156 
AGGRESSIONS NOT 
greater, or his passions more malignant than those 
of a very large proportion of men ordinarily deno- 
minated civilised. On the contrary, I believe were 
Europeans placed under the same circumstances, 
equally wronged, and equally shut out from redress, 
they would not exhibit half the moderation or for- 
bearance that these poor untutored children of im- 
pulse have invariably shewn. 
It is true that occasionally many crimes have 
been committed by them, and robberies and mur- 
ders have too often occurred ; but who can tell what 
were the provocations which led to, what the feel- 
ings which impelled such deeds ? Neither have 
they been the only or the first aggressors, nor has 
their race escaped unscathed in the contest. Could 
blood answer blood, perhaps for every drop of Euro- 
pean’s shed by natives, a torrent of theirs, by Euro- 
pean hands, would crimson the earth.* 
* (i The whites were generally the aggressors. He had been 
informed that a petition had been presented to the Governor, 
containing a list of nineteen murders committed by the blacks. 
He could, if it were necessary, make out a list of five hundred 
blacks who had been slaughtered by the whites, and that within 
a short time.” — Extract from speech of Mr. Threlkeld to the 
Auxiliary Aborigines’ Protection Society in New South Wales. 
Abstract of a “ Return of the number of homicides committed 
respectively by blacks and whites, within the limits of the north- 
western district (of Port Phillip), since its first occupation by 
settlers — 
“ Total number of white people killed by Aborigines . 8 
u Aborigines killed by white people . 43.” 
This is only in one district, and only embraces such cases as 
