of the Aborigines of Australia. 233 



Thomas, who considers that infanticide is increasing, states that the 

 blacks were accustomed to destroy the female till a male infant was 

 born ; but now he has reason to believe that male and female are 

 alike destroyed. Mr Dredge mentions the practice of murdering all 

 infants of a lighter hue, and the first-born child, if of the female sex. 

 In general. — In the Broulee district, where infanticide is very 

 common, in the case of twins, one is always sacrificed. Mr Parker 

 states, that the practice appears to have nearly ceased among the 

 Loddon and Goulburn tribes, where the Protectorate influence is 

 felt. No instance, to his knowledge, has occurred among the Lod- 

 don tribes during the last two years ; but, " to the westward the 

 practice prevails in its grossest and most frightful character. A well- 

 authenticated instance was lately made known to me, in which an 

 infant was killed, and eaten by its mother and her other children." 

 Captain Fyans is convinced that infanticide is a common occurrence, 

 and mentions a case that occurred close to his own residence, where 

 a native man took the child by the legs and dashed its head in pieces 

 against a tree. Mr Thomas speaks despairingly of the prevalence 

 and even increase of the crime. One of the chiefs acknowledged he 

 had no power to stop the practice. The blacks say they have now 

 no country, and are therefore unwilling to keep their children. 



4. Intermixture of Race with the Whites. 



Notwithstanding the squalid aspect of this population, the evidence 

 adduced to the Committee shews a prevalence of illicit intercourse 

 between the aboriginal females and the colonists, chiefly those of the 

 labouring classes. This has been a fruitful source of misery to the 

 aboriginal population, both from the disease that it introduces among 

 them, and from the hostile feeling with which the male blacks of the 

 tribes are justly inspired. There are no instances, the Newcastle 

 Bench states, of the union of whites with the female aborigines, but 

 the labouring classes are in the constant practice of cohabiting with 

 these females, and there appears to be no repugnance on either side. 



The number of half-caste children would doubtless have been 

 much greater than it appears to be at present in the colony, but for 

 the well-ascertained practice with many tribes of putting to death all 

 infants of this class. In the Scone District, the majority of the 

 aboriginal children are half-caste, who are living with their mothers. 

 There are many on the Manning river. On Stadbroke Island there 

 are several ; in the Picton District eleven, namely, one man, one 

 woman, three male and six female children, who are all living after the 

 manner of the aborigines. Of four half-castes in the district around 

 Brisbane Water, two are adult females, and are married to white 

 men ; the other two are children, and living with the aborigines. 

 According to the Chief Protector, there are probably not more than 

 twenty or thirty half-castes in the Port Philip District, who are liv- 

 ing with and after the manner of the aborigines. 



