172 
STATE OF OUR RELATIONS 
see around them, and rob those who had first robbed 
them ? The only wonder is, that such acts of re- 
prisal are so seldom committed. Where is the 
European nation, that thus situated, and finding 
themselves, as is often the case with the natives, 
numerically and physically stronger than their 
oppressors, would be guilty of so little retaliation, 
of so few excesses ? The eye of compassion, or of 
philanthropy, will easily discover the anomalous 
and unfavourable position of the Aborigines of our 
colonies, when brought into contact with the Euro- 
pean settlers. They are strangers in their own 
land, and possess no longer the usual means of 
procuring their daily subsistence ; hungry, and 
famished, they wander about begging among the 
scattered stations, where they are treated with a 
familiarity by the men living at them, which makes 
them become familiar in turn, until, at last, getting 
impatient and troublesome, they are roughly re- 
pulsed, and feelings of resentment and revenge are 
kindled. This, I am persuaded, is the cause and 
origin of many of the affrays with the natives, which 
are apparently inexplicable to us. Nor ought we 
to wonder, that a slight insult, or a trifling injury, 
should sometimes hurry them to an act apparently 
not warranted by the provocation. Who can tell 
how long their feelings had been rankling in their 
bosoms ; how long, or how much they had borne ; 
a single drop will make the cup run over, when 
filled up to the brim ; a single spark will ignite the 
mine, that, by its explosion, will scatter destruc- 
