North-west Australian Fishery. 159 



illness, especially "fits" in the water. Fits do un- 

 doubtedly occur occasionally, but the vast majority 

 of the cases are feigned, probably not more than 

 two or three real ones occurring in the whole fleet 

 in the course of a season ; and even in these cases, 

 the results do not appear to call for the alarm 

 which their occurrence causes. The power of imi- 

 tation however, is so great, that the most experienced 

 pearler can never be absolutely sure of his judg- 

 ment of a case. 



Although sharks are very numerous, accidents 

 attributable to them are fortunately rare. The loss 

 of life from this cause is only from a half to one per 

 cent, in the season. Alligators are much more 

 dangerous, but they do not go far out to sea, and 

 are never found south of King^s Sound. 



The wholesome regulation against the supply 

 of spirits to the aborigines is doubtless of advantage 

 in keeping up the standard of the race, but nowhere 

 in the world is the ''native policy" a more vexed 

 question than in Australia. In that Continent the 

 gradual extinction of the natives before the usurping 

 white race appears to be inevitable. 



There is little to be said about the Malays that 

 are employed in the fishery ; they are a tractable 



