THE NATIVE TRIBES OP POLYNESIA. 451 



or knowledge of a good spirit. Still less can it be said that they have 

 ever conceived the idea of a supreme ruler or creator. But they are 

 not without a belief in the supernatural. The South Australians, for 

 example, have faith in the existence of a spirit or fiend, whom they call 

 Moorundun. In Van Dieman's Land he was known as Namma. But 

 they do not worship this ideality. I never could learn that the Aus- 

 tralians had any conception of prayer, propitiation, worship, or sacrifice. 

 Yet Moorundun is held in extreme awe. He is an evil spirit, ever 

 working mischief, but especially dangerous at night. Hence the reason 

 why the Australians will never move about, if they can help it, after 

 dark ; an objection by the way which is equally shared in by many 

 other of the Polynesians, and especially by the Maories. Moorundun 

 is supposed to be a " black fellow" of huge size who lives in the bush, 

 and is accompanied and aided by myriads of small imps who live in 

 the scrub and on the boughs of the trees. The air and water are also 

 supposed to be peopled by similar creatures, whose whole purpose is to 

 annoy and injure mankind and to aid their master in his diabolical 

 propensities. Moorundun is a notorious liar, the truth is unknown to 

 him. His great object is to steal women and children. The latter he 

 devours ; the former he devotes to the gratification of his own plea- 

 sures, and then either restores them to their tribe or eats them. He is 

 a consummate thief, sly and revengeful, ever uttering obscene and 

 abusive language, imprecations, and lies. 



The belief in a future existence varies among the natives. Some 

 entertain the idea that after death they go to a happy country, where 

 there is an abundance of fish and kangaroo to be had without trouble; 

 others think that they are destined to be changed into white men ; 

 a creed which contrasts strangely with that of some African tribes ; and 

 many of them have no belief at all. In like manner, I should mention 

 that the belief in Moorundun or bis equivalent is by no means 

 universal, and it is worthy of note that where his existence is not 

 acknowledged the character of the natives is the more favorable. His 

 disciples are apt for instance to imitate that spirit in untruthfulness, 

 although I do not know whether we are to regard this as an indication 

 of propitiary intentions. 



Among the good traits in the Australian character there is one that 

 needs special notice at my hands, because it has been referred to very 

 prominently by some of the female philosophers of this present day. 

 The rapid disappearance of many aboriginal tribes, which seems to be 



