Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1894-05-13
JOOBRA and His FOLKS.
A SKETCH OF fHB NATIVES OF NORrp
AUSTRALIA-H0w THEY LIVE.
The Nos. Degraded Saysg. in Ii, World
Their Children and WsaPns-How the IA
n,us Boonsrangs are Made sni Used.
copyriqAfsi

Copyrighted.
All travellers assure Us that the
Australians are the lowest aBd most de-
graded savages in the world. have
noticed, as s curious fact, that savsges
are intelligent and industrious in pro-
portion to the hsrshness OF their cli-
mate and the difficulties they have 10
overcome In getting food. Wherever
the winters are cold, natural forethought
induces the Esquimsux or the Siberian,
or the savages who live In high latitudes
TO lay by supply OF food against the
day when he cannot hunt or fish. Now,
Australis Is very warm country.
You know it is TO the south OF the
equator. so that the northern parts ara
the warmest, and the wind blowing
faom the north is always the hottest,
while the cold and chilling blasts couis
from the south. But In no part Of ths
great island, which is nearly as large as
the United States, is there ever any
frost or snow. except on the tops OF the
highest mountains The shores swarm
with fish; the hills are full Of kangaroos,
snakes, and dingoes, or Wild dogs, all
OF which are food for the native Austria.
liam.
In aclimate where clothes are not
needed, people do not require warm or
well-builE houses; and where food is 80
abundant, they have 10 make no effort
TO secure IL, the consequence is, they
grow up thriftless and lazy and not be-
ing required TO think, any more than
the wild beasts, their intslligens 10
but very little greater.
The Australians ara race peculiar to
themselves, although, because OF their
very black skins, they are often
classed with the negroes. Their ies-
tuaes are more likethoss OF the Malays,
and their hair, instead OF being crisp
and kinky. is long and wavy, aud they
take great deal Of pride in It's decorA-
ton.
10 1892, being in the northern part
OF Queensland, in Australia, | accepted
the invitation OF sheep-sQuatter-tho
name given TO men who keep large herds
OF sheep on the plains along the base OF
what arc called the Australian Alps.
One OF the inducements he offered ma
was that ! should sec the natives In all
To reach his place from the nearest
town required ride Of $50 miles on
horseback. but such distances are not
considered very great In that land. My
friend owned 700, 900 sheep, which
grazed over 100, 600 acres OF land, and
many o! the herders were "backisl-
lows" as the natives are here called.
know OF nothing In America so Wild
as the life OF these squatters, and the
most degraded OF our Indians are civil.
lied compared with the brightest OF
the Australian natives.
! soon made the acquaintance 81
Joobra. the head mtn. or eklsf 81 a
number OF large villages, near my
friends sheep station. said villages,
but 1t will surprise you 20 know that
although there were fully 1000 black
people, they had neither 4 house, hut,
nor shelter OF any kind; their only pro-
lection against wind and rain being the
spreading branches Of some low tree,
or the shadow cast by a vine. Where
people have not the Intelligence TO erect
house or huts, you may be sure they do
not see the necessity for clothing, and
so the only garments worn by these ma
| tives were the skins OF kangarooS, or
wild dogs, fastened about their loIns,
and as for the children, well, they wore
nothing, and looked to be quite as hap
! py as II they were dressed In the latest
Partisan costumes.
The sports OF all savage children ara
in imitation Of the efforts OF their par
ents The Australian men Kill tho
kangaroo, the wild dog and birds, by
means OF spear, the end OF which has
been hardened In the fro. or with a
weapon which is peculiar 10 themselves,
and which Is known as the boomerang.
The boomerang Isl remarkable weapon,
and | have never seen white man who
could use II so well as a native. They
throw this weapon sometimes along the
ground, sometimes In the air, but nov
er directly Al the objects. IL whirli
about in the most eccentric fashion,
turns corners, sweeps about trees, and
very frequently comes back To XII an
object fifty yards behind the man who
threw II. Small spears and boomersngi
are the toys OF the native boys. and ID
10 really astonishing how accurately
they can use them. Tbs little girls
here, as In every country In the world,
have their dolls, made out OF charred
wood, or clay which they delight TO
carry as their mothers do their babies
AS you may well believe, the Austria
liam are not very particular about their
food, for they regard quantity rather
than quality. Their greatest dslleaoy
Is the tail OF the kangaroo, which they
broll on Goals, and eat In ball raw
state. Next 10 this Is the giant cray
fish, which resembles our lobster, bat is
four or FIVE times as large, and II found
In abundance along the sea coast and
on the banks OF all the rivers Affected
by the tide. | was amazed on reaching
the tree under which Joobra's family
had stheir home, TO Hud his two wives
and many children RECALLING themselves
on roasted snakeG The grub or slug,
found under the bark Of dead trees, 10
regarded by them asa tldbit, and the
children eat them with as much avldlty
az the American little ones eat candy.
On the whole, my experience with Aus
tralian children did not encourage me
70 repeat nv visit,
CAPTAIN ToH.