NEW SOUTH WALES. 255 



arms, including spears, shields, boomerengs, clubs, &c. The natives 

 are seldom seen without arms, for they have not only to fear attacks 

 from other tribes, but assaults from their own. This not unfrequently 

 happens ; and it is not long since the brother of King Ben was speared 

 while asleep, for some private grudge, by Dismal ; and it is said that 

 Big-headed Blackboy, who has already been introduced to the reader, 

 has committed several murders, and not long since burnt his mother 

 nearly to death, in revenge for the loss of his brother, who died whilst 

 under her care. This was not because he had any suspicions of unfair 

 conduct, but simply from one of the unaccountable customs or super- 

 stitions of these people, which holds the nearest relative of a person 

 accountable for his death, if it takes place under his care. 



From the destructive influence of their own vices, and those of the 

 community, these blacks are rapidly dying off. As an instance of 

 this, Mr. Threlkeld mentioned that a tribe which occasionally visited 

 the lake, and consisted at the time of his arrival of sixty, is now 

 reduced, after a lapse of fifteen years, to twenty, only five of whom 

 are females. 



During our travellers' stay, two natives of some note arrived : King 

 Ben and King Shingleman. The natives had no distinctions of rank 

 among themselves, but when a native had performed any great service 

 for one of the settlers, he was rewarded by giving him a large oval 

 brass plate, with his royal title inscribed thereon. At first the natives 

 were greatly pleased and proud of this mark of distinction, but as is 

 the case every where, when the novelty was over, and these honorary 

 medals became common, they began to hold them in disrepute, and 

 now prefer the hard silver. 



Sheep-shearing is performed in the neighbourhood of Lake Mac- 

 quarie by men who make it their business. This operation was 

 witnessed by some of our party, and was thought to be performed in a 

 slovenly manner. It generally takes place in November and December. 



Some others of our gentlemen paid a visit to Peuen Beuen, the 

 seat of Mr. Stevens, near the head waters of the Hunter river. The 

 route was by steamboat to Newcastle and thence to Maitland. The 

 river at Newcastle is about one-third of a mile across, and the dis- 

 tance to Maitland, by water, about thirty miles, although it is only 

 about twenty miles by laryl. The tide reaches Maitland, where the 

 water is found to be brackish. 



The banks of the river are extended flats. This is one of the 

 principal agricultural districts of the colony, the soil enjoying the 

 advantages of being naturally irrigated ; but on the other hand, the 

 crops are liable to destruction from heavy floods. These floods fre- 



