170 
STATE OF OUR RELATIONS 
trated in all the Australian colonies upon the natives 
in the remoter districts, by the most desperate and 
abandoned of our countrymen ; and overlooking, 
also, the recklessness that too generally pervades the 
shepherds and stock -keepers of the interior, with re- 
gard to the coloured races, a recklessness that leads 
them to think as little of firing at a black, as at a 
bird, and which makes the number they have killed, 
or the atrocities that have attended the deeds, a 
matter for a tale, a jest or boast at their pothouse 
revelries ; overlooking these, let us suppose that the 
settler is actuated by no bad intentions, and that he 
is sincerely anxious to avoid any collision with the 
natives, or not to do them any injury, yet under these 
even comparatively favourable circumstances, what 
frequently is the result ? The settler finds himself 
almost alone in the wilds, with but few men around 
him, and these, principally occupied in attending to 
stock, are dispersed over a considerable extent of 
country ; he finds himself cut off from assistance, or 
resources of any kind, whilst he has heard fear- 
ful accounts of the ferocity, or the treachery of 
the savage ; he therefore comes to the conclusion, 
that it will be less trouble, and annoyance, and risk, 
to keep the natives away from his station altogether ; 
and as soon as they make their appearance, they are 
roughly waved away from their ow n possessions : 
should they hesitate, or appear unwilling to depart, 
threats are made use of, weapons perhaps produced, 
and a show, at least, is made of an offensive cha- 
racter, even if no stronger measures be resorted to. 
