NUMBERS. 373 
for many, and very distant tribes. The facility of 
obtaining scraps by begging, small rewards for 
trifling jobs of work, donations from the charitable, 
and a variety of broken victuals, offal, &c. enable 
them to collect in large numbers, and indulge to 
the uttermost their curiosity in observing the novel- 
ties around them, in meeting strange tribes, and 
joining them either in war or festivity, in pro- 
curing tools, clothes, &c. to carry back and barter in 
their own districts, and for other similar objects. 
Thus, Adelaide is nearly always occupied by tribes 
from one part or other of the country : on an 
average, it will support probably six hundred in the 
way I have described, though occasionally eight 
hundred have met there. The following returns of 
the numbers who have attended the annual muster 
on the Queen’s birthday, when bread and beef have 
been distributed, will show how the ratio has gone 
on increasing during the last five years. 
In 1840 there were present 283 men, women, and children. 
1841 „ 374 
1842 ., 400 
1843 „ 450 
1844 ,, 793 
In the Murray district, where it has been customary, 
since the first establishment of the post at Moorunde, 
to issue a certain quantity of flour once in the month 
(at the full moon) to every native who chose to come 
in to receive it, the increase in attendance has 
been progressively going on, viz. 
