462 NEW SOUTH IVALES chap. 



hangs dead in long shreds which swing about with the wind, 

 and give to the woods a desolate and untidy appearance. I 

 cannot imagine a more complete contrast, in every respect, 

 than between the forests of Valdivia or Chiloe, and the woods 

 of Australia. 



At sunset a party of a score of the black aborigines passed 

 by, each carrying, in their accustomed manner, a bundle of 

 spears and other weapons. By giving a leading young man a 

 shilling, they were easily detained, and threw their spears for 

 my amusement. They were all partly clothed, and several 

 could speak a little English ; their countenances were good- 

 humoured and pleasant, and they appeared far from being such 

 utterly degraded beings as they have usually been represented. 

 In their own arts they are admirable. A cap being fixed at 

 thirty yards distance, they transfixed it with a spear, delivered 

 by the throwing-stick with the rapidity of an arrow from the 

 bow of a practised archer. In tracking animals or men they 

 show most wonderful sagacity ; and I heard of several of their 

 remarks which manifested considerable acuteness. They will 

 not, however, cultivate the ground, or build houses and remain 

 stationary, or even take the trouble of tending a flock of sheep 

 when given to them. On the whole they appear to me to 

 stand some few degrees higher in the scale of civilisation than 

 the Fuegians. 



It is very curious thus to see in the midst of a civilised 

 people, a set of harmless savages wandering about without 

 knowing where they shall sleep at night, and gaining their 

 livelihood by hunting in the woods. As the white man has 

 travelled onwards, he has spread over the country belonging to 

 several tribes. These, although thus enclosed by one common 

 people, keep up their ancient distinctions, and sometimes go to 

 war with each other. In an engagement which took place 

 lately, the two parties most singularly chose the centre of the 

 village of Bathurst for the field of battle. This was of service 

 to the defeated side, for the runaway warriors took refuge in 

 the barracks. 



The number of aborigines is rapidly decreasing. In my 

 whole ride, with the exception of some boys brought up by 

 Englishmen, I saw only one other party. This decrease, no 

 doubt, must be partly owing to the introduction of spirits, to 



