CHAPTER XLVII.

Mistake respecting the falling back of the Aborigines. Contact of the Australians with the Malays.-Belief in Spiritual Influence.-Conscientiousness. Superstitions.- Koin.-Tippakalleun.- Kurrur-kurran.— Nungngun. -Murramai. Sentiments respecting Death.-Traces of Ideas of a Future State. Traditions respecting Creation and the Flood.-Australian Language. Evidence.-Importance of Inquests.- Change of Feeling toward Aborigines. Importance of Christian Principle.-Aborigines Protection Society. Disappointment of Emigrants.-Causes of Unsettlement.-Needful Considerations respecting Emigration.

In concluding this volume, it seems proper to introduce some further notice respecting the Aborigines of Australia, as well as a few general observations on Emigration.

In some quarters, in Great Britain, an idea prevails, that as the land toward the coast of Australia becomes occupied by Europeans, the Blacks retire into the interior. This, however, is a mistake. These people have their hunting grounds, which are more or less defined, in the various parts of the country, and though their tribes can scarcely be said to be organized, or to be more than family compacts, led by some man of prowess among them, these tribes fear each other, and cannot fall back one upon another, without being in danger of destruction. Instead of the tribes who once inhabited the part of New South Wales, which has been longest occupied by the British, having fallen back, they have, to use the expressive language of the Episcopal Bishop of Australia, "faded away." They have become diminished, or have ceased to exist; from the combined influence of the habits of Europeans, which are uncongenial to them, the vices that have been introduced among them, the positive destruction to which they have often been subjected, and the reduction of their means of subsistence.

The Aborigines of the Australian Continent, differ from those of Van Diemens Land, in many of them having lank hair. This prevails most to the north and west, but occurs in some measure, in almost every direction; it may probably be occasioned by a mixture of Malay blood, derived from the contact of the Inhabitants of the north, with the Malays, who, from time immemorial, have annually resorted to the tropical shores of Australia, to collect Betle-nut.

All the races of Australia, confirm the remark of a pious and diligent observer of the state of the human family: That a belief in spiritual influence, is instinctive in the mind of man; and that where this is not directed to its right object, it is always found in the form of superstition. The Aborigines of Australia, in common with the rest of mankind, seem to have some consciousness of right and wrong; hence they will hide themselves, or leave a neighbourhood, after having committed mischief; but they have no distinct ideas of a Supreme Being. They are very superstitious, and are afraid, of evil spirits, on account of which they will not move at night, without a lighted stick: they believe in the efficacy of charms, and have a great aversion to speak of death. The following particulars, for some of which, I am indebted to my friend L. E. Threlkeld, will illustrate some of these points :-Koin, Tippakal, or Porrang, are their names of an imaginary being, who, they say, always was as he now is, in figure like a Black; and who, they believe, resides in brushes and thick jungles, and appears occasionally by day, but mostly by night, and generally before the coming of the Natives from distant parts, when they assemble to celebrate certain mystic rites, such as some dances, or the knocking out of a tooth, which is performed in a mystic ring. They describe him, as being painted with pipe-clay, and carrying a fire-stick, but generally, as being perceived only by the doctors, who are a kind of magicians, to whom he says, "Fear not, come and talk." At other times, they say, he comes when the Blacks are asleep, takes them up, as an eagle its prey, and carries them off: that the shout of the surrounding party occasions him to drop his burden, or he conveys it to his fire in the

bush, by which he deposits it: that the person carried off, tries to cry out, but cannot, feeling almost choked; but that, at day-light, Koin disappears, and the Black finds himself safely conveyed to his own fireside!-In the latter part of this description, the nightmare is too aptly personified, to leave a doubt, who this person of savage terror is.

Tippakalleun, Mailkun, and Bimpoin, are names of the wife of Koin, whom they dread much more than her husband. They have also several other names of imaginary beings, who are objects of terror.

Kurrur-kurran, is a place at the north-west extremity of Lake Macquarie, where there is almost a forest of petrified wood. The tradition of the Aborigines is, that this was formerly one large rock, which fell from heaven, and killed a number of Blacks, who were assembled where it descended, by the command of an immense Guana, or Lizard, that came down from heaven for that purpose, in consequence of his anger, at their having killed lice, by roasting them in the fire! Those who had only cracked them, are said to have been previously speared to death, by a long reed, from heaven! At that remote period, they say the Moon was a man, named Pontobung; and they consider the Sun to have been a woman. When the great Guana saw that all the men were killed by the fall of the stone, they say, that he ascended again into heaven, where he now remains!

Nungngun, is their word for a song, such as is composed by their poets. These songs are first sung and danced to, by the tribe of the poet who composes them. They are then acquired by more distant tribes, throughout the country, as noticed at page 435, until by change of dialect, the very words are scarcely understood, by those who originally composed them.

Murramai, is their name for a ball, which the Aborigines. carry in a small net, suspended from their girdles of opossum yarn. These balls contain pieces of quartz, agate, or carnelian, wrapped in cord, made of opossum-fur. They are used as charms against sickness, and are sent hundreds of miles for this purpose. The women are not allowed to

see the contents of these balls.-While we were in N. S. Wales, a Black was hanged, at Dungog, for killing an Englishman, for showing a black woman the contents of one of these balls.

Respecting death, their ideas seem vague. The Natives of Tasmania, considered it contrary to good manners, to mention the name of a deceased person, and one of those of Australia, asked a friend of mine, who spoke to him of death, why he spoke to him of "tumbling down." One of the Tasmanian women, on Flinders Island, on being asked what she thought became of people when they died, replied, she supposed they went to some of the islands in Bass's Straits, and "jumped up white men!" Their ideas of a future state are dark and vague; but that they have ideas on this subject, is clear, from the circumstances noticed at page 105, 431, and 547.

The Aborigines of Van Diemens Land, had a tradition, that man was created by a benevolent being, or spirit, who came down from heaven; but that, originally, he was made with a tail, and had no knee joints. That in this state, he was very miserable; but another being who had compassion upon him, and also came down from heaven, cut off his tail, and softened his knees by rubbing grease into them, until the joints were formed. Those of the Swan River are thought to have traces of a tradition respecting the Flood, in connexion with the possession of a Yam, having an esculent root, as noticed at page 540.

The language of the Aborigines of Australia has various dialects, and is of remarkable construction. A friend of mine in Africa, well acquainted with the Caffer, said, after examining Threlkeld's Australian Grammar, that he thought a similarity was traceable in these Languages. Should this prove to be the case, persons studying the Australian, may derive advantage from the grammars of the Caffer or Sichuana, both of which are from one root. These grammars have been printed under the auspices of the Wesleyan Missionary Society.

The good intention of the British Government, is not to be doubted, in declaring that the Native Inhabitants of the

British Colonies should be regarded as British Subjects: but this professed recognition, served rather to blind the people of England, than to benefit the Natives of Australia, so long as their evidence could not be taken without an oath. Even now, that the authority of the British Government has been given, to take their evidence in such manner as they are capable of giving it, for whatever it is worth, they must often stand on an unequal footing, with the British occupants of their country, in consequence of their ignorance of our language, and want of opportunity to prosecute their causes in the Colonial Courts, notwithstanding help is afforded them in the provision of Protectors.

The want of investigation into cases of death, suspected to have proceeded from violence, left them much more open to outrage than they would have been, had it been made a part of the duty of coroners and magistrates, to investigate into these cases, in the manner in which they were bound to investigate into those relating to white men. Such a procedure might have deterred many a settler from imbruing his hands in blood.

Persons who, before they emigrated would have shuddered at the idea of murdering their fellow-creatures, have, in many instances, wantonly taken the lives of the Aborigines. And many of those who have desired to cultivate a good feeling toward them, have found them such an annoyance, as to have their benevolent intentions superseded by a desire to have these hapless people removed out of the way.

Strong Christian principle is required to keep down the bias of self-interest, both in regard to the Aborigines, and in regard to every circumstance, in which duty and interest are opposed to each other. And this strong Christian principle, it must be admitted, is too rarely to be met with, among the emigrants to new Colonies. On this account, associations, such as the Aborigines Protection Society, which help weak principle, by exposing delinquency, are highly to be valued. The very knowledge of the existence of such a Society, is, in itself, a protection to the Aborigines. And it is to be hoped, that the cultivation of a better feeling toward the uncivilized tribes of