i79 6 -] 0F NEW SOUTH WALES. 3 57 



mod of them the arms, legs, and thighs were very thin. This, no 

 doubt, is owing to the poornefs of their living, which is chiefly on 

 fim ; otherwife the finenefs of the climate, co-operating with the 

 exercife which they take, might have rendered them more mufcular. 

 Thofe who live on the fea-coaft depend entirely on fifh for their fuf- 

 tenance ; while the few who dwell in the woods fubfift on fuch ani- 

 mals as they can catch. The very great labour necefiary for taking 

 thefe animals, and the fcantinefs of the fupply, keep the wood natives 

 in as poor a condition as their brethren on the coaft. It has been re- 

 marked, that thefe natives had longer arms and legs than thofe who 

 lived about Sydney. This might proceed from their being compelled 

 to climb the trees, after honey, and the fmall animals which, refort to 

 them, fuch as the flying fquirrel and opoflum, which they efFect by- 

 cutting with their done hatchets notches in the bark of the tree of a 

 fufficient depth and fize to receive the ball of the great toe. The firft 

 notch being cut, the toe is placed in it ; and while the left arm em- 

 braces the tree, a fecond is cut at a convenient didance to receive the, 

 other foot. By this method they afcend with adonifhing quicknefs, 

 always clinging with the left hand and cutting with the right, reding 

 the whole weight of the body on the ball of either foot. One of the 

 gum trees was obferved by a party on an excurfion, which was judged 

 to be about one hundred and thirty feet in height, and which had 

 been notched by the natives at lead eighty feet. 



The features of many of thefe people were far from implead ng, 

 particularly of the women ; in general, the black bufhy beards of the 

 men, and the bone or reed which they thrud through the cartilage of 

 the nofe, tended to give them a difgufting appearance ; but in tfy^ 

 women, that feminine delicacy which is to be found among whi^e 

 people was to be traced even upon their fable cheeks; and, though 

 entire Grangers, to the comforts and conveniencies of clothing, yet 

 they fought with a native modedy to conceal by attitude what the 

 want of covering would otherwife have revealed : bringing to the 

 recollection of thofe who obferved them, 



■ ' " The bending ftatue which enchants the world," 



though ' 



