River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1875-07-02

their career. No monument, however rude,
no sculptured rock or stone, however un.
couth, no hireoglyphics, painting nor
symbols of any kind, not even those ira.
ditions and legendary lore, with which
barbarous nations usually TEEN, to help
the most imaginative Spectator towards
probable conclusion, as to what their
past has been.
The apparently inevitable decree Of
fate which marks the gradual and un.
ceasing approach to extinction, of nearly
all savage nations, seems not to be pecu-
liar to the natives Of Australia only, but
to extend its doom as well along the
shores Of the Atlantic, as over the in.
Vulnerable islands Of the great Polyne-
sian group. 1t rears its desolating hand
alike among the superior native races Of
America, Malacca, Tahiti or New Zea-
land, as among the inferior orders inhab-
itirg Australia, New Caledonia, Fegees
and others.
One great and most important cause Of
the extinction of this race, is undoubted.
ly found in the barbarous custom of in
fanticide, aud that too, more particularly
in the destruction of their female off:
spring.
As far as we can ascertain from history,
the practice of infaticide has only been
against recorded people sunk very low in
the depths of poverty, and teeming with
surplus population, las in India or China)
but here this is not the case, not only
are their numbers rapidly decreasing, but
at the present time it is a marked feature
amongst all the Australian tribes, the
great preponderance Of males over fe-
males. One would imagine that this would
suggest the careful preservation Of their
female children, such however, is not
the practice.
The fact Of the appropriation of nu-
merous ''gins" (wives) by one or two of
the seniors of the tribe, reduces as of
necessity it does, the greater proportion
of their young men to state of bache-
lordOm.
The women are of short statue, dirty,
ugly, and wretched. They are literally
the beasts of burden to the community,
and in times of scarcity are invariably
the last to be considered as having such
an inconvenient thing as an appetite.
When seated in conclave round their
fires, the women are anywhere but at the
privileged places where anything is likely
TO be gotten; and, if it be true that the
status of the women Of country is a
fair criterion Of the civilization to which
its people have attained, truly no
stronger proof of the deepest degrada-
tion need be cited against the Australian
aborigines.
A other cause Of their diminished mum
bers is to be found in an invariable GUS
tom which prevails among them when
any of their tribe dies; no matter from
what cause, another from a neighboring
tribe is sacrificed to the memory of their
departed friend, and thus constant state
of warfare and vast destruction of life
is maintained. heard of an instsnce of
an old black fellow dying of as near an
approach to old age as may be possible
but, as usual, he was questioned after
death by one of the mischief makers Of
his tribe, who pretended to elicit from
him a report to the effect that his death
was caused by the influence Of some one
belonging to a neighboring tribe, doubt
less pitched upon by the old william out
Of spite; the consequence Of course was a
demand for vengeance on the head of the
unfortunate victim thus selected. The
usual fighting ensued and several on each
side were killed, each Of whom having
been likewise supposed to impart after
his death the name of his murderer, oc.
casioned still further necessity for slaugh-
ter. These battles Of course have their
Examinations, but in the space of two
years the destruction of between sixty
and seventy lives out of two tribes was
the result entirely of this custom.
Our preparations for another trip are
yet incomplete and our destination not
fully settled upon; but, no doubt, we are
going to explore new and strange coun-
tries and minglc with new and strange
people. You will hear from me before
our departure an know where to address
me. Yours truly,
S. 4.
KITE-STRING.