The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-12-30
TIle AnstraIIan Natlre..

II we aybelieyc a traveller in that 10.
cality, the native Australian in bis normal
state Is aboit,a lazy as It IS well possible
for man to be; and appears to care for mo-
thing but food and lodging Tor tile mo-
ment, and q smoke and a "fiip'' rs fto-
qucntly asille can get one. .,'4 (
They are-yery independent, and will but
seldom do stroke Of work unless under
immediate promise Of tobacco or otherar-
titles valuable in their eyes. " 9iai
It's, however, curious that they actual
" do work well when with parties bent
on pleasure, and not on business. They
are even hard working out shooting OF fish
Ing in boats, etc. f = tap i
Little black boys are frequently EN-.
ployel on stations; and then, II they take
kindly 10 the place, aTeof greatuse. They
early manage to stick On the back Of q
horse, and are thus able to do much in the
way Of getting up horses from the paddock,
and taking short messages. AS they get
older, they become invaluable as bush
Iridprs, IS they care for nothing; ride at
anything, and apparently never get killed,
even by the most crashing falls. At about
sixteen years Of age they begin to get
sulky, give back as good as they, get, and
finally bolt suddenly. They join some
tribe that they have heard Otin the hcigh-
borhpod, and are made men Of by passing
through the mysteries OF tho "Borer.n
Tho places used by the blacks for this
ceremony arc not at all uncommon. A
circle some forty yards in diameter Is sur
rounded by mound oil earth, through
which there Is one outlet bya trench,
which runs in u straight line for sometimes
more thana quarter OF mile. The trees
all round about are usually carved aud cut
in tho most extraordinary fashion. The
chief visible result Of the performance Is
the knocking out OF the two particular
teeth, alter which black Is considered Of
AGE; and Immediately appropriates 10 him
self a neln,n o. wife; in fact, he becomes a
man Of tho tribe, aud 10 longer child.
1t Is noteworthy that all tic black child
reh appear to DO greatly under the influ-
ence Of the "sn,n never daring to disobey
them.
Being man, lie can now join in the
hunting expeditions; moreover, lie gets
aIlrt bitesh at meals forit Is a custom
Of these gentry for the men to seat them
selves, aud gnaw at tliCit food till satisfied,
continually throwing half picked bones,
etc, over their shoulders, to be scrambled
forbythe ggins' and the children, who III
tlieiy turn pass them on in the same'man!
ficr to the dons. l,-,a.d h.f "A 30
Occasionally one meet3with other works
oi blacks beside, tile !" Borcr'' camps. In
certain rivers are to be Seen vast chains Of
pools, oil artificial, In which tribes Of
blacks have tbicn wont to catch fish to
supply any special gathering Of the tribe,
as, for instance the liestlvals i6t the
arotcr,n t,jusii3s 20
When in. his wild state, tue black Is ex-
'ceedihgly active, and very sharp in all
bush.lorc. 1t Is thus that hg Is eften Of
.gfeatstse to those who are, lot any pllr-
pose, actually in the wild parts. Steady.
and icontinu6HS work does not suit him
ut all; but he Is very clcvcrat gettingbsld
Of almost any sort Of animal or bird; he Is
q great hand at tracking" and Is ever On
the lookout for the tracks OF everything,
otwlich be takcsnotlec apparently inyol-
uatasily. 5,