2o6 Australian Life 



The myall, or wild black-fellow, is frequently 

 a law-breaker, his peculiar weakness being the 

 spearing of cattle. At a place called Wyndham 

 in the north of Western Australia, there is a gaol 

 devoted solely to aboriginal prisoners, the majority 

 of whom have been convicted of this offence. 

 This gaol will accommodate a hundred prisoners, 

 and is usually full, the ordinary sentence imposed 

 for cattle-spearing being from three to six mouths. 

 It would be interesting to know to what extent 

 the wild black is acquainted with the rights of 

 property, and exactly what difference he sees 

 between spearing a bullock and spearing a 

 kangaroo. 



It seems idle to express any hope for the future 

 of this race, or to propose any plan for arresting 

 its rapid decay. The portions of Australia not 

 yet occupied by the white race are considered to 

 be the most arid and unproductive areas of the 

 continent, and these are all that is left to the 

 myall of the country he once held without dis- 

 pute. Educational influences have been ex- 

 pended upon them to worse than no purpose, for 

 it is generally conceded that the black children 

 brought up in the mission schools have turned 

 out more thievish, idle, and vicious than any of 

 their fellows. The utmost distinction ever at- 

 tained by any member of the race has been to 

 become a clever jockey, a swift runner, or a 

 skilful cricketer. Regeneration of this people 

 seems out of the question, and the most that can 



