NEW SOUTH WALES. 25 



LANGUAGE. 



The impossibility of giving any perfect idea 

 of a savage language induces' -rjie to abandon 

 such an attempt, but as many:) of the natives' 

 words must of necessity be introduced, they 

 will be explained as they occur*. 



The language certainly affords to the ear in 

 many cases an agreeable harmony, ,and as they 

 generally suit their " actions to their words," 

 they are more intelligible than might be ex- 

 pected, it is however to be lamented, that in 

 these endeavours to be understood, they too 

 often lay aside " the modesty of Nature," and 

 thus they disgust and please at the same in- 

 stant. 



The natives imitate any thing said by the 

 English very correctly, indeed so much so, that 

 they have even sung songs after our people, 

 though on the contrary we do not find it an 

 easy task to imitate them. 



WEAPONS. 



n 



Weapons for offensive and defensive war^ 

 fare, as well as for fishing and the chase, have 

 at all times been found with savages. 



Spears, throwing sticks, fish-gigs, shields, and 

 clubs are their weapons. 



E 



