462 
NEW SOUTH WALES 
CHAP. 
hangs dead in long shreds which swing about with the wind, 
and give to the woods a desolate and untidy appearance. I 
cannot imagine a more complete contrast, in every respect, 
than between the forests of Valdivia or Chiloe, and the woods 
of Australia. 
At sunset a party of a score of the black aborigines passed 
by, each carrying, in their accustomed manner, a bundle of 
spears and other weapons. By giving a leading young man a 
shilling, they were easily detained, and threw their spears for 
my amusement. They were all partly clothed, and several 
could speak a little English ; their countenances were good- 
humoured and pleasant, and they appeared far from being such 
utterly degraded beings as they have usually been represented. 
In their own arts they are admirable. A cap being fixed at 
thirty yards distance, they transfixed it with a spear, delivered 
by the throwing-stick with the rapidity of an arrow from the 
bow of a practised archer. In tracking animals or men they 
show most wonderful sagacity ; and I heard of several of their 
remarks which manifested considerable acuteness. They will 
not, however, cultivate the ground, or build houses and remain 
stationary, or even take the trouble of tending a flock of sheep 
when given to them. On the whole they appear to me to 
stand some few degrees higher in the scale of civilisation than 
the Fuegians. 
It is very curious thus to see in the midst of a civilised 
people, a set of harmless savages wandering about without 
knowing where they shall sleep at night, and gaining their 
livelihood by hunting in the woods. As the white man has 
travelled onwards, he has spread over the country belonging to 
several tribes. These, although thus enclosed by one common 
people, keep up their ancient distinctions, and sometimes go to 
war with each other. In an engagement which took place 
lately, the two parties most singularly chose the centre of the 
village of Bathurst for the field of battle. This was of service 
to the defeated side, for the runaway warriors took refuge in 
the barracks. 
The number of aborigines is rapidly decreasing. In my 
whole ride, with the exception of some boys brought up by 
Englishmen, I saw only one other party. This decrease, no 
doubt, must be partly owing to the introduction of spirits, to 
