3 
typical of traditions handed down from some 
yery remote period. This and other circum- 
stances have sometimes led me to consider tlje 
possibility of the present race having once 
occupied, in some portion of the world, a more 
exalted position then the poor degraded 
savages we are so familiar with. 
The opportunity of acquiring the informa- 
tion herein detailed commenced about the year 
1835 ; and in those days the superstitions of 
the aborigines were to them as a religion, and 
a few of the men of the tribe possessed con- 
siderable influence, either for good or evil, over 
the rest of the community from their supposed 
communication with beings of the other world ; 
and on great occasions one of these seers or 
wise men would retire from his camp and 
friends to some wild mountain fastness or dense 
scrub, for the purpose of receiving supernatural 
visitation and instruction. Aft j r fasting for 
several days, and when the consequent ex- 
haustion from such treatment reached a certain 
stage, he passed in o a dreamy state, and, like 
our sages of old, had a vision, and held imagi- 
nary converse with the spirits of air. On the 
passing away of t> is dream, or vision, he 
returned to his tribe, and communicated to 
them what the Great Spirit had instructed 
should be done as to their future action. As 
it was rarely one was found possessing suf- 
ficient moral courage and determination to 
stand the severe test of hunger and solitude, 
the few who succeeded were invested 
with considerable importance in all 
matters connected with the interests and ruling 
of that section of the tribe to which they 
belonged. I have no doubt that occasionally 
there were impostors among them who traded 
on the superstitions of the tribe ; but I am 
convinced that the greater number of these 
seers were themselves believers in the truth- 
fulness and value of the supposed revelation 
made to them in their dreams or visions. 
Charms and incantation were not uncommon 
among them, and I have known an old man 
who was of some importance in his tribe, and 
who was staying at that time on my station, 
during a severe storm of thunder and lightning, 
come to the door of the building in which I was 
living, and there perform a series of violent 
exercises, at the same time muttering words that 
I could not catch the meaning of, but supposed 
them to be a charm to keep away the lightning. 
On afterwards questioning him he told me 
that- such was the case, and that he had done 
me much service by his incantation. During 
times of sickness, they have many forms of 
charms and such like supe sfcitions for the lelief 
of the afflicted ; and have great belief in what 
is k own in Europe as the evil eye (the kako 
mati of the modern Greek, and fascinatio of 
the ancient Romans), believing that some evil 
disposed men of their tribe have the power by 
a look to produce sickness, and even 
death ; and I have more than once been 
appealed to to break the charm by 
shooting the supposed evil gifted. In each of 
these cases the parties recovered without my 
having had recourse to such violent remedies, 
but the dread, nevertheless, remained with the 
sufferer. Many of their charms are performed 
by the Croggie or Doctor of the tribe, with 
small pieces of crystalled quartz, which they 
keep cirefully concealed in small bags, and 
most serious offence would be given by anyone 
getting possession of and exposing them to the 
women and younger members of the com- 
munity. 
Their religion teaches them to believe that 
among the innumerable dwellers in upper air 
there is a superior spirit called by them 
Biamaa, who is supposed to possess wives, 
children, and dogs, all of which, they have 
names for. He is looked up to as a good bene- 
fic *nt being and as a protecting power in con- 
tradistinction to the inferior spirits of air known 
by the name of Wonda,” which means shade 
of the departed, or in other words a “ ghost.” 
Many of these are held in great fear 
by the aborigines, they believing that 
much evil oftentimes occurs through their 
instrumentality, and it is with great difficulty 
they can be induced singly to travel at ni.ht ; 
indeed, I remember once having seen a whole 
camp thrown into the most abject terror, 
through areport of some supernatural visitations 
during the evening. That they believe in a 
future state is conclusive, from the foregoing, 
but. beyoud that I have not been able to gain 
any inhumation, and I am inclined to believe 
that they go but little further themselves. 
Many of the colonists are impressed with the 
idea that the black man believes that when he 
dies he “ jumps up white fellow.” This miscon- 
cep ion has I believe arisen from the fact that 
the name given to the white man is identical 
with the one for their inferior spirit or ghost, 
“ Wonda,” and I can easily conceive how, 
from absence of careful investigation, such an 
error would arise, and for which I believe 
there is no other foundation. 
At certain periodical seasons, the women 
retire to a certain distance from the camp, 
where a few sheets of bark are put for them, 
and during such retirement, none but females 
and children visit the spot. I have seen the 
men go considerably out of their road when 
approaching the camp, rather than pass close to 
the place where a woman is under such, circum- 
stances. They have a superstitious fear, that 
were they to do so, some evil or ill-luck would 
befal them. This is strictly adhered* to, and 
forms a marked feature in their customs. I 
am not aware whether such rules are known 
among the coast or other tribes, but I think it 
most probable they are. 
Their system of courtship, and of obtaining 
helpmates, is mu h the same as is practised 
among other savage nations, betrothal, 
forming the leading feature. Girls, at an 
early age, are given or betrothed to some 
man of the tribe, who may probably have 
