results of climatic influences. The moutli, as a rule, is not so 

 wide, and the noses not so flat, although the custom with both 

 sexes of wearing sticks through the nose has a tendency to 

 flatten it considerably. They have good strong teeth, but, as 

 far as I remember, not so beautiful as those of the south. 

 Physically speaking, the strongest tribes I have met with are 

 those on the Alligator Elvers in Yan Diemen's Gulf — a great 

 many of the men are over six feet high, and well proportioned. 

 I have only been able to get a few samples of photos, of these 

 tribes, as they very seldom come near the settlements. 



LANGUAGE. 



Each separate tribe speaks a different language or dialect, 

 but whether they are only a modification of one form of speech 

 or not I am not in a position to state. It is surprising in what 

 remarkable short time all natives learn to speak English. All 

 natives round the coast, from the Coburg Peninsula to the 

 mouth of the Eoper Eiver, in the Grulf of Carpentaria, speak 

 the Malay language, acquired by long intercourse with trepang 

 fishers from Macassar, who visit the coast in their prahus 

 during the rainy season, and employ the natives as divers, &c. 



LAWS. 



Murder is punished with death, except when a native is 

 killed by one of his own tribe, in such case the offender is 

 punished by spearing him severely ; but care is taken that he 

 is not mortally wounded. If a native kills one of another 

 tribe, a party of young men is sent out by the tribe of the 

 deceased to kill the murderer if he can be found, if not, one 

 of his near relations has to suffer in his place, and after a lapse 

 of some time that tribe visits the former, and a fight with 

 small reed spears takes place, without any serious consequences, 

 after which the tribes are on friendly terms again. 



Disputes between two or more of the same tribe arc settled 

 among themselves by fighting it out, if they cannot otherwise 

 agree. 



Theft is punished by the offenders, of both sexes, having to 

 submit to being speared, after which — in the majority of cases 

 — they are allowed to retain the stolen property. This is 

 looked upon as a reproach, and the thief generally disposes 

 of the property .by giving it to a neighbouring tribe. 



Adultery is not much thought of; the woman offender 

 onlv receives a beating with a small stick, and the male offender 

 has"^to submit to a small reed spear being thrust through his 

 arm by the suffering husband. 



Intermarriage between near relations is looked upon as a 

 grave offence, and is the cause of constant quarrels between 

 the offenders and the other members of tlie tribe ; the former 



