236 VAN diemen's land. 



island, and that island nearly as large as Ireland. 

 The correspondence on this subject, which took 

 place between the government at home and that 

 of Van Diemen's Land, is very interesting. Al- 

 though numbers of natives were shot and taken 

 prisoners in the skirmishing, which was going on 

 at intervals for several years, nothing seems fully 

 to have impressed them with the idea of our over- 

 whelming power, until the whole island, in 1830, 

 was put under martial law, and by proclamation 

 the whole population commanded to assist in one 

 great attempt to secure the entire race. The plan 

 adojDted was nearly similar to that of the great 

 hunting-matches in India : a line was fonned reach- 

 ing across the island, with the intention of driving 

 the natives into a cul-de-sac on Tasman's peninsula. 

 The attempt failed ; the natives, having tied up 

 their dogs, stole during one night through the lines. 

 This is far from surprising when their practised 

 senses and usual manner of crawling after wild 

 animals is considered. I have been assured that 

 they can conceal themselves on almost bare ground, 

 in a manner which, until witnessed, is scarcely credi- 

 ble, their dusky bodies being easily mistaken for 

 the blackened stumps which are scattered all over 

 the country. I was told of a trial between a party 

 of Englishmen and a native, who was to stand in 

 full view on the side of a bare hill ; if the English- 

 men closed their eyes for less than a minute, he 

 would squat down, and then they were never able 

 to distinguish him from the suiTOunding stumps. 

 But to return to the hunting-match : the natives, 

 understanding this kind of warfare, were terribly 

 alarmed, for they at once perceived the power and 

 numbers of the whites. Shortly afterwards a party 

 of thirteen, belonging to two tribes, came in, and, 

 conscious of their unprotected condition, delivei-ed 



