Jan. 1836. 



ABORIGINES. 



519 



Nepean, bounded to the west by the Blue Mountains^ was 

 pleasing even to the eye of a person thinking of England. 



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

 passed by^ each carryings 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 goodhumoured and pleasant; and they 

 appeared far from being such utterly degraded beings as 

 they are usually 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 wonder- 

 ful 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 civilization than the 

 Fuegians. 



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

 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 Bat hurst, 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 

 in the houses, I saw only one other party ; these were rather 



