NATIVES or THE COBOURG PENINSULA. 145 



Port Essing"ton lias sometimes been alluded to as 

 being- admirabl}^ adapted for a depot from whicli 

 European g-oods can be introduced among- the neigh- 

 bouring' islands of the Indian Archipehig-o^ but on 

 this subject I would perfectly coincide with Mr. 

 Jukes^ who states — " Now^ the best plan for a vessel 

 wishing' to trade with the independent islands^ 

 obviously^ is to g'o to them at once 5 while she has 

 just as g-ood an opportunity to smug-g-le her g*oods 

 into the Dutch islands^ if that be her object^ as the 

 natives would have if they were to come and fetch 

 them from Port Essington.'^ 



The natives of the Cobourg* Peninsula are divided 

 into four tribes^ named respective^ the Bijenelumbo^ 

 Limbakarajia^ Limbapyu^ and Terrutong*. The 

 first of these occupies the head of the harbour (in- 

 cluding- the gTound on which the settlement is built)^ 

 and the country as far back as the isthmus^ — the 

 second^ both sides of the port lower down^ — the 

 third^ the north-west portion of the peninsula^ — and 

 the last have possession of Croker's Island^ and the 

 adjacent coasts of the mainland. From the constant 

 intercom'se which takes place between these tribes^ 

 their affinity of lang'uag-e^ and similarity in phy- 

 sical character^ manners^ and custom s^ they may be 

 spoken of as one. 



The Aborig-ines of Port Essing'ton scarcely differ 

 from those of the other parts of Australia^— I mean^ 

 there is no striking' peculiarity. The septum of the 



VOL. T. L 



