ANCIENT SCRIPT IN AUSTRALIA. Day) 
An image carved in “soapstone” is referred to (pp. 226, 230, 
of Dr. Thornton’s original paper) as having been found in the 
northern territory of South Australia, stated to be “an image 
of the god of longevity”; as a strange coincidence it may be 
mentioned that in the Technological Museum of Sydney is 
an exhibit bearing the following description: ‘ Plaster cast 
of soapstone carving (? Thibetan priest on camel), original 
found 25 feet below surface at Northern territory, Australia.” 
It represents a hooded figure clothed in a long flowing robe 
and seated on a camel; it has been in the museum several 
years ; inquiries so far have failed to elicit further information 
as to the original, which acquires new interest in view of 
late researches, 
Sydney, N.S.W. 
October 15th, 1898. 
The following letter from the author of the paper, and 
addressed to Captain Petrie, contains some additional matter 
of interest, and may find a place here :— 
* Rockdale, N.S.W. 
** October 15th, 1898. 
“ Dear Captain Petrie, 
““T am sending herewith a paper and a photo. which may 
interest the Members of the Institute, and would ask you to 
kindly bring it under notice. Without setting up for an authority 
or laying claim to any status as an anthropologist I have never- 
theless travelled over a large extent of Australia, have had many 
opportunities of studying the natives, and have taken an interest 
in their manners, customs, and traditions. In venturing to differ 
from Dr. Thornton in his conclusion that the antiquity of the 
arrival of the native race of Australians is attested by ‘the com- 
plicated diversity of the tribal vocabularies, and the length of time 
required for the whole continent to have been overrun by them,’ 
I would point out that in the comparatively small island of Great 
Britain you have, extant, three distinct languages, and various 
dialects, yet you can hardly be regarded as an ancient people. 
Again, seeing that early in the settlement of these Colonies by the 
British, explorers went all over the country, even with hostile 
natives to contend with, it would be surprising if the original 
immigrants did not overrun it in the first generation, there being 
no carnivora at all formidable until the introduction of the ‘ dingo,’ 
S 
