' NEW SOUTH WALES. 17 



They have a curious way of catching birds. 

 A native, will in the heat of the sun lay down 

 as if asleep, holding a bit of fish in his hand; 

 the bird seeing the bait, seizes on the fish, and 

 the native then catches it. 



The spirit of retaliation, and ideas of honor 

 they entertain, produces some singular circum- 

 stances, of which the following is one:' A 

 native of Botany Bay had been beaten by two 

 natives of another tribe, one of these was in 

 return to be beaten by him; for this purpose a 

 party attended over night at the edge of a 

 stream, near the settlement, to dance, which 

 they continued doing till past twelve o'clock : 

 the man who was to be beat danced with the 

 rest, and then lay down among them. The 

 next morning, while he was asleep at the foot 

 of a tree, the one who was to beat him and an- 

 other armed with spears and clubs, rushed on 

 him; one threw his spear at him, but missed 

 his objecl:, when the other gave him two blows 

 with his club. This awoke him, he got up, but 

 being unarmed, he sorrowfully hung down his 

 head; no more blows were given, and his 

 enemy Aviped the blood from his wounds with 

 some grass : after this they were friends, for 

 having satisfied his revenge he forgot the injury 

 he formerly received. 



The great trouble they have in obtaining fire 

 makes them seldom be without it; when it so 

 happens, a number seat themselves in a circle, 

 and as it is a work of great labour each takes a 



