1796.] OF NEW SOUTH WALES. ■* 387 



Their acquaintance with aftronomy is limited to the names of the 

 fun and moon, fome few ftars, the Magellanic clouds, and the milky 

 way. Of the circular form of the earth they have not the fmalleft 

 idea ; but imagine that the fun returns over their heads during the 

 night to the quarter whence he begins his courfe in the morning. 



As they never make provifion for the morrow, except at a whale- 

 feaft, they always eat as long as they have any thing left, and when 

 fatistied, ftretch themfelves out in the fun to fleep, where they remain 

 until hunger or fome other caufe calls them again into action. The 

 men frequently indulge a great degree of indolence at the expence of 

 the women, who are compelled to fit in their canoe, expofed to the 

 fervour of the mid-day fun, hour after hour, chaunting their little 

 fong, and inviting the fifh beneath them to take their bait ; for without 

 a fufficient quantity to make a meal for their tyrants, who are lying 

 afleep at their eafe, they would meet but a rude reception on their 

 landing. 



Funeral Ceremonies. 

 The fir ft peculiarity noticeable in their funeral ceremonies is, the 

 difpofal of their dead : their young people they confign to the grave ; 

 thofe who have pafied the middle age are burnt. Ben-nil-long burnt 

 the body of his firft wife Ba-rang-a-roo, who was, at the time of her 

 deceafe, turned of fifty. The interment of Ba-loo-der-ry, the boy 

 before mentioned, was accompanied with many ceremonies. From 

 being one day in perfect health, he was the next taken to the hofpital 

 extremely ill, and attended by Ben-nil-long, who was found finging 

 over him, and making ufe of thofe means which ignorance and fuper- 

 ftition pointed out to him to recover his health. The patient lay ex- t 

 tended on the ground, appearing to be in much pain. Ben-nil-long 

 applied his mouth to thofe parts of the boy's body which he thought 

 were afFe&ed, breathing ftrongly on them, and finging : at times he 

 waved over him fome boughs dipped in water, holding one in each 

 hand, and appearing much interefted for him, On the following 



3 d 2 morning 



