of Van Diemen's Land . 
415 
The aborigines are capable of great, but not of lasting exertion. 
They cannot stand continued fatigue equal to a hearty European, 
nor, wliat will appear singular, can they, like him, bear constant 
exposure to bad weather; when such sets in, they will cower 
round their fires, under the lee of their break-winds in a sheltered 
situation, until a change takes place. 
The men are very indolent, and, as is the case with most un¬ 
civilized nations, make the women their beasts of burden, and do 
all their servile operations, such as cooking, &c. The men 
appear to think it beneath their dignity to carry anything, and 
when with them I have in many instances found them extremely 
sulky, if asked to carry birds, &c. that I have shot or taken. If 
the ground is smooth upon which they are walking, as a beach 
for instance, they have a habit of trailing their spears after them, 
the point held in some manner between their great toe and that 
next it; this seems to be that they may have their waddy ready 
to heave at any small object that may appear. The spear is 
transferred from the foot to the hand in an instant. While the 
men are thus taking it easy in front, the women follow some short 
distance behind, sweltering under a load of one or two children 
on their backs, a couple of puppy dogs in their arms, and a variety 
of miscellaneous articles slung around them. The men are ex¬ 
tremely selfish : if, after being short of food, one kills a kangaroo, 
he does not divide it with the others of the party, but after his 
wife has cooked it, and taken her place behind his back, he 
satisfies himself with the choicest parts, handing her from time 
to time the half devoured pieces over his shoulder ; this he 
does with an air of the greatest condescension, without turning 
round. His dogs come in for their full share, and if any is left, 
the tribe or party may have it; but they are not asked to partake. 
They are an extremely improvident race, for although dependant 
almost entirely upon the produce of their hunting for subsistence, 
yet, should they come to a place where kangaroo or wallaby 
abound, they will slaughter them indiscriminately long after they 
have supplied themselves with sufficient for their present use. 
Some nine or ten years since, the settlement at Flinders' Island 
was frequently short of food, and on these occasions the natives, 
