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raged between 1S26 and 1830, led to Governor Arthur's military 

 operations known as the M Black Line." In October, 1830, some 500 

 m«n took the field to sweep the island from North to South, with 

 the view of converging on the Oyster Cove and Big River tribes and 

 driving tbem into the cul de sac of Tasman Peninsula. The total 

 resalt of the expedition, which cost about £30,000, was one solitary 

 aboriginal, and there were only about 100 to take. Then Mr. Geo. 

 Augustus Robinson, in his daring mission of conciliation among the 

 blacks, accomplished what the whole force of the island had failed 

 in. Having got the aboriginals together, for 15 years (from 1832) the 

 miserable remnant of the native tribes were kept on Flinders Island, 

 and which was destined to become the grave of most of them. Mr. 

 G. W. Walker compiled a vocabulary of their language, and collected 

 some of their songs. Their countenances did not exhibit marked savage 

 ferocity ; they were a naturally good tempered race. At first the 

 arrangements for their supplies of food on the Island were bad, and 

 were at the outset under the control of very uneuitable officers. 

 Under Lieut. W. J. Darling things improved. At firat, shelters or 

 M breakwinds" were erected for them, and then huts. To a race of 

 savages accustomed to sleep in the open air and wear no clothing, 

 cloeely heated huts and clothes (the latter they would throw off and 

 put on, and when wet they often kept their clothes on) induced 

 pulmonary disease — a complaint which existed among some of them — 

 notably the West Coast tribe, when in their natural state. Hunting 

 wild animals for food, when in their natural state, kept them far more 

 hardy and healthy. One great cause of mortality among them was 

 their home sickness ; their desire to be back in their native haunts, 

 which inducedjjdepreseion of spirits. But they had to be got together 

 and taken care of for their own safety's sake, and the safety of the 

 settlers. Everything was done for them that could be done after their 

 capture— a great deal of it was mistaken effort, still it was done with 

 the best intentions. In captivity tea and potatoes were their favourite 

 diet. Mutton and beef they preferred to salt meat and even kangaroo. 

 Their appetites were enormous. One native woman was recorded to 

 have devoured at one meal 50 to 60 mutton bird eggs, besides aa 

 allowance of bread, and each of those eggs exceeded that of a duck's in 

 size. They developed our intense liking for tobacco, both male and 

 female. Their good humour was constantly referred to by the two 

 visitors, who found that they were n?t naturally treacherous, vicious, 

 nor vindictive. The outrages which they experienced at the hands of 

 Europeans had naturally excited their love of revenge, with the result 

 that they would retaliate on the innocent as well as the guilty. Their 

 readiness to oblige and the absence of cruelties among them was 

 evidence of their good nature. Their tractability was remarkable. 

 They could be induced to do almost anything by kindness — as good- 

 natured as children, and as imitative as monkeys. They endeavoured 

 to follow European customs in every way, and the women learnt to 

 make bread and tc sew, and were very honest. They had not a sluggish 

 disposition, but they showed the usual improvidence ot savages. Dogs 

 they got very fond of, being a great aid to them in hunting. At first 

 it was amusing to see them throw away utensils. It was difficult to 

 get them to understand the value of the skins of their game, and the 

 use of barter. Some of the young men even got to read and write a 

 little. In 1834, five or six of the boys were removed to the Orphan 

 School at New"Town, where they were taught more systematically, 

 and, it is stated, they showed verj fair intelligence. Aboriginal chil- 

 dren, when young, were found not to be inferior in capacity to European 

 children. In 1835 Mr. Robineon took charge of them on Flinders 

 Island, and established three schools among them, and they showed a 

 wonderful advance in civilisation, but it was hardly to be wondered at 



