PEOBLJEMS OF ABORIGINAL ART IN AUSTRALIA. 227 



may, of course, be accidental intercourse resulting from ship- 

 wreck, or something of that kind, or there may have been inter- 

 course for the purposes of trade, or some military expeditioii ; 

 but it certainly shows that the Australians were not absolutely cue 

 off from the rest of the world, but that communication existed 

 between the Australians and other nationalities. 



The Chairman. — We shall be glad to hear the opinions of any 

 visitors who are not Members or Associates. 



A Visitor. — I should like to ask the Bishop of Ballarat what 

 were the compositions of these paints ? Was it distemper, or what 

 kind of material r 



The Bishop of Ballarat. — Well, the yellow and blue are not 

 decided — I cannot say what they are. The red was burnt clay 

 raddle ; the black, charcoal with fish fat mixed with it ; the 

 brown is a mixture of black and red. There is also a certain root 

 grown in Australia which produces a kind of red pigment if 

 puddled with water, and that is largely used ; but in most cases 

 there is a mixture of oil or fat. 



A Visitor. — Is not it true that the natives do possess consider- 

 able and marked intelligence to-day ? 



The Bishop of Ballarat. — What I have specially dealt with 

 to-day has been art. I do not think what they can produce now 

 is to be compared with what I have shown you to-day. 



As to their intelligence, it is very fair in youth ; but at sixteen 

 or seventeen years of age they cease to progress, and as a rule no 

 longer care to read, or to pursue their studies. In a few cases 

 they keep up their knowledge. One black iur my diocese is a 

 Government sewing-mistress; another teaches the harmonium. 

 Naturally we are anxious to see if we can get an aboriginal 

 ministry from among them, but as yet I see no prospect of it. 

 The little boys and girls are quite equal to our own in apprehen- 

 siveness ; but in the case of the adults, if you try to exchange 

 ideas with them you find continuous dialogue very difficult. 

 Their mental capacity, although originally promising, seems to 

 have no progi-essive character. 



The Chairman. — It is generally expected that the Chairman 

 should say something on the subject before the meeting. I must 

 therefore thank those who have spoken, and venture to give you 

 my own views. 



Several theories are proposed as to the possible origin of these 



R 2 



