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CHAPTER VII.

Discovery of V. D. Land.-Its position and character.-Aborigines.-Erroneous ideas of.-Attack upon.-Provocations.-Hostilities of.-Attempt to capture. -G. A. Robinson's Mission.-Settlement in Bass's Straits.-Flinders Island.Productions. Manners of the Natives.-Dances.-Civilization.-Sealer and Child.-Breakwinds. -Songs.-Clothing.-Capacity.---Ornaments. - Sickness. -Birds, &c.-Excursion.-Cookery.-Dogs.-Mangroves.-Kangaroo Rat.Bandicoot.-Rain.-Commandant's Hut.-"Boatswain," a Native Woman.Sealers. Tasmanian Porcupine.-Wallowing in Ashes.-Gratitude.—Weapons.--Green Island.-Mutton Birds.-Music. - Tide-ripple.-Arrival at George Town.

VAN DIEMENS LAND was discovered by Abel Jansen Tasman, in 1642; he supposed it to be a part of the Australian Continent, and named it in honour of Anthony Van Diemen, at that time Governor General of the Dutch possessions in the East Indies. It was ascertained to be an island in 1798, by Dr. Bass, and taken possession of by the English in 1803, by Lieutenant Bowen. The first Lieutenant Governor arrived in 1804, and removed the seat of Government from the original settlement at Risdon, or Rest-down, on the east bank of the Derwent, to the present site, which he named Hobart Town, after Lord Hobart.

The island lies between 41° 20′ and 43° 40′ south latitude, and between 144° 40′ and 148° 20' east longitude: its length is about 210 miles, from north to south, and its breadth 150 from east to west; it is very mountainous and covered with forest, which in many parts is extremely thick, but in others open and grassy. The original inhabitants, whose forefathers had occupied it from time immemorial, were of the Negro race. They were of moderate stature, dark olive colour, and had black, curly, woolly hair. They were few in

number, probably never more than from 700 to 1,000, their habits of life being unfriendly to increase. Excepting on the west coast, they had no houses, but in inclement weather took shelter in the thicker parts of the forest, in the vallies or near the sea. They wore no clothes, but sometimes ornamented themselves by strips of skin with the fur on, which they wore around the body, arms, or legs. To enable them to resist the changes of the weather, they smeared themselves from head to foot with red ochre and

grease. The men also clotted their hair with these articles, and had the ringlets drawn out like rat-tails. The women cropped their hair as close as they could with sharp stones or shells.

These people formed a few tribes, differing a little in dialect and habits; they were destitute of any traces of civilization; their food consisted of roots and some species of fungus, with shell-fish, grubs, birds, and other wild animals. The latter they took by means of the simplest missiles, or by climbing trees; they cooked them by roasting, and daily removed to a fresh place, to avoid the offal and filth that accumulated about the little fires which they kindled daily, and around which they slept. In this state, the first European visitants of their island, found them, and mistaking some peculiarities in their manners for stupidity, set them down as lower in intellect than other human beings.

In the early days of the Settlement of V. D. Land by the English, a party of the Aborigines made their appearance near Risden, carrying boughs of trees in token of peace, and were fired at by order of a timid officer, who became alarmed at their visit. Several of them were killed, and the rest fled in alarm. Though they did not forget this act of outrage, they were long before they became hostile.

The opinion seems general that the misconduct of Europeans gave rise to the aggressions of the Aborigines. These aggressions, however, produced retaliation on the part of the Whites, who shot many of the Aborigines, sometimes through fear, and there is reason to apprehend, sometimes through recklessness. At length, the Aborigines finding

themselves in danger, and their hunting grounds occupied by the intruders into their country, determined to attempt to expel them. For this purpose they set fire to houses, and speared persons at unawares, until there were few families in the Island, who had not sustained some injury, or lost some member by them: the woody nature of the country afforded them ready concealment in thus carrying forward their attacks.

About 1828, a part of the Colony, was declared to be under martial law, as regarded the Aborigines, and about two years after, a military expedition was undertaken, with the intention of driving all those in the south-east part of the island, to Tasmans Peninsula. This project, which a better knowledge of the country and the people, proved a most absurd one, happily ended in no greater evil than the expenditure of a considerable sum of money, and the sojourn of a large proportion of the male, white inhabitants, for a few weeks, in "the bush," with little or no loss of life on either side. A "cordon" was formed across the country, but it was found impossible to keep the people in a line among the rocks, ravines and thickets, with which the island abounds, and the Aborigines stole through the ranks in the night, and escaped safely into the rear of their pursuers.

At length George Augustus Robinson, a benevolent individual, professing to be actuated by a sense of religious duty, offered to go into the woods, attended only by a few of the native Blacks, who had become domesticated, and had lived with him for a time on Bruny Island, and from whom he had acquired some knowledge of their language, and to endeavour to conciliate the Aborigines, and to persuade them to give themselves up to the protection of the Government, on condition of being well provided for, on an island in Bass's Straits. This project was considered by most, as one of madness, but it met the patronage of the Lieutenant Governor, and the Senior Colonial Chaplain, as well as of a few others, and Robinson set forth on his mission of mercy, and succeeded in his object. He was sometimes exposed to considerable danger, and had difficulty in obtaining interviews with the alarmed natives; but in order to

inspire them with confidence, he put away every thing that they could mistake for weapons, and approached them with extended hands, even when the Blacks who accompanied him, shrunk back through fear.

The first of these people who became conciliated, were placed on Swan Island, which, being bare of wood and much exposed, was soon found unsuitable. They were therefore removed to Guncarriage Island, but this was also found too small, and it did not afford wild animals for their support, in case of need. They were at one time in danger of starvation from the failure of their provisions, which were irregularly supplied from the colony, but they were relieved by a small quantity of potatoes obtained from some sealers. Their next removal was to a place on Flinders Island, where their wants were better attended to, and where we found them in 1832. And here, their number received accessions from various parties successively conciliated, but it never became large, as few of them had children, and many of them, before being removed hither, had attained to the average period of the duration of their lives.

Flinders Island is of granite, and is about 130 miles in circumference; mountainous and rocky. The lofty parts are sterile, but the lower hills are covered with timber, chiefly Blue Gum. The lower grounds in various places are clothed with tall scrub, intermixed with She-oak and other trees. The open, grassy parts are not numerous, but some portions are capable of cultivation. The Wallaby, a small species of Kangaroo, abounds here, as do also various kinds of wildfowl.

A considerable number of the Aborigines were upon the beach when we landed, close by the Settlement, but they took no notice of us until requested to do so by W. J. Darling; they then shook hands with us very affably. It does not accord with their ideas of proper manners to appear to notice strangers, or to be surprised at any novelty. On learning that plenty of provisions had arrived by the cutter, they shouted for joy. After sunset they had a "corrobery" or dance around a fire, which they kept up till after midnight, in testimony of their pleasure.

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In these dances the Aborigines represented certain events, or the manners of different animals: they had a horse dance, an emu dance, a thunder and lightning dance, and many others. In their horse dance, they formed a string, moving in a circle, in a half stooping posture, holding by each others loins, one man at the same time going along, as if reining in the others, and a woman as driver, striking them gently as they passed. Sometimes their motions were extremely rapid, but they carefully avoided treading one upon another. In the emu dance, they placed one hand behind them, and alternately put the other to the ground and raised it above their heads, as they passed slowly round the fire, imitating the motion of the head of the emu when feeding. In the thunder and lightning dance, they moved their feet rapidly, bringing them to the ground with great force, so. as to produce a loud noise, and make such a dust as rendered it necessary for spectators to keep to windward of the group. Each dance ended with a loud shout, like a last effort of exhausted breath. The exertion used, made them very warm, and occasionally one or other plunged into the adjacent lagoon. One of their chiefs stood by to direct them, and now and then turned to the bystanders and said, "Narra, coopa corrobery"—very good dance-evidently courting applause.

10 mo. 10th. Several of the Aborigines came into the Commandant's hut, when we were at breakfast, and seated themselves quietly on stools, or on the floor; they did not offer to touch anything, but expressed pleasure on receiving a little tea or bread. They have a great dislike to butter or anything fat. At their own meals, they have learned to use tin cans and dishes, of which they take some care. On their first settlement, they threw away these articles as soon as their meals were over, and it was a matter of no small trouble, and exercise of patience to gather them together again. Fuel was at first collected by their white attendants, to boil the water for their tea, but when their taste for this article became strong, they were told, that they must either bring fuel for themselves or go without tea; and by means of this kind they were led to exertion in supplying

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