Soon After Our Arrival At Port Jackson, I Was Walking Out Near A Place
Where I Observed A Party Of
Indians, busily employed in looking at some sheep
in an inclosure, and repeatedly crying out, 'kangaroo, kangaroo!' As this
Seemed to afford them pleasure, I was willing to increase it by pointing out
the horses and cows, which were at no great distance. But unluckily,
at the moment, some female convicts, employed near the place, made their
appearance, and all my endeavours to divert their attention from the ladies
became fruitless. They attempted not, however, to offer them the least degree
of violence or injury, but stood at the distance of several paces,
expressing very significantly the manner they were attracted.
It would be trespassing on the reader's indulgence were I to impose on him
an account of any civil regulations, or ordinances, which may possibly exist
among this people. I declare to him, that I know not of any, and that
excepting a little tributary respect which the younger part appear to pay
those more advanced in years, I never could observe any degrees of
subordination among them. To their religious rites and opinions I am equally
a stranger. Had an opportunity offered of seeing the ceremonies observed
at disposing of the dead, perhaps, some insight might have been gained;
but all that we at present know with certainty is, that they burn the corpse,
and afterwards heap up the earth around it, somewhat in the manner of
the small tumuli, found in many counties of England.
I have already hinted, that the country is more populous than it was
generally believed to be in Europe at the time of our sailing. But this remark
is not meant to be extended to the interior parts of the continent,
which there is every reason to conclude from our researches, as well as from
the manner of living practised by the natives, to be uninhabited. It appears
as if some of the Indian families confine their society and connections
within their own pale: but that this cannot always be the case we know;
for on the north-west arm of Botany Bay stands a village, which contains
more than a dozen houses, and perhaps five times that number of people;
being the most considerable establishment that we are acquainted with
in the country. As a striking proof, besides, of the numerousness
of the natives, I beg leave to state, that Governor Phillip, when on
an excursion between the head of this harbour and that of Botany Bay,
once fell in with a party which consisted of more than three hundred persons,
two hundred and twelve of whom were men: this happened only on the day
following the murder of the two convict rush cutters, before noticed,
and his Excellency was at the very time in search of the murderers, on whom,
could they have been found, he intended to inflict a memorable and exemplary
punishment. The meeting was unexpected to both parties, and considering
the critical situation of affairs, perhaps not very pleasing to our side,
which consisted but of twelve persons, until the peaceable disposition
of the Indians was manifest.
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