1836.] ABORIGINES 447 



Straits, so that Van Diemen's Land enjoys the great advantage 

 of being free from a native population. This most cruel step 

 seems to have been quite unavoidable, as the only means of 

 stopping a fearful succession of robberies, burnings, and mur- 

 ders, committed by the blacks ; and which sooner or later would 

 have ended in their utter destruction. I fear there is no doubt, 

 that this train of evil and its consequences, originated in the in- 

 famous 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 surprising, when tiieir 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 cre- 

 dible ; 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 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 condi- 

 tion, delivered themselves up in despair. Subsequently by the 



