in particular of the Port Lincoln District. 165 



having then removed to Adelaide and Encounter Bay, in 

 his capacity of missionary, he returned after a few years' 

 absence to his old post at Port Lincoln, Fully conversant 

 with their language, he easily obtained the most complete 

 information as to the living and occupation of the tribes of 

 that particular district. Diu'ing my stay with him in 1851, 

 twenty-four native children attended his school, and had then 

 made pretty considerable progress in reading, writing, &c., 

 which was rendered the more easy to them by the advantage 

 that all information was by this most excellent man conveyed 

 to them in tlieir own language. 



It has been remarked that the population and general con- 

 dition of the natives of Australia greatly depend on the 

 nature of the locality they occupy; where the country is 

 sterile and unproductive, the natives are found to congregate 

 in small numbers, and to be in a miserable condition ; while, 

 on the contrary, in fertile districts they are comparatively 

 numerous, robust, and well made. The correctness of this 

 observation must have been apparent to every one who has 

 had the opportunity of comparing the natives of Port Lincoln 

 with those of the Adelaide and the jMurray districts, in par- 

 ticidar. The former are less in number, of smaller size, 

 weaker, and less expert, and not of so sociable a disposition 

 as the latter. A Port Lincoln black but very rarely exceeds 

 the height of a middle-sized European, and in reference 

 to bodily strength the comparison is more unfavorable still. 

 Among the ]\iurray tribes, on the contrary, you will find 

 handsome, tall, and well-made men. 



Striking peculiarities in the appearance of their body are 

 their miserably thin arms and legs, wide mouths, hollow deep 

 sunken eyes, and flat noses ; if the latter are not naturally 

 so formed, they make them so by forcing a bone, a piece of 

 wood, or anything else through the sides of the nose, which 

 causes them to stretch. They generally have a well-arched 

 front, broad shoulders, and a particularly high chest. 



The men possess a great deal of natural grace in the 

 carriage of their body, their gait is easy and erect, their 

 gestures are natm-al under all circumstances in their dances, 

 their fights, and while speaking, and they certainly sur- 

 pass the European in ease and rapidity of their move- 

 ments. 



With respect to the women we cannot speak so favourably 

 by a great deal ; their bodies are generally disfigured by ex- 

 ceedingly thin arms and legs, large bellies, and low hanging 



