LIGHT-COLOURED NATIVES. 211 



intelligence than we have been able to find any 

 traces of : at the same time it must be remembered 

 that no certain date absolutely connects these works 

 with the present generation : the dryness of the 

 natural walls upon which they are executed, and 

 the absence of any atmospheric moisture may have, 

 and may yet preserve them for an indefinite period, 

 and their history read aright, may testify not the 

 present condition of the Australian School of 

 Design, but the perfection which it had formerly 

 attained. Lieut. Grey too, like ourselves, had seen 

 certain individuals in company with the natives much 

 lighter in colour, and widely differing in figure and 

 physiognomy from the savages by whom they were 

 surrounded ; and was inclined to believe that thev 

 are descended from Dutch sailors, who at dififerent 

 times, suffering shipwreck upon the coast, have in- 

 termarried with its native inhabitants : but as no 

 authentic records can be produced to prove that 

 this portion of the coast was ever visited by Dutch 

 navigators at all, I am still more disposed to believe 

 that these lighter coloured people are Malays, cap- 

 tured from the Trepang fishers, or perhaps volun- 

 tarily associating with the Australian, as we know 

 that the Australian not unfrequently abandons his 

 country, and his mode of life, to visit the Indian 

 Archipelago with them. 



Before pursuing any further the train of specula- 

 tion in which my thoughts naturally enough arranged 

 themselves, owing to this meeting with Lieut. 



p 2 



