NEW SOUTH WALES. 185 



can enter such a hut, take shelter in it, lying upon the soft bark of the 

 ti tree. 



NATIVE HUT, NEW SOUTH WALES. 



The natives of Australia differ from any other race of men, in 

 features, complexion, habits, and language. Their colour and features 

 assimilate them to the African type ; their long, black, silky hair has 

 a resemblance to the Malays; in their language they approximate 

 more nearly to our American Indians ; while there is much in their 

 physical traits, manners, and customs, to which no analogy can be 

 traced in any other people. 



The natives are of middle height, perhaps a little above it ; they are 

 slender in make, with long arms and legs. From their wandering 

 life, irregular habits, and bad food, they are extremely meager; and 

 as their thinness is accompanied by considerable protuberance of the 

 abdomen, it gives to their figure a distorted and singular appearance. 

 The cast of the face is between the African and Malay ; the forehead 

 usually narrow and high; the eyes small, black, and deep-set; the 

 nose much depressed at the upper part between the eyes, and widened 

 at the base, which is done in infancy by the mother, the natural shape 

 being of an aquiline form ; the cheek-bones are high, the mouth large, 

 and furnished with strong, well-set teeth ; the chin frequently retreats ; 

 the neck is thin and short. Their colour usually approaches chocolate, 

 a deep umber, or reddish black, varying much in shade; and indi- 

 viduals of pure blood are sometimes as light-coloured as mulattoes. 

 Their most striking distinction is their hair, which is like that of dark- 

 haired Europeans, although more silky. It is fine, disposed to curl, 

 and gives them a totally different appearance from the African, and 

 also from the Malay, and American Indian. Most of them have thick 

 beards and whiskers, and they are more hairy than the whites. The 

 proportions of two of them will be found in the table of comparative 

 proportions at the end of the fifth volume. 



They are difficult to manage, taking offence easily when they are 

 ill treated ; and if any one attempts to control, thwart, or restrain their 

 vol. ii. ^ 2 24 



