1796.] > OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 383 



Among their other fuperftitions was one which might be naturally 

 expected from their ignorance — a belief in fpirits. 



Of this belief there were feveral accounts obtained. Ben- nil-long, 

 during his firft acquaintance at the fettlement, defcribed an apparition 

 as advancing to a perfon with an uncommon noife, and feizing hold of 

 him by the throat. It came, he faid, flowly along with its body bent, and 

 the hands held together in a line with the face, moving on till it feized 

 the party to whom its vifit was intended. A general idea prevails 

 among them, that by fieeping at the grave of a deceafed perfon, they 

 would, from what happened to them there, be freed from all future 

 apprehenfions refpe&ing apparitions ; for during that awful fleep the 

 fpirit of the deceafed would vifit them, feize them by the throat, and, 

 opening them, take out their bowels, which they would replace and 

 clofe up the wound. They acknowledged that very few chofe to 

 encounter the darknefs of the night, the folemnity of the grave, 

 and the vifitation of the fpirit ; but that fuch as were fo hardy 

 became immediately car-rah-dys, and that all thofe who exercifed 

 that profeflion had gone through this ceremony. 



To the mooting of a flar they attach a great degree of import- 

 ance. Of thunder and lightning they are alfo much afraid ; but 

 believe that by chaunting fome particular words, and breathing hard, 

 they can difpel it. 



Diseases. 



Thofe natives who live on the fea-coaft, from chiefly feeding on 

 fifh, are fubjedt to a diforder greatly refembling the itch ; they term it 

 Djee-ball djee-ball. It is fometimes very virulent, and renders thofe 

 afflicted with it extremely loathfome. 



In the year 1789 they were vifited by a diforder which raged 

 among them with all the appearance of the fmall-pox. The number 

 that it fwept off, by their own accounts, was incredible. A native 

 who at that time refided at Sydney, on going down to the harbour to 

 look for his former companions, was defcribed by thofe who witnefled 



his 



