242 PHRENOLOGY. 



paratively tranquil, the aborigines go on the 

 river in small bark canoes to spear fish, more 

 particularly about the rocky parts of the river, 

 and usually return with a large quantity : they 

 also spear the '' water-mole," {Ornithorynchus^ 

 if they observe any during the river excursion. 

 Nothing comes amiss to the blacks for food : 

 they may be said to devour " every living thing 

 that runs upon the surface of the earth, or in the 

 waters beneath." 



I was examining the fine muscular structure, 

 and the raised cicatrices, which were nume- 

 rous over the arms and chest, of one of the natives, 

 (and which he regarded as highly ornamental,) 

 when, puzzled to ascertain the meaning of my 

 curiosity, after I had finished, he whispered to 

 the stock-keeper, if " he white feller gentleman 

 ever see black feller before." But as for pro- 

 curing an examination of their phrenological 

 organs, it was a labour of some difficulty, and 

 even danger ; for they seemed to regard it 

 as witchcraft, or some magic ceremony : and 

 when 'they even did submit, they evinced much 

 fear, and preserved a very serious countenance 

 during the operation, as if dreading the result ; 

 similar to young ladies, when under Deville's 

 hands for the same purpose, their secretiveness 



