OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 



375 



Being thus entered on " the valued file," they quickly affume the 

 confequence due to the diftin&ion, and as loon as poffible bring their 

 faculties into action. The procuring of food really feems to be but a 

 fecondary bufmefs with them ; the management of the fpear and the 

 fhield, dexterity in throwing the various clubs that they have in ufe 

 among them, agility in either attacking or defending, and a difplay 

 of the conftancy with which they endure pain, appearing to rank firft 

 among their concerns in life. The females too are accuftomed to bear 

 on their heads the traces of the fuperiority of the males, with which 

 they dignify them aim oft as foon as they find ftrength in the arm to 

 imprint the mark. Some of thefe unfortunate beings have been feen 

 with more fears upon their morn heads, cut in every direction, than 

 could be well diftinguifhed or counted. The condition of thefe 

 women is fo wretched, that it is fcarcely poffible for a thinking mind 

 to forbear, on feeing a female infant, from anticipating its future mi- 

 feries, and feeling regret that the Almighty difpofer had permitted it 

 to enter a world where its only portion was to be fufferi ng. 



Notwithftanding that they are the mere flaves of men, however, it 

 has generally been found, in tracing the caufes of their quarrels, that 

 the women were at the head of them, though in fome cafes remotely. 

 They mingled in all the contefts of the men ; and one of thefe, that 

 was in the beginning attended with fome ceremony, was opened by 

 a woman. As they had chofen a clear fpot near the town for the 

 fcene of action, they were numeroufly attended from that place. The 

 contending parties confifted moftly of thofe natives well known at 

 Sydney, and fome from the fouth more of Botany Bay, among whom 

 was Gome-boak, already mentioned. The vifitants repaired to the 

 fpot an hour before fun-fet, and found them feated oppofite each 

 other on a level piece of ground between two hills. As a prelude to 

 the bufmefs the Sydney natives, after having waited fome time, flood 

 up, and each man ftooping down took water in the hollow of his hand, 

 (the place juft before them being wet,) which he drank. An elderly 

 woman, with a cloak on her moulders (made of opoffum fkins very 



n neatly 



