Journals Of Expeditions Of Discovery Into Central Australia And Overland From Adelaide To King George's Sound In The Years 1840-1: Sent By The Colonists Of South Australia By Eyre, Edward John
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The Settler Finds Himself Almost Alone In The
Wilds, With But Few Men Around Him, And These, Principally Occupied In
Attending to stock, are dispersed over a considerable extent of country;
he finds himself cut off from assistance, or resources
Of any kind,
whilst he has heard fearful accounts of the ferocity, or the treachery of
the savage; he therefore comes to the conclusion, that it will be less
trouble, and annoyance, and risk, to keep the natives away from his
station altogether; and as soon as they make their appearance, they are
roughly waved away from their own possessions: should they hesitate, or
appear unwilling to depart, threats are made use of, weapons perhaps
produced, and a show, at least, is made of an offensive character, even
if no stronger measures be resorted to. What must be the natural
impression produced upon the mind of the natives by treatment like this?
Can it engender feelings otherwise than of a hostile and vindictive kind;
or can we wonder that he should take the first opportunity of venting
those feelings upon his aggressor?
But let us go even a little further, and suppose the case of a settler,
who, actuated by no selfish motives, and blinded by no fears, does not
discourage or repel the natives upon their first approach; suppose that
he treats them with kindness and consideration (and there are happily
many such settlers in Australia), what recompense can he make them for
the injury he has done, by dispossessing them of their lands, by
occupying their waters, and by depriving them of their supply of food?
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