224 
SINGULAR MARKS. 
had conducted us, they always pointed out the 
water, and gave it up to us entirely, no longer look- 
ing upon it as their owm, and literally not taking a 
drink from it themselves when thirsty, without first 
asking permission from us. Surely this true polite- 
ness — this genuine hospitality of the untutored 
savage, may well put to the blush, for their exclu- 
siveness and illiberality, his more civilised brethren. 
In how strong a light does such simple kindness of 
the inhabitant of the wilds to Europeans travelling 
through his country (when his fears are not excited 
or his prejudices violated,) stand contrasted with the 
treatment he experiences from them when they 
occupy his country, and dispossess him of his all. 
There were now a considerable number of natives 
with us, all of whom had been subjected to the sin- 
gular ceremony before described. Those we had 
recently met with, had, in addition, a curious brand, 
or mark on the stomach, extending above and below 
the navel, and produced by the application of fire. 
I had previously noticed a similar mark in use 
among one or two tribes high up on the Murray 
River, (South Australia,) and which is there called 
“ Renditch.” At the latter place, however, the 
brand was on the breast, here it was on the stomach. 
I have never been able to account in any way for 
the origin or meaning of this mark ; but it is doubt- 
less used as a feature of distinction, or else why 
should it only be found in one or two tribes and so 
far apart, had it been accidental or arisen from lying 
