NEW SOUTH WALES. 197 



an air of "haughtiness and insolence arising from this independence, 

 and nothing will induce them to acknowledge any human being as 

 their superior, or to show any marks of respect. In illustration of this, 

 Mr. Watson the missionary is the only white man to whose name 

 they prefix " Mr.," and this he thinks is chiefly owing to the habit 

 acquired when children under his authority. All others, of whatever 

 rank, they address by their Christian or surname. This does not 

 proceed from ignorance on their part, as they are known to under- 

 stand the distinctions of rank among the whites, and are continually 

 witnessing the subservience and respect exacted among them. They 

 appear to have a consciousness of independence, which causes them, 

 on all occasions, to treat even the highest with equality. On being 

 asked to work, they usually reply, " White fellow work, not black 

 fellow ;" and on entering a room, they never remain standing, but 

 immediately seat themselves. 



They are not great talkers, but are usually silent and reserved. 

 They are generally w T ell-disposed, but dislike to be much spoken to, 

 particularly in a tone of raillery. An anecdote was mentioned of a 

 gentleman amusing himself with a native, by teasing him, in perfect 

 good-humour, when the man suddenly seized a billet of wood, threw 

 it at him, and then in a great rage rushed for his spear. It was with 

 great difficulty that he could be pacified, and made to know that no 

 insult was intended ; he then begged that they would not talk to him 

 in that manner, as he might become wild and ungovernable. They 

 look upon the whites with a mixture of distrust and contempt, and to 

 govern them by threats and violence is found impossible. They are 

 susceptible of being led by kind treatment, but on an injury or insult 

 they immediately take to the Bush, and resume their wandering 

 habits. They do not cany on any systematic attacks, and their fears 

 of the whites are so great, that large companies of them have been 

 dispersed by small exploring parties and a few resolute Stockmen. 



Though they are constantly wandering about, yet they usually 

 confine themselves to a radius of fifty or sixty miles from the place 

 they consider their residence. If they venture beyond this, which 

 they sometimes do with a party of w T hites, they always betray the 

 greatest fear of falling in with some Myall or stranger blacks, who 

 they say would put them to death immediately. 



Their great timidity has caused a false estimate to be put upon 

 their character, by ascribing to it great ferocity ; and, as an instance 

 of it, it is mentioned, that if a party of natives be suddenly approached 

 in the interior, who are unacquainted with white men, and taken by 



vol. n. 50 



