The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1893-05-31
THE AUSTRALIAN AsoRlclNEs.
They Have Traits Which Defy Civilizing
Infiuences-How They Are Slaughtered.

1t is fact that it is hard to teach
the Australian aborigines anything
useful, says an article in the CGIifor-
'stGn. They are naturally lazy and in
dolent, unsettled and of rowing dis
position. They will not stay long in
any place, and if raised from their de-
graded position into more comfortable
conditions, necessitating the breaking
with their natural mode of living, they
will almost invariably return to this
at their first opportunity, and the
same may be said of the half-castes,
who otherwise are far superior to their
sable parents and her relatives.
1t is an oft-repeated occurrence in
Australia that half-caste child has
been removed, when eight o4iten years
old, to the surroundings of civilization,
has been given an education equal to
any white child of the better classes
of the community, and notwithstand-
ing this, upon coming into contact
with his own race, has returned to the
black fellows camp, ignoring book
learning, fine linen. and the comforts
Of civilized life.
In two capacities the black fellows
have been found satisfactory-as
trackers and in the native police. I
can only find correct expression for
their power of tracking by calling it
instinct. I have been with them
searching for men whose every trace
had been practically lost. but the
black tracker has found them in spite
of all. They are more sure than blood
hounds. When the track ceases,
through some mysterious agency, they
seem to know where to go to find It
again.
In the native police they are very
useful as trackers. This police con-
sists of small troops OF mounted, uni
formed black fellows under the COM
mand of European officers. They act
as gendarmes in the outlying districts.
and are principally used for the pur-
pose of bringing marauding blacks to
account. 1t is not uncommon that
the up-country blacks spear the cat
tie on the station or murder travellers
or settlers, and it is principally in such
cases that the native police becomes
useful.
The manner in which they surprise .
camp of savage aborigines is charac-
teristic Having ascertained that they
are near camp some of them dis
mount and strip to the skin. Then
they fasten their carbine to their ankle
by means of piece of rope or chain,
and, trailing it through the long grass,
approach the camp.
The unsuspecting blacks come to
meet their sable brothers, when, quick
as lightning, the trooper stoops, brings
his carbine to level, and sends death
and destruction into the camp.
The aboriginal thinks of good deal
moro of his dogs than of his women.
Dogs are always found about the camp
in large numbers. They are of mon
grel breed and generally starved to
ferocity. The black fellow in most
places is polygamlst, and his wives
are used for carrying everything from
their babies to their husbands weapons
including all their camp parapher-
MALTA, rations, or whatever else they
may wish to transport, while the lord
ly master marches along with perhaps
waddle or boomerang as the only
burden to impede his progress.
But if, as in many instances, the
blacks be savage the white men with
whom they come into contact are no
less so. The life of black fellow is
counted as nothing, and the depreda-
tions perpetrated upon them by set.
tiers are numerous and often particu-
larly cruel.
The spearing of few head of cattle
on a station, where thousands are
| grazing on the runs, has often cost the
lives of many black fellows, and l know
of several instan ces where the camp
had been raided and the women car.
ried away by white men, while it is q
fact that there are settlers who have
made it point to shoot any black fel-
low found on their vast domains to
avenge some murder committed in the
| first place by the blacks.