The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1852-10-12 00:00:00

and not along a parallel of latitude; the order of nature
was said to be inverted in reference to the cherry, pear,

and nut ; and a very hard kind of timber, now we
in the colony, was said neither to burn nor swim

(the Dingo) ; an animal which carried off its young in its
waistcoat pocket, leaping all the while like a flea, (the kan-
. _
garoo) ; and an otter wilic

borrowed

fail, the duck's bill, the goose's foot, &c., (the Ornithoryn-

The native population claim priority of occupation, if
not precedence. They have always been few in number,
requiring a large expanse of country for subsistence ; and
of late years they have diminished rapidly, both from po-
sitive causes, such as disease and murder ; and from
negatives ones, such as non-reproduction. Except in the
case of the negro, who seems specially fitted for tropical
climates, and who possesses the elements of a high
civilization, it seems the law of nature that, physically as
well as morally, the savage should disappear where the
civilised man sets his foot. Intellectual advancement is
found to be more rapid where men exist in large assem-
blies ; thus, China is greatly in advance of Siberia and
Tartary ; and, similarly, the natives of New Zealand are
immeasurably superior to those of New Holland. [Here
a number of warlike and domestic implements of both
countries were exhibited, showing the superiority on the
part of New Zealand.] The appearance of the native
man is often majestic, but that of the woman is always
repulsive. They can all be known from their foot-prints,
as the toes turn inward and the heels out. The skull is
thick, like that of the negro • they are often known to the
sense of smell before that of sight, like the Hottentot;
and they possess a most exquisite scent themselves, like
some of the Tartar tribes. They murder without com-
punction ; are cannibals ; and destroy their own children,
frequently in dread of the difficulty of rearing them. Their
own language is not without melody, and they are fond of
repeating words, especially in names of places, as Yarra
Yarra, Mitts Mitts, Burrs Barra, Bong Bong. Dr.
Hume repeated a curious poem of Dr. Lang's, respecting
the names of Australian places, which excited much
amusement. The mongrel English that is spoken by
them is pretty well understood by the stockmen and shep-
' herds ; one word being made to serve the place of several.
A calf is " young fellow bullock ;" the new and full moon
are " young man moon," and " old fellow moon ;" and,
as with other uneducated persons, all kinds of flesh are
" beef." As illustrations of their dress, Dr. Hume ex-
hibited a beautiful opossum cloak, composed of about 40
skins ; a reed necklace, as a specimen of personal orna-
ments; numerous shields of curious and beautiful con-
struction, and heilamans, as examples of defensive
implements ; six different species of clubs, called,
" nulla nulls," for offence ; the " woomerah," for throw-
ing the spear ; numerous boomerangs, and two hatchet
boomerangs.
A pastoral country is dways thinly populated ; when
it supports larger numbers they become agricultural; and
when larger still they are manufacturing. Australia is in
the first of these conditions ; and in reading a detailed
account of life in it, one thinks of the Patriarchs men-
tioned in Genesis, who "had flocks and herds and tents."
The present which Jacob gave to appease his brother
Esau was not much different from that which an
Australian parent would give to his son ; the camels and
goats of course being exceptions ; and many prosperous
colonists possess wealth similar to that whioh Job
owned at the close of his life, 14,000 sheep, and 1,000
yoke of oxen. There were seven millions of sheep last
year in New South Wales, and six millions in Victoria,
though the latter was only formally colonised in 1837.
The number of cattle, horses, and pigs was in proportion
to these.

The Australian colonist, when from his home, travels
usually either on horseback or with waggons. In either
case his provisions sometimes consist of preserved meat
and biscuits, but usually flour is taken to make the bread
called " damper," and an abundant supply of tea. Game
is abundant, and both fowl and quadruped may be had by
a hal exercise of the gun. In a short time every man is
trained to perform a variety of duties, among which cook.

ing is one of the most necessary. VV

e are wa

there are usually the materials for
but the solitary horseman, making a pillow of his saddle,
places one fold of his blanket or rug on the ground, and
the other over him. Here, with the firmament itself for
his canopy, and the stars for his chamber lights, he enjoys
as sound sleep as the Irishman who " payed attintiou to
it ;" and rises more refreshed than the luxurious English.
man, who spends one third of his existence in an
ventilated apartment. The faithful, hardy, and sagacious
little horse has been " hobbled," that he may not stray
far; and without any care whatever, or any food but the
fresh grass, he is ready to perform wonders of endurance
on the morrow. In the more remote districts, a shep.
herd's hut sometimes affords its shelter; and then the
rude hospitality is cheerfully extended, apparently without
sense of obligation on the one side or expectation of
thanks on the other.

rude encampment ;

The colonist at home, has first a tent, then probably a
hut of bark, after that a house partially stone, and finally
a mansion that would not discredit old England. In per-
sonal appearance, he usually exhibits a great mass of beard
and whisker ; his complexion is slightly embrowned, and
his muscles hardened. He is not unfrequently seen in a
light Manilla hat, a green veil, a blue or red Guernsey
shirt, and duck trowsers, double on the inner side, to com-
pensate for the wearing of the saddle. His waist is com-
pressed by a leathern belt, and perhaps a reeking tobacco
pipe, a long musket, or a formidable stock whip completes
the picture. The veil is worn to prevent diseases of the
eyes, which are common, from the glare of the sun, as
well as from the clouds of fine sand that fly about. [The
complete costume as described , was exhibited to the
meeting ; the articles standing in situ against the curtain.]
Some of the amusements are drafts and chess, at both
of which great dexterity is displayed. Many cultivate a
taste for mechanics, and thus fill up their time with use-
ful pursuits. A drinking cup was shown to the meeting,
which was carved out of an ox's horn, by a man who had
been transported for forgery from Dublin. It had the
royal arms on one side and figures on the other. Occa-
sionally, in the scarcity of books, they are committed to
memory, and an instance was related of evidence to prove
an alibi, which satisfied the court that a man could repeat
the entire Old English Baron. Newspapers are eagerly
sought after, and instructive articles from the English
press are reprinted there. Dr. Hume mentioned, as an
example, that a lecture which had been delivered by him-
self, from that very platform, on Heraldry, was reprinted
in Sydney and Hobart Town. from a Liverpool news-
paper, and reached him again after having made the
circuit of the globe.
Among the dangers of a thinly peopled district, abound-
ing in bad characters, may be mentioned robbery. This
assumes at times a peculiar aspect, when convicts escape,
and form themselves into bands as Bushmen. Their
number is now diminishing, and their existence will soon
be merely traditional ; but stirring tales are related of
Michael How, in Vati Diemen's Land, and of many in
New South Wales. A romantic story was related of the
murder of Mr. John Kennedy Home in January, 1840,
and of the subsequent destruction of the whole band of
Bushmen concerned in the outrage.
The wealth of the country consists, first, in its sheep,
which now furnish the principal portion of the wool used
in this country. In times past, they have been en-
couraged mainly for their fleeces, as there was not a
sufficiency of population to consume the flesh, so that
mutton was used for manure, or was left to the native
dogs. The happy idea occurred of boiling down the flesh,
and converting it into oil, so that the carcass was still of
some value. While this was going forward in one part of
our Queen's dominions, hundreds were dying of hunger
in another, and hundreds more from diseases generated
or aggravated by insufficient food. The public have been
astounded also by the examination of preserved meat,
furnished to the navy ; government having paid a high
price to a foreigner for disgusting carrion and offal, .while
our fellow subjects ,were invoicing the vultures to rfree
them from the superfluity of excellent mutton.
The _stockman is _AISOca man aof substance, ,He rears