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they have seen 10 emus, for example, or 15 or 20 strangers ap- 

 proaching, they say in either case ^'njara k7iira bitjiririina,^' 

 " very many are coming." This is quite natural under the cir- 

 cumstances. Many contradictory elements are found in their re- 

 ligious views and habits. It never occurs to them to reflect 

 about this. If their attention is directed to them, they smile 

 complacently, and continue to adhere tenaciously to that which 

 is customary. In their domestic aftairs their want of reflection 

 is also exhibited. The saying " Take not thought for the morrow, 

 &c.," is unnecessary advice to give them. At times grain is 

 plentiful, but to store any for the future never enters their minds, 

 or that a bad season will follow a good one. Similarly the idea 

 of a life after death gives them no trouble, owing to the abeyance 

 of their reflective faculties. Many a time we have warned them 

 not to kill cattle, and yet they could not resist the temptation, 

 ignoring the consequences. Many a time have we also warned 

 them against the murders for revenge, and showed them that 

 ultimately they must fall themselves as victims, but with a similar 

 result. The word of God alone can produce a change here, as we 

 have with some, who placed themselves under its rule ; no exter- 

 nal culture can do it. Therefore more mission-stations should be 

 founded, and the native induced to reside there ; that alone can 

 save them bodily and spiritually. Hours, even days, they can sit 

 stolidly in the shade of a tree, or lie there, without getting tired, 

 humming at times to themselves. To explain spiritual matters 

 to them is not easy, especially as there are not words to express 

 the ideas, and will have to be coined for the purpose. To learn 

 the meaning of these they And exceedingly difficult, and only a 

 few can master it with effort. Their memory is good, and ex- 

 ceeds that of many white people. They are quick at learning by 

 rote, and retain anything they have heard, learnt, or experienced. 

 For music and singing they have a good ear, and they easily pick 

 up a tune. Some have also good voices, and use them, but others 

 are too lazy to exert themselves to sing. Their aboriginal songs 

 are very monotonous and monosyllabic. To learn and sing them 

 requires neither trouble nor application. Perhaps this explains 

 their liking for extending their singing performances till late into 

 the night; even children thus sing at their games. Usually they 

 beat time to it with their hands, or slapping their bare legs, or 

 with their tnuma (short stick) upon a trough. The tone moves 

 from quinte to quinte monotonously. If, for example, they have 

 repeated the stanza several times in the high d, they sing it 

 again several times in g, after this in low c, and then begin 

 again at the high note, and so ad libitum. The whole stanza 

 consists of three to live words, which are endlessly repeated until 

 they change it for another to the same tune. The burden of 



