142 
CONCLUDING REMARKS. 
appearance, customs, character, and pursuits of the 
Aborigines, at opposite points of the continent, 
whilst no such coincidence exists along the inter- 
vening lines of coast connecting those two points, 
and which naturally follows from the circumstances 
connected with the present location of the various 
tribes in which this is observable, and with the route 
which they must have taken to arrive at the places 
they now occupy on the continent.* I believe that 
the idea of attempting to deduce the character of the 
continent, and the most probable line for crossing it, 
from the circumstances and habits of the natives 
inhabiting the coast line is quite a novel one. It 
appears to me, however, to be worth consideration ; 
and if it is true that the natives have all one common 
origin, and have spread over the continent from one 
first point, I think it may reasonably be inferred that 
there is a practicable route across the centre of New 
Holland, and that this line lies between the 125th 
and 135th degrees of east longitude. It further 
appears that there must still be a second route, other 
than the coast line, in the direction between Port 
Jackson in New South Wales and the south-east 
corner of the Gulf of Carpentaria on the north 
coast. 
If then we have reasonable grounds for believing 
that such lines of route actually do exist, it becomes 
* Vide Chapter VII. of Notes on the Aborigines, where this 
subject will be found fully discussed, and the reasons given for 
supposing the conclusions here assumed. 
