404 HISTORY OF 



love of idleness could be proved against him, 

 he was forgiven ; and supplied with a musquet 

 and ammunition, for the purpose of accompany- 

 ing those who made excursions into the woods, 

 and at other times he went to shoot kangaroos 

 and birds. The first bird of paradise ever seen 

 in this country was shot by him ; it was his 

 usual custom to live on the flesh of those birds 

 he killed, bringing with him their skins 



Over the wood natives he had so great an 

 influence as to enable him to persuade them that 

 he had himself been a black man, and carried 

 the joke on so far as absolutely to point, out an 

 old woman as his mother, who poor soul was 

 weak and credulous enough to own the rascal 

 as her son. These natives who inhabit the woods 

 are certainly not so keen as those who live upon 

 the coast. The essential difference may be 

 accounted for by their manner of living, as 

 undoubtedly society contributes much to the 

 exercise and enlargement of the mental faculties, 

 Wilson presumed upon their mental inability ; 

 and, having imposed himself on them as their 

 countryman, and inspired them with both fear 

 and respect of his superior powers, he indulged 

 himself in taking libertine liberties with their 

 young females. Deficient as these poor savages 

 were in reasoning faculties, he found to his cost 

 they were susceptible of wrongs; for, having 

 appropriated against her inclinations a female 

 to his own accommodation, her friends took an 

 opportunity, when he could not defend himself, 



