440 DRIVING OUT THE NATIVES, [chap. xix. 



destruction. I fear there is no doubt that this train of evil 

 and its consequences originated in the infamous conduct of 

 some of our countrymen. Thirty years is a short period in 

 which to have banished the last aboriginal from his native 

 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. Although 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 overwhelming 

 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 adopted was nearly similar to that 

 of the great hunting-matches in India : a line was formed 

 reaching 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 sur- 

 prising, 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 

 credible ; 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 Englishmen closed their eyes for less than a 

 minute, he would squat down, and then they were never 

 able to distinguish him from the surrounding 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, 

 delivered themselves up in their despair. Subsequently, by 

 the intrepid exertions of Mr. Robinson, an active and 

 benevolent man, who fearlessly visited by himself the most 

 hostile of the natives, the whole were induced to ^ct in a 

 similar manner. They were then removed to an island, 

 where food and clothes were provided them. Count 

 Strzelecki states,* that "at the epoch of their deportation 



* " Phj'slcal Deacription of New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land," p. 354. 



