The National tribune., 1890-12-25

DTsTOETs HIS HEAD,
fattens his nose surrounds his eyes with cir
cles Of pigment, knocks out his front teeth, and
manelps his flesh with sharp bones or shells,
and then rubs ashes into the wounds so that
when allowed to heal the cicatriCe may form
conspicuous ridge.
OF course he dcvours everything he can Jay
hands upon, including his fei.Ow-creatures;
bat so imperfect are the appliances for making
fire, By the friction Of pieces Of wood, that this
is carried about from place to place with the
wandering groups, who eat nothing actually
raw but human assh.
No domestica;ed animals are found among
Australians, ard it is very rarely that hunter
possesses a halEreclaimed diHgo or wild dog.
Not even the primitive devices Of pottery
making appear and until taught stone
boiling" cheating water in holes ia the ground
with hot stOnasJ by the PoIynesans. they
roasted everything. The race had not so much
as discovered an Intoxicating drink, something
nearly without parallel among the peoples Of
the earth. but when liquor was imported the
natives took 70 drunkenness instantly.
Their highest achievement in constructive
art is the manufacture Of effective fish nets
out Of the fbers Of the nettle-trce, and Of fish
ing-lines from Opossum wool. The construction
Of these articles and such rude spun yarn as
they possess, together with all kinds Of manual
labor, fail upon their women, VINO in every re-
latiOn Of life and at all periods Of their existence
are treated after a fashion which is
DISGRACE TO HUMAN NATURE
Australia is in the stone age Of mechanical
evolution, and all implements and weapons
(spear-pOiuts, war hammers, bComerangs, clubs
and wooden swords set with shells and axes,)
are made of wood, stone or bone. Primitive as
are these materials, their preparation is yet
more archaic than might be expected Pol
ished stone is very rare, and the means by
which it may be pierced are unknown.
A bow and arrows are beyond such utter and
Isolated savages, and their only means Of stri<-
ing at distance is the boomerang "a far less
effective weapon than is generally supposed,
aud the spear, thrown by a wamera or throwing
stick, which greatly increases the power Of the
arm and the initial velocity Of this weapon.
These tribes live by hunting, and have the
special development Of faculties and powers
given by their continual and specialized use.
Their senses are very acute, and that Of smell
especially is far more developed than ia civil
lied man. They climb the tall smooth-barked
Australian gum trees, after OpOssums, by means
Of uotches and vine, and DO so in a manner
that our diiferen1y-evOlyed muscles does not
permit.
Here the social relations are simple, all
being established on the basis of kinship, but
the ceremonial observances are cumbersome,
complex and most announcement. In gram
HlALlCai St4uCttIe LAelE language Is cOtnpll-
Gated but this is no more a mark Of develop
ment than the trivial rites and the multiplied
superstitions which express themselves in their
manners, customs and rituals is an indication
Of intrOspecJiDn, consecutive thought, or a
rational appreciation Of religious obligation.
An Australian has no idea Of God since no
antecedent conception Of a universe exists in
his mind. His divinity is only the
GHOST OF CHIEF
more powerful, cunning and fierce than any
living chief he knows. This being may also be
a god by day aud demon by night. SOrcery
and witchcraft naturally seem to him to afford
a sufficient explanation Of anything he does
not understand, especially if il be of a harmful
character. How this belief arises, and what are
the origins Of primitive supersttions will be
explained in connection with the description
Of other peoples, in whom such ideas are more
definite. Everything attaching to the Aus
traliau is rudimentary, underlined and frag-
mentary.