258 THE ABORIGINES 01" AUSTRALIA. 



thing most frequently occurs to put an unpleasant stop to these jovial 

 proceedings. There is some old quarrel to be settled, some old sore 

 to be healed, and thus the evil disposed contrive to get up disputes, 

 or to recall wrongs still unsettled and un revenged. Each party has 

 his friends and relatives about him, who feel themselves called upon 

 to take a part in the matter, aud thus the whole camp gets involved 

 in a general quarrel. From wrangling, matters proceed to blows, — 

 the wamera is seen to nourish in the air, — spears begin to fly about ; 

 pierced legs and broken heads are the consequence, and the parties 

 separate vowing vengeance against each other. 



These fights however rarely prove fatal to any one, for the bellige- 

 rent parties generally contrive to make a great noise without doing 

 much damage, beyond perhaps one or two wounded legs and a broken 

 head or so, which are looked upon as mere trifles. It is absurd, in- 

 deed to witness an affair of this kind. It commences by one of the 

 men jumping up and throwing down his spear somewhere near his 

 opponent, who immediately springs to his feet to revenge the insult. 

 The encampment is immediately in an uproar, and the friends of both 

 rush to hold the combatants. Thus secured the foaming warriors tug 

 and struggle away at a fearful rate, and show great indignation at be- 

 ing prevented, by their unkind friends, from totally exterminating each 

 other ; they are careful, however, not to exert themselves to such an 

 extent as to prevent their being held without much difficulty. But 

 other relatives or friends soon appear for the purpose of taking part 

 with the combatants, these in like manner are held by other friends ; 

 until at last the whole party are either holding or being held. -And 

 thus, giving vent to their feelings in abuse and threats, they gradually 

 calm down from pure exhaustion, and having arrived at this stage, they 

 promise to lay aside their weapons for the time being ; they are then 

 released, and return sulkily to their huts, to repeat, probably, the 

 :Same farce the next day. 



The reader must not come to the conclusion, however, from the des- 

 cription of such a scene, that the natives of this part of the world 

 never kill each other. Far from it. When one of the tribe dies, ei- 

 ther from natural causes or otherwise, the nearest relation of the de- 

 ceased is expected to take the life of one of another tribe ; they, in 

 their turn, retaliate in the same manner ; they are, therefore, in a con- 

 tinual state of dread and warfare. But it is not open warfare ; by 

 treachery alone is it carried on, andoften does the Australian meet his 

 death from the hands of him he receives as a friend at his fire. Cun- 

 ningly disguising his base intention, and watching until slumber seals 

 the eyes of all around, the enemy will drive his spear deep into the 



