Shortly after my arrival in the Colony in 1826, I was appointed to a Commission of Inquiry into the state of the Aborigines. Previous to that, martial law had been proclaimed about Bathurst, where the blacks had been committing serious aggressions under Monday, their chief. My journey, extending over 1,600 miles, occupied six months. I lived partly with these people, so as to ascertain their number, language, habits, &c., and proposed a scheme of reserves, as in Canada, a border police,

Origin⁠—Language⁠—Marriage formalities⁠—Infanticide⁠—Relationships⁠—Population⁠—Spitting Tribe⁠—Encounter Tribe⁠—Tribal divisions⁠—Intelligence⁠—Laws⁠—Customs⁠—Ceremony of Depilation⁠—Funeral customs. The origin of this race is difficult to trace; they seem to have no traditions, and, although the country abounds in gold, copper, and iron, they never appear to have reached the metal implement age. Living principally on the chase, agriculture was not carried on by them, and their only domestic an

Religion⁠—Massacre of the crew of the “Maria”—Traditions⁠—Cave Figures⁠—Superstitions⁠—Sorcery⁠—Diseases⁠—Poison Revenge⁠—Native Songs⁠—Wit and Humour⁠—Fidelity⁠—Amusements⁠—Corroborees⁠—Weapons⁠—Manufactures⁠—The Bogan Tribes⁠—Native Fruits⁠—Dwellings. They are a people free from idolatry. One would suppose they would be open to receive the Gospel, but it is not so. They are superstitious, but not over-religious and do not seem to have such a deep sense of sin as idolatrous nations who make exp

First settlement of the Colony⁠—Claims of the Aborigines⁠—Extracts from Collins’s Works⁠—Bennillong and Cole-be⁠—Dangerous proceedings of the Aborigines⁠—Frightful massacre by the Blacks⁠—Notes by a University man⁠—Mr. Trollope’s remarks⁠—Aboriginal Police⁠—Doom of the Queensland Savage⁠—Massacre on Liverpool Plains⁠—South Australian Aboriginals. The project of deporting criminals to this distant, almost unknown, portion of the world—a country whose resources were unknown, and distant 16,000 mil

Efforts made to civilize the Aborigines⁠—Rev. L. E. Threlkeld⁠—Results of Missions⁠—Government support of Missions⁠—Society for propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts⁠—Population in the Port Phillip District⁠—Examination before the Legislative Council on the Aboriginal Question⁠—Lieut. Sadleir’s evidence⁠—Rev. L. E. Threlkeld’s evidence⁠—Captain Grey’s opinion. The following may be considered as a brief summary of the several attempts to christianize and civilize the aborigines. Several portion

Aborigines of Victoria⁠—Mr. Westgarth’s remarks⁠—Mr. Lloyd’s remarks⁠—Buckley’s residence among the Aboriginals. Dr. Leichhardt visited the Moravian Mission in 1843, and said no better persons could be found than the seven families and twenty-one children to establish a colony; a little land surely might be granted them. The Rev. Dr. Lang describes these missionaries as travelling about, and preaching to the settlers; but this mission broke up also. Dr. Leichhardt describes the northern natives

Aboriginal Friends’ Association⁠—Mission to Lake Alexandrina⁠—Rev. Mr. Binney’s remarks⁠—Extract from Mr. Foster⁠—The Bishop of Adelaide’s visit to the Native Institution⁠—Report of the Committee of the Legislature⁠—Evidence of the Bishop⁠—The Chief Protector⁠—The Right Rev. Dr. Hale’s Mission⁠—The Poonindie Mission⁠—The Queensland Mission⁠—The Maloga and Warangesda Missions⁠—The Government appointments⁠—The Church of England Board of Missions⁠—The Queen’s Instructions⁠—The assistance rendered t

The last of the Sovereigns of the Sydney Tribe “King Bungaree”⁠—His son. My acquaintance with His Majesty was very short. As was his usual habit, he visited the ship “Thames” in which I arrived in the Colony. His sable Majesty, in his native barge, a bark canoe, presented himself to make the usual inquiries as to the name of the captain, and to inspect the steward’s pantry, receiving tribute of various articles of food and raiment; and although he was adorned with a cocked hat and brass plate, I

The aboriginal Jackey Jackey. This native accompanied the expedition of Mr. Kennedy from Rockingham Bay to Cape York, in 1848, one of the most calamitous attempts at discovery on record, except perhaps Leichhardt’s. The expedition was over-equipped with twenty-eight horses, three carts, 100 sheep, and ample supplies of all sorts—more like an expedition for settlement than a mere exploring party. They landed at Rockingham Bay, thirteen in number. Jackey was a native of Patrick’s Plains, and prove

Tasmania⁠—The Blacks⁠—Mr. G. A. Robinson⁠—The capture and transportation of the Aborigines to Flinders Island⁠—Their gradual decay and extinction⁠—Lalla Rookh, the last native. Tasman had discovered the island of Tasmania and given it the name of Van Diemen’s Land, after the Governor of Batavia, by whom he had been commissioned to explore the “Great South Land.” The next visitor was a Frenchman, named Captain Marion du Fresne, who on landing was assailed with showers of stones and spears, and re