EIGHT YEARS' TRAVEL IN AUSTRALIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2252, 29 April 1897, Page 51

EIGHT YEARS' TRAVEL IN AUSTRALIA.

(WBITTENFOB THE WITNE3S LITTLE FOLKS BY. COMPAGNON, WAIKAWA.) XVII. AU the tribes met with in my rambles in Australia had Borne code of laws 1 o govern their affairs, and those laws were rigidly enforced, the king acting as sole administrator. Suppose that a murder is perpetrated by a young warrior and proof was had of his guilt, the law is then put in force and punishment follows. Provided with a shield, the murderer is ordered to take his stand in some open place, and a number of warriors are selected to endeavour to kill him within a given time. A coolie beats slowly on a 'possum rug a stated number of times, according to the heinousness of the act committed by the culprit. If during that time the murderer should fall, the relations of the one he murdered at once rush in upon him and batter out his brains with their nullas, but should he remain on bis feet throughout the ordeal and manage to escape being struck by the weapons thrown at him until the coolie ceases to maik time by beating on the rag, then the murderer is free. On a second conviction, the number of his destroyers are increased, as is also the time given wherein they may effect his destruction. Minor crimes arc almost unknown among the members of a tribe. Dishonesty, for instance, they never practise amongst themselves, but they will steal from those beyond their tribe, either whites or blacks. It is very singular, however, that the pure bred aborigine is not nearly so dishonest as the half castes or quarter castes, nor one whit bb cunning. Whether it may be that the fathers of these halfbreds, being of the very worst class of whites, endow their offspring with vice and ciminality, which thus becomes second nature, ol* whether a superior intelligence thus inherited tends to increase the cunning and cruelty inherited from their mother, it is difficult to determine. One thing is cerI tain, however— that a pure bred black of either sex is infinitely more reliable in every , way than the offspring of the mixed breeds. , Many of these half or quarter castes of both sexes are employed by runholders as trackers, stockmen, and housemaids, but in leisure , hours, and ultimately when they reach maturer years, they invariably rejoin the camp at which they were reared. The pure i bred natives hate these halfbreds, and should ! any disturbance arise at the camp they gene- j rally withdraw themselves from sight until ! i peace is restored, | A great; many halfbreds and pure blacks ' who live near the settled districts are well educated, and with rare exceptions they show aptitude in learning. Indolenoe, the predominating characteristic of all savage • or semi-savage races, is much against those ' who are taught at the mission stations from ever rising beyond the superficial course of tuition there imparted, and therefore little i is known of any marked abilities which may i ba possessed by any of them. They do not 1 reach fruition through lack of after study, ! and by reason of disuse their knowledge" ! becomes altogether effete. , Music the blacks are very fond of, and , many of the young gins are excellent singers | , when trained. Both sexes are willing to j .. learn our songs, and I have beard " Annie i Liurie " suDg by a pure native in a manner , which would bear favourable comparison i i with many of our second-rate professionals. ! The pathos, time, forte and piano passages ; ) were faultless, and the pronunciation of the ■ words very good. i Instrumental music is also readily learned. I A black girl at Malogo mission station plays i the pipe organ very beautifully, and almost | any of the natives will become proficient; on ] nearly any wind, string, or keyed instrument ! after a-faw lessons. Of course, they play j entirely by ear. I While singing their own wild chants in i choruses the natives are carried away by their emotions, and laugb, ehout, or weep, according as the different strains of the song i excite them. It would bs very interesting to trace the origin of some of these songs which have been learned by one generation from the preced- j ! ing — throngh many cdnturies, psrhaps. The ; j words are in every instance descriptive either j j of animals', insects', or birds' habits, excepting ! ! those surg at corroboree, which evidently j portray buttlea, the warlike gesticulation of j the natives while singiag indicating aa much. * Now, the objects of these statements is mainly intended to show that however de- j graded the aboriginals of Australia may be, i yet they are capable of vast improvement, which will tend to make them more suitable to their altered circumstances and inoQe of life under civilisation, and prolong their ' ! existence. Aa for reclaiming them altogether from a life of savagery, that is impossible. Modification of their existing habits is all that can ever be hoped to be attained. ■Unlike the Datives of this country, who I are brave, intelligent, and anxious to improve | themselvep, the Australian aborigine is a mere biped brute in his wild state, and lives solely and exclusively for tha gratification of I animal propensities which have been inherited through countless generations, and these proclivities, although held in check by the laws of civilisation to that extent which prevents encroachment on the rights of their f white neighbours, will never be eradicated ; I from the native race. i There is, and ever will be, an eradicable i hatred and suspicion, of the whites observable in the aborigines, due most unquestionably to the shameful treatment many of the tribes suffered at the hands of the early ' settlers. I could reoount inßtances innumerable of acts of brutality perpetrated on the3e helpless creatures by men of my own colour , which have come uader my own notice — acts ' that would equal in inhumanity the Armenian

atrooitlei, and the memory of these outrages will nob dio out -while an Australian natlra remains. They Bnbinib to oar laws not because by so doing they dltoover any advantage to or Improvement in themselves, bat purely through fear of the chastisement which will follow on their violation of these laws. This also applies to the moral law. At Corranderrick and Muloga the blacks are taught religion. They will sing hymns with earnest feeling, read and listen to expositions on Christianity with attention, but will return to their natural state of animalism at the first opportunity; and their second state is worse than the first. Kindness ia ineffectual to subdue their wild nature, for gratitude is utterly unknown to them as it is to savage races generally ; thus, to rule the aboriginals, severity must be exercised to a limited degree, but only when deserved; firmness always. This treatment galls the inborn nature of these free, unfettered people, creating within them a spirit of revolt, which ever and again breaks forth into deeds of revengeful fury. Thus their subjugation never will be totally effected until the last remnant of the race is gathered to its fathers.