Washington telegraph., 1854-11-15
Natives OF Australia.

The natives Of Australia present strik-
ing resemblance to each other in physical
appearance and structure, and general char
acter. habits aud pursuits. TIE man i
well built and muscular. and from 3 to 6
feet high. His skull Is thick aud fattened:
bis forehead bold; hrs ewes, which are large,
black and expressive. sunk; bis nose fatten.
ed and his mouth wide; bis lips rather thick:
his teet perfect and beautiful, though il the
dental arrangement in many. difference
exists between the incisor and canine teeth;
biz chest is broad and deep; his carriage
erect. and there il considerable grace anG
dignity of demeanor. A single garment
only IL worn, made in the form Of an oblong
cloak or coverlct Of the skins of the opos-
sum, tie kangaroo, or the wallabie, and,
where animals are scarce. Of an ingeniously
manufactured article of Seawooi or rushes,
and is very becoming. Il has the fur out
ward and IL thrown over the back aud LEFT
shoulder, and pinned on in front with lit
tie wooden peg The open part il opposite
the right side So as TO leave in the man. the
right arm ard shoulder bare. The charac-
ter of the Australian is frank, open and
confding; and when once on terms Of friend
ship has a freedom and fearlessness that
would give little countenance to the impress
sion 50 generally entertained Of his treach-
cry. Having no vessels capable Of resist
ing the action Of fire, they are unacquaint-
ell with the simple process Of boiling: their
culinary operations are, therefore. confined
to broiling, baking aud steaming. Canni-
balism does not appear TO prevail extensive
y through the continent, though it exists in
a few tribes
The following account was given by the
natives Of the Murrey Of their idea of the
creation: That there are four individuals
living up in the clonds called Nooreele, con-
sisting Of father and bis three children,
but there is no mother The father is all
powerful, and Of benevolent character
He made the trees, seas, waters, etc; gave
names to everything and place. and settled
the natives iu their different districts, tell
ing each tribe that they were to inhabit
such and such localities, and were TO speak
such and such languages. The Nooreele
never die, and the soule, Qudko, literally a
Htl1uDn " NJ htal VIII ~ up anu
join them in The skies, and will never die
again Other tribes give On account Of
serpent of immense size, and iphabiting
high rocky mouatains, which. they say, pro-
duced creation by blow of his tail
The Australian believes in sorcery and
witchcrah. The ceremonies and supersti-
tions Of the natives are numerous. and in-
volved in much obscurity. The modes Of
dispo=ing Of the dead vary greatly. accord
ing TO the usage of the district and the age
Of the deceased; simple burial, the burning
Of the body, the drying Of the body in the
sun until it is mumnIied, are all had re-
course TO- The lamentations for the dead
do not terminate with the burial; frequent
ly they are renewed at intervals by the wo-
men during late hours Of the night, or some
hours before daybreak; and piereingly as
those cries strike upon the traveller in the
lonely wood, if raised suddenly very near
him, yet, mellowed BY distance, they are
soothing aud pleasing.