52 AUSTRALIA AND THE AUSTRALIANS. 



down his own face, then casting away the weapon, 

 threw his arms around the neck of the culprit and 

 sobbed like a child. 



A story is told of a war between one of the tribes 

 and some of the natives of New Zealand. The Aus- 

 tralians being put to rout, fled across a river in such 

 haste that a little child was left behind. The New 

 Zealander held up the child, when the father, though 

 conscious that he was running a great risk, yet impel- 

 led by parental love, waded across the stream for it, 

 but as he came close up to the shore to receive it, he 

 was brained by the tomahawk of the treacherous 

 Maori, and both he and his child floated down the 

 river together. 



When death enters the family, the relatives exhibit 

 the most intense grief. They cover their heads with 

 clay and daub their faces with the same material. If 

 a man dies his wives cut and burn themselves in 

 a most shocking manner, and their wail is most 

 melancholy and heartrending. As a general rule 

 mothers show much affection for their children, and 

 are, therefore, not permitted to see, or even come near, 

 when the cruel ceremonies of initiation into manhood 

 are performed upon the young men. Even the old 

 men themselves sometimes weep over these cruelties. 



What may seem to us as evidence of great cruelty 



