a fact, it arises from conflicts amongst the different tribes; from the violent acts of some of the far-upcountry settlers, too often provoked by injury to their flocks; and from European diseases which are left to spread amongst the aborigines, and to take their own fatal course without check or alleviation from medical aid. Their figure is slighter and less tall than the English, but their limbs, unfettered by the numerous girths, straps, braces, and laces, by which we are encumbered, are far more free, and sometimes their carriage is peculiarly dignified.

They have fine expressive eyes, and magnificent rows of very white even teeth; but their features generally are extremely ugly, and often, on the whole, they are repulsive objects. They appear happy and light hearted, and possess far more intellect than would be supposed from printed publications—indeed I think them not at all deficient in mental power. The usual covering of those who visit our towns and stations is either a blanket, or several opossum skins sewn together, whilst those far up the country are more frequently without any clothing. They are very erratic, have no villages or homes, and are dirty and degraded in their habits. It cannot be said that they have any religious system, or that they worship any Supreme Being; but they all have an idea of an evil spirit, many holding the devil in great fear, and be

lieving in his occasionally appearing in person amongst them. Persuaded that he stalks abroad, and is very dangerous to encounter in the dark, they can rarely be induced to move after sunset. They seldom commit any attack during night, and the settlers are consequently relieved from much anxiety, as they can thus sleep in almost perfect security, whatever the day may bring forth. It is the common belief in Australia, that the aborigines are partial cannibals, and many eye-witnesses speak to the fact. Some of the tribes are in continual hereditary enmity with others, waging war upon them at all convenient opportunities, and looking upon them, as some (though now, I trust, but few) in this country do upon the French, as their "natural enemies."

When the young men of some of the tribes are of an age to marry, they receive an honourable mark of distinction, imposed upon them with some little ceremony. This is no less than having one of their front teeth knocked out by a blow with a heavy stick, an operation which must be as pleasing in its execution as it is ornamental in its result. Being thus entitled to take his place amongst the eligibles, the young "Cœlebs seeks for the first opportunity of capturing a wife from the spinsters of an inimical tribe, as to breed "inand-in" is unknown in Australia. The introductory salutation from the lover "at first sight," to the lady of his choice, is generally a stunning blow from his club,-under the lulling effect of which she of course

falls "head over ears in love," and before she can change her mind, or in fact have any voice at all in the matter, she is carried off and becomes the lawful "lubra," alias wife, of an arbitrary lord. Were something of the same system adopted in England, it would save much anxious and frequently unsuccessful manoeuvring on the part of the fair sex, both mothers and daughters, and occasionally severe disappointment to rejected suitors. No doubt such an easy way of settling the matter would tend to promote matrimony, and a large proportion, perhaps, of spinsters would not mind the blow, if it were certain to be followed by the honours of the married state. Many of the Australian natives have more than one wife, but I never heard that it was necessary to lose a tooth for any other than the first.

Their mode of going into mourning is no less economical than it is striking, and not to be mistaken. It is by drawing a streak of white ochre across their foreheads, or under the eyes, and over the nose. They are rather fond of finery, such as necklaces and a gay feather or two in the hair; and they are very proud of any familiar or nick name given them by the English, however ridiculous it may be.

Their dogs, of which every man generally possesses five or six, finding them useful in the chase of the kangaroo, are the most wretched looking animals in existence. Of a wolfish form and aspect, and ever

struggling for life with starvation and the mange, no pariah of the East is so ill favoured and disgusting an object. Yet such is the attachment of the Australian savage to them, that they are treated as no inferior members of his family, being admitted to the wigwam indiscriminately with the children, and at all times lying down with them in a close heap together; whilst it is strongly asserted that the pup is frequently nourished at the breast of the woman in place of the infant, who may have died from any natural cause, or have been purposely destroyed.

Some few families of aborigines come every day from the neighbouring country into Melbourne, and, despising copper altogether, beg for white money, in exchange for which they carry back into the bush loaves of bread, sheeps' and bullocks' heads, &c. Many of the settlers will never give them money unless they earn it by work, but they have no notion of labour beyond cutting up a little wood,-a task, therefore, generally assigned them. Their usual food is kangaroo and opossum flesh, but birds and insects, fish and mussels, also contribute much to their support. One of their modes of catching the kangaroo, and also some of the larger species of birds, is by carrying before them a thick bough, under cover of which they gradually advance towards their intended victim, stopping the moment it looks up, as still as death, and not venturing to move again until suspicion is lulled.

In this way they manage to get within a