OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 



39 1 



for the purpofe and thrown together. When wood enough had been 

 procured, fome grafs was fpread over the pile, and the corpfe, covered 

 with an old blanket, was borne to it, and placed with the head towards 

 the North. A bafket, with the fifhing apparatus and other fmall fur- 

 niture of the deceafed, was placed by her fide ; and Ben-nil-long 

 having laid fome large logs of wood over the body, the pile was 

 lighted by one of the party. Being conftructed of dry wood, it was 

 quickly all in a flame, and Ben-nil-long himfelf pointed out to his 

 Sydney friends a black fmoke which proceeded from the centre of the 

 pile where the body lay, and fignified that the fire had reached it. 

 The fpot was abandoned long before the lad billet was confumed, and 

 Ben-nil-long appeared during the day more cheerful than had been 

 expected, and fpoke about finding a nurfe from among the white 

 women to fuckle his child. 



The following day he invited the fame party to fee him rake the 

 allies of his wife together, and they attended him to the fpot unac- 

 companied by any of his own people. He preceded his companions 

 in a fort of folemn filence, fpeaking to no one until he had paid Ba- 

 rang-a-roo the laft duties of a hufband. In his hand he had the fpear 

 with which he meant to punifh the car-rah-dy for non-attendance on 

 his wife when Hie was ill, with the end of which he raked the calci- 

 ned bones and afties together in a heap. Then, laying the fpear upon 

 the ground, he formed with a piece of bark a tumulus that would have 

 done credit to a well practifed grave-digger, carefully laying the earth 

 round, fmoothing every little unevennefs, and paying a fcrupulous at- 

 tention to the exact proportion of its form. On each fide the tumulus 

 he placed a log of wood, and on the top of it depofited the piece of 

 bark with which he had fo carefully effected the conftru&ion. When 

 all was done, he afiked his friends " if it was good," and appeared plea- 

 fed when affured that it was fo. 



His deportment on the occafion was folemn and manly, and ex- 

 preffive filence marked his conduct throughout the fcene. The 

 gentlemen attended him as filently, and with clofe obfervation. He 



did 



