68 THE TASMANIAN ABORIGINES. 



We find that in popular accounts they have been credited 

 with a skill and knowledge in various matters, which it 

 is now well-nigh certain they derived from contact with 

 other races, and of which, in their original condition, 

 they were ignorant. Some instances may be given of 

 imported arts which Bonwick, West, and others, even 

 including such a cautious writer as B rough Smyth, have 

 accepted as originally known to the Tasmanians. I may 

 mention the reputed manufacture of ground stone imple- 

 ments, the use of handled implements, of the womera or 

 thro wing-stick, and of bone-pointed or jagged spears, 

 the making of different patterns of baskets, the alleged 

 use of the firedrill, and the drawings attributed to them. 

 In all these matters the evidence collated by Mr. Roth 

 goes to show that any knowledge they may have had of 

 these things was acquired after they had come into con- 

 tact with Australians or Europeans. 



Several of these errors in attributing to the Tasmanians 

 implements which they did not know in their native state 

 have arisen from the carelessness or ignorance of 

 observers, some of whom might have been expected to 

 know better, notably Gr. A. Robinson and Dr. Milligan. 



Ground !Stone Implements. — This is a typical instance, 

 and will suffice to cover the whole ground of implements 

 distinctively Australian which have been attributed to 

 Tasmanians. In Dr. Barnard Davis's collection are three 

 ground stone implements labelled " Tasmania. ( G. A. 

 Robinson)." They were presented by Robinson to Mil- 

 ligan, and by Milligan to Dr. Davis. These are pre- 

 cisely of the kind used by the Australian blacks, and Dr. 

 Tylor has shown conclusively, in a paper read before 

 the British Association, that they were made either by 

 Australians, or by Tasmanians who had learnt the craft 

 from them. The bringing over about 1819 of the Syd- 

 ney black " Mosquito" (who acted such a mischievous 

 part in leading our natives in their attacks on the settlers), 

 and also the introduction of a " tame mob " of Sydney 

 blacks in 1822, sufficiently account, says Dr. Tylor, for 

 this influence from the mainland. The same influence 

 accounts for handled stone implements, bone-pointed and 

 jagged spears, womera, and various other Australian 

 weapons which have been attributed to the Tasmanians. 

 It may be taken as conclusively proved that the 



