136 
president’s ADDRESS — SECTION F. 
a considerable variety of mammals indigenous to the country and 
peculiar to it, but amongst them all not one useful for labour or the 
carrying of burdens ; so also was there a lack of cereals suitable for 
cultivation for human food. 
Equally as peculiar and isolated as its flora and fauna are the 
aborigines, whose low social culture as a race stands in strange 
contrast to their fully developed speech. They had no implements 
wherewith to till the soil ; they were equally ignorant of the art of 
making pottery, and their art of spinning was of a most limited 
character. These defects lead to the inference that the original 
family that reached these shores had left their primeval country 
before any of these arts had been discovered, their methods being 
so simple, and their results so useful, that, once known, it seems 
impossible they could ever have been lost. Having no earthen or 
metal vessels in which to boil water, their cooking is done either 
by broiling on or baking in the ashes, or by baking or steaming in a 
bole in the ground, which, although rude iu appearance, is really so 
perfect that there is no wonder they did not seek for other means. 
With numerous disadvantages, it excites our wonder and admira- 
tion to find in all parts of the continent works of sculpture and art, 
works of decoration, of peculiar cunning and handicraft, which, perhaps, 
few in this assembly have had the opportunity of seeing and admiring. 
These artistic efforts of the native race are of so singular and striking 
an originality, that they snpposo a considerable knowledge of the 
methods of the sculptor, carver, and painter. In everything per- 
taining to his daily life the Australian aboriginal displays uncommon 
skill, and his arms and implements, though highly primitive, are 
well adapted to their purpose. The aborigines were keen observers 
of the indigenous animals, both land and sea, for they have accurately 
delineated their forms and figures. Rocks, isolated stones, animals, 
trees, in their opinion, all share with them the common gift of 
life— continually the visible universe suggests the invisible. To he 
alive now is the great mystery — the world to them is a museum of 
supernatural wealth and history. Norman Lcckyer, in his “ Dawn of 
Astronomy,” speaking of the mythology of the Egyptians, says, “ The 
apparent wealth of the mythology is dependent upon the totemism of 
the inhabitants of the Nile Valley — by which I mean that each district 
had its own special animal as the emblem of the tribe, dwelling in it, 
and that every mythological personage had to be connected in some 
way with these cults.” So also have the aborigines of Australia, and 
many of these totems have been delineated on the rocks by them. 
We are apt to forget, in our consideration of the works of aboriginal 
art, that the world’s grey fathers were children themselves, and that 
the beautiful works of art which adorn our homes and cities are the 
product of hundreds of years of patient teaching and toil ; and with 
such knowledge we should deprecate too harsh a criticism on the 
works of art of the Australian native, and look on their ambitious 
flights of genius as betokening an intelligence which we cannot do 
otherwise than respect. 
The copies of several paintings described in the Right Hon. Sir 
George Grey’s “ Journals of Expeditions in Australia” are not only 
remarkable in themselves, but give a most realistic motive in their 
design and colour. The ornamental value of human and animal forms 
