242 THE NORTH-AUSTRALIAN EXPEDITION. 



tropical climates, the wet season of the former occurring from Novem- 

 ber to March, and the latter from May to September. 



68. With reference to the aborigines of Northern Australia, I have 

 been able to collect little information. Except in the immediate vici- 

 nity of the sea-coast at the mouth of the Victoria, and on the southern 

 shores of the Gulf of Carpentaria, their numbers are apparently small, 

 though the recent traces in every part of the country visited showed 

 them to be diffused over the whole, and small parties were often seen. 



69. Except on the few occasions detailed in the journal, our inter- 

 views were of a friendly nature, though twenty-six years' constant in- 

 tercourse with the aboriginal Australians has convinced me how little 

 their professions are to be relied on, and I therefore never relaxed those 

 precautionary measures which, though they somewhat interfered with 

 the collection of information regarding their habits and customs, has, 

 with one exception, enabled us to avoid collision with them. 



70. Tn no part did I observe any marked difference in race or form 

 of weapons from the aborigines of the western coast, except such varia- 

 tions in the latter as were requisite from the difference of the materials 

 from which they were constructed. The language differed from either 

 that of Moreton Bav or Western Australia. Circumcision, and the re- 

 moval of the front teeth, is practised by some of the tribes, but others 

 which intervened did not practise either rite. 



71. Circumstances, over which I had no control, compelled me to 

 impose many duties on the scientific officers of the Expedition, which 

 of course greatly circumscribed their opportunities for collecting speci- 

 mens and notes relative to the departments specially in charge. A large 

 collection had however been made before I left the Victoria, to which 

 the unabated zeal of Mr. Elsey and Dr. Mueller has enabled them to 

 make many valuable additions during the last journey. And it gives 

 me pleasure to record my thanks to those gentlemen, and also to Mr. 

 H. Gregory (to whose unwearied care and judgment in conducting the 

 transport service of the Expedition, the extraordinary rapidity and suc- 

 cess of the several journeys is mainly attributable), for the cheerful as- 

 sistance and support they ever afforded me in carrying out the objects 

 of the Expedition. To Mr. Baines I am also particularly indebted, 

 and can only regret that I have been compelled to detach him on a 

 service which, while it almost precludes his devoting his time to his 

 artistic pursuits, imposes duties of a peculiarlv harassing nature. 



