DIEMEN'S ISLAND. 



735 



Van 



Diemen's 



Island. 



Guncm of 

 burning 



the dead. 



Language. 



fish, the charge of procuring which devolves on the 

 women, as well as its future preparation. Each, on 

 these occasions, provides herself with a basket, and 

 leaping from a rock into deep water, detaches them 

 with her wooden spatula below. This is severe and 

 exhausting labour ; the women return to the surface 

 only to breathe until their baskets are full, and they 

 remain so long at the bottom, that European spectators 

 are wont to be alarmed lest they have been entangled 

 among the weeds, or have become a prey to ravenous 

 fishes. Daughters are employed along with their mo- 

 thers, and their collections are first brought as a tribute 

 to the men. On emerging from the water, they care- 

 fully dry themselves before fires, and then prepare their 

 food, which consists of lobsters, oysters, mussels, and 

 chiefly of the ear shell. During their repasts, which 

 continue remarkably long, each family separates from 

 the general horde, and gathers round the fire to par- 

 take of it. But the labour has to be daily renewed, as 

 little provision is made for future necessities. Nothing 

 is grateful to the Diemenese that is used by Europeans : 

 bread is rejected, nor will they permit their children to 

 taste it. The women are apparently in absolute subor- 

 dination to the men, and bear many indications of their 

 savage ferocity. But the men are in no subordination 

 to each other ; they are void of all laws, regulations, or 

 goverment, so far as is hitherto ascertained ; they exist 

 on the most perfect equality : nor do the whole people 

 admit of any controul, except of husbands over their 

 wives, and parents over their children. The nature of 

 the alliance between the sexes is not clearly understood. 

 Doubts may be entertained whether it be permanent ; 

 and although some transient visitors have conjectured 

 that polygamy is practised among them, such opinions 

 rest on a very slender foundation. 



A remarkable custom, that of burning their dead, is 

 found among these savages ; thus exhibiting in the 

 rudest stages, what has been peculiar to men in the 

 highest state of civilization. We are unacquainted with 

 the detail of cremation, or whether it is practised after 

 the same manner as on the coast of New Holland ; but 

 the ashes collected together are deposited in a small cir- 

 cular excavation, not exceeding eighteen inches in dia- 

 meter, and ten in depth. A conical structure, neatly 

 composed of bark, supported by poles below, and tied 

 round above, is erected to cover them ; and a seques- 

 tered spot, near some limpid rivulet, seems chosen for 

 the purpose. Nevertheless, such structures, as also the 

 remains of the dead, are of rare occurrence, even com- 

 pared with the scanty population of the country. That 

 they should be so, is in this manner explained from 

 their nature : " The bark, by which they are protect- 

 ed, cannot fail to be speedily destroyed by the action 

 of the atmosphere, or dispersed by the winds. The 

 tender and delicate grass covering the ashes is likewise 

 soon decomposed, and the ashes themselves, already 

 partly scattered, can only present the appearance of a 

 fire having been kindled on the spot ; for the bones 

 gathered together in the bottom of the excavation re- 

 main buried in the earth. None are therefore found 

 on the surface ; and we may add, as another reason, 

 that the powerful calcination they have undergone 

 renders their annihilation more immediate and com- 

 plete." 



Very litttle is yet understood of the language of the 

 Diemenese, except that it abounds with vowels, is faint- 

 ly articulated, and uttered with the greatest rapidity. 

 It differs from that of all the surrounding nations. 



Nothing has been more disputed than the natural 



5 



character of man. Some have maintained that he is 

 born, kind, tender, and benevolent, prone to the exer- 

 cise of virtue ; while others have contended, that vici- 

 ous habits implanted in him, are displayed by feroci- 

 ous cruelty and arrogance. But it is ignorance of the 

 real savage state which has disguised the truth ; and 

 those opinions favourable to the disposition of our race, 

 have been established on the early acts of docile chil- 

 dren sprung from virtuous parents. Man, by nature, 

 is sanguinary and tyrannical ; and although none have 

 yet been seen in stages of absolute degradation, void of 

 every bond of union, and each providing solely for 

 himself, still their inherent malevolence seems propor- 

 tioned by their approaches to it. In general character, 

 the natives of Van Diemen's Land are a lively people ; 

 they are frank and courteous to strangers, and ready to 

 associate with them. Apparently they are divested of 

 that cunning, and the love of vengeance, which actu- 

 ates all other savages. Like children, they are occupi- 

 ed with novelties for the moment ; and what is prized 

 by them as a precious possession to-day, is thrown 

 aside, or viewed with perfect indifference, to-morrow. 

 The women are affectionate to their children, but the 

 men are tyrannical to their wives ; an infallible test of 

 uncivilized society. Notwithstanding their evident 

 placidity, their ready reception of strangers, and the 

 willing assistance lent to them on all occasions, they 

 are ever to be met with distrust; for treachery, if not in- 

 variably predominant in their thoughts, is too often on- 

 ly awaiting an opportunity to be practised. But these 

 facts will be better illustrated, in taking a cursory 

 sketch of the history of this territory, which, from va- 

 rious circumstances, has attracted unusual attention in 

 Europe ; partly excited, indeed, by the errors that have 

 prevailed, and which even now prevail, concerning it. 



Abel Jansen Tasman, a Dutch navigator, being sent 

 out on a voyage of discovery by the governor of Bata- 

 via, when in latitude 42 s 25', saw land ten miles dis- 

 tant, which, in honour of the governor, he named Van 

 Diemen's Land; and on the 24th of November 1642, 

 anchored in a bay, called by him Frederic Henry's Bay. 

 He took possession of the country, by displaying the 

 colours of his nation, and marking a post with the arms 

 of the East India Company. Tasman saw no inhabi- 

 tants ; but remarking notches or steps five feet asunder 

 on trees, he concluded that either they must be of ex- 

 traordinary stature, or that they adopted some uncom- 

 mon expedient for climbing them. 



Possibly other navigators might visit these distant re- 

 gions, more especially in the course of that numerous 

 succession of voyages which we have historically enu- 

 merated in our general view of Australasia. But the 

 next distinct account given of an inconsiderable portion 

 of this island, is in a voyage by M. Marion du Fresne, 

 a French officer, who unfortunately perished soon af- 

 ter. 



On the 3d of March 1772, M. Marion came in sight of 

 Van Diemen's Land, and brought his vessel to an an- 

 chor in Frederic Henry's Bay. Fire and smoke, seen 

 the preceding day and night, announced that the neigh T 

 bourhood was inhabited, and the herbage and foliage 

 on the coast wore an inviting aspect. Thirty of the na- 

 tives appeared and received their visitors, who had 

 now reached the land, without any indications either of 

 friendship or hostility. All were completely naked. The 

 French, to gain their favour, offered them looking-glass- 

 es, handkerchiefs, and pieces of cloth, but every thing 

 was rejected with contempt ; nor would they accept of 

 poultry, which had been brought from the ship. Their 



Manners of 

 the in- 

 habitants. 



Progress of 

 discovery. 



Tasman, 

 104?. 



Marion du 

 Fresne, 

 J 772. 



