The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1873-06-27


q NATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS.
In nothing is the brutality of tn,
aboriginal blacks OF Australia NOR
clearly shown than in their treat
ment Of their females Amongs
them women are considered as al
inferior class, and are usl only a,
: beasts of burden: so that iC is mo-
J at all uncommon to mee a hugt
! black fellow travelling mcrrily along
J with no load but bis spes- or war
club, whilst his unfortunate leuJro
is painting under the weight oftheil
I goods and chattels, which she is
compelled to carry from camp to
camp. Courtship, as the precursor
to marriage, is unknown amongst
them. When a young warrior is
desirous of procuring q wife, he
generally obtains one by giving for
her a sister or some other female
relative of his own; but if there
should happen to be no eligible
damsel disengaged in the tribe to
which hebelongs, then he hoverS
round the encampment Of some
other blacks until be gets an oppor-
tunity Of seizing one oftheir Ieubras,
whom perhaps he has seen and
admired when attending one of the
teasts, or corrobories. His mode of
paying his addresses is simple and
etficacious. With blow of his
nulla-nulla (war club), he stuns the
object of bis "affections," /" and drags
her insensible body away to some
retired spot, whence, as soon as she
RECEIVERS her senses, he brings her
to his own gunysh in triumph.
Sometimes two join in an expe-
dition for the same purpose, and
then for several days they watch
the movements of their intended
victims, using the utmost skill in
concealing their presence. When
they have obtained the knowledge
they require, they wait for a dark,
windy night: then quite naked,
and carrying only their long "jag-
spears" they crawl stealthily
through the bush until they reach
the immediate vicinity OF the camp
fires, in front of which the girls
they are i'll search of are sleeping.
Slowly and silently they creep close
enough to distinguish the figure of
one of these leubrss; then one Of
the intruders stretches out his spear
and inserts its barbed point amongst
her thick flowing locks; turning the
spear slowly round, some Of her
hair speedily becomes entangled
with it; then, with q studded jerk,
she is aroused from her slumber.
As her eyes open she feels the point
of another weapon pressed against
her throat.
She neither taints nor screams;
she knows well that the slightest at
tempt at escape or alarm will cause !
her instant death; SO, like 3 sensible i
woman, she makes a virtue Of ne J
and rising silently she fol-
lows her captoB. They lead her y
away to a considerable distance, tie Il
her to tree, and return TO enSnare
their other victim in like manner.
Then when they have accomplished !
heir design, they hurry off to their /,
OWN camp, where they are received :
With universal applause and highly :
lonored for their chivalrouS exploit. 8
Occasionally an alarm is given, but =
wen then the wiEe-stealers easily y
'scape amidst the confusion, to q
enew their attempt at some future y
Deriod. q
When a distinguished warrior !"
arries off bride from 3 strange :, :
ribe, he will frequently volunteer q .
o undergo "the trial ofspears." in 7
rider to prevent the necessity OF his /,
'eople going to war in bis defense. h
hen both Of the tribes meet and
en- OF their strongest and smartest
onng men are picked out by the al
ggrieved party. These are each c
roviled with three reed spears and n
wommers, or throwing stick; and b
be offender, sEnd CnIy With bis a