Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-02-20
A CORROBOREE.

n OOlGlGODOllI
Some Facts and Incidents About
the Blacks Of Australia.
When Australia was discovered there
was considerable population of natives
scattered along the coast and through
the interior; their numbers were various
ly estimated, but whatever they may
have been they were far in excess of the
aboriginal population of the country at
the present day. Like aboriginal people
everywhere, they have suffered greatly
by contact with civilization, especially
by the use of ardent spirits, of which
they are very fond. At present there
are not more than forty thousand of
them altogether. In the days of Captain
Cook there were doubtless more than a
hundred thousand, and possibly double
that figure. Their numbers are diminish
ing yearly, and in course Of no very long
time they will follow the fate of the
aboriginals of Tasmania, and disappear
altogether from the face Of the earth.
These people are black, but not so
much so as the negro, and their hair is
curly, but not crisp and woolly. Among
the Australians they are always men
toned as ''blacks" or ''aboriginals," but
never as natives" A native" Aus
tralian is a white person born in the
country, of parents who are either
natives or emigrants from other parts
of the world. The Colonial Govern
ments have tried to civilize the blacks,
but have not been very successful in the
work. Some of the blacks have been
,r1O ~
work for white men, but their love for
strong drink is so great that nearly all
who associate with white men become
drunkards, and spend their money for
rum as fast as they earn any thing. At
one time the Government of New South
Wales had police force of blacks COM
manded by white officers. They were
very useful in following thieves and
others whom the authorities wished to
capture, as they can discover and follow
q trail when it is quite invisible to q
white man.
One of their religious beliefs is that
white man is the terminated soul of a
black man. When one of them dies, he
is buried on the spot where the breath
left his body, and the place is never
afterward visited by any of them. The
toned, and anybody who bears similar
name must change it to something else.
Their belief in regard to the spirit of
black man going into the body of
white one once saved the life of a run
away convict, and made him chief of
tribe. Here is his story, which is lit
orally true:
When the convict settlements were es-
tablished in Australia, the natives were
friendly for time, but after awhile
quarrels arose, and the blacks began
killing every white man who went
among them, with here and there an ex-
ception. In spite of this danger, con-
victs used to run away to the interior
and take their chances rather than SUBJ
NIT to the cruelty of their masters. Most
of them were never heard of after they
disappeared in the bush.
One of these runaways had wandered
for days without food and was about
ready to lie down and die, when he came
to newly-made mound, On which few
pieces of meat had been scattered. He
eagerly seized the morse1s and devoured
them, thus gaining new strength to en-
able him to continue his journey. A
staff like a long walking-cane was stick
ing in the mound and this he took as a
support while walking. Seeing path
like trail leading into the forest, he
followed it in the hope that it might
take him to the hut where possibly one
of his fel1ow-runaways lived
After walking few miles he came
suddenly upon an encampment of blacks;
he would have reiterated and concealed
himself, as he knew the murderxus in
stincts of these people, but it was too
late for him to do SO, as they had al
ready discovered him, and were rushing
forward with their spears and other
weapons.
The foremost of the men raised their
weapons to strike him down, and he
thought his last hour had come. Sud-
denly they lowered their spears, con-
suited with each other, and then came
forward and received him with the
greatest respect. What could it all
mean?
He made signs that he was hungry,
and they Immediately supplied him with
food. They prepared shelter for him,
tended him with the greatest care, and
in a few days he was as well and strong
as ever He was treated as their chief,
and remained with them for good
many years; he gradually learned their
language, ana, IN Jne COurSc VI lille,
discovered to what he owed his good
fortune.
1t seems that the mound where he fell
down exhausted was the grave of their
chief who had just died. The stick that
he found in the mound and took to assist
him in walking, was the staff which the
chief had carried for years, as the badge
of his Office. When the runaway con-
yict appeared with this staff in his hand
he was taken at once as the resurrected
chief, in accordance with the belief al
ready mentioned, which the natives ex-
press with the words: ''Die black fell
low, Jump up white fellow"
The man had the good sense to rule
the tribe so that it was not likely to sus-
pect any thing wrong about their pecu-
liar belief as to the manner of the return
of their chief. He taught them various
things that were useful, and showed
hon they could make war upon their
neiehbors more successfully than they
had done before. At that time the tribes
were generally at war with each other,
which was a very fortunate thing for the