62 THE EVIL SPiniT. 



its visible presence as that of a huge many-folded 

 serpent ; and in the night, when the tall forest trees 

 moaned and creaked in the fitful wind, he would 

 shrink terrified by the solemn and mysterious 

 sounds, which then do predispose the mind to 

 superstitious fears, and tell how, at such a time, his 

 countrymen kindle a fire to avert the actual pre- 

 sence of the evil spirit, and wait around it — chant- 

 ing their uncouth and rhythmical incantations — with 

 fear and tremblino^, for the cominfj dawn. 



I have preserved these anecdotes here, because 

 I can vouch for their authenticity, and though 

 individually unimportant, they may serve to throw 

 additional light upon the manners, customs, and 

 traditions of the Aborigines of Australia ; but 

 to all really interested in the subject, I would re- 

 commend a perusal of Captain Grey's second vo- 

 lume. I have as yet neither space nor materials to 

 attempt any detailed account of the customs, super- 

 stitions, or condition of this strange people ; but it 

 would be impossible to pass them by quite un- 

 noticed : nor can the voyager, whose chief object is 

 to make their native land a field for the exertions 

 of British enterprise, be wholly indifferent to the 

 manner in which our dominion may affect them. 

 The history of almost every colony, founded by 

 European energy, has been one fearful catalogue of 

 crime; and though by the side of the Spanish, 

 Dutch, and Portuguese, English adventurers seem 

 gentle and benevolent, still cruelty and oppression 



